I nodded. “Yeah, I know, but rumors run marathons in small neighborhoods.”
“It may not be what you want to hear, but you should be scared,” Lucy said. “Terrified, to be exact.”
“You would think so.” I managed to muster a faint smile. “But he won’t hurt me. I’ve gotten to know him a little. He’s not like that.”
“Okay, so he’s not going to hurt you,” Daisy said, “but the rest doesn’t make any sense. How does he go from unattainable lady killer to someone who forces a girl he doesn’t even know to marry him?”
I had the same nagging question in my mind.
“No offence, Birdie,” Daisy continued, “but Troy Brennan has one of the hottest asses in Boston. They say he’s a beast in bed, and he’s done well for himself financially. Why would he pick you? He could have anyone he wants.”
“Thanks.” Leave it to a friend to tell you the truth.
“I still say you should be scared,” Lucy argued.
My head felt like it was ten times heavier than it was when I first arrived. It was bad enough to deal with what Troy stirred in my head, what he kindled in my body. And now the Paddy stuff was out in the open. I had so many fires to put out, it felt like my whole life had burst into disastrous flames.
“Look, he is not that bad.” I exhaled, walking again to put some distance between us and Connor. I didn’t want him to listen to this conversation. “And he’s the owner of Rouge Bis. I’m going to start working there next Monday. I’m sure it will all be okay.”
It was anything but.
“Does he not trust you? Is that why you have a bodyguard?” Lucy squinted over her shoulder at Connor.
I shook my head. “I’m allowed to do whatever I want. I think the guard is to keep me safe from all the nice friends he’s collected over the years.” I offered a sad smile.
“Protecting you? That’s actually kind of hot,” Daisy mused. “How’s he in the sack, by the way?”
I sometimes wondered if she knew life wasn’t some big, ongoing sexual joke.
“Daisy!” Lucy swatted her shoulder. “Birdie isn’t going to sleep with him just because her poor excuse of a father sold her to him.”
I felt my skin heat again as I buried my lower face inside my jacket. I enjoyed the night of our date more than I was willing to admit.
Lucy turned to me, her face twisting with dismay. “Jesus Christ. Don’t tell me—”
“Of course I didn’t sleep with him,” I said, cutting her off.
“Not that it would be the worst thing in the world,” Daisy interjected. “A few of my friends rolled between his sheets. Rumor is The Fixer can fix you up with multiple orgasms and is into some pretty kinky shit.” She stopped, picking up a bottle of perfume and examining it with interest, popping her pink gum loudly.
She was completely oblivious to the fact Lucy and I wanted to get rid of Connor. Lucy took the bottle from her and grabbed her arm, tugging her along.
“Geez, what’s the rush?” Daisy flipped back her glossy hair.
“So, did he make you sign a prenup, or what?” Lucy asked, always the practical one.
I moved my jaw back and forth. I hadn’t considered it before. “No,” I said, as surprised as Lucy was to hear my answer.
“Really?” Daisy looked intrigued.
Lucy glanced behind us and dropped her voice down when she saw Connor was just a few feet away. “I’m pretty sure the guy’s loaded. Heard he’s living in Back Bay.”
“He is,” I confirmed, “and he drives a Maserati.”
Daisy nodded. “I’ll bet his dad left him a couple of trust funds and a ton of real estate before he was murdered and dumped in the woods. I dunno, Birdie. If he didn’t make you sign a prenup, looks like he’s planning to keep ya.”
I opened my mouth, just about to answer, when I felt a strong hand grip my elbow and pull me out of the throng.
Lucy’s spine straightened, and she spun in my direction, knocking into a woman pushing a stroller. A diaper bag spilled at her feet.
I turned to face the person the hand belonged to. Connor.
He’d never touched me before. His face was expressionless, and a cell phone was suddenly glued to his ear. He was nodding and kept repeating my name. Shit. I’d talked about Troy and now I was going to pay for it. I knew my mouth was going to get me into trouble the minute he told me he’d marry me.
Stupid you, Sparrow. Why couldn’t you just accept your fate?
“What’s your problem?” I asked him, realizing it was one of the rare times we’d spoken.
I was scared and angry, and the last thing I wanted was to involve Daisy and Lucy after my claims about Troy not being so bad. Connor worked for Troy, and he’d grabbed me like I was a teen caught sneaking out of her room at night.