SILENT VOWS

18

“Don’t move,” he snapped before disappearing down the hall.

The woman, whose eyes were a striking combination of turquoise and gold, laughed from deep in her belly. “What a buffoon. I’m sorry. Guess he could be a friend of yours.”

I shook my head adamantly.

“Good.” She held out her hand. “I’m Shae.”

Once my hand was free, I pulled out my notepad and wrote my name.

She grinned. “I know who you are, Noemi. Everyone in the family knows you.”

Super.

I held up the paper, relieved when she burst out laughing.

“It’s not so bad.”

Are you related to Conner?

“Cousin, but I also work with him here at the club. My dad was Brody Byrne.”

My face fell, recalling what I’d learned from Pippa.

I’m so sorry for your loss.

She shrugged and motioned to a red leather sofa in front of the fireplace. “That’s just a part of the life, I guess.” She sat angled toward me, one arm over the back of the sofa. “You try to guard against these things, but s**t happens.”

I got the distinct impression that Shae was a badass. I didn’t know of many women who worked alongside the men in our family, and I figured the Irish were probably the same.

“I wasn’t supposed to come in this evening,” she continued. “But I’m glad I did. I’ve been curious to meet the silent Mancini.” She tilted her head, kaleidoscopic eyes studying me. “Not exactly what I expected.”

I arched a brow, encouraging her to explain.

Shae chuckled. “Guess I expected someone shy and demure, but that’s not you, is it?”

I scrolled neatly on my notepad. No voice doesn’t mean no opinions.

Her eyes sparked with amusement. “No, it certainly doesn’t. And that right there is why I think I’m going to like you, Noemi.” Her fingers toyed with the long silver earring dangling from her ear. “So tell me, how do you feel about all this? Conner and the wedding?”

That’s just a part of the life. I smirked when I flashed her words back at her.

“No shit.” She grinned but quickly sobered. Watching how the blue and gold in her eyes fought for dominance with the change in her mood was fascinating. When she reached out to rest a hand on mine, her irises were all molten amber. “I’m sure none of this is easy. You ever need someone to talk to, I’m here. Anytime.”

I was surprised by her forwardness and the sincerity of her offer. I gave her a small smile and nodded.

The door burst open at that moment. All my attention was instantly redirected to the doorway where Conner stood, murder blazing in his eyes.

I instinctively yanked my hand from beneath hers. I wasn’t even sure why. We weren’t doing anything wrong, but something told me it wouldn’t matter to this man.

He stalked into the room, Umberto behind him. “Shae, I wasn’t expecting you today.”

“Looks like you have all sorts of unexpected guests,” she responded boldly. “Lucky for me, I got the chance to meet your bride-to-be. She’s stunning, Reid. You’re a lucky man.”

Conner popped his neck one direction, then the other. “You’re walking a fine f*****g line, Shae. I suggest you make yourself scarce.”

I flinched at his harsh words, confused about why he would be so ugly to his cousin being kind to me. Maybe he was moody like that because Shae didn’t seem surprised. She grinned as she stood—a victorious flash of teeth and audacity.

Yeah, I liked her.

“You too, Berto,” Conner barked at my guard, though his eyes were locked on me. “I’d like a moment alone with my fiancée.”

“Huh?” Umberto pulled his eyes away from Shae’s retreating backside.

“Out. Now,” Conner snapped.

Umberto scowled, his eyes sliding to me for only the briefest moment of contemplation. “Whatever, man. Just make it quick,” he grumbled, then plodded from the room.

With a flick of his wrist, Conner swept the door shut. For the first time, he wasn’t wearing his suit jacket, and the sleeves of his light blue dress shirt were rolled to his elbows, giving me a view of the ink covering his skin. I was surprised to see that the other forearm was bare, devoid of ink. What was beneath the rest of his shirt? I had a feeling I’d find out in two weeks’ time, whether I wanted to or not.

I rose from the sofa, the mounting tension in the room urging me to my feet. I got the sense Conner was furious, but I had no idea why. I scrambled for my pad, hoping to distract him.

Met with the wedding planner this morning.

I held up the note, but his eyes never left mine as he stalked close. Never in my life had anyone looked at me with such ardent intensity. It stole my breath. In a good or a bad way, I wasn’t sure.

“I don’t ever want to see anyone touching you like that again.”

I flinched backward in surprise. She was just being kind.

“That’s bullshit, but regardless, I don’t care. Man or woman, I see someone touching you in a way I don’t like, I’ll cut their f*****g fingers off.”

I gaped at him, totally flabbergasted. Where had this caveman attitude come from? He was the one who’d told me we could have lovers and this whole marriage was a professional arrangement. Where had that man gone?

So many colliding thoughts bombarded me. I didn’t know what to say, so I went with the first thing to rise to the surface. We have dancing at the reception. You going to cut all their fingers off?

It was meant as a challenge. A means to point out how absurd he was being.

My intent escaped him.

“Then I suggest you call the wedding planner and strike dancing from the agenda.” He said it with absolute seriousness.

She’s your cousin, Conner. Nothing happened.

“And for that, I’ll just take it up with her in the ring, but anyone else is fair game. I know her better than you, and I know for a certainty she wasn’t simply being nice.”

My brows narrowed at his insinuation. Had Shae been hitting on me?

“Now you’re getting it,” he murmured.

Ohhh.

I flipped the page of my notepad and scribbled again.

Even so, you said we were both allowed lovers.