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interrupted as Caleb's lips touched my knuckles. He dropped my hand slowly, glaring in Patrick ’ s direction.
    Tonto and Caleb left the room first, while Patrick held the door for me. I followed the other two down the stairs, Patrick close to my left side. Once I got to the last step, I chanced a glance toward the bar. Sitting on a barstool eyeing Patrick was another overdone, scantily clad blonde. Clearly those were his type, so why was he interested in me? This only reassured me that he would be seriously disappointed with me after our dinner. Once he realized that my panties would be staying firmly on my body and not the floor of his car.
    I turned my attention back to walking out the door when the blonde suddenly crossed my path.
    "Hey, Baby, I've been waiting for you," she cooed, reaching out and running her blood red nails up Patrick's arm. I continued to walk. I could have cared less who he was sleeping with.
    I felt his hand wrap around my arm as he kept me from moving forward. I turned back and gave him a questioning glare.
    "Harley, I've told you to stay out of this club." He spoke to the blonde, but his eyes never left mine. "I know, but I have something for you."
    I really didn't have the desire to listen to her any longer. I wanted to go home, see Abigail, and then take a very long, very hot bath.
    Patrick ignored her as he urged me toward the door. Once outside, I noticed that Tonto, Muscles and Caleb were standing guard around my car. I clicked the remote, unlocking the doors. Patrick was at my driver's door before I could blink. He opened the door and stood waiting for me to get into the car.
    "Christi, I'll pick you up Friday at six o'clock."
    His eyes now soft, whether from the low lights of the club or change in venue. His voice calm , warm , and dare I say ...sexy.
    I watched as Patrick and his men stood in the road as I drove off. Again, I failed to see the black sedan that followed me home.
    As I pulled into my driveway, I had to laugh at myself. My plans to simply thank him had gone up in flames. I now suspected Patrick Malloy was a serious member of the mafia and I had a date with him, I should have stuck with the fruit basket.
    My dad was waiting for me when I opened my front door. This wasn't an unusual thing to happen, he was always stopping by. My gut told me he had a reason for being here, though.
    “ Patrick Malloy called me, Christi."
    "Oh?"
    "He told me everything, so you can drop the act."
    "Okay, so I went to see Patrick Malloy."
    "No, you went to a rough and dangerous neighborhood, Christi. What the hell were you thinking?"
    "I needed to talk to him and it isn't like he has an office on Michigan Avenue."
    My dad was silent as he pondered his thoughts. I left him alone, not wanting to do battle with two men tonight. "Christi, Patrick's a good guy and I want you to give him a chance. I trust him. ”
    "Well, good, because he invited me to dinner."
    "I know; he asked my permission first. Just promise me you'll give him a chance?" My dad made his way toward the door. He opened it and went to leave. Suddenly, he turned around and said, "Christi, he doesn't have an office on Michigan Avenue, but he does own a condo in the same building that Oprah lives in."
    It was an hour later that I had settled into the pillows of the couch with a deep wine glass. As I closed my eyes and listened to the creaking of the house, I began to play the events from earlier in my head. Patrick had not acted as I thought. Clearly he and my father were friends who loved to gossip about me. As I took a large gulp of my wine, I nearly choked. If Patrick was a member of organized crime and he and my father were as close as I suspected. Was my dad a dirty cop?
     
     
     
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

CHAPTER FIVE

    T his wasn't a date; this was simply two people eating at the same time. Everyone ate dinner, we were just doing it together. Shannon nearly blew a gasket when I told her. She couldn't believe