“Something’s going on.” I pace back and forth, kicking at the gravel beneath my feet. “Ronan’s covering for Cormac, and I don’t know why.”
Brennan pushes off the wall. “Don’t drag me into that. I’m not getting caught in the middle of this.”
“He’s our brother; it’s inevitable that you will.”
We fall into step beside one another as we head around the side of the warehouse to where our cars are waiting for us.
“Well, not today, I won’t. I need to head to a meeting atThe Blackthorn.”
“If you see Cormac, tell him I want to talk.”
Brennan climbs behind the wheel of his car. He waves a hand before speeding away, kicking up a cloud of dust behind him.
It’s nearlyseven by the time I pull into my private parking garage. I kill the engine and sit in silence for a minute, my knuckles still aching from earlier. A bruise is already starting to blossom beneath the skin, and I silently curse myself for losing my temper. But it seems no matter how hard I try to rein it in, it always seems to get the better of me.
In less than an hour, I will be sitting across from Riley Walsh in a dimly lit restaurant where we’ll share a meal and a bottle of wine. It’s not lost on me that I’ve never done such a thing with a woman before. Normally, I pick them up at a bar, bring them back to a hotel room for the night, and send them on their way.
I’m walking into uncharted territory, and that scares the shit out of me. Not that I’ll let on. The biggest mistake I could make right now is to show any sign of weakness or vulnerability in front of Riley.
Contract or no contract, she is not to be trusted.
The apartment is quiet as I step off the elevator. I take the stairs two at a time up to my room and lock the door behind me before stripping out of my clothes and jumping in the shower.
By the time I’m buttoning up a black shirt and checking the time, it’s already five past seven. I quickly head downstairs, butwhen I don’t find Riley ready and waiting for me, a familiar surge of rage courses through my body.
“Riley!”
Silence.
Of course, she’s not ready on time. She’s probably doing this on purpose to test me.
“I swear to God…” I start pacing back and forth in front of the stairs.
My shirt suddenly feels too itchy against my skin, and I want nothing more than to rip it off and head straight into the gym to work off some of my frustration. But I know that Riley and I need to show our faces in public if we’re going to make this relationship believable, so I can’t back out of the date now.
“Riley—”
My voice falters at the sound of footsteps.
I turn around and glance up the stairs.
Riley is standing there, wearing a pale blue silk dress that clings to her curves in ways that make my throat go dry. Her auburn hair is loose and cascades over her shoulders, and her green eyes are lined with a subtle gold shimmer, making them appear even brighter.
For one stupid fleeting moment, I forget how to be annoyed.
She looks like sin, and she fucking knows it.
“Took you long enough.” I peel my eyes away from her before I end up starting this night off with a raging erection.
“It’s five minutes.”
“It still makes you late.”
I keep my eyes averted, but I catch her descending the stairs out of the corner of my eye.
As she approaches, I stupidly flick my eyes to her just as her breasts are at my eye level, and I almost drop to my knees.
Her curves were no secret, considering the skimpy little outfits she’s been parading around my apartment in for thepast few days. But somehow, this dress makes them even more delicious, and from the flash of thigh I catch through the slit in her dress, that much more accessible too.
