Maybe the good doctor had a bit of a subbie side, after all, despite her… objections.
But she didn’t pout, the way some might at the rebuke, even gentle as it was. “Fine. Don’t tell me. I’ll find someone else to satisfy my curiosity.”
She would, too, out of spite if nothing else. And then her brother, who happened to be the president of a local motorcycle club whose good side Killian was eager to stay on, would have his head on a platter. “I’m happy to answer your questions. But not tonight.”
For the first time since his arrival, she looked at him, really looked at him, and he was left as he often was with the uncomfortable feeling she saw him more clearly than he would like. “Tonight was really bad, wasn’t it? Worse than usual.”
“Yes. And no, I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Fair enough. But you did stand me up, so you owe me one, Irish.”
Because he did indeed owe her, he didn’t bother to sigh. “A guest pass for a demo night at the club, where you can observe and question and learn until your heart’s content. I’ll even see if Tara can make time to give you some more hands-on experience, if you find something you’re interested in.” He let his lips curl up. “She has a deft hand with ropes.”
A deeper curiosity, the kind borne of personal rather than educational interest, lit Naomi’s eyes. “Tara?”
“Our head bartender. Tiny little thing, but don’t let that fool you. I’ve seen her put men three times your size on their knees.”
“She sounds fascinating. It’s a deal.”
“Hey! Master C!”
Biting back a groan, he turned as Titania Anderson, wife of one of the co-owners of Club BDE and a constant pain in Killian’s ass, sidled up to him, a mischievous grin stretched across her face. “Tania. What a… pleasant surprise.”
Titania snorted out a laugh. “Pleasant. Right.” She tilted her head to the side, giving him and then Naomi an appraising look. “Missed you at the wedding. And the reception. But now… here you are.”
“Here I am, indeed.” And that was all the explanation he was willing to give a woman who had hitched herself to not just one, but two ex-cops who’d love nothing more than to see him rot behind bars.
“Tania, we’re supposed to be celebrating.” Emily Elliott, yet another of Braden’s sisters-in-law, offered up her shy smile as she laid a hand on Titania’s arm. “Can we have a truce, just for one evening?”
Titania pouted, but even she wasn’t immune to Emily’s calm sweetness. “One night, Master C. That’s all you get. Come on, we’re over here in the corner.”
At Emily’s urging, Titania turned, and Emily offered him a smile and a roll of her eyes as she ushered her sister-in-law back to their table.
“Master C?” Naomi asked, her lips twitching with obvious amusement.
“C for Cinnamon Roll. Honor a promise to a friend and suddenly everyone thinks I’m a soft touch,” he muttered. Not that he truly minded, as he did indeed have a soft spot for Braden’s family even if they didn’t all return the feeling, but a man had his reputation to consider.
The twitching of Naomi’s lips turned into a full-on grin. “Oh, I think I like her.”
“Of course you do. Brats of a feather tend to flock together.”
Despite his dry tone—or perhaps because of it—Naomi tossed her head back and laughed, loud and bright. But not the same laughter he’d heard in the pit, which was a relief. That laugh was still an echo in his mind, one he’d been trying to ignore since he’d chosen the bar over the pit. Discovering Dr. Winters was the owner of that laugh would have resulted in far too many complications for his comfort.
And complicated was the last damn thing he needed.
Putting the haunting laughter out of his mind, he guided Naomi over to a corner booth where Emily and Titania were cozied up with their husbands.
“Gentlemen,” Killian said with a nod for all three men. “This is Dr. Naomi Winters, my date for the wedding. Naomi, the two with the matching gray in their beards are Damian and Desmond, Braden’s brothers. Emily belongs to the slightly less grumpy looking one, Damian. Titania belongs to Desmond and Sebastian.”
“And you said they weren’t property,” Naomi muttered, making his palm positively itch to spank some manners into her.
“Behave yourself, Dr. Winters,” he said instead.
Lifting her hand to her brow, she gave him a snappy salute. “Yes, Sir.”
Cheeky brat. It really was a shame she wasn’t interested in him that way. They could have had some fun together.
“I like her,” Titania declared, practically beaming at them. “About time you found someone to keep you in line, Master C.”
