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“Yes, join us,” Emily said more enthusiastically.

Ciaran took his usual seat at the head of the table, and Emily beamed.

“Where are Sean and Will?” Ciaran asked.

“Haven’t seen them this morning.” Emily pursed her lips. “I don’t think Sean came home last night and Will had an early start. Said he had a breakfast meeting over in Dearborn.”

“Yeah, he’s going to meet with the architects for the new hotel.”

“Great.” Emily’s shoulders rose and fell as she took a deep breath. “So, I, eh, I want to take Annie to Great Lakes today.”

Ciaran put down the coffee cup he was about to take a sip from. “Why do you have to shop at that place? It’s too big, there are too many stores and too many people. It’s a security nightmare.”

“Yes, but you know I love a bargain.” Emily flashed her best puppy-dog eyes at him. “I really want to go. Please?”

Ciaran looked at me. “If Annie wants to go.”

I shrugged. “I could do with some new clothes.”

“Okay. Max and four of my men will accompany you.”

“Max?” Emily’s face fell. “But he’s such a killjoy.”

“What you mean is that he doesn’t take your shit,” Ciaran said. “Either he goes with you, or you don’t go.”

“Fine,” Emily huffed, “but he’d better not try to boss me around.”

Ciaran smirked. “I’m sure he wouldn’t dare.” He reached into his inner jacket pocket. I was starting to wonder if he owned any casual clothing. He fished a credit card out of his wallet and slid it across the table to me. “Buy whatever you want. No limit.”

Emily grinned as I picked up the credit card and stared at it as if it was going to bite me. “You’re not going to be dull and say you don’t want to spend his money, are you?”

“Oh no, I intend to spend as much as I can.”

“Is this where you hit my bank balance to get revenge for me being an asshole to you?” Ciaran asked.

Was it an acknowledgment that he’d treated me badly? I liked to think it was.

“No, I understand why you acted the way you did.”

Ciaran stared at me for several long seconds. I squirmed in my seat as the scrutiny became almost unbearable. Then he spoke. “Buy yourself a dress. I want to take you out tonight.”

Though we still had issues to overcome, I jumped at the chance to repair our relationship. “Where?”

“A club I’m a member of.”

“Ooh,” Emily teased. “Do you mean Dominion?”

Ciaran turned to her, his eyes narrowed. “What does my innocent little sister know about Dominion?”

“Plenty. Can I come too?”

“Hell no.”

Between the name Dominion and the horror in his voice at the thought of his sister going there, I suspected it was some sort of sex club.

“Why can’t she come?” Batting my eyelashes at Ciaran, I feigned innocence. “What sort of club is it?”

Ciaran’s lips twitched. He knew exactly what I was up to, trying to embarrass him in front of Emily. “You’ll find out later.”