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Well, that’s some fucked-up thinking. Dad’s done a real number on you.
I had to fight back a sigh as Conner drove us to his club. I didn’t want to think my husband was capable of manipulating me like my father had, but it was hard to squash the suspicions. I felt compelled to be on my guard, just in case. It was mind-boggling how quickly life could be snuffed out or stolen.
The club entrance was quiet like it’d been on my first visit. I wondered what it was like at night—did people line up outside, or was it more like a speakeasy with secret knocks and lookouts? Maybe I’d just seen too many movies.
Shae was absent this time around, but the best man at our wedding was lounging on Conner’s sofa when we reached his office.
“If you’re that tired, man, just go home,” Conner grumbled, alerting the man to our presence. I’d met him briefly before, but we hadn’t had a chance to talk.
“Oh shit. Sorry. Late night.” The attractive guy sat up, a sheepish smile showing off deep dimples on both cheeks. He looked right about Conner’s age with warm brown eyes that reminded me of a golden retriever and curly dark hair he kept long and unruly on top. He was strong—thick cords of lean muscle layered on one another so that his traps made his shoulders slope, and the sleeves of his T-shirt strained over his curving biceps. With the boyish nature of his charm, he was even cuter in casual clothes than the suit he’d been wearing at the wedding.
“Noemi, you remember Bishop,” Conner said distractedly, walking to his desk.
That’s right. I extended my hand, which he gladly accepted. “Bishop … is that your last name?”
“Nah, real name’s Ewan Bohanan.”
“Why Bishop?” I asked, curious.
He smirked, looking at Conner as if asking permission.
My husband rolls his eyes.
“Got the name in high school…” He blasted a radiant grin. “Because all the girls ended up on their knees when I was around.”
I had to bite my lips to keep from laughing hysterically.
Conner perched on his desk, crossing his arms over his chest. “Nearly got you killed on more than one occasion.”
“How was I to know if one had a boyfriend?” He spread his arms wide, pleading his innocence. “And it never got quite that bad—not with you at my back.”
“Yeah, you dragged me into more shit. It was a good thing I lived in the ring.”
“The ring?” I asked, cutting in.
“Boxing ring,” Conner clarified.
“Did you box professionally?”
“Did he box?” Bishop gaped. “My man could have been a champ—just look at him!”
I smirked, trying not to be too obvious in my perusal. Connerdidhave an impressive build. “Guess that explains why your knuckles are all scarred.”
Conner smirked. “That’s one of the reasons.”
I shook my head, not wanting to know what else would lead to that kind of damage. It was enlightening seeing the two men interact. Bishop brought out a different side of Conner that I hadn’t seen before. I imagined they’d been hell on wheels growing up.
“Alright, that’s enough bullshitting.” Conner stood, shoving some papers in a drawer, then looked at me. “There’s always a few tables open around the clock upstairs. You want to go up and check it out?”
“Really?” I’d figured he needed to work, and I’d be stuck entertaining myself. A tour was an unexpected treat.
“Come on. Bishop, go make yourself useful somewhere.” Conner led me to the elevator and up to the second floor, which housed what looked like a small hotel ballroom decked out for a Vegas-themed event. The walls were dotted with crystal sconces, and matching chandeliers hung from the ceilings. Textured satin fabric decorated the walls in a rich burgundy, the same color used throughout the space combined with gold and mahogany wood grains. A dozen card tables sat in the middle of the open room. Only two seemed to be open at the moment, and I wondered what the atmosphere would be like at night during peak hours.
“You’ll have to come sometime at night to see the full effect,” Conner mused, looking over his kingdom as if viewing it from my perspective.
“I was just thinking the same. It’s beautiful, but I bet it comes alive at night.”
He rumbled a sound of agreement.
