“You are such a bitch.” Emmeline offered an exaggerated frown as she glanced around the brand-new coffee shop.
Tilly jumped in front of me. “Hey, only I get to call her that.”
“Neither of you do. Unless it’s over a glass of wine.” Which would definitely come later. The last few weeks had been grueling in trying to get the new space designed, approved, and put into motion.
Then there’d been trying to handle the contractors. Okay, yes, they were doing Sinclair a favor by dropping everything to complete the project. That didn’t mean they hadn’t gotten on my nerves. Dealing with them had told me one thing: that I was no general contractor. I was a much better pastry chef.
“All kidding aside,” Emmeline said. “I hate you because this place is fabulous.”
“Coming from you, I’m honored.” I noticed the love of my life standing in the corner with his brothers.
As usual, his eyes never left me.
Even now, I could tell he was undressing me. I allowed a few images from the night before to slide into my mind even in the middle of the day.
“More customers,” Tilly said. “Back to work.” She crowded my space, following my gaze. “You really love him.”
“I really do.”
“Well, I don’t think Jaxon is too bad. I wonder if he has a girlfriend.”
Laughing, I managed to tear myself away from Sinclair’s heated gaze. “Be careful, girlfriend. The Prince boys do bite.”
“Ooh-la-la.”
She moved toward the counter where a larger crowd had formed. Opening day had been a tremendous success.
All thanks to the handsome man standing and waiting. Who said he couldn’t be a patient boy?
I moved closer, taking my time so I could overhear their conversation. As usual, it was all about business. Even with Catherine, Alexander’s wife standing with them.
“I will admit, seeing Santos’ face when the prison was suddenly a fireworks display was fabulous,” Sinclair said even as his nostrils flared while studying my approach.
While it had felt damn good to give Zane a little of what he’d given me all those years ago, I was ready to move on. He’dbeen indicted on various corruption charges along with several charges against women he’d abused. I would say he’d spend years in prison except he’d already been attacked three times in the city jail.
And I didn’t feel in the least bit bad for him.
As far as my stepfather and others, they’d confessed to a lesser crime, which meant they would likely receive some time in a minimum-security prison. I didn’t care. At least the Brotherhood had been exposed.
“Did you hear about Santos?” Montgomery asked.
“What about the pig?” Alexander hissed.
“He tried to hang himself.”
Sinclair laughed. “Poor guy. That’s what happens when your entire wealth is destroyed.”
“No more business,” I interjected. “This is a celebration.”
“Ah, the lady has spoken,” Alexander teased.
Catherine winked at me. “Women do rule.”
Everyone laughed and Sinclair waited until they’d walked away. Suddenly, his arms were around me, sweeping me into the shadows.
“You look radiant,” he said, dipping his head and capturing my lips.
As always when he demanded my attention, everything else around me stopped, all noise driven into a vacuum. He had a way of keeping butterflies in my stomach, my head fuzzy and all the kinky desires I’d felt from the beginning resurfacing.
