One More Rule: The Blindfold Club Novella by Nikki Sloane

used to try really hard to make them understand, and honestly, my life got so much easier once I stopped.”
    My mouth dropped open. It was the most honest I’d ever heard him, and he made his living spinning truths and twisting words.
    “I also came to meet Dominic.” Kyle’s focus shifted to my fiancé. “As her brother, I’m supposed to threaten you with bodily harm if you don’t treat her right, but that’s not really my style. So enjoy my threat of litigation instead. I’m very good, and it wouldn’t be pleasant.”
    “Aw, you’re sweet,” I said, my voice mocking. “But Dominic’s smart. He knows if he fucks up with me, I’d be his biggest threat.”
    “Yes,” Dominic said instantly.
    Kyle blinked again at the profanity. Not like he was offended, but more amused. Shit, how far apart had we’d been these last few years? He barely knew me anymore, and I’d never really known him.
    “Okay, well, that’s good, I guess.” Kyle fiddled with his watch and checked the time. “I have to run. As in, literally.”
    “Thank you for coming,” I said, hoping my voice matched how sincere I felt, because I was a little blown away.
    “Should we grab drinks some night this week?” Dominic asked, but Kyle shook his head.
    “I’d like that, but everything’s a mess with the move. You two will be back for good in a few months though, right? We could do it then.”
    “Sure.”
    We said our goodbyes, and I watched Kyle go. It was such a simple gesture for him to come over, and yet it meant so much.
    Dominic had a strange half-smile on his face.
    “What is it?” I asked.
    “Running here and back just to say hello. Your parents don’t get it, but your brother does.”
    “Yeah,” I said. Who would have thought?

    The premium leather of my driver’s seat was buttery soft. I’d narrowly avoided reunion tears when I’d picked my car up from Logan’s place. Well, technically, our place. Evie and Logan would move out in mid-December so Dominic and I could move in when we returned from Japan.
    I felt bad about kicking them out, but only for thirty seconds. The view was to die for, and Logan had known this day was coming since leasing the place from his friend.
    “It looks different in the daylight,” Dominic said, gesturing to the blindfold club entrance. He wasn’t wrong. The black door looked smaller, and the wear on the façade seemed greater in the harsh light.
    “Yeah, this place is way less sexy during the day.” A fact I’d discovered the first time Joseph had asked me to fill in for him. I hadn’t a clue why Joseph wanted to meet here now, but since the club was a good twenty-minute drive from our hotel, and I had my hands on my Jaguar F-Type, it was fine with me.
    “Any chance you’d let me drive the car back to the hotel when we leave?” Dominic’s hopeful expression wasn’t enough to pry my grip from the steering wheel.
    He hadn’t driven a car in almost two years. “No way, get your own.”
    “Half of this car will be mine when we’re married.”
    I shut off the engine and let my expression go serious. “Yeah, the passenger half.”
    We hurried across the street and through the front door that Joseph left unlocked for us. It was dark except for the security lights as we strolled through the bar and down the hallway of doors. The silence and poor lighting further detracted from the sex appeal.
    To the left were the holding lounges, and to the right were the client rooms. I’d met Dominic in Room One. A smile warmed on my lips as we passed the door decorated with the brass six, the room where Dominic asked me to be his wife.
    “Joseph?” I called, leading Dominic upstairs.
    “In here.”
    Not in his office, but across the hall in the large dressing room. He stood by the bar lining the far wall, his back turned to us. His suit jacket was cast aside on a chair, and as he poured himself a glass of whiskey, I could see his sleeves had been rolled back. This was as close to casual as