Page 29 of Mob Star

“He could have, but I don’t think he was quite that stupid.”

“You can’t be sure.”

“But I can be sure your reactions are way faster than his. He wouldn’t have gotten close enough to touch me.”

I sigh. “You have a lot of faith in me.”

“I do.”

I pray it isn’t the most misplaced thing in the world. But it means everything to me. My family has a ton of faith in me. My men and their families have faith in me, but I’m obligated to protect them. I can’t imagine not protecting my family. But Thea’s is entirely voluntary. I have her trust until I lose it. The idea I might gives me chest pains.

I guide her to the seat I reserved for us. I told the manager we’d be here. I also sent the comic a text warning her not to target Thea. She can have a go at me, but she’ll never work in New York again if she says a syllable at Thea’s expense. It’s the risk anyone takes sitting in the front row, but I’ll be damned if I sit anywhere else in a place that costs me more a month to run that most people earn in a year.

“What would you like to drink, miss? Mr. O’Rourke?”

The waiter offers Thea a courteous smile, but he winks at me.

“Gin and ginger, please.”

“Same, Taylor.”

“You’re breaking my heart, O’Rourke.”

He saunters— yes, motherfucking saunters —off. That’s after he winks at me again.

“Finn?”

Thea has no idea what to make of that. She isn’t sure if Taylor is teasing me about snagging Thea or not.

“I’ve known Taylor a long time, and he knows he isn’t my type. But it doesn’t stop him from teasing me once in a while. He never takes it too far, and he’s hilarious with what he comes up with. I’ve never brought a date here, so he’s got something new to needle me about.”

“Oh.”

She watches Taylor at the bar. I am, too. Heidi’s working tonight. She must be picking up some shifts for her sister. Heidi’s usually at 4Play, one of our strip clubs. She’s a waitress there. She’s danced in the past, but she prefers not to.

This is not my night.

Karma is dancing a fecking jig. Heidi’s staring straight at Thea, who has noticed. When Heidi’s gaze shifts to mine, she offers me a tight smile. I’m still convinced she has no romantic feelings for me, but she’s not happy to see who she assumes has already replaced her. Sex has always been great with Heidi. We’ve been fuck buddies for ages. But she loves her partners, not me. That said, I’m certain she assumed the arrangement would last until she no longer wanted it. Not the other way around.

“Finn?”

“Yes, cailín.” Here it comes.

“Is she one of your subs?” Her voice is barely above a whisper.

“No. I haven’t had any. I told you that. I’ve done scenes, but I’ve never had a formal or even an informal arrangement. That’s Heidi. I’ve known her since we were kids. We had a mutually agreeable arrangement until yesterday. Now it’s over.”

“Yesterday?”

“Yes.” In for a penny, in for a pound. “That text I got yesterday was to confirm our plans for last night. I told her I wouldn’t make it, and she shouldn’t plan for me to join her in the future.”

I pull out my phone and unlock it. She puts her hand over it.

“I really, really don’t want to see it. If you’re willing to show me, then it’s what you said. You were friends with benefits.”

“Yeah.” That’s a politer term for it.

“And you have been for a while.”

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