A SECRET SIN

12

NONVIOLENT MIGHT HAVE BEEN AN ODD CHARACTERISTIC FOR A BOXER, BUT THAT WAS HOW I WOULD

have described myself. I wasn’t quick to anger, and I certainly didn’t have a lust for blood. I liked

competition, physical exertion, and the strategy required to take on an opponent one-on-one. That was

me in a nutshell, but the second I walked into the Revello dining room and laid eyes on Pippa seated

next to another man, I saw red—blistering, boiling, crimson licking at the edges of my vision.

Gino Revello stilled beside me in the arched entry. “Pippa, I didn’t realize we had another guest.

Perhaps you should introduce us.” Each word was laced with irritation almost imperceptible to the

naked ear. Almost.

She smiled, unfazed, as though the sudden tension in the room had been her plan all along. What

was her goal? Was she making a statement to her father or me? If I was her target, she had a thing or

two to learn about the Bohanan iron will. I lived for a challenge, and Pippa’s antics only spurred me

on. If she was trying to deter me, she’d gone about it all wrong.

“I’m so sorry, Daddy. Archer was getting ready to head back to college, and this was the last night

we could catch up. I hope you don’t mind.” She placed a hand on the asshole’s shoulder, her words

saccharine innocence.

I stepped forward and extended my hand toward Archer. “The more the merrier, I’d say. Name’s

Bishop.” My smile was practically lupine, but I couldn’t help myself. This was going to be fun.

“Mr. Revello, I hope I’m not intruding,” he offered to Gino in a voice cracking from the pressure.

This guy was no competition. In fact, the notion was laughable enough to help rein in my temper.

“Not at all,” Gino assured him. “Guests are always welcome.” He turned to me with a thin smile.

“Please, have a seat.” He motioned toward the empty place setting next to where his wife would

presumably be sitting. The seat directly opposite Archer. Perfect.

I took my place and noted Pippa fiddling with her hair—a nervous tell. She’d put on a bold front

so far, but uncertainty worried her insides. I had to admire her efforts. She was dedicated to paving

her own path. Few people knew themselves with that sort of conviction and stayed true to themselves.

Reluctantly, I turned my attention from Pippa to her friend. “So, Archer, how do you know

Pippa?”

“We hung out at school. We both played basketball, so we’d see each other at practices.” His eyes

cut briefly to Gino before he fidgeted in his seat.

Pippa took a sip of wine. “You would have met him before, Daddy, if you hadn’t been so strict

about me not dating.”

Archer’s eyebrows rose as he peered at her in surprise. He recovered quickly, but the damage had

been done. These two hadn’t been remotely intimate. Had he wanted a relationship? Why hadn’t he

pushed for it? Their situation was intriguing in a morbid, nauseating way. Had I not known Pippa was

a virgin before she met me, the uncertainty of their past would have eaten me alive.

“Sorry for the delay.” Mrs. Revello swept into the room carrying a steaming bowl of pasta in her

hands. “Dinner is ready.” She placed the dish on the table, followed by two teenage girls who did the

same with the dishes they carried.

Gino stood. “Lauretta, this is Bishop Bohanan and … Archer … I’m sorry. I didn’t get your last

name.”

“Worthington.” He nodded to Lauretta. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Pippa’s mother looked from Archer to me and back again. “Oh yes. It’s lovely to meet you both.

Uh, Ari, please go get your brother.”

The older of the two girls left the room while the other took a seat next to Archer, allowing a

curtain of hair to form a barrier between them. She appeared to be the shiest of the bunch.

“You have a beautiful home, Mrs. Revello,” I offered.

She smiled warmly. “Why, thank you. Can I pour you a glass of wine?”

“Please, allow me.” I stood and took the bottle from the middle of the table, giving her a healthy

portion before pouring my own glass.

“Hey, Bishop!” Gabe’s boisterous voice called at my back as he entered the room.

I set down the wine and stepped away from my chair, extending my hand for a fist bump. “What’s

up, man?”

Gabe beamed, clearly delighted to be treated like a peer. “Not much.”

“Have you two met before?” Gino asked.

“Bishop came by practice the other day and got schooled by Pip.” He grinned. “You should have

seen her. It was great.”

Archer chuckled, and I had to refrain from glaring at him.

“Yeah, well. Now that I know her penchant for hustling, I’ll be more careful in the future.” My

gaze drifted to Pippa, an entirely different sort of hustle on my mind. Her thoughts must have taken her

to the same place because a crimson flush warmed her cheeks.

She cleared her throat. “It’s good to keep a few aces up your sleeve. You never know when

someone will try to catch you off guard.” Her comment was meant as a jab, but I was more amused

than anything.

I raised my glass in the air, my eyes never leaving hers. “Words to live by, I’d say.”

Archer fidgeted. Again.

Mrs. Revello sat taller. “Now that we’re all here, please eat.”

She motioned to the food, and we launched into the process of loading up our plates. The next

hour was spent in polite conversation, often focused on Archer, thanks to my repeated efforts to keep

the spotlight bearing down on him. Dinner didn’t go quite as I’d expected, but it was still endlessly

entertaining. By the time our dessert plates were licked clean, I suspected Archer would have paid

money to be anywhere but in that dining room.