by Mia Knight
“I don’t think he has, but he should,” she said.
Luci moaned. “You are killing me! So, where’d you do it?”
“In a laundry room.” Stark silence on the other end. “He didn’t even take my panties off, he just moved them to the side and got busy. Someone walked in during, and I kept riding him. It was amazing.”
“I gotta go.”
Luci abruptly hung up the phone. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that she needed some alone time.
When her ride pulled up to the Italian restaurant, she hopped out and spotted her mother through the window. Her mother sat across the table from Marv, the rascal from dance class. Even as she watched, Marv took her mother’s hands and kissed her knuckles. Carmen stopped in her tracks. She hadn’t seen her mother smile like that since her father passed. Her world rocked on its axis. Her mother was in a relationship. It wasn’t the classes or activities that made her mother look a decade younger; it was Marv.
As if her mother sensed someone watching, she glanced out the window. Her mother’s eyes bulged when they landed on her. Carmen stood there like an idiot, unsure what to do. Mom jerked her hands from Marv’s as if she’d been burned and rushed out of the restaurant.
“Honey, what are you doing here?” Mom called as she hurried toward her.
“I needed a ride,” she said past the lump in her throat. “And I tracked you through your phone.”
“Oh, honey, I didn’t want you to find out this way.”
She was so shocked; she didn’t feel anything. “How did you want me to find out?”
Her mother wrung her hands. “I was waiting for a good time. You haven’t been yourself since you lost Vinny and your father, and you’ve been helping Lyla, and that’s been stressful. I wasn’t sure if you’d think it’s too soon.”
She looked past her mother to Marv who watched them with his hands in pockets. He looked hella worried and far from the jokester she met in dance class.
“Marv is a good man.”
She transferred her attention to her mother who looked on the verge of tears. “Are you happy?”
Mom hesitated and then nodded. “I am.”
“Is it serious?”
“He asked me to marry him.”
She jerked. “Whoa. He doesn’t mess around. He’s a widower, right? Has three kids?”
Mom smiled uncertainly. “Yes. They’re good kids. You’ll like them.”
When she came back to Las Vegas to care for her mother after being on the road, she had been hanging on by a thread. She lay in bed for weeks, listening to her mother sob herself to sleep. The woman before her was a far cry from a grieving widow. Whoever made her mom light up this way was good with her. Personal thoughts and feelings didn’t enter into this.
She stomped on her emotions and took a deep breath. “You’re finally getting around to giving me siblings?”
Mom’s eyes filled with tears. “Oh, Carmen.”
She stepped forward and hugged her. “Don’t cry. You’ll ruin your makeup. You don’t mind if I crash your date, do you?”
“I was so worried.”
She kissed her cheek and wrapped an arm around her waist. “I’m fine.”
Carmen led her back into the restaurant. Marv looked uncertain and wary as she approached. She didn’t allow herself to think. She released her mother and hugged him.
“I knew you were trouble when I met you,” she said.
Marv returned the embrace. He had a similar build to her father and Marv’s hold was just tight enough to make her feel cherished.
“Thank you,” he murmured into her hair.
She breathed through the emotions clamoring in her chest. She was so focused on Vinny that she hadn’t been able to deal with the loss of her father. Now, she was being bombarded by memories of him. She closed her eyes as a tear trickled down her cheek. She had just come to terms with Vinny’s death. She thought she’d have time to deal with losing the second most important man in her life, but life was ten steps ahead, and she was playing catch-up.
Marv eased his grip. She gave him a mock scowl as she brushed away her tear. She put her hands on her hips.
“Aren’t you going to ask me for my mother’s hand?”
Marv grinned broadly and got down on one knee in the middle of the restaurant. He took her hand and stared solemnly up at her.
“Carmen Marie Pyre, will you do me the honor of allowing your mother to be my wife?”
She heard her mother choke back a sob. Carmen looked down at Marv, a man willing to lay it all on the line and smiled through the tears.
“Yes.”
Marv kissed her hand and both cheeks before he moved to her mother and planted a chaste kiss on her lips. There was a smattering of clapping from the other patrons in the restaurant who were obviously confused. She sat because her legs were shaking. When she tracked her mom down for a ride, this was the last thing she expected.
Mom sat beside her and gripped her hand beneath the table. They were both trembling.
She took a deep breath. “So, Marv, tell me about yourself.”
“Are you okay?” Mom asked.
“Yeah.”
“Are you really?”
“Yes.” She moved to get out of the car as they pulled up to the casino, but Mom latched onto her arm.
“Carmen Marie.”
She was worried. It was written all over her face.
“Mom, I’m fine.”
“You aren’t fine. You haven’t been fine for years.”
The past two hours had been an emotional roller coaster of learning about her future stepfather and his family. Marv’s oldest son lived in Japan with his wife who was expecting. They would have the wedding a few months after the baby was born since the wife was too far along in her pregnancy to fly right now. Not only had her mother been dating Marv, but she’d also been living with him for two months. She was shell-shocked but doing her best to keep an open mind. Marv was obviously head over heels for her mother. That was all that mattered, right?
She kissed her mother on the cheek. “I love you, and I’m happy for you.”
“I don’t have to live with him. I can move back into the house.”
“Why would you do that if you’re happy where you are? You moved in with him because you wanted to spend more time with him, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then just stay with him and be happy.”
“I want you to be happy too.”
“I’ll get there.”
“Your dad would be proud of you.”
She couldn’t deal with that right now, so she banked it. “I’ll be in touch.”
She got out of the car, walked past the valet, and entered the casino. She didn’t register the smoke or the people brushing up against her. She wasn’t even aware of where she was going until a man stepped into her path.
“Carmen?”
Hands grasped her shoulders and she looked up at Kody Singer.
He frowned. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m good.”
He surveyed her for a few beats. “I’ve been calling you.”
“My life has been kinda crazy.” Understatement of the century, but she wasn’t going to elaborate. It felt like weeks rather than days since she went to lunch with him after the hospital event. Her life had turned on its head since then.
“I’m on my way out. Have a drink with me,” he said.
“I don’t—”
“Come.”
He led her to the nearest bar and urged her onto the high stool.
“What’ll you have?” the bartender asked.
“You still like mojitos?” Kody asked.
She didn’t really, but a drink order was beyond her at the moment, so she nodded. She glanced at the other people at the bar without much interest.
“What’s going on with you?”
She looked back to find Kody watching her closely.
“I—” No other words emerged. “I’m…”
>
“I asked you to go with me to Europe while I film my new movie,” he said, cutting to the chase.
“Right. I…” Her mind was a complete blank. “I can’t.”
“So you said before. Why not?”
He led a glamorous life, but beneath the good looks, he was a simple man with simple wants. He was too good for her.
“Maybe getting out of Vegas would be good for you,” Kody continued. “There was the shooting at the hospital, and now I heard a bunch of people are missing.”
“Missing?”
“Yeah, it’s all over the news. The governor, a judge, and gaming commissioner are missing. They’re saying even people from the police force have disappeared. Vegas is going to the dogs. Come on, Carmen. There’s nothing for you here.”
Her mom and Lyla had been her support system and now… Lyla had Gavin, who wasn’t going to be battling the underworld, and her mother had Marv. At one point, she was all they had, and now they had their own lives, and she had nothing. Everyone had moved on without her.
The bartender set the mojito in front of her. She reached for it and drank deep.
“I don’t understand. You were all over me at the hospital, and then you disappear, don’t return my calls… What’s going on?”
How would he react if she confided that she killed a man? That she lost half of her soul when Vinny died? That all she wanted was her father here, so she could run into his arms one last time and have him say she would get through this?
“You aren’t yourself,” Kody said.
That was true. She hadn’t been herself for years. Warm hands grasped hers and squeezed. She focused on Kody, who had a mix of frustration and yearning on his face.
“Come with me.” She opened her mouth, but he pressed a finger against her lips to stop her. “It doesn’t need to be like that. I can see you still need time. Let me take care of you. Let’s start fresh.” He cupped her chin and leaned forward. “I never forgot you. I want what we had, but I can wait.”
She stared at him, her thoughts in turmoil.
“Remember, Carmen?”
He pressed his lips against hers. She stiffened but didn’t pull away. He kissed her gently. The taste of something sweet and appealing made her deepen the kiss. He cupped the side of her face. She closed her eyes and tried to lose herself in him. This was what she should want, a sweet guy who wanted to take care of her. This was what women dreamed of—the white knight with money and a heart of gold. Life with Kody would be glamorous and smooth. He would put her first, and they would live happily ever after. This was what Mom had with Marv, what she used to have what Vinny. Maybe if she opened up a little…
His lips slanted over hers, deepening the kiss. It felt nice, but her heart rate didn’t speed up, and her body felt heavy and lethargic. When she couldn’t stand the disappointment any longer, she pulled back. Kody had kissed his fair share of women, and it showed. Despite his technique, she felt nothing. How could she have had such chemistry with him once upon a time, and now, it was just gone? Even as the thought drifted through her mind, she answered herself. She wasn’t the same woman who fell into the affair with such reckless gusto. That woman flitted from relationship to relationship and never had her heart broken, never experienced the devastating loss of a parent, or watched a broken human being struggle to survive. Lyla’s recovery had been painful to watch, especially since the worst of her injuries were internal where she couldn’t help. Lyla had to piece herself back together, and she had, through her own strength of will. Now it was her turn to pick up the broken pieces. She had no idea where to start.
“Carmen?” he murmured as he stroked her cheek.
“Kody—”
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a figure standing a little too close. She turned her head, dislodging Kody’s hand, and met Marcus’s dark gaze. His normally animated face was the picture of polite inquiry. All that wonderful arrogance and affection was banked.
Marcus turned to Kody and held out a hand. “I’m glad I caught you. I wanted to thank you for staying with us these past two weeks. I was hoping to offer you a drink before you left but see you already have one.”
“You’ve been very accommodating with the suites for my staff and the last-minute company,” Kody said.
“Of course. Anything we can do, Mr. Singer. Have a safe trip home.” Marcus turned to her and inclined his head. “Mrs. Pyre.”
Her stomach twisted. She swiped her thumb over her naked ring finger and tried to think of something to say. She looked like a complete slut for accepting a kiss when Marcus had been inside her less than fifteen hours ago. If she had caught Marcus kissing a woman today, she would have lost her shit. She opened her mouth to explain, but no words came out.
Marcus turned away. She reached out for his arm but stopped just shy of grabbing his sleeve. What would she say? How could she explain why she accepted a kiss from Kody? Would it make a difference if she told him that she’d been on her way to the executive offices to see him and been waylaid by Kody?
As he strode away, her heart sank. She wasn’t sure what she and Marcus were, but he was a balm to her shattered nerves. He cared for her the night Lyla was in Hell, and he sated her demons last night. God knows what she would have gotten into if he hadn’t stepped in. Marcus was her gateway to euphoria and relief, and she felt a sharp pang of loss and panic as he disappeared into the crowd.
“Carmen?”
She took a deep breath. “I’m sorry, Kody. You’re a great guy. You’re going to make some woman really happy.”
“And she’s not you.”
“No.” She held out a hand. “Friends?”
He didn’t take her hand immediately. Each passing second felt like an eternity. When she was about to retract her hand and what dignity she had left, he took it.
“If you ever need someone to talk to, you have my number,” he said and slipped off the stool. He chucked her under the chin. “Take care of yourself.”
Two good guys walked away from her in less than five minutes. That had to be some kind of record. She had a black belt in fucking up her life. She tipped the bartender and headed through the casino to the valet and handed her ticket over. She watched the doors to the casino, expecting Marcus to appear, but he didn’t. She slipped into her car, filched her phone out of her purse, and hit Lyla’s number on speed dial. The call went to voicemail. She cursed and redialed as she tore out of the driveway of the casino but didn’t get far because of traffic. She was about to redial Lyla for the third time but stopped herself. Between Gavin being an insatiable beast, a four-month-old baby, and her mother being in the hospital, it was no surprise that Lyla couldn’t pick up her call.
She drummed her fingers restlessly and tried every single radio station, but nothing suited her mood. As soon as she reached the freeway, she slammed her foot on the gas. She cut through traffic like a madwoman, shifting gears, and dodging other cars like she was on the run. The rush didn’t alleviate the pressure on her chest.
When she finally stopped the car, she rested her chin on the steering wheel and stared through the windshield at the gates of the property she had owned with Vinny. She caught a glimpse of the ostentatious mansion she spent years designing. It had been her dream home with her dream man, and now she had neither. Gavin had sold the property when she and Lyla went on the road. She would never admit it, but she was grateful he’d done so. She wouldn’t have been able to continue living there without Vinny. Gavin put her belongings in storage where they’d been for almost three years, like her.
Seeing her mother with a new man had been an out-of-body experience, one she hadn’t been prepared for. She assumed her mother would always be around while she figured out what to do with her life, only to discover that her mother had built a new life without her. She had truly been left behind.
She sat back and rested her hand on her aching chest. She lost two of the most important men in her life so close together. Her father and Vinny had been her foundat
ion. They loved her for who she was—the good, bad, and ugly—and she loved them back with the same fervor. Her father understood her nature and never tried to rein her in. He prepared her for life by drilling into her that she was capable of anything she put her mind to. The last time she saw her father was the day she left with Lyla to go on the road. Between Vinny and Manny’s murder and the attack on Lyla, she’d been a wreck.
“I know this seems impossible right now, baby, but you’re gonna pull through this. You’re strong, Carmen. Take care of Lyla. Get her out of here, give yourselves some time.” He buried his face in her hair. “When you’re ready to come home, we’ll be here.”
She blinked back tears as the echo of his words slipped through her mind. That was the last time she saw him alive. Fuck. She missed him. He’d want her to support her mother. That was what family did for one another. No one should be alone, and her mother was a sweet woman who loved taking care of people. Soon, her mom would have more people to fuss over—a new husband and step kids who were going to love her. Who wouldn’t? Her mother was the best.
Time passed. She didn’t give a fuck. The fact that her phone remained silent reinforced that she needed to do something with her life. No one would take her by the hand. No one would fawn over her. Soon, her mother would marry, and she would be living alone in her childhood home…
She picked up her phone and scrolled through her contacts before she found the right number. The phone rang once, and then a feminine voice came on the line.
“Carmen Pyre. Oh, my God.”
“Hey, Charisse.”
“Are you okay? I sent flowers when I heard about Vinny.”
She nodded even though Charisse couldn’t see. “Yes. I got them. Thank you.”
“Are you in town? What’s going on? How are you?”
“I’m back, and I need you.”
“You’re looking for a place?” Charisse’s excitement leaked through the phone. “That’s great! Do you have an idea of what you want?”
“No, but I’ll know it when I see it. Can you help me?”
“Of course. When?”
“Tomorrow if you can manage it.”
“You bet!”