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“Your boyfriend ruined that.” Connor’s piercing green eyes narrow at me.
“That’s ridiculous. Niall is an old friend. And green doesn’t suit you after all, I think.” My smile doesn’t quite reach my eyes. “Not when it comes to jealousy, at least.”
“I’m not jealous. I just don’t want the enemy dipping his cock in my wife-to-be.”
“No one is dipping anything just yet. Least of all him, or you.”
“As I recall, I’ve done a little of that already.” Connor’s eyes don’t hold a hint of amusement. “And you enjoyed it greatly.”
“And we’ve agreed that enjoying ourselves with each other is a thing of the past,” I say primly. “This is a business arrangement, Connor.”
“Yes.” His gaze holds mine. “And until you fulfil your part of the contract, I hold full rights to you.”
“No one is disputing that.”
“I think Niall might.” Connor’s jaw tightens, and I narrow my eyes at him irritably.
“Niall has nothing to do with this,” I tell him sharply. “Now, since we’re here, should we talk about something that actually matters? For instance, how your first meeting went after we arrived?”
“Is that something we need to discuss?” As Connor speaks, the waiter comes back, bringing chilled champagne and cocktail shrimp. As soon as the champagne is poured, Connor lifts his glass, tilting it towards me. “To a new life in Boston?”
“To my husband-to-be including me in what’s going on.” I tap my glass against his. “You promised not to keep me in the dark. You want me to listen, to be your eyes and ears instead of my father’s, but in order to do that I have to know what to listenfor.”
“What does your father tell you?”
“I thought you didn’t want to copy him.”
We stare at each other, the fizzing champagne in our hands, and I feel the familiar glow of excitement start to seep through my veins. Ienjoythis, the tête a tête with him, the argumentative back and forth. It makes me feel alive, this verbal sparring, as if I’m finally holding my own in a world meant to keep me down.
“There’s not much to tell, yet,” Connor relents finally, reaching for a shrimp. “I’ve given strict instructions that Liam is not to be harmed, that I want him and his wife to agree to exile, not for him to be put to death. Luca is someone I wish to keep an eye on—I think his wife’s friendship with Anastasia may prove to be problematic. But as far as anything else, we’re only just beginning.” He raises an eyebrow. “And you, at your bridal appointment? Did you hear anything interesting?”
“How—” My mouth opens slightly. “You. You’re the reason Sofia and Caterina were there.”
Connor shrugs. “I merely suggested to your father that perhaps your mother should extend an invitation to them forallyour pre-wedding festivities, while they’re in town.”
“So I won’t get a moment’s peace,” I mutter through gritted teeth.
Connor shrugs. “I certainly don’t.” He glances at me. “So?”
“Not much to report there, either,” I say tightly. “Caterina seems pleased enough to spend time with me, but she doesn’t give much away. She was raised in this, she’s an excellent mob wife. Sofia, on the other hand, is verging on combative. She’s clearly upset about the threat to Anastasia’s happiness.”
“But not to Liam,” Connor muses.
I shrug. “It’s conjecture. But if I had to guess, she cares less about Liam himself than whether or not Anastasia is happy.”
“That might be something we can use.” Connor shrugs. “Time will tell. You’ll have plenty of more opportunities over the coming days.”
I wince at that, but I don’t have an opportunity to respond. The waiter is back to take our order, and Connor is already moving on.
The rest of the dinner is much less engaging. We talk carefully about topics that don’t matter very much—and it’s clear that Connor is trying to keep a certain distance from me. There’s no flirtation, not even the sexual tension that I’m used to. It’s as if it’s dissipated into thin air, and I wonder if he’s lost interest, or if he’d just keeping himself on that tight of a leash.
I’m almost afraid to find out.
When dinner is over, he walks me back out to my car, and he doesn’t even try for a kiss. I feel a wave of disappointment that I know I shouldn’t—but it’s so reminiscent of my days as Liam’s fiancée that it makes my heart ache.
I don’t want to desire another man who doesn’t want me.
My thoughts are a million miles away as I walk to the back gate, trying not to let the disappointment of the night completely overtake me. I don’t want to go back inside yet, to where my mother—or worse, my father—might be still awake and want details of what Connor and I talked about. I haven’t forgotten Connor telling me that he expects my loyalty to be to him, not to my father, and I’m still trying to figure out how to balance the questions my father will have for me with the need to keep some of it to myself.
