Page 95 of Between Desire and Denial

“Well, there’s a reason you’ve gotten so much pushback on your condos and offices. If the Irish Mob is influencing a few to push all the others to vote against you… they want you gone, and if they look at Olive wrong because she’s with you—”

“I’ll kill them,” I responded without a second thought.

Bane laughed and Dom leaned back and held his hands up like he’d finally proven his point. “Well then… Just like Dex.”

“First of all, we’re in agreement what Dex did was warranted.” My brother had gotten rid of someone who had hurt his wife.

“Of course.” Dom didn’t even hesitate.

“If these fuckers threaten any part of my family, they deserve just as bad as what Dex has done or worse. They’re not going to look twice at my girl without me coming for them.”

Dom said quietly, “Not just a little business transaction between you two anymore?”

“Look”—I felt my jaw popping up and down—“don’t tell Kee and Dex. Not yet.”

“Jesus, I’m not your secret keeper, Dimitri. We aren’t twelve. Just tell them quick.”

“I will.” I nodded. “I already would have had it not been for Olive asking me to keep it to ourselves. Right now, I have to get back. Things are happening in Paradise Grove that I shouldn’t be missing. Tell Clara I said hi.”

Dom nodded. “Don’t fuck it up.”

I stared at her text the whole flight home.

There was no reason to respond to it.

She’d understand soon enough how serious I was.

Chapter Thirty-Five

OLIVE

I’d takenan Uber thirty minutes out of town to meet up with Mr. Perfect.

I’d put on my best red dress, my best shoes, and my best makeup while FaceTiming Kee and Pink for help. Pink stared at the phone for a second before saying, “More red lipstick and the red flower in your hair.”

“Are you sure?” I switched out my normal pink plumeria to a red one. “What do you think?”

“Fucking hot.” Pink nodded at me and Kee smiled.

“I’m so excited for you.” Kee looked like she might even tear up.

“I’m nervous he won’t show or won’t look like I want him to.”

“You’ve barely talked with the guy, right?” Pink shrugged. “So, if he’s terrible, who cares?”

“He’s the only one I’ve talked to in a couple weeks. And I haven’t been matching with anyone else in this area.” I wasn’t going to admit I really hadn’t been trying because of Dimitri.

“This is good. Get out there. Try out some new men.” Pink was rattling off things now. “Forget your ex ever existed. Jump back in the saddle, ride a cowboy and—”

“Enough.” I heard a deep voice in the background.

“What, Bane?” Pink handed the phone to Kee who started to walk away from them. “It’s the truth. We all need to forget about the past.”

I heard his growl and then, “You’re never forgetting about anything with me.”

Kee laughed as she walked into another room and gave me a look. “So, Bane just arrived on a private jet to see Pink. She’s not happy about him showing up, obviously.”

“How’s that going?”