Page 48 of Lovely Venom

In pure Quinlan investigatory fashion, where Sabine cut her teeth as a PI working for us years ago, she studies me and then Raina. My sister shoots me a look of condemnation that is part terrifying and part hilarious.

Tristan gives a hearty laugh, clapping my shoulder like I didn’t threaten to kill his brother seven years ago. “I’m just being polite to a guest. It’s called hospitality, Quinlan.”

I want to say the people who visit my domain don’t leave alive, so I don’t have to worry about keeping them fucking comfortable. But I don’t.

“How do you all know each other?” Raina asks, adorably confused.

“This is my sister, Sabine. She’s the head of security here,” I say with caution.

“Welcome to The Sterling.” My sister’s eyes narrow just slightly as if she’s catching something quietly blooming in the space between Raina and me.

Pinching her elbow, I whisper, “Stand down, lass. It was just a misunderstanding.”

“Sure thing,Mr. Mirz.” She stalks away to her office, shaking her fiery red waves.

To look relatively sane, I turn to the photo that hadthese two all sentimental and say, “That your da, Hart?”

Tristan winks, sensing I’m trying to save myself. “Yeah. This hotel meant everything to him. Sometimes too much. He neglected his family for it.”

Raina’s mouth softens. “I’m sorry.”

“He’s gone now.” Tristan waves it off and politely finishes talking. “That’s me and my brothers in the photo.Weown the hotel now.”

“Your mother must be proud of you.” Raina darts her eyes between me and Tristan.

“She is.” Tristan grins at her. “Because we’re nothing like our rotten father.”

I don’t have that luxury. I’m everything like my father, but the worst version of him. My brothers are cold and lethal. And I’m territorial. I was seconds away from getting loud and wrecking a perfectly innocent interaction.

Do I have it in me to be anything else?

A pause catches my attention.

“My mom died last year and I never knew my father,” Raina says, and I flinch.

Jesus. Poor woman. That’s why she’s so good at pretending she’s fine. She’s been living with that missing piece of herself her whole life.

“I’m Tristan Hart, by the way. COO of the hotel.” He reaches out to shake Raina’s hand. “You?”

Oh, please lie, Raina. I’d KILL to hear you lie to him.

She clears her throat. “Raina.”

She lied to me. Not him. Interesting.

“Connor Quinlan,” I say, and grip her hand from his to keep up the ruse that we’ve never met.

“Nice tomeetyou as well.”

“And yes, I’ll go check on my wife,” Tristan says, straightening his tie.

“Tell the lass I said hello.” I smile.

“Will do.” Not that she’ll remember me.

Or maybe she will. She was here when my brothers and I stormed this place looking to hurt Grayson.

“Yours?” Tristan whispers, nodding toward Raina.