With that, he slammed into her body, and they both ruptured apart. He exploded, filling her with everything he had. His body emptied, but his heart filled.
Nyx couldn’t see.
She was assaulted by his scent.
His touch.
Everything about him.
Then she could feel her body moving, and she realized that Beau was taking her with him. The room stopped spinning, and she was on his chest, their torso’s touching. Gently, his fingers moved up and down her back.
But he said nothing.
Nyx wasn’t sure if he was recovering, or getting ready to run. She hoped it wasn’t the latter.
“Are you okay?” he finally asked. There was trepidation in his voice.
Instead of speaking, she lifted her head from his chest to gaze into his eyes. It was hard to concentrate. His hair was sexily tousled, and his skin was flushed.
Her soldier looked like he’d run a marathon.
Nyx sought his mouth and kissed him like she owned him. Tongues mated, hands slid across heated bodies, and she found herself on top of him. When she pulled away, she grinned wickedly.
He’d chased her demons away.
“That was amazing.”
He relaxed. “I happen to agree.”
“But…”
Beau blinked once. “But?”
“Since I’ve already made it into heaven, I can be greedy. It’s my turn.”
She caught him off guard, but he smiled wickedly. “Oh, the sins I’m paying for…”
With that, she showed him that he wasn’t the only one who had something wild inside.
Nyx took.
For the first time in her life, she found something that she really, truly wanted.
Him.
* * * L i t t l e m o o n * * *
Julian waited patiently for her to call. His wife should have been back, but she wasn’t. When she wouldn’t answer her phone, simply sending him a text, he was unnerved.
Had something happened?
Her message simply stated that she’d see him in the morning. There was work to do.
That made him even more edgy.
In the last year, he and Tori hadn’t slept apart, and now he was all alone in the room.
When he looked around, Julian knew he wouldn’t sleep, so he opted to work. It was night, and he was going to nose around the place.
First, he was curious.
“Bethany. Are you here?”
He waited to see if she replied.
There were no knocks.
Well, at least he didn't have to be creeped out. He was finally alone.
Heading for his door, he peeked out.
All the other guests would be asleep, and he couldn’t help but work. If he didn't occupy himself, he’d never rest. So, he crept from his room, sticking to the shadows around him. Once in the main room, he used the light of the moon to guide him. It streamed through the windows, lighting his way.
In the main foyer, he listened to the silence around him. He could hear two voices off in the distance, and he moved toward them to listen.
It sounded like Daniel Nelms and his wife.
They were discussing Richard Woodbury, and it was rather heated.
The man was insisting they fire him--right away. Sheila was more hesitant. She was concerned about the vineyard, and who would do the repairs.
It seemed like a fight was brewing.
As Julian listened, it got more heated. Just as he was about to intervene, the man jumped his wife.
And in a way, he didn't really care to watch.
It was time to go.
Julian hurried out of the room to avoid seeing them fornicating on the desk. Normally, he would have been amused, but the man didn't realize that he was getting some other guy’s sloppy seconds.
That grossed him out.
Heading across the room, he saw something outside, and it pulled his focus away from what he just saw. There was definite motion.
Something, or someone, was out there.
It appeared to be a shadow.
For a second, Julian wondered if it was Roman snooping around like he said he was planning to do. Maybe he was chasing a lead or working on the death of the priest.
Well, he wasn’t getting wrapped up in that one, and certainly not at this time of night. The man could do his investigating, and Julian would do his.
It was better that way.
He nearly went the other way, but something odd caught his attention.
The shadow was right next to the air conditioning unit. That couldn’t be right. There was a faint clanking as if it was being struck with a tool.
Heading to the door, he had a suspicion that it was the person trying to bury the vineyard. As he crept through the darkness, he saw the heating and cooling unit up ahead.
No one was there.
Shit!
He’d missed his chance.
How the hell did he lose him?
When he looked closer, something was shoved inside the unit, right where the motor would be. It appeared to be a rag.
Just as Julian was about to pull it free, a twig behind him snapped.
As he went to turn, pain exploded in his head above his right temple.
Everything went gray.
As he was slipping into the dark, he could feel himself being dragged across the ground by his ankles.
His last thoughts were of his wife and unborn child.
Julian was in deep shit, and there was nothing he could do about it.
He was being taken by the nothingness.
* * * L i t t l e m o o n * * *
His heart was pounding.
He’d nearly been caught.
It was lucky for him that the door had creaked, alerting him to the approaching man.
What was he supposed to do?
If he had been caught fiddling with the air conditioner, the jig would be up. He was only going to make sure it didn't work. It would be easier to look around the place, searching for the hidden riches if everyone was gone.
This was his proof.
If the guests all went home, he could have free reign of the place. He might even be able to talk the Nelms into shutting down. After all, they were worried about Pearlie.
He nearly laughed thinking about it.
They’d never find her.
Now he had an unconscious man on his hands, and he was no further along in finding what he was looking for either.
This whole thing was on his last nerve.
As he stood over the man, he was about to bash his brains in when he heard it.
Someone was coming.
What was going on?
This was his point.
How was he supposed to search when pesky guests kept popping up?
Leaving the man behind, he rushed into the grapes to hide. If no one found the unconscious man, he’d go back for him. If someone did, well, he’d run for it.
A smart man knew when to retreat, and he was definitely smart. As he watched, his heart sank.
Yeah, the unconscious man had been found.
Well, damn it!
* * * L i t t l e m o o n * * *
When he finally came to, someone was standing above him. Julian got ready to fight for his life.
Then he heard it.
“Shhhh. I just found you here. What the hell, Julian?” asked Roman Remington, trying to keep his voice down.
Julian struggled to sit up. “I was patrolling the house, and I saw someone by the heating and cooling unit. The next thing I knew, someone hit me.”
Roman pointed his phone’s light at Julian’s head. “You have a lump. Someone hit you good and hard.”
“Yeah, I know. I have the headache to prove it,” he muttered.
He shook his head. “We have to get you back inside.”
“What are you doing out here?”
“I was creeping around the crypt. Something was bugging me about it.”
Yeah, Julian too, but hi
s head hurt too much to think.
“I need to get back to that air conditioner.”
Roman held out his hand. “There’s safety in numbers. Apparently, I’m not the only one who now knows you’re here working.”
He was well aware, and he didn't like it--at all.
“How do I know it wasn’t you who clocked me in the noggin?”
Roman laughed. “Dude, you’re suspicious of me? Come on. We’re partners in this. I saw the sheriff questioning the maintenance guy. Was that your doing?”
“Yeah, I guess.”
“Maybe he knocked you out. If you pointed the cops at me, I would be inclined to do it too.”
Julian ignored him as they moved through the dark. This was the last thing he needed. He’d blown his cover twice in less than twelve hours, and his wife was going to kick his ass.
“Look,” he stated, pointing toward the unit. “I beat him back,” Julian stated, yanking the rag from the space it was shoved into.
“We’re lucky. I smell gas,” stated Roman. Reaching into his back pocket, he pulled out a storage bag. “Here.”
“You’re handy.”
“Well, you never know what you’ll find. I was once a Boy Scout.”
Julian bagged it.
“I’ll check it out in the morning. We should get to our rooms. If the person who hit me is wandering around, who knows if he’ll resort to a gun?”
“I hope you still have yours,” stated Roman.
Julian reached behind him and was relieved. “He didn't search me.”
“Great. Now let’s get inside. I’m weirded out by being out here in the dark. I like my brain in my skull.”
That was something Julian could agree on himself.
As they headed upstairs, he stopped the man. “Hey, thanks for that out there.”
Roman nodded. “You’re welcome. I told you I’d keep my eyes open. I know you don’t trust me, Mr. Littlemoon, but I don’t break a promise.”
Julian was damn glad the man had, and he was starting to believe it. While he wanted to be wary, the guy was growing on him. That was rare that he could say that about some reporter.
Then again, he was a PI.
They had a horrible reputation, and he hated when people judged him too.
“See you tomorrow,” he stated, slipping down the hall. Julian waited until he heard the door open and close, before he went into his room.
Tonight, he was sleeping with the lights on.
There was no way he was taking a chance.
One close call was more than enough.
CHAPTER Fourteen
Thursday Morning
Before Dawn
There was talking going on inside his brain, and it was making his head throb. When he finally opened his eyes, Justin realized that he was still in his brother’s apartment, and the conversation was actually going on in the kitchen. The voices sounded familiar, especially the one.
It was his wife.
Well shit!
Tori must have called her there, and now he was going to have to face the music of what he’d done. He’d betrayed Vivian, and she had every right to be angry. No, there hadn’t been another woman, but there was a mistress--booze.
It had been a long time since he’d slipped, and all he could hope was that the woman he loved would forgive him. If not, he’d crawl. The talk with Tori last night had opened his eyes.
He didn't want to die alone.
He didn't want random hookups.
He wanted the life he and Vivian created.
Justin had known that the second he’d seen her on that crime scene, and even when he pushed her to marry him.
Tori was right.
He couldn’t let her down.
It wouldn’t be fair.
Getting off the couch, he stumbled his way to the kitchen, only hoping the screaming would be kept to a minimal.
While he may have deserved the fighting, his brain couldn’t handle it--not this morning.
When he entered the kitchen, they didn't see him. It was probably a good thing. His wife looked horrible. Why hadn’t he noticed before that moment?
Why was he so blind to her pain?
Vivian’s lavender eyes were clouded with misery, and her hair wasn’t its normal tousled sexiness. Instead, she looked like she’d been running her hands through it wildly as she stressed over him.
And then there was her body.
Jesus!
She was rail thin.
All the pregnancy curves were gone, and she looked like a walking skeleton. It was apparent that she hadn’t been eating the last two weeks, and stress had consumed what little weight she’d gained while carrying their child.
This was on him, and he knew it.
He’d dropped the ball on this one big time.
“Vivian?” he said softly.
Both women turned their heads at the same time the second he spoke.
Justin didn't know what he was expecting, but it wasn’t what happened next.
“Oh, Justin, honey,” she said, her eyes filled with tears. Instead of keeping her distance, she ran toward him.
Immediately, his arms opened, and he welcomed her touch. While she looked sick, and felt thin, she was still the most beautiful woman in the world to him.
How could she not be?
This was his other half.
Before he could apologize, she spoke, “I love you! I’m so glad you’re safe. I’ve been worried sick, Justin. God! I thought you were dead somewhere. I didn't know who to call, or what else to do.”
“I would have been if Tori didn't step in and dragged me back here.”
She held him tight, breathing in his scent. Her heart stopped pounding, and there was peace.
“Viv, I’m so sorry. I didn't mean to abandon you and hurt you. I just got scared, angry, and…”
She cut him off. “Shut up, Justin.”
He was surprised.
“I love you more than anything in this world. What happened to us was bad, but we’re stronger than that. We’ve lived through worse, and we’ll get to the other side of this. Our family is here for us,” she said, jerking her head toward Tori. “This is no one’s fault but the man who got behind the wheel. It was fate, and we’ll get through this.”
She was so right. He only wished he’d seen it earlier. Maybe then, he could have saved his stomach lining.
“I love you too, but you’re not leaving me? Not after this royal screw up?”
“Never.”
“But I did horrible things.”
“Did you cheat on me, Justin, with another woman? Is that what you’re saying?” Vivian tried to stay calm, even when the sentence made her sick.
“Never! I wanted to die. I would never hurt you that way, Viv. You’re my wife.”
“Then we’re fixable. There’s nothing else you can do that would make me give up.”
“I didn't protect you. I should have been there to keep you safe, and I wasn’t. I can’t live knowing that.”
“Justin, we’re here to protect each other. This isn't the end. This is still the beginning. We have a lot to do to work it out, but we will. I have faith.”
Tori cleared her throat. “If I were you two, I’d pack some bags, head to the Rez, and stay at your place for a while, Justin. You need to tell Vivian everything I told you. She needs to know about Bethany’s message. It’s time you both healed.”
Vivian glanced over. “She told you something? Something about us?”
The curtains in the kitchen began waving, and the window wasn’t even open.
They all glanced over as the sink turned on.
“Yeah, yeah, they know you’re here, Bethany. Knock it off, please.”
Just as it started, it stopped.
“To answer your question, Viv, yes, she did. Justin knows, and he’ll share it all. Go heal, and take as much time as you need, but take it together. That’s an order, Justin. Do you hear me?”
He nodded, his wife wiping his
cheeks with her thumbs.
Well, Tori’s work here was done.
As Tori went to head out of the apartment, she heard her name. Justin was following, so she waited for him in the living room.
“Army?”
“Yeah, Marine?”
“I love you. Thank you for having my back,” he offered, pulling her into an embrace. “Thank you for sitting up with me all night and giving me hope. I’ve been an asshole toward you for the last few weeks, and you didn't deserve it. I don’t deserve your love.”
She hugged him back. “Justin, you’re my brother--not my brother-in-law or some soldier buddy. You’re blood to me, and I love you very much. Of course, I’m going to have your back. It’s like what you did for Beau and me. You stepped in and took the heat, even when you knew the outcome might be sketchy. That’s love.”
He dropped his forehead to hers. “I’m so damn glad my brother found you. Vivian and I wouldn’t be the same without you in our lives.”
“Amen,” she said from the doorway, smiling at them.
Tori set him free. “I have to get back to the vineyard. Jules is there by himself, and who knows what the hell he’ll get into without me guarding that sexy flank of his.”
Vivian laughed for the first time in a long time. Crossing to her sister-in-law, she hugged her. “Thank you, Tori. I love you.”
She patted her cheek. “Go see Clarissa. She’ll feed you until you explode,” Tori stated. “Eat some cake for me.”
“I will.”
Heading out, she turned at the door as she recalled one other thing. “Justin, clean this shit mess up, replace your brother’s beer, and anything else you absconded before you lock up. We’ll see you when you’re back.”
With that, she headed out.
Justin took Vivian’s hand in his. “We have a lot to work out and discuss. How long have you known about Bethany?”
She wrapped her arms around his waist. “Since Tori came back after Kentucky. She told me everything.”
“Well, she has a message for us.”
“Let’s clean this up. I want to head to the Rez. I wonder if Julian will mind if we take the horses out?”
“He won’t, and you’re right. We have to fix us. I hate feeling like I’ve lost you.”
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