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H e’s here.

Oh my fuck.

How the hell had Connor wound up at the Den tonight?

I never went there. None of us did. It was just too close to home, really.

I frowned, wondering if my cousins had somehow let it slip.

I’d spent the last nine days trying not to think about him.

Of course, that was easier said than done. The man was bullheaded. He’d come by the apartment twice, but I had security turn him away.

I was surprised when he didn’t cause a scene, but he was much too classy for that.

Next, he sent flowers.

Four dozen long-stemmed red roses. All of which I sent back.

But just this morning, as I opened the door to head down to Drew’s Place to check on construction, I found a single Rio Samba rose lying on the welcome mat.

The burnt orange flower was so beautiful. It reminded me of our last night together. The night when all my dreams and hopes had been dashed.

Still, I kept that one. Placed it in a mason jar and set it by my bed.

Why did he pick me?

I mean, on the surface I understood. Hell, I wasn’t looking to fall in love then. But I also wasn’t looking to get conned either.

When I flirted with Connor at the christening, it was for several reasons. I’d been instantly drawn to the big, older, tattooed man with the flashy suit and no nonsense expression.

Truth was, I’d been hoping for a one-night stand. But one night turned into more, and somewhere along the line I lost my heart.

And my peace of mind.

Gazing at my reflection in the mirror, I grabbed a tissue to blot my tears without ruining my makeup.

The Den had the cleanest bathrooms I’d ever seen for a nightclub, but I didn’t want to hang out there all night. The mirrored walls were perfect, letting me see everything from my shoes up. The lighting was blue, matching the ambiance out on the floor.

But as nice as it was, I didn’t want to stay in there all night. In fact, I did not want to be out anymore. I just wanted to leave. But I needed to know if he was still out there.

I huffed out a breath, but it turned out I didn’t have to worry about where he was, because the door slammed open, and Connor walked in.

“This is a bad idea. Leave. Please leave,” I said.

But he just stood there.

Larger than life.

Black eyes glittering.

Jaw clenched.

He was really fucking pissed. And it showed.

Gulp.