Page 4 of The Reluctant Siren (Texas Sirens: Legacy #2)

She wanted to know. That was what it came down to. Her curiosity about Niall Griffen was bigger than her fear that he would turn out to be another version of Jensen Wiley.

She needed to know if they could have any shot because she was so deeply attracted to him.

“Do you want me to go in with you?”

Ruby stood beside her, waving as Brianna Dean-Miles walked by.

“I know we don’t normally take business meetings in corsets and heels but hey, we’re going with the flow.”

If she brought Ruby with her to talk to the gloriously sexy man standing near the main stage wearing leathers that showed off his every muscle, she could pretend this was all business.

Or she could be brave.

“What if this is one of those situations where the reality is way less than what I have in my head?”

This scenario had been playing through her brain ever since she made the decision.

Ruby frowned her way, arms crossing under her breasts, which were impressively being shown off in her sapphire blue corset.

“Are you changing your mind? Because you told Miranda Falls’s mom we would have an initial report by next weekend. As far as I can tell that club is only open Thursday through Saturday. You have to figure out if our girl is even going there, much less which night she plays.”

Which meant they should go in tomorrow and Saturday.

“I’m not changing my mind. I’m worried it’s not going to be as good as I hoped. What if I get performance anxiety? What if I’m thinking so much about the case, I can’t properly respond to him as a top?”

“No.”

Ruby’s head shook.

“You don’t get to shrink back and not say what you are actually scared of. That shit might work with your sister, but it’s not flying with me. Say the problem out loud.”

Sometimes she wondered why she loved this woman. She wanted to growl. But Ruby was right.

“Fine. What if I kiss him and I feel nothing and I’ve gone through all of this for a big old nothing burger? Also, what if he says hey sure, Harlow, I’ll watch your back and then I find out he has a girlfriend or he doesn’t like me that way and then all my manipulation will have been for nothing. I think I should tell him I’m planning on manipulating him into seeing if a relationship can work, and then he can make the choice.”

“We’re going to talk about the word manipulation and how it’s supposed to work, but we can do that later. For now, this actually sounds fairly healthy, and I like that for you. It’s a good look.”

Ruby gestured to Harlow’s clothes.

“This is a good look, too. Okay, you go and plant your freak flag and see if he responds to it and I’ll talk to the Taggarts about a backup plan.”

Harlow stared across the dungeon at that hot hunk of man. One of the newer subs was approaching. Lisa, Lana, something L. She was probably twenty years old and looked all shiny and new.

Harlow was twenty-six and definitely didn’t feel shiny. She had a big-ass scar on her right thigh and another on her left shoulder. L-whatever had perfectly smooth skin because she’d never taken a bullet or gotten twelve kinds of cut up trying to escape from a house where she just rescued a kidnapped kid.

The younger woman smiled up at Niall. She was in all white, obviously playing up the “I’m such an innocent sub I would never suck your cock like I have something to prove. I’m so innocent no one ever tied me up and slapped my ass until I cried out and begged you to fuck me.”

“Are you serious right now?”

Ruby asked.

“She is an infant. I’m surprised they let her in the club. I think she’s still in college. You’re going to let that sorority sister take your man?”

“Not my man.”

But the words did scratch along her spine, making it straight.

“You finally going after Niall?”

Her cousin stood on the other side of her. Gigi Dawson was stunning though modest in her skin-tight leggings and a bodice-style shirt that clung to all of her curves. She was a few years younger than Harlow, but they’d always been close. Like her mom, Gigi studied to be a nurse and had recently started working in a downtown hospital in an emergency department.

“You should know Leah looks sweet, but she’s got some teeth on her. I should know. She works with me. Can’t stand her, but the guys all love her. One of the Doms was in for a broken finger and he started flirting and invited her to training class. I hate her.”

“I hate her, too,”

Harlow proclaimed. Because if Gigi, who was literally the sweetest woman in the world, hated someone, she was probably evil. Yeah, she looked like she would kick a puppy to get to a pair of designer shoes.

Leah laughed, the sound cackling Harlow’s mind, and put a hand on Niall’s chest.

“Too bad he’s a softie,”

Gigi said with a sigh.

“If she tried that shit with Gabe, she would get the staring of a lifetime. I swear that man can freeze water.”

“Yeah, he comes by it honestly. His dad is scary. All the Lodge-Taylor kiddos learned how to stare at a young age. I think they took a kindergarten class,”

Ruby quipped.

“And yes, Harlow is thinking of going in, but now she’s doing that thing where she totally lets the past keep her from even coming close to getting laid.”

Niall frowned and took a step back.

Leah looked horrified.

“No, I’m not.”

She was going to go and see if she got a better result. That was what she was going to do. Because he had never once looked at her like that. Like she was slightly distasteful.

“Oh, the huggy Dom is pissed,”

Gigi said with a grin.

“I like it. Actually, he’s way hotter now.”

Harlow turned on her cousin.

Gigi backed off with an apologetic grin.

“I see you also went to Julian Lodge’s school for terrifying stares. Sorry, cos. He’s all yours. Honestly, I’m happy to see it. You go get that man.”

Harlow sighed. She should have been more private about this, but she wasn’t backing down. Shit. She was starting to come out of it. She was starting to heal because she was thinking more about the future in this moment than she was fearing the past.

“Damn it. I think I’m ready.”

Ruby stood in front of her.

“You are, babes. So it’s up to you if you want to hedge your bets. You can make him an offer he’s not going to refuse, or you can separate the relationship from work.”

“I kind of want both.”

She wanted to see what he was like in the field. It would tell her a lot.

“Then go for it, bestie,”

Ruby said.

“I’ll take Gigi, and we’ll go watch her friend for a bit. See if we can get her kicked out of the club.”

“I don’t…”

Gigi shrugged.

“I really do hate her. She calls me fat. Not in those words, but she always talks about how I must be an incredible cook. I am, but that’s not what she means. She also says I’m brave for wearing the clothes I do.”

“Oh, we can fix this,”

Ruby promised as she led her cousin away.

“This sounds so much better than playing tonight. It’s been a long time since I took a mean girl down. Tell me something. Is she real clingy? Because we might be able to use Seth.”

Harlow took a deep breath. It was time. She was ready.

Ready to put Jensen Wiley behind her. Ready to forgive herself for making mistakes. Ready to see if this gorgeous, funny, kind man was someone she might be able to care about.

Hell, she already cared about him.

Be brave. Say what you mean. Use the word.

Ready to see if she could love him.

Fuck. She was going to do this.

Harlow strode across the dungeon, ready to start again.