Page 21 of Malicious Marriage (Mafia Lords of Sin #9)

DEAN

“ C lover!” The moment she steps out of the car, my world immediately feels like a brighter place.

Telling myself not to get attached is pointless after our night together, but I’m well aware it blurs the lines of our arrangement.

Which is why when she called yesterday to discuss money, I thought it would be better to talk in person.

“Hi, I’m so sorry I’m late.” She flashes me a wide smile while smoothing out the wrinkles in her skirt. “Would you believe me if I told you I’d locked myself out with the keys inside and had to wait for Bobby to rescue me?”

I laugh softly and briefly wave to Bobby as he climbs out of the car. “Honestly, I would.”

“Good, because it felt far-fetched even for the truth.” Her cheeks flush slightly as she stands next to me and gazes into the window of the extravagant department store I arranged as our meeting place. “Why are we meeting here, exactly?”

“Well, when you called yesterday to discuss your situation, I thought it would be a much nicer discussion in person and I’m in need of a few new suits, so why not combine the two?”

She arches one brow at me as Jack opens the door for us and ushers us inside. “Do you buy all your suits from stores?”

“Not exactly. I wander the new releases and pick out suits I like the look of. They get sent to my tailor, who either alters them for my build or he orders the material and recreates the suit from scratch.”

“Wow.” Clover’s eyes widen. “I didn’t even know that was a thing you could do.”

“You can do anything if you have the money for it,” I remind her.

“Like buying historical landmark hotels?”

“Exactly.”

Bobby and Jack greet each other and fall into a soft discussion several feet behind Clover and me while we start our circuit of the first level of the store.

I pick out a few suits by marking them with a pink circular sticker given to me by the assistant who makes herself scarce as quickly as she arrives.

“So,” Clover says after we complete a loop of the bottom floor with pleasant conversation. “You just mark them and they’re yours?”

“Pretty much.” Peeling one of the sticker sheets apart, I offer it to her. “You try.”

“Oh, no.” Clover quickly shakes her head as we step onto the escalator. “I couldn’t.”

“You can. Please.”

“No, no, I can’t.”

Is this about money? “My gift, Clover. Please let me treat you for being such an outstanding guest at the gala.” Her mouth opens to protest once more, but I take her hand in mine and press the stickers to her palm. “Please, I insist.”

She frowns but her fingers curl around the sticker sheet. “You’re a hard man to say no to.”

“So I’ve been told.”

The second floor is much more Clover’s style as an array of dresses and pant suits stretches out before us on various displays. After a little encouragement, Clover finally puts a sticker on a beautiful white dress that’s covered in vibrant, multicolored petals.

“Clover, when you called yesterday you mentioned something about borrowing money. I’m sorry I couldn’t give you an immediate answer because I was wrapped up in work, but I’m happy to talk about it now.”

Clover’s attention remains down on the sticker sheet. “Actually, before we talk about that, I feel like we should talk about something else first.”

“Oh?” I’m immediately on alert. Has something happened? Does she need help? Or worse, have I offended her in some way?

“I… the time we spent together…” Clover places a sticker on a black dress with a trembling hand. “Don’t get me wrong, it was amazing. One of, if not the best night of my life.”

Nervous laughter escapes her, and as she can’t look at me, my stomach twists. I think I know where this is going.

“It can’t happen again.”

I knew it.

The disappointment is instant and heavy, but I keep my smile polite and even.

It was a risk, kissing her and letting it lead to other things.

It was a dream to think that maybe it meant something because for me, it was more than a wonderful night of sex.

Clover’s touch against my scars still lingers like a faint prayer and I ache to feel her touch again.

“Clover, if I?—”

“It’s not anything you did!” She spins to face me and her face betrays her worry.

“It was so nice, it was. But I don’t want to blur the line of business and pleasure between us.

I feel like things will get too complicated, and all it would take is a broken heart or hurt feelings for our benefits out of this to crumble. ”

She has a point. I’ve never been a vindictive man until I met Trish. She unlocked a new side of me that I didn’t know existed, so I can’t promise I would remain kind to Clover if she pulled the same hurtful lies that Trish did.

“You make a good point,” I assure her. “And you’re right.

We both have a lot to lose should the other suddenly decide to end this.

It’s wise not to involve personal feelings in a matter like this.

” Each word is like drawing a blade across my skin because all I want to do is take her in my arms and kiss her until she’s as breathless as she was yesterday morning.

That, it seems, will remain a dream.

“You’re not angry with me?” Clover briefly catches my eye, but she can’t hold it.

“No. I value your honesty, actually. Being upfront about these things is how we avoid something terrible in the future, so thank you.”

Clover looks pained as she turns away and nods. “Great.”

Was that not the answer she was hoping for?

I get the feeling there’s something else going on here, but I can’t put my finger on what.

We walk in silence for a few more rows while Clover decorates the back of her hand with stickers rather than the clothes.

Maybe money is the real issue here. Did she feel cheap in some way?

Asking for money after sex doesn’t create the kindest connotations.

Once this is all over, once both our troubles have been settled and smoothed over by this marriage, I’ll try again. There’s no harm in waiting, and maybe then she will see that my interest in her has grown into something genuine.

“So, the money.”

Clover’s shoulders tense. “Yes.”

“Is it for the wedding? Is that why you said it was urgent?”

“It’s…” Clover pauses next to a mannequin wearing a sparkling gold dress.

She presses a sticker to its waist and then turns to face me with a wide smile.

“Yes, because I’d like to get married as soon as possible.

Before the end of the month, if we can. After what I saw at the gala and the trouble you mentioned with your ex, I was thinking it would be best to seal the deal before anyone else can try to mess with it. ”

“Clover, darling. You don’t need to worry about that. I’m more than happy to pay for the wedding. You don’t need to borrow from me for that.”

“Well…” Clover hesitates and her cheeks flush a darker pink. “I actually still need some because… because…”

“Because?” I prompt gently. Asking for money in any regard is hard, so I don’t blame her for being cautious, but it’s part of our deal so I’d like to know what it will be used for.

“My sister,” she blurts out. “Hailey. She was supposed to be at the gala and she didn’t turn up.

She hasn’t answered my calls or my texts so I haven’t been able to get a hold of her.

” Clover’s smile wobbles and fades as real concern bleeds through onto her face.

“So I was hoping I could use some of the money to look into what’s happened to her. ”

“Oh, Clover.” Stepping forward, I lightly grasp her shoulder. “When was the last time you saw her?”

She looks up at me with wide eyes. “Honestly? About two or so months ago. She travels a lot so it’s not uncommon for her to disappear, but usually, I get a message and pictures of her being somewhere fancy and exotic.

But I thought she would come back for the engagement and she hasn’t.

I’m trying not to be scared but the more I think about it, the more I worry. ”

I nod once as my jaw tenses. “Whatever you need is yours,” I say firmly. “Jack will help with the finer details, but my pocket is your pocket. I even have a PI, Andrew, I can put you in touch with.”

Her eyes widen further and her lower lip trembles as if she’s holding back tears. “Really?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Dean… thank you!” She suddenly throws her arms around me and hugs me tightly, so I return the hug as firmly as I dare.

“It’s no problem at all.” Did she expect me to say no when someone she cares about is missing?

“Nothing else in the world matters to me more than her safety,” Clover mumbles against my shoulder, then she steps back and quickly tucks her hair behind her ear. “Not a thing.”

“Family is important. I understand. Trust me, Clover. I will help you find her.”