Page 2 of The Reluctant Siren
Which was killing her. Oh, she said all the right things,but Chloe wasn’t happy being the heir apparent to her father’s massiveconglomerate. All the money in the world wasn’t going to take the place ofChloe shoving down her creative dreams because she felt a responsibility to herfamily.
Unlike her own deranged dad, who had done his absolute bestto ensure Harlow didn’t follow her dreams, she rather thought Uncle Julianwould understand.
“So who is the new guy?” Ruby asked.
Harlow put the pieces together. Chloe hesitated because shedidn’t want to admit the truth. Because Harlow knew the real story. No wondershe’d been spending so much time in New York. “It’s the old guy. She ran intohim while she was working in the New York offices. He felt safe and warm andright in line with her new life plan, which is to stay safe and warm and nevergo for what she truly wants.”
Chloe’s eyes flashed with a bit of the fire she’d had as ateen. “Oh, really? Is this judgment of yours about Seth? I should follow mylust and forget everything I know about him? Maybe get my heart broken? Youwant to talk about the new guy and how you make doe eyes at him and never sayyes to him?”
She was being too harsh. “I’m sorry. I don’t have a right tojudge. But it is Tom, isn’t it?”
Harlow remembered him being a “nice” guy. Said all the rightthings. Mostly did the right things. Something had felt off to Harlow. He was abit self-centered, but he could turn on the charm when he needed to. He haddefinitely liked the idea of being attached to Julian Lodge’s daughter.
Chloe sat up straighter. “As a matter of fact, yourdetective skills are excellent. We met up at a conference and now I see himwhen I’m in New York. It’s getting serious.”
She could see so easily what Chloe was doing, but itwouldn’t do anything but start a fight to argue with her. Chloe could beextremely stubborn. “If you’re happy then I’m happy. Are you going to bring himto the club anytime soon? I would love to see him again.”
She would love to take the man’s measure now. She glancedover at Ruby and knew she was already mentally prepping the thorough securityreview they would be conducting on Chloe’s new/old boyfriend.
Chloe grimaced. “I’m not ready for that. If I bring him toDallas, then he gets on my dad’s radar. I’d like to be engaged before thathappens. If I’ve got a ring on my finger, I think my papa will rein Dad in.”
Like Harlow herself, Chloe had two fathers. The corporateside of the club was heavily invested in the ménage lifestyle. Harlow and hersister, Greer, had a reasonable dad named Ben, a deranged dad who went by Chaseor Asshole, depending on who was talking to him, and a ridiculously cool momnamed Natalie. Chloe had a scary dad named Julian, a cool dad named Finn, andher supersmart mom, Dani. “You’re that serious?”
Chloe shrugged. “It’s time. I’m not getting any younger, andI don’t want to wait until I’m forty to start a family. I’m well established atLodge Corp. All I’m missing is a husband. Tom fits the bill.”
“Chloe, this is a marriage, not a corporate merger,” Rubysaid and then shook her head. “Sorry. I’m just… Is he in the lifestyle? Does heknow you’re in the lifestyle? How does he feel about two dads walking you downthe aisle, and it’s not like a blended family situation?”
Oh, Julian and Finn blended. Often and intimately, but shegot what Ruby was saying.
A flush crossed Chloe’s delicate features, answering thequestion before she did. “I’m easing him in. He comes from a conservativefamily. They don’t know about Papa yet. I mean, Tom does, but we’re figuringout how to tell his parents. Anyway, that’s not happening tomorrow. So Daisy’sgetting married. Are we taking bets on what natural disaster will strike?”
This was a mess but one that would have to wait because ifshe pushed too hard, Chloe would shut down.
Or point out what a hypocrite you’re being. Again.
Because she was.
A vision of Niall in his leathers flashed across her brainas Ruby talked about how the betting book they kept in the bar was getting fullof all sorts of apocalyptic possibilities for the O’Donnell/Carter upcomingnuptials. Given no one had guessed a helicopter filled with assassins wouldbuzz the last wedding they’d all gone to, the bets were getting wild.
She’d thought about asking Niall if he would be her plus oneto the wedding of Aidan O’Donnell and Carys Taggart. She’d wondered what hewould look like in a suit. Wondered how it would feel to dance with him.
Now she was thinking about whether or not he wanted towitness the apocalypse that would surely be Daisy’s wedding. If she got aninvite. She had fired the bride.
But that had led to her getting a superhot bodyguard andthis whole wedding thing. So when she thought about it, Daisy didn’t get Natewithout her. She should totally be invited to the wedding, and it would be ashock to everyone if she came with someone other than Ruby.
There it was. She could say it was all to win a bet. MaybeNiall would be into that and then, well, as long as they were there, she mightas well become his sub for the night.
Then she remembered the last time she took on a Dom and howshe ended up in jail. Not that he’d put her there. He’d simply left her in asituation where she had to call her reasonable dad to save her, and naturallyhe brought his insane twin and she now had a watchdog.
You’re going to kill yourself with this job. You can’texpect me to stand by and watch it happen. Can’t you see how worried yourmother is? This is not what we wanted for your life.
Her father had chased her down to the café where she andRuby had been planning strategies to grow their private investigation business,and to say he put a damper on the meeting would be an understatement.
After a moment Chloe stood and gave them a smile that didn’treach her eyes. “I think I heard your sister. We’re going to dinner at Top todiscuss her doing a series for the new London office. You know my dad thinkshaving Dawson originals hanging in the place is lucky. You two have funtonight. I’m going to pause my membership for a while. I’m spending a lot oftime in New York. Gabe and John will be thrilled since they refuse to play onnights when I’m here.”
Oh, they refused to play at The Hideout when their sisterwas in the house, but she was pretty sure they went to Sanctum on those nights.Harlow sometimes went, especially when a new crop of Doms was released into thewild.
None of them affected her the way Niall did. Not a damn one.
