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“How exactly is it that you can run a place like this? Isn’t it illegal?” I recalled Shae telling me everything on his floor was above board, which had me curious.
Conner’s head inclined almost proudly. “The Bastion club is a private charitable organization. Essentially, it entails some very creative accounting.”
“I see.”
“You know how to play blackjack?” he glanced over at me.
“Oh yeah. I’ve played a bunch with my brother—not for money, although sometimes we’d play for leftover Halloween candy.”
Stifling a smile, he shook his head. “Let’s see what you’ve got then.”
He motioned to one of the tables. I took the only open chair, smiling at the attractive redhead in the dealer’s seat, though she hardly gave me a glance because she was too preoccupied with making eyes at my husband.
“Mr. Reid,” she said in a sultry tone. “This is a pleasant surprise.”
The nerve! It’s like I’m not even sitting here.
Conner placed a hand on my shoulder. “Wanted to show my new wife around. Noemi, this is Lena. Lena, Noemi.”
The woman smiled and dealt my cards, a dagger sheathed in her eyes. “Best of luck.”
Was this the attention he got at work every day? If so, it was no wonder he was dedicated to the job. I knew that women often threw themselves at powerful men, but it was another thing to see it in action. With my husband.
I swallowed back the acrid taste of jealousy and looked at my hand. Two eights. A decent enough hand to split. I managed to get face cards dealt onto each eight, giving me two winning hands when the dealer held at seventeen. I grinned, beaming up at Conner, who was able to join me at the table when the man sitting next to me grumbled and withdrew from the game.
Lena dealt again, including Conner this time. We played several hands, and I’d begun to genuinely enjoy myself despite the overt attention Lena showered on my husband. My tolerance hit its limit when her hand trailed seductively over his for the second time as she collected his cards.
“You know what? I think I’d like to eat,” I blurted, turning to Conner. “Can we grab dinner?”
His narrowed blue gaze cut to me. “Yeah, of course.” He dropped his cards on the table. I walked to the elevator, not taking time for goodbyes.
“Is theresomething you need to say?” Conner asked once we were in the car. He’d detected the downturn in my mood, but I wasn’t ready to admit the source of my irritation.
“No, just hungry.” I kept my eyes cast out the side window.
A short time later, we pulled up to a restaurant by the name of Neary’s. It looked small on the outside but opened up deep into the back of the building on the inside. If I’d had to guess, I’d have said the place had been open as long as the building had been in existence—possibly the thirties or forties—but in a good way. The Irish-style pub had loads of charm. Red vinyl booths lined the walls, along with Irish memorabilia and ancient-looking sconces that cast a warm glow throughout the cozy space.
“It’s family-owned,” Conner said, leading me to a vacant table in the middle of the long room. “This okay, Tally?” He lifted his chin to a cute curly-haired server nearby.
“Of course, Mr. Reid.” She walked over and pulled out a chair for him, flashing a seductive smile. “Can I grab you your usual?”
Un-fucking-believable.
Was this what it would be like? Always feeling like a third wheel in my own damn marriage?
“That would be great, thanks. Noemi, what would you like to drink?”
I huffed and plopped into my seat, refusing to look in Conner’s direction. “The house red works.”
OnceTallyleft us, Conner scooted his chair closer to me, one corner of the small table between us. “You jealous?” he asked curiously, a hand rubbing at his stubbled chin.
“I just think it’s disrespectful. All these women fucking you with their eyes like I’m not even here.”
Something dark and primal crossed behind his eyes. “You’re jealous.” He said the words this time with predatory amusement, like a cat watching a mouse squirm in a trap.
“That what you’d call it if Bishop and every other man we encountered was blatantly picturing me naked?” I had his attention now, so I continued in earnest. “If this relationship was real, then a few ogling eyes wouldn’t bother me. But it’s not real, and that just makes everything so much more confusing.”
Conner’s face turned volatile—his features more stark, his anger more acute. “What do you meanif this was real?” Every clipped word dripped with venom.
