by Morgan James
“Because he’s nice to me. Because he treats me like a human being instead of tabloid fodder.”
“But—” She made an agitated sound on the other end of the phone. “Seriously. How do you know Vince isn’t the one sending you these crazy letters, or involved somehow?”
I let out a laugh. “He had nothing to do with those letters.”
“But how do you know for sure?” she insisted. “He could kill you and take everything you own, and—”
I cut her off. “He demanded a prenup.” A stunned silence met my statement, and I continued. “Plus, I haven’t changed my will. I would never do anything rash like that without making absolutely sure it was for the best.”
She was silent for a long moment. “Jana...”
“Just... Trust me.” I didn’t bother to tell her we hadn’t followed through with the prenup, but the idea of Vince being my stalker was laughable. The man’s morals were more stringent than a nun’s. “Vince is... the best.”
On the other end, I heard Maggie let out a beleaguered breath. “Listen. I don’t know exactly what’s going on, but just don’t get your hopes up, okay?”
Part of me longed to confide in her and spill the truth, but I couldn’t. I promised Con that I wouldn’t speak a word to anyone, and I wouldn’t. All I could do was brace myself for Maggie’s I told you so six months from now when Vince and I had a very public break up. “I appreciate it,” I said softly. “Thanks for everything.”
We said goodbye, then I ended the call and turned off the phone before slipping it back into my bag. I stood for several moments, arms wrapped around my waist, replaying Maggie’s words. I knew there was something special between Vince and me—I just knew it. But was he more open and flirty because he cared about me, or because I was convenient? The question plagued me as I curled up on the bed and hugged the pillow close, my heart aching.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Vince
I swiped my phone off the chaise lounge and answered it mid-ring, unable to read the screen in the blinding sunlight. “Incarnato.”
“Busy?”
I immediately recognized Con’s voice, and I swore under my breath. “Nope. Caught me in the middle of working out. Whatcha got for me?”
“Just touching base,” Con replied. “I’m guessing no one has made her yet. Social media’s been quiet.”
That was good to hear and all, but it didn’t help my current situation. I glanced down at the hard-on pressing against the front of my shorts. All the blood in my body had flooded south, and it was taking my brain awhile to catch up and come up with a suitable response.
“Ink?”
“Nope.” Throwing myself into the chair, I forced my attention back to Con. “We’ve been out a couple times, but no one has recognized her, or, if they have, they haven’t said anything.”
“Keep it that way.” There was a long pause on his end, then— “Everything good?”
“Yeah, why?” Even I could hear the defensiveness in my voice, and I fought to dial it back.
I could practically hear the wheels turning before he spoke, his tone both way and curious. “This isn’t a typical situation. Just making sure you haven’t had any trouble.”
“No trouble here,” I said smoothly. Not the nefarious kind, anyway. Jana, though... Great tits, perfect ass, the five-foot-five blonde bombshell in my care was the worst kind of trouble there was. She was the kind of woman a man would happily hand over his balls to have.
Son of a bitch. I banged my head against the headrest of the chair. I couldn’t believe I’d let things get so out of hand, even if she was encouraging me. Another three seconds in the pool with her and I’d have kissed her. A minute more and we both probably would have been naked.
Con hummed a little sound. “Police have a lead that they’re investigating. Phelps told me they’ve applied for the warrant and plan to bring him in for questioning today or tomorrow if everything goes well.”
I let a measured breath out through my nose. I had mixed feelings about the news he’d just imparted. On the one hand, I was glad that the threats against Jana would stop. If the police had enough evidence to press for a warrant, they must be pretty certain the guy was responsible. On the other hand, my time with Jana was almost up. “Is it solid?” I asked.
“From what I understand,” Con said slowly, “they’re pretty certain they’ve got the right guy. Up until just a couple days ago, he worked as a janitor in Magnolia Way’s studio.”
A tingly sensation rushed over my skin. That meant he’d been in close contact with Jana, possibly for months. “Any news on the lock from Jana’s house? Fingerprints, anything tying him to the car?”
“The techs analyzed the lock and determined that the damage was only superficial. I would guess he used a key, but we’ll find out more once they question him. The guy also has a prior record for assaulting his ex-girlfriend.”
I rolled my eyes. No surprise there. Men like that usually started small, with assault or harassment, then escalated into something more sinister. It was looking more and more like he was the one responsible. If he’d worked practically beside her, it would have been easy for him to follow her home.
Con continued, “He was caught stealing and was relieved of his position. When they searched his locker, they found a pair of sunglasses belonging to Miss Malone. Prints have been pulled from several of the letters she received, so they’ll cross check those as soon as they have him in custody. So far, it’s looking pretty open and shut.”
“Right. Well, that’s... great.” I tried to hide the disappointment in my voice, but I knew I had failed when a long pause came from the other end of the line.
“How are things with you?” Con asked warily.
“We’ve had our bumps,” I replied honestly. “She threw a fit a few days ago when I wouldn’t give her phone back so she could call you and bitch about me.”
A low chuckle filtered through the speaker. “If it helps at all, I think you can ease up on her a bit. Seems like these guys have a handle on the situation here. I’ll touch base tomorrow or the next day to let you know how everything panned out.”
“I appreciate it.”
“Hey, Ink?”
“Yeah?”
“The studio agreed to pay double for the assignment, so at least you’ll get something out of this when it’s all said and done.”
The thought made me see red. “I’m not with her for the fucking money,” I snapped.
I knew those assholes from the studio didn’t give a shit about her, especially not her slime bag agent, Harvey. For all I cared, they could take that cash and shove it up their ass. I’d be damned, though, if I gave them the satisfaction. Whatever extra pay I got I would split with Jana. After everything she’d been through, she deserved it.
Con hesitated. “Not many men in your position would say the same.”
I didn’t have a response for that. He’d already read way more into the situation than I was comfortable with. “I’ve gotta go,” I said. “That girl’s attracted to trouble, so I better make sure she stays out of it.”
“You do that,” came Con’s response. “Just remember...”
He trailed off, and I bristled. “What?”
“This ends when you come back.”
It was like a kick to the gut. But he was exactly right. This—all of it—was just an illusion, a fantasy that would end the moment we went home. It still pissed me off. “And?”
He sighed. “Just don’t do anything you’ll regret.”
“Call me when you know something.” With that, I hung up and tossed my phone on the chaise lounge. Closing my eyes, I scrubbed my hands over my face.
What the fuck was I doing? Things between Jana and me were getting out of control. Christ, had Con’s phone call not interrupted us, I probably would’ve fucked her right there in the shallow end of the pool. How the hell could I have been so stupid? I’d almost crossed the line with her, with a client, something I swore I’d never
do. It didn’t matter what I felt for her or that she seemed to want it, too. My first—and only—priority was to keep her safe. And I couldn’t do that if I was constantly distracted by her.
I let out a sigh, then turned my gaze toward the sliding doors that led into the bedroom. Beneath the reflection from the sun, I could just barely make out Jana’s form moving around the bed. A primal urge came over me, tempting me to pick her up, throw her on the bed, then fuck her until we were both senseless. Clearly, I was already halfway there since I was contemplating having sex with her in the first place.
I prayed to God that the police would get this shit figured out and fast, because I was going to lose my mind if I had to spend any more time with this woman without getting my hands on her—all over her—exactly the way we both wanted.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Jana
I turned it to glance at Vince. “How about we walk down to the pier?”
We’d seen it during the day, but now, at night, part of it was lit up, looking like a runway leading out to the middle of the sea.
He glanced in that direction, then shrugged. “Fine with me.”
Silence fell as we started out across the sand. The sound of voices and laughter drifted toward us from the shore, but the beach itself was nearly deserted. Ever since he’d taken that phone call yesterday, things between us seemed more tense than usual. Whatever moment had passed between us in the pool had immediately dissipated, and he’d withdrawn completely, back to the cold, aloof man he’d been before. I hated it. I wanted the real Vince back—the one I’d joked with and played cards with. I wanted the man who teased and laughed and smiled. The one who looked at me like he actually cared about me—not the singer that everyone else saw, but me, Jana.
After a few minutes, I couldn’t stand it anymore and finally broke the silence. “Where are you from?”
“Originally?” I glanced up at Vince, his face illuminated in the moonlight, and nodded. “Pennsylvania, just north of Pittsburgh.”
“Is your family still there?”
“Almost all of them.” He smiled a little then. “I have four brothers, plus dozens of aunts and uncles and cousins back home. They all live just a few miles from one another.”
His words caused to me to miss a step as I whipped toward him. “Seriously? There’s five of you?”
He smiled down at me. “Yep.”
“Wow. What was it like growing up?”
“Loud. Hectic. Things got broken a lot.”
I grinned at him. “I imagine your mom was ready to tear her hair out half the time.”
“Probably. She was tough, but fair. She’s a good woman.”
“I’m sure,” I said softly as we fell into step again. I couldn’t imagine what it would be like to have a huge, close-knit family like that. Ever since I could remember, it had been just Mama and me. According to Mama, Daddy was a silver-tongued devil who’d charmed his way into her bed then left as soon as he found out she was pregnant with me. I couldn’t believe she would even consider getting back with him—assuming the man was actually my father.
I could feel his gaze on me. “What about you?”
“Just my mom.”
“Are you guys close?”
I shook my head. “Not exactly.”
“That sucks.” There was no sarcasm in his tone, no sympathy, just a matter-of-fact statement.
“You have no idea.” I sighed. “We had a... falling out a couple years back. I just couldn’t stand watching her slowly destroy herself.”
“Drugs?”
“Everything,” I admitted. Growing up, there had never been money for food or new clothes, but somehow Mama always managed to budget just enough for smokes and booze and the occasional high. The older I got, the worst her addiction became. “Men, alcohol, drugs. You name it, she’s done it. It actually got so bad that I had to go live with my grandmother when I was ten.”
“What happened?” Vince’s voice was soft, giving me the courage to continue.
“She overdosed, almost killed herself.” Vince swore softly, and I nodded absently. “I remember walking home from school and coming in the house. It seemed so quiet, which was unusual. When Mama was home, the TV was always blaring one of her soap operas. That day though... There was nothing. I saw her lying on the couch, and at first I thought she was asleep.”
“They saved her?”
I nodded. “I called the police right away, and they gave her Narcan. It was the craziest thing I’ve ever seen. One second, she was lying there like a corpse then the next, she took this huge, deep breath, and opened her eyes. It was literally like she woke up from the dead.”
Vince was quiet for several long seconds. “I’m sorry you had to go through that.”
So was I. I cleared my throat. “Anyway, I went to live with my grandmother for a few years. Mama went to jail that time, and we lost our trailer. When she got out, she came to live with us. Over the years, we kind of lost contact. She only reached out when she needed something, usually money, and finally I got tired of it. I cut her off completely a couple years ago when I moved down here.”
It was actually one of the main reasons I’d chosen to come down here. My contract with my first agent, Earl, had been up, and I wanted to get as far away from my roots as fast as I could. I packed up and never looked back.
“Is that the last time you talked to her?”
I dropped my gaze to the sand beneath my feet and bit my lip. I still hadn’t told him the truth of what had propelled me out of the house the morning I’d wrecked the car. “Actually, no,” I admitted. “That morning we found out someone tampered with the brakes on my car...” I glanced up at him. “She called me from jail just before that.”
“So that’s why you needed to get out of the house,” he stated.
I gave a little nod. “Yeah.”
We had just reached the pier, and I was desperate to change the topic. “Have you ever been out on the ocean at night?”
I gestured towards the ocean, and he shook his head. “No, but I’ve done some deep-sea fishing excursions before.”
We fell into step together as we started down the long pier, walking out over the ocean. “That sounds like fun.”
“Do you like to fish?”
“Not at all.” I shook my head. “I tried it once, but I just can’t get into it.”
“Can’t sit still that long?” he teased.
“There is that,” I said with a smile. “But really, I just hate the feel of those tiny, slippery, scaly bodies.”
Vince laughed. “I should’ve known. If it’s slimy or creepy, you want nothing to do with it.”
A grin spread over my face. “Pretty much. I’m not super girly, but that’s one thing I just can’t do.”
“It’s not for everybody,” he said easily.
Silence descended once more, and we made our way to the end of the pier. There were no lamps overhead now that we were out this far, only the moon and stars twinkling overhead, their reflection glowing on the dark water below. The waves gently lapped against the piles supporting the pier, and the slight breeze carried any sound away. Like this, it was as if Vince and I were out in the middle of nowhere, in our own little world. The wind picked up, and I pulled my sweater more tightly around myself. The skirt of my dress swirled around my knees, plastering the fabric to my body.
I leaned my elbows against the railing and stared out at the endless body of water in front of me. Next to me, Vince did the same. After several long moments, I broke the silence. “Sometimes I never want to go back.”
Vince slid a look my way. “The beach life seems way more fun because it’s different. But you’d miss your life back home.”
“Maybe.” But I knew better. I loved singing, but I hated the industry, having to always put on a happy face and pretend everything was perfect, even when I felt like I was dying inside. Here, with Vince, there was no pressure. “Here, I feel... free. I feel happy.”
“Nothing good ca
n ever last.”
His words were soft, and I sighed. “I know. But I’m not ready for it to end yet.”
He nodded slowly. “I know.”
Silence fell once more, and I stared up at the stars. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d just stopped and stared up at them. They were so bright, so clear, and it reminded me of how very small I was. It was humbling, reminding me to be thankful for everything good in my life. Mostly, I was grateful for the man next to me who’d made this experience so incredible. “Thank you for doing this.”
He tipped his head to one side. “Walking with you?”
“No, just... This. Everything.”
I couldn’t look at him, but I could feel the weight of his gaze as he turned toward me. “What do you mean?”
The breeze whipped a strand of hair across my face, and I brushed it away before tilting my head up to him. “We haven’t always gotten along, so I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate you going along with all of this.”
He studied me for a second. “You know I wouldn’t have done it if I didn’t want to.”
A wry smile tipped the corners of my lips. I doubted anyone could make Vince do something he didn’t want to do. But being coerced into getting married was probably a stretch, even for him. “I know you don’t really like me, but—”
He straightened suddenly, turning toward me. “I don’t know why you keep saying that.”
I mimicked his actions, tipping my head slightly to one side. “What?”
Vivid blue eyes stared down at me, turned icy gray in the moonlight. “That I don’t like you. Why do you keep saying that?”
Heat climbed into my cheeks, and I shrugged. “Because it’s true.”
“It’s not true. I’ve never said that.”
“You didn’t have to,” I countered. “This whole thing was my idea, and I dragged you into it.”
“I wouldn’t have done it if I didn’t want to,” he reiterated.
I rolled my eyes. “Right, because—”