Lor gasped and slapped a hand over his mouth. “Sorry,” he mumbled behind his palm. “Sorry, I didn’t turn my phone the whole way off, I just thought we were going to get yelled at about....” He bit his lip.
“The car?” Rowen snapped. “Ye didn’t answer the bloody phone because of the car?”
Lor slid down in his seat and set his fork aside.
“No,” I whispered as a sheen hit Vail’s eyes and a pair of tears tracked down his cheeks. “No, it’s okay. Don’t.”
“I’m sorry. This was my fault.” Vail leaned into Rowen’s arms. “I forgot we were supposed to go see the ensemble tonight, and I was going to ask if you wanted to go with me, both of you,” he said, glancing up to include me. “But Lor reminded me after we were done tutoring that we were going to the city, and then he said why don’t we—”
“Take Conall’s car,” Lor said, wincing. “I wanted to drive it, and he said I could. I thought it was the perfect opportunity. It was my fault, Dr. Mifflin. Please don’t take the blame.”
“So, I was sidetracked and forgot to tell you I was leaving.”
Rowen wiped the tears off Vail’s face. I was glad he didn’t have the heart to yell at them because I’d hated it when we’d fought earlier. I didn’t have the stomach for this when they both looked so apologetic already. Even the tiny bit of jealousy still swirling in my chest disappeared.
And that story—sparing no details—was the exact one Vail and Lor told Sloan almost two hours later as they stood in front of the boss’s glossy wooden desk in his office while looking mortified.
Conall sat on Sloan’s lap in a pair of black sleep pants that were sheer enough I could tell he wasn’t wearing underwear. He had the cast on the lower part of his left arm propped on his knee. Sloan rubbed his hand over Conall’s ass while Vail and Lor nervously rambled out exactly what they’d told us.
“But I’m sorry, Sloan!” Vail sounded honest, probably because he never really lied, and he meant every word. “I wouldn’t have intentionally worried everyone.”
“You,” Sloan said sternly, pointing at Lor, who crossed his arms and went green around the gills, as if he was going to puke. “What made you think not telling anyone where you were going was wise?”
“Well—” He glanced around. “—I know you told me I needed to let you or Conall know where I was, but I did tell Conall this morning at breakfast I would be in the city tonight. Conall, you were sitting on Sloan’s lap at the time... kind of like this... and your hand was busy behind your back....” Lor’s tone was perfectly level, but the smirk he wore was pure evil and more than familiar. I glanced at Sloan and frowned.
Conall peeked up and stared at Lor, then slapped a hand over his mouth. He shot a look at Sloan before clearing his throat. “I wasn’t really paying much attention to what you were saying, I guess. I was preoccupied.” He snickered but bit it back.
Sloan’s face went red and he cleared his throat.
No one talked for a solid, awkward minute before the boss sighed. “Pet, go to bed and get ready for me.” He stood Conall up on his feet and waited for him to steady himself.
“Yes, Boss,” he said, giving Lor a sad smile on his way past.
Sloan stared after Conall until he closed the door as he left.
We all held our breath as the boss stood from his black leather chair and paced around the desk closer to Lor. “This will never happen again. If you go anywhere during the evening, you will take at least two of my men with you. They can find their own ways to occupy their time if you’re in a situation like the one tonight, but they’ll see you to the door, and they’ll pick you up when you’re done, and they’ll drive you.” Sloan smoothed his hands down his suit jacket. I had no clue if he was including Vail in his orders or not because he was staring holes through Lor. After a second, I figured he was only talking to Lor because Rowen took Vail’s hand. He already had four guys who wanted to follow him around all the time, and if Vail was with Lor alone, they would both be covered by the security.
“Why?” Vail asked. “We were fine.”
The boss only stared at Lor, barely blinking.
Lor patted Vail’s arm. “Uh, yes, I see we caused some concern tonight, but Conall really did say I could drive his car!”
“You know he didn’t mean without telling him about it. And most likely not without him.” The boss’s tone was so deadly quiet we all leaned closer to hear that last word.
Lor flushed and the smile he gave Sloan did look pretty guilty. Sloan stalked closer to him, and Lor rubbed the back of his neck as he stared at his shoes.
“You will do as I say, Mr. O’Guinn.”
“I drove the Lamborghini back, Boss. There wasn’t a scratch on it. The engine purred like a kitten. Really there wasn’t much harm done.” I did my best to use the old Maher charm, but the air around Sloan was still ice and didn’t thaw a bit.
Rowen smacked me hard enough on the arm that it stung, and I shrugged.
Lor moaned. “I’m sorry. It was so fun.”
Sloan stalked to me, and my heart nearly popped out of my chest. “What were you doing with my pet today, Mr. Maher?”
I nearly pissed myself when he leaned the slightest bit closer. His cologne smelled expensive and good and, for a wild second, I wanted to ask him the name of it. “You were definitely yelling at Lor,” I whispered. “You had some good points. Maybe you forgot to say a few things to him?” Sloan’s eyes narrowed farther. “Not a thing. I did nothing.”
