Page 75 of Ruined Vows

“Oh my god, girl, I barely recognized you!” I say, giving her a little hug.

She laughs as she hugs me back. “I’ve been hearing that ever since I got here.”

“Marcus here?” asks Isaak from behind me as I let go of her.

“In the office.” She points a thumb over her shoulder. “He told me to send you back there if I saw you.”

“Watch after Kira for me, yeah? Don’t let her out of your sight.”

Some kind of look passes between them, and she nods, then Isaak takes off without a backward glance. I frown after him for a second, then decide he’s not my problem and smile at Quinn again.

Of all the women who seem central toCarnal, she’s the one I’ve spent the least amount of time with. She seems so effortlessly cool, though. Everyone wants to be her friend and for the most part, she appears to welcome people into the inner circle if they’re friends with her friends. She seems like good people, and I admit, I’m curious about her.

“He likes you,” she says, observing me with considering eyes.

I’m so surprised by her words, I can only blurt, “How can you tell?”

“I know him better than most. He doesn’t let people in.”

I huff out a breath. “That’s an understatement.” Then I turn curious eyes back to her. “But he let you in? Have you two…” I glance around the hallway, then back at the sumptuously appointed private rooms we just passed.

They’re co-workers and both crazy good-looking. I’d be surprised if all of them haven’t hooked up with one another, given enough time.

But Quinn just snorts. “Me and Isaak? No way. We’d tear each other apart. But I grew up in foster care and group homes like him, so I get it.”

I stop and stare. It feels important that this is the second time this has come up today. “He mentioned just today he grew up in the system. Do you…” I pause, trying to figure out how to word this delicately. “Could you maybe explain a little why that makes him so closed off?”

Her brows furrow a little. “Oh shit. You like him, too.”

“Is that a problem?” I laugh a little at the concern in her eyes.

She sighs a little in a maternal way, even though she can’t be much older than me, if at all. Then she scans me up and down and frowns. “You planning to play tonight?”

I nod and look down at my simple black dress underneath my light jacket.

“Oh honey, didn’t you get the brief? You’re going to need a lot more layers. Come on.” She unwinds the light black silk scarf from around her neck and loops it around mine instead. “The girls and I will let you borrow some of ours. And we can chat a little about why Isaak’s such a closed-off prick even though he’s one of the best men I know. Come on.”

She leads me down the rest of the hallway into the main part of the club. The darkly but intentionally lit décor, all done in sumptuous black leathers and deep red velvets, is as sexy as it is inviting. But tonight, some of the furniture has been moved against the wall in lieu of several big poker tables being set up throughout the large room.

The room is crowded with people, though, far more than I’d expect for a Wednesday night. Most of them are dressed like Quinn, too, wearing all their winter clothes even though it’s probably colder inside with the air-conditioner on than outside, late October or not.

“Caleb’s been watching too much Texas Hold ’Em in his spare time and came up with this latest great idea,” Quinn says, rolling her eyes.

“Isn’t gambling illegal in Texas?”

Quinn looks over at me like she’s amused by me. “Caleb’s always liked to tread the line of what he can get away with. And besides, the house isn’t taking a cut of anything. The stakes here are simple. We aren’t gambling money tonight. Just an article of clothing for every loss. Things should start to get interesting about halfway through.” She winks.

“Great,” I squeak, gratefully clutching the ends of the scarf she put around my neck.

We go say hi to Anna, who’s seated at the nearest table. She donates a black beret to my collection. Anna’s busy giggling at something her partner, Domhn, says in her ear. She’s sitting in his lap—the only place I’ve seen her lately.

“Where’s Moira?” I ask.

“Said she’s on her way,” Domhn says, coming up for air after kissing Anna again. These two barely breathe, they’re constantly making out like teenagers who’ve just discovered each other. Considering I know Domhn had Anna locked up in his basement dungeon for a week when they first met and she was in the middle of a mental health crisis, it’s still a little shocking to see them so happy together now.

Anna struggles out of Domhn’s lap so she can come sit by me and Quinn, swatting away his hands when he tries to pull her back.

“How’s everything working out with Isaak?” she asks me.

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