Nobody's Princess

by Sarah Hegger

  His leer swept her from head to toe and a bad-boy grin spread over his face. “You look smoking.”

  Good, because she needed all the help she could get.

  *

  Tiffany paused outside the bar and eyed it dubiously. So not her sort of place. A number of dusty, mud-spattered SUVs filled the parking lot of the wood-clad structure. A hand-painted sign of a man panning gold announced its name as Prospectors.

  The door opened and a man and woman tumbled out. The man was tall and dark, just like Luke.

  “Relax,” Thomas said. “It isn’t him.”

  And thank God for that. She wasn’t ready. Would she ever be ready for this?

  The couple stumbled to their car, arms locked around each other’s waists. They didn’t even glance away from each other. She and Luke had been like that, in the beginning.

  Tiffany stopped at the door, her feet stuck to the ground. She rubbed her sweaty palms on the sides of her jeans. “Do you think he’ll be here?”

  “Maybe.” Thomas watched her. Not pushing her to go forward or back, just waiting to see what she did.

  Tiffany took a shaky breath. Five years and she was about to come face-to-face with a man she never wanted to see again. Her heart hammered so loudly, it almost drowned out the bass thump coming from the other side of the door.

  Thomas leaned forward and wrapped his large fingers around hers. “Hey, I’ll be right there with you. And if all else fails, you can call up Delilah.”

  How did he manage to make her smile at a time like this? Tiffany curled her hand around the warm comfort of his grip, her lifeline. “The last time we saw each other, it didn’t go well.”

  His smile warmed his features and reached out to her. “But this is a whole new day.”

  “I have to do this.” She stared at the closed door.

  “Yeah, you do.”

  “I need to get my divorce and then I can get on with the rest of my life.”

  “That’s up to you to decide.” He shrugged one large shoulder. “But you can’t do anything or make any decisions by staying in the same place.”

  “You’re right.”

  “You ready?”

  “Nope.”

  He grinned and gave her hand a squeeze. “At the very least, you won’t have to put up with Dakota anymore.”

  A hysterical squeak of laughter came out of her. Man, she needed to get a grip. “I feel bad for him.”

  “Yeah. He doesn’t make it easy on himself, poor kid. Come on.” Thomas tugged her hand and took a step forward. He pressed open the door and Tiffany let him lead the way.

  The bar was—a bar. A wooden counter with glasses and bottles on display behind it made it pretty much like any normal bar. Tables filled the wooden floor between them and the bar. Talk about an anticlimax. What had she expected? Maybe something like the Rabbit in Red Lounge. One or two people turned to see who had entered, but for the most part people seemed intent on their conversations. A classic rock ballad thumped, but set low enough for conversation. Most people wore cargo shorts or long pants like they were dressed for the outdoors. One or two men wore cycling gear. Thank God she hadn’t worn a dress.

  Thomas moved toward the counter, propelling her along with him. Tiffany ticked off the tables one by one. Thirty-two tables, ten of them high-topped; eighteen bar stools. Not all the seats filled, so she’d guess 83 percent occupancy. The numbers stilled her mind enough to concentrate on the faces. No Luke. Then again, if he wasn’t there now, she’d only have to get all geared up another time. Well, shit.

  “I’ll ask at the bar,” Thomas said.

  Tiffany pulled her shoulders down from around her earlobes. They’d expected to get there earlier, so perhaps he’d been and gone. Or maybe he hadn’t even come in tonight. She took a deep breath. If Luke wasn’t there, then she’d been granted another reprieve for the night. The bar looked like a nice enough place. Perhaps they could relax and have a drink. No tequila, but a relaxed drink or two.

  “What will you have?” Thomas turned to ask her.

  “Martini?”

  Thomas turned to place the order.

  “No.” Tiffany stopped him. “Actually, I don’t like martinis. Could I have a beer?”

  “A beer?”

  “Yes, a beer.” She hadn’t had a beer in years.

  His eyes twinkled. “Did you count the calories?”

  “Nope.” She shook her head. “I’m living wild tonight.”

  He gave her a big grin that made her feel much, much better and turned to place their order. He pulled out a bar stool for her, and Tiffany sat. Now that the danger was over, she really looked at the bar. It was a nice place. Nothing fancy, but clean and well ordered. Pictures of extreme sports hung on the walls, interspersed with the normal mirrors and signs advertising various alcoholic beverages. Huge picture windows framed a beautiful view of the mountains behind.

  Imagine Ryan sitting here in one of those loud cycling outfits drinking a beer. That was if she could get past imagining Ryan somewhere like this at all. She and Ryan didn’t go to bars, as such. They preferred clubs or restaurants. The sort of upscale places where people went for a drink after work. Or to check out who else was out and about, who they were with, what they were wearing, that sort of thing.

  The barman slid two beers and two frosted glasses across the polished wood counter in front of her.

  Thomas took a beer and poured it, then slid it in front of her.

  “You always act the gentleman,” she said.

  He shrugged off the compliment. “My dad raised us that way.”

  “It’s nice.”

  A comfortable silence settled between them. Propping his hand on the bar, Thomas turned sideways to her. “We probably shouldn’t be gone too long.” He surveyed the bar as he sipped his beer. “I don’t trust Dakota on his own.”

  That was another thing about him she’d noticed. He had this way of taking care of the people with him. And he didn’t do it in a bossy or pushy way that made her feel managed. He quietly and competently took charge. Of course, Dakota probably didn’t feel the same right about now.

  Tiffany sipped her cold, sharp beer. She savored the bitter bite of hops on her tongue. She didn’t drink beer because Ryan thought it was uncouth. Thomas would have lots to say about that. He would tell her to make up her own mind what she wanted to drink. He was right. She should make up her own mind. And if that meant she never had to drink another martini, all the better.

  “Fuck, no.” Luke’s voice cut through all the noise around her, deep, rough, and a tiny bit husky. She would know it anywhere. All the blood left her head as she gripped the edge of the bar. Her knuckles whitened as she dug her fingers into the wood.

  One of Thomas’s big hands covered hers. He gave it a warm squeeze as he turned and said calmly, “Hey, Luke.”

  “What the fuck is she doing here?”

  Slowly, she edged around on the bar stool. Thomas still had her hand in his and she gripped it tightly.

  Shit, Luke looked good. He had let his hair grow. It hung over his ears and around his neck in a dark tangle. He’d lost weight and looked lean and tanned. The clean lines of his face were carved into predatory angles that were very, very sexy. Luke had always been good-looking, but now he’d added a whole new level of animal hotness. And he still had those dark toffee eyes that could draw you in and hold you. A rush of heat swept her nerve endings. Luke still had it, whatever it was. “Hello, Luke.”

  He glared at her and folded his arms over his chest. The muscles in his jaw worked in the silent expression of fury she’d seen facing her for most of their marriage.

  “Have a seat,” Thomas said, not quite an invitation.

  Luke glanced between the two of them. “What is this? Some kind of lynch mob?”

  A woman stepped closer to Luke and put her hand on his arm. “What is it, baby?”

  “My worst nightmare.” Luke growled.

  The woman swung her gaze to Tiffany. “Who is she
?”

  “My fucking ex-wife.” Luke spoke to the woman but kept his glare locked on her. Cold as ice, stripping her bare and leaving her raw.

  “Actually, that’s why I’m here.”

  Luke jerked his chin toward Thomas. “With him?”

  “We came looking for you.” How the hell did Thomas manage to sound so calm and relaxed while the air around the three of them flickered and snapped with tension?

  Tiffany straightened her spine and took a deep breath. She could do this. She’d left the girl who married Luke in the past and grown up. And after this, she would never have to see him again. “I need to talk to you.”

  “We have nothing to say to each other.”

  “Actually, we do.” Her voice came out a bit shaky and she cleared her throat.

  “Fuck.” Luke dragged his hands through his hair. “I’m looking right at you and I can’t believe you’re sitting there. Just how far do I have to go to get away from you?”

  Shit that hurt and it shouldn’t because she knew he felt that way. “I need some of your time and then we’re done forever.”

  Luke took a deliberate step toward her.

  Thomas shifted his weight, putting the solid comfort of his presence beside her.

  “I don’t have any time for you. I have nothing for you, and as far as I am concerned, we are done,” Luke said.

  “Hey.” Thomas stepped forward. “Why don’t you hear her out? You need to hear what she has to say.”

  “Don’t give me that shit.” Luke turned on Thomas with a snarl. “I know exactly why you’re here, and it’s got nothing to do with her.”

  “Then if you know that, you can give me those survey results.” An edge of steel encased Thomas’s voice.

  “No way.” Luke curled his lip, almost exactly like Dakota. He spun on his heel and stalked toward the exit. “I’m done here.”

  Tiffany sat, frozen to her bar stool, as Luke stalked out.

  “Wait here.” Thomas disappeared after Luke.

  Luke’s friends stood there staring at her. The woman’s eyes were openly hostile. “Why don’t you just leave him alone?”

  “I’d like to.” And boy, would she like to, but she’d come all this way to see this done. Now or never. She dropped some money on the bar and chased after Luke and Thomas. “But right now, I need him.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Tiffany followed the men, her legs shaking so much she nearly tripped over the gravel in the parking lot. Thomas had never looked that pissed off. Not even with Dakota’s shit. And Luke—well, Luke hadn’t changed much.

  Twilight hung thick around the parking lot, and it took a moment to pick them out in the shadows. They’d moved to the left of the door, out of earshot. Thomas stood with his arms crossed. Luke seemed to be doing most of the talking, waving his arms around as he spoke.

  Tiffany stepped closer.

  “I had to do what I thought was right,” Luke said.

  “You stabbed me in the back.” Thomas narrowed his eyes to slits.

  Luke grimaced and dropped his gaze, briefly. “Yeah, I know, man. And it was a dick move because you totally saved my life in Zambia.” He glanced up at Thomas. “But you know how I feel about big international business coming into these places and raping the resources.”

  “That’s not how it’s going to be, Luke,” Thomas said.

  Luke jabbed his finger at Thomas. “That’s a lie and you know it.”

  “No, it’s not.” Playing it calm, but a new edge of impatience entered Thomas’s voice. “I started this company because I believe in progress, but not at the expense of everything else.”

  “Progress?” Luke gave a bitter laugh. “Why don’t you ask those Zambians what they think of your progress?”

  “I did.” Thomas stuck his chin out. “And they told me they’d like to be able to feed their families.” Thomas caught sight of her and turned to face her.

  Luke glanced up, too. He muttered something beneath his breath and looked away again.

  “You need to hear her out,” Thomas said.

  Tiffany took her cue and stepped up beside Thomas. “We need to get a divorce. And I need you to come back to Willow Park with me to make it go quickly.”

  Luke gaped and his head jerked up. “No way am I going to Willow Park.”

  “It won’t take long. We file together and it happens quickly. You can be there and gone in a day or two.”

  “Forget it.”

  Tiffany faltered. She glanced at Thomas. He gave her a reassuring nod to continue.

  “Look, if you come with me, it’ll be fast. We don’t have any kids, all the money was either your dad’s or mine, and we’ve been living apart for more than two years. I won’t contest it. Done,” she said.

  “Why now?” Luke sneered down his nose at her.

  She didn’t have a good answer for that one. “I don’t know. It just didn’t seem important before. I was out of your life, you were—wherever the hell you were, and it didn’t matter.”

  Luke’s expression grew even harder.

  “All I need is a day or two of your time and then I’ll be out of your life forever.”

  “You were already out of my life.” He shook his head. “And here you are again, fucking it up.”

  “Hey.” Thomas’s deep voice rumbled a clear warning. “I don’t care how mad you are, you don’t speak to her like that.”

  “What do you know about it?” Luke turned his anger that way. “She totally fucked up my life. I can talk to her any way I damn well please.”

  Shit, Luke had nerve saying that. “I didn’t fuck up your life. You did that yourself. You were the one who decided to sleep around.”

  “I wouldn’t have slept around if I had a wife to come home to and not some spoiled princess. And you had no right to do what you did to my Miura.”

  He had her there, so she stuck with the one part she could deal with. “And that’s your justification?” Tiffany had heard it all before. She wasn’t buying it now any more than she had back then. “You tell yourself it was okay to sleep around because I wasn’t a good enough wife? You never let me be your wife. You shut me out.”

  “Bullshit. Daddy’s little princess never had time for anyone. You were too busy getting your fucking nails done.”

  “That’s not true.”

  “Which part?”

  “I—”

  “This isn’t getting anyone anywhere.” Thomas cut off her hot reply.

  Tiffany took a deep breath. Thank God he had, because this had drifted into sickeningly familiar territory so fast it made her head spin. “I need to get our divorce. You don’t want me in your life anymore. There doesn’t seem to be much to fight about,” she said.

  “So why did you have to drive all the way to Utah to find me? Couldn’t find your way to the post office? Send the sheriff after me?”

  Tiffany ignored the last jibe. It wasn’t easy, but she managed. Something about Luke made her want to bite back. Like old times. “I didn’t have the time to wait.”

  “Why? Daddy find out you were still married to me?” Luke threw back his head and laughed. The ugly, harsh sound scraped against her raw nerves. “Man, that would have gone down well. I’m only sorry I wasn’t there to see it.”

  “My father has nothing to do with this.”

  “Really?” Luke sneered. “I find that hard to believe. Your father is so up in your business, it would take an act of God to get him out of there.” Luke and her father had butted heads from day one. Another strike against her screwed-up marriage.

  “Let’s leave my father out of this.” Her teeth clenched together so hard, it made her jaw ache. No way Luke was dragging her back into a stupid argument.

  Luke stared at her for a long moment. Comprehension dawned on his face, followed by a huge, smug grin. “You’re getting married again. That’s it, isn’t it? You’re getting married again, only you have to get unmarried first.”

  “Yes. No. Maybe.”

 
“Jesus.” Luke sucked in a deep breath. “Who would be that fucking stupid? Do they even know you?”

  Tiffany gasped. It hit her like a punch to the gut. For a second she had no comeback; she stood there and blinked at Luke.

  “That was an asshole thing to say.” Thomas came to her defense, his face tight with anger. She’d seen him angry about Dakota and the drugs, but this was a new level of frightening. He took a step closer to Luke and got right in his face. “You’re being an asshat.”

  “You don’t know what she put me through.” Luke stepped into him.

  “Yeah, I do,” Thomas said. “And I also know what you put her through. You owe the lady an apology.”

  “Fuck that.”

  Thomas grew deathly still beside her. He clenched his fists, the muscles in his arms and chest swelling.

  Holy shit! It was like the eye of the hurricane. She didn’t want this. Quickly she inserted herself between the two men. Waves of anger battered against her back from Thomas. “It doesn’t matter. I just want the divorce and then we are done with each other.”

  “Move out of the way, Tiffany.” Thomas’s voice sent chills chasing up and down her spine.

  “No,” she said to Thomas, but kept her gaze on Luke.

  “Why should I do anything for you?” Luke glared at Thomas over her head.

  “There’s more.” She got the words out quickly. “Dakota is with us. He is waiting for you back at the hotel.”

  Luke glanced at her. “Dakota?”

  “Yes. Lola is out of town and she left him with me. He doesn’t want to be with me, he wants to be with you.”

  Luke’s jaw worked again. “Not my problem.”

  Tiffany sucked in a shocked breath.

  Thomas’s hands fastened around her arms as he lifted her and set her out of the way. And then he was on Luke, hauling him up by a fistful of his shirt. “That’s your brother, you dickhead.”

  “I walked away from that.” Luke ripped free of Thomas. “And I am not going back.”

  Thomas growled low in his throat and lunged for Luke.

  Tiffany got in the way again. Thomas’s forward momentum carried him straight into her. It was like being hit by a truck, and she went over. He caught her seconds before she hit the ground and jammed her up against his chest.