Jack picks up Kat and swings her around, his left hand drifts down to the curve of her ass as he looks over her shoulder at me.
“That’s enough,” I say, standing to greet them.
“Jack, stop teasing Sammy,” Kelli says.
He puts Kat down and she pulls in close to me.
“Oz, you need to lighten up, bitch,” Jack says, smirking.
“Fuck off,” I answer, giving him a hug and Kelli a kiss on the cheek.
“What are you guys doing here?” Kat finally asks.
“Sammy thought you could use some girl bonding time,” Kelli answers.
Kat smiles and bounces on her toes, clapping her hands together. She leans up and kisses me.
“Thank you,” she whispers.
After all greetings are out of the way, we sit ourselves around the patio table.
“I’m so glad you guys are here!” Kat squeals. “We can go shopping and get our hair braided, drink margaritas, ride jet skis, go out to Lovers Beach.”
“Sounds great,” Kelli says. “I definitely need to work on my tan.”
The girls laugh and Jack rolls his eyes.
In that instant, I feel so relieved, so at peace. Not only am I fortunate enough to have someone to spend my future with, but I’ve also got the only important people from my past. I take a swig of beer and think about how I must be the luckiest asshole alive.
“So, let’s have details,” Jack says. “Two days after you guys left, word spread like wildfire that the best of the best had finally met his end. And at the hand of Natasha, too.”
“I told you it was just a rumor! I didn’t believe it for one second,” Kelli chimes in.
“Of course you didn’t,” Jack says, swatting at her curly ponytail.
For the next hour or so, Kat and I relive the details of our trip through Mexico and our brush with Natasha. We take turns telling each part, exchanging knowing glances when we exclude intimate details.
“That’s crazy,” Jack says, leaning back in his chair.
“So, then, you’re both staying here? Together?” Kelli asks.
I grin at Kat and nod. Even though we’ve always had a choice, time and time again, we chose each other. Kat returns my smile and slides her fingers between mine. Her eyes say everything I already know. In the oddest of circumstances, in the darkest of hours, I saved her life and in return, she saved me right back.
ALSO BY SEASON VINING
BEAUTIFUL ADDICTIONS
Praise for Beautiful Addictions
“Tristan is a hottie, tattooed man who loves to read. Does it get any better than that?!”
—Girls with Books
“I never expected this book to grab a piece of my heart and not let go! I am still going through each of the characters and reliving this book over and over in my mind. Season Vining has found a fan in me!”
—StarAngels’ Reviews
“Unique, gritty, and heartbreaking … you will not be disappointed. It was a fabulous read that kept me on the edge of my seat, and left me in tears.”
—Alison J’s Book Blog
“Sure to get your pulse racing … one hell of a ride.”
—Just Romantic Suspense
“Dark, twisted, and full of surprises. It’s completely engrossing. This is a fantastic debut from Season Vining and I’m very much looking forward to what she comes up with next.”
—Sinfully Sexy Book Reviews
“I loved the dark, intense tone and the suspenseful plot. It stands out in its uniqueness, and I applaud Season for doing something different.”
—Lily Bloom Books
“Oh my gosh, oh my gosh! All I can say is oh my gosh!!! Beautiful Addictions blew me the hell away. This is a love story that will take your breath away.”
—Nichole’s Sizzling Pages Reviews
“An entertaining read in which the characters’ development and the arc of the story are deftly blended to create a wonderful unity. Without a doubt I will be scouring the shelves for more works by Season Vining.”
—New Adult Addiction
“Both sweet and sensual, a new adult romance with a backdrop of darkness and heartbreak.”
—The Window Seat on a Rainy Day
“This book completely sucked me in. I can’t wait to see what this author has in store for her next book.”
—Swoon Worthy Books
“An amazing debut novel. I’ll be watching Season Vining closely from now on.”
—MCG Reviews and Rants
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Season Vining is a writer, a designer, a philanthropist, a bookworm, is inked, and is a night owl. She lives with her corgi, Chap, in Louisiana, where she works as a graphic designer.
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
HELD AGAINST YOU. Copyright © 2014 by Season Vining. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.
www.stmartins.com
eBooks may be purchased for business or promotional use. For information on bulk purchases, please contact Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department by writing to [email protected].
The Library of Congress has catalogued the print edition as follows:
Vining, Season.
Held against you / Season Vining. — First edition.
pages; cm
ISBN 978-1-250-04879-0 (trade paperback)
ISBN 978-1-4668-4986-0 (e-book)
1. Bounty hunters—Fiction. 2. Fugitives from justice—Fiction. 3. Man-woman relationships—Fiction. I. Title.
PS3622.I57H45 2015
813'.6—dc23
2014036968
e-ISBN 9781466849860
First Edition: January 2015
Held Against You Page 25