Page 9 of Close Your Eyes

Her eyes take on a wistful look. “Must be nice to have somebody like that. Somebody you’d go to the ends of the earth for.”

“I’m sure Bane feels that way about you.”

She nods. “Sure.” But I don’t believe her. Why don’t I believe her? If I were ever to ask a woman to marry me, she'd know I’d go to the ends of the earth for her. Hell, she’d be someone I’d jump off the end for.

“I’m sorry you have to babysit me tonight. Bane was busy.”

I can sense the sarcasm in her tone, so I can’t help but pry. “Busy doing what?”

She picks an imaginary piece of lint off her pink dress. “Who knows with him?” Her eyes snap up to mine. “I shouldn’t have said that.”

“Why?”

“Because I don’t know you. This might be the funny business Lazarus was talking about.”

I study Posey for a moment and wonder what Bane could be so busy doing that he can’t have her around. Knowing Bane it’s something illegal, but would he risk that while on house arrest, awaiting one of the biggest trials of the century?

Hell, the judge even issued a gag order so nobody would discuss the details of the case when the media couldn’t stop painting him in a bad light. It makes me wonder how a woman like Posey could marry him.

She keeps picking at the material of her dress, probably wishing she could go home to her fiancé instead of hanging around here with me.

I decide to change the subject. “What do you do for fun?” I ask her.

She lifts her head up to gaze into my eyes, and I swear there’s this passion burning between us that I don’t know what to do with. “Believe it or not, I like to fish.”

That is not something I thought she’d say. “Like with a fishing pole?”

“No, with my hands. Of course with a fishing pole, silly.”

“You have to tell me how someone like you would be into something like that.”

She bats her long lashes at me. “Someone like me?”

I pale, hoping I haven’t offended her. “I just mean, you don’t seem like someone who’d be into fishing.”

“Well, I am. My father used to take me all the time when I was growing up. Ever since I was old enough to hold a fishing pole, my father had me out on his boat, catching fish. I loved being on the water. The sun casting golden rays across the murky waters. My father would find a secluded area and we’d sit with baited hooks, waiting and watching until the line tugged.” She stares off and I study her, wanting more than anything to get closer to her. “I remember one time the line tugged, and, with a flick of my wrist, I set the hook and began reeling in the fish. My father cheered me on. I felt like my father was only proud of me when I was catching a fish.”

“I’m sure your father’s proud of you now. You’re getting married,” I remind her, and myself, because I appear to need the reminder that she’s engaged.

“Yes, he’s happy I’m marrying Bane. He adores Bane.”

I want to growl at her and tell her how could any father be happy that their daughter is marrying a man like Bane, but it’s my turn to walk the room, glancing at my phone. I text Adele

How are things?

Quiet.

It ticks me off that the club is running just fine without me.

I should be out there. I should be doing the job I’m supposed to be doing.

“Is everything okay?” Posey asks me.

I spin around, facing her. In five angry strides, I could be standing right in front of her.

I could lower my zipper and show her how hard she’s making me.

Maybe she’d suck on—