Page 17 of One Last Time

Shit.

Even he couldn’t do that.

However, despite the fact he tried to give Haven and her business a wide berth of space—then it never looked like her club was anything but her club—he didn’t think she would mind that he was there today. Stepping out of his vehicle, Andino fixed his blazer and scanned the surrounding parking lot and side street.

Mostly empty.

A quiet city day.

Nothing out of the ordinary.

The enforcers that would usually keep an eye on Andino from a safe distance weren’t even anywhere to be seen, but that was by his own choice. Even his wife’s enforcer wouldn’t be following them around today.

It was a private thing.

Procedure day.

Turning back to the car, Andino almost thought to open the rear door to let his pup out. Sometimes, though Snaps hadn’t been on one of these rides in over a year since his passing, Andino caught himself behaving as though his old companion was still around. He missed his dog like nobody would ever know.

Especially in these moments.

Sighing, he decided to leave the car running as he headed for the club. Certainly no one would bother it here—he might not come around, but that didn’t mean people weren’t aware of just who he was when he did show up.

Inside the club, Andino found the place quiet and lit up. Chairs rested on tables while the hardwood floors gleamed underneath, freshly waxed. All the neon signs inside were also turned off, the DJ booth had been shut down, and the bar was empty. The few workers who came in during the day to clean, stock the bar, and whatever else barely even noticed Andino passing them by.

That was fine.

He wasn’t their boss.

Soon, he found his wife inside her office. Flipping through what looked to be an order sheet, Haven didn’t even look up from her work as she said, “Remember, your managers are the ones you need to deal with if you need—”

“But I don’t work here, babe.”

A smile crept over her pretty lips. Haven’s head tipped up, and her gaze landed on him where he leaned in her doorway. Her stare drifted down over him, taking in his three-piece suit and settling on the grin playing at his mouth.

“Hey,” he murmured.

Haven smiled a little wider. “Hey yourself.”

“You busy?”

“Aren’t we always?”

She made a good point.

Shifting to stand straight without leaning, Andino shoved his hands into his pockets and gave his wife a wink from the doorway. There was something about the sight of her in a black pencil skirt, heels that made her legs look fantastic, and a loose blouse that hinted at her cleavage while she worked behind a desk that made him want to cross the office and show her every wicked thought in his mind at the moment.

He didn’t, though.

Couldn’t.

“I thought you might want a drive to the clinic,” Andino said, “instead of us just meeting up there today.”

Haven gave him a look. “I thought you had work to do today?”

“Cleared most of it away. This is more important. I can take a day.”

“I love you, Andino.”