he wasn’t close to me. It murdered even the thought of another man in my bed. I still hadn’t forgotten the ache he left between my legs.
“How did Kelly manage it?” He took a sip from his glass, and the ice danced in amber.
“Excuse me?” I said.
“Kelly.” He nodded toward him. “How did he manage to land such a beautiful and willing—I’m guessing—woman?”
I took another sip of my whiskey. “I don’t believe we’ve met,” I said, turning to him.
He looked me up and down. “Lee Grady.”
“Ke—”
“Keely Kelly,” he said. “I’ve heard the name a time or two.”
I nodded. “You’re part of the neighborhood gossip mill.”
“I hear everything.” He grinned.
“You mean you know everything.”
“Small distinction.” He turned toward the bar, ordering another whiskey for me.
I put my hand over the top, shaking my head. “No more for me.”
Lee nodded and then waved the waiter off. Setting his whiskey down, he leaned against the counter. “You’re not connected.” He turned his eyes to the right, studying me. “It can’t be love, because the bastard is incapable. So I’m having a hard time understanding why you’d marry someone like him.”
“Someone like him?”
“A marauding bastard who always goes after what doesn’t belong to him.”
“Maybe he feels like it does.”
“Maybe he does,” he said, taking another drink. “But feelings and reality are two different things, sweetheart.”
“There’s nothing sweet about me.” I grinned at him. “Don’t assume.” Downing the rest of my whiskey without ice, I went to turn from him, but he caught my arm.
His fingers dug into my skin, and when I went to move, he gripped me even tighter. “I rule Hell’s Kitchen,” he said, his voice low and venomous. “What comes in and out of it. I’m going to make you a widow soon, Mrs. Kelly. I hope you took out a fat insurance policy on that bastard.”
Lee’s grip slackened before I heard the tick of a mouth. “You can look, but no one touches my wife but me.”
I turned in time to see Kelly take three of Lee’s fingers and snap them back. He let out a growl of pain, causing people in the area to turn and look.
Kelly didn’t seem to give a shit. He leaned in close to Lee’s ear. “We’ve discussed this plenty of times, Grady. You have to learn what belongs to you and what doesn’t. Touching another man’s wife is the equivalent of claiming his property. It’s disrespectful.”
Kelly released Lee’s mangled hand, rolled his shoulders, and then offered me his arm. I slipped my hand through, aware that people were watching, whispering, but it was a group of men in the corner that really drew my attention. Hate came off of them in hot waves, and the central fire? Aimed at Kelly.
“Those men,” I said, trying not to be obvious about it when I glanced at them. “They’re with Grady?”
Kelly lifted my hand and placed a kiss on my fingers, just like he had done before we left, but this time, it was for show. He was staking his claim. “Forget about them, darlin’,” he said smoothly. “You’ll never see them again.”
That was fucking cryptic.
“Are you friends with all of these political people?”
“Half of them had me arrested once or twice.” He grinned. “The other half have hired me.”
Sighing, I lifted my chin, keeping my eyes forward as we moved through the crowd. People were still staring, but for one main reason.
Cash Kelly had made his comeback.
The room was so dark that my eyes couldn’t penetrate it. I couldn’t make out shapes or even see my hand in front of my face. The temperature in the room was a degree above freezing. One thing I’d learned about Kelly right away: he kept his house cold. When I complained, he said, “The cold helps you breathe and sleep better.” I didn’t see how my teeth chattering all night would help me breathe or sleep better—and my blood ran hot.
Maybe he kept his place so cold because if someone were to murder him in his sleep, he’d keep better.
Looking in his direction, I sighed. At least he’d given me all of the covers. I kicked them off and headed to the bathroom. Cold clung to my skin, but so did sweat. My hair was matted to my head, and Kelly’s shirt stuck to my body.
I turned the faucet water on cool, and after splashing my face, leaned over the sink, letting the water fall back into the drain.