by Lynda Aicher
Vanessa stared at the new youth center website, her chest tightening once again. Rock had done a fantastic job. It was simple yet professional.
“And Rock said he’d come over and show me how to maintain it on my own or he’d keep it updated if I wanted.” Liv clicked through the tabs, showing the pages of information that included pictures of beaming kids in various activities. “There’s even a ‘Donate Now’ spot for online cash donations.”
Liv spun around and launched herself into Vanessa’s arms. She barely held her footing as her sister squeezed her tight.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you, V.” Liv stepped back, still holding on. “I know you won’t take any credit, but none of this would’ve been possible if you hadn’t sent all these guys my way.”
“Wait a minute,” Vanessa objected, laughing. “I did not send guys to my little sister.”
Liv made a face and sat back down. “You know what I mean, and I haven’t been little in a very long time.”
“You’ll always be my little sister.”
“Love you too, V.”
“So are all the plans done? Everything ready to go for next Saturday?” Vanessa moved some papers aside and sat down on Liv’s desk. Her tired feet and pinched toes thanked her almost instantly.
“Yeah,” Liv said, nodding. “I don’t know how it all got done, but I think we’re ready. Oh.” She snapped her fingers. “I forgot to tell you about the food that’s being donated, too.”
“Really? Great. From where?”
“From a restaurant that...what’s his name...Jake and Deklan’s friend.” She snapped her fingers some more, frowning.
That sinking feeling twisted over in Vanessa’s stomach. “Seth,” she volunteered.
“Seth. That’s it.” Liv flashed a smile. “He and Tyler are donating everything for hot dogs, burgers, drinks, popcorn and even a cotton candy machine. You’ve got some amazing contacts, sis.”
Contacts, right. Vanessa forced herself to agree.
“Those guys said they’d be here with their girlfriends to help with the games and serve the food. I guess the girlfriends are the ones who painted the booths. They did a great job.” Liv plowed on, oblivious to the turmoil brewing within Vanessa. “And Mom’s rounded up the family to run the games, too.”
“Great.” The strained edge in Vanessa’s voice went unnoticed.
“And that other guy you sent my way, Noah.”
“Oh? What’d he do?”
Liv cocked her head. “Well, besides the fact that he’s the best eye candy I’ve seen in a long time.”
“Better than Holden?” Vanessa couldn’t stop herself from asking that.
“Well, he’s mighty fine, too. But Noah has that deep, brooding thing down. And those suits he wears look amazing on him.” Liv sighed, her face going all dreamy like a teenager with her first crush.
That was not good. Not even close to good. Vanessa shook her head, reverting back to the original questions. “So what did Noah do for you?” She had no idea he’d done anything, which bugged the shit out of her.
The claustrophobic sensation set in again. After weeks of analyzing the tightening sensation in her chest, along with the hot chills that left her sweaty and shivering, she’d finally pinned the strange set of reactions down to that.
She was trapped. Her worlds were closing in, and their proximity was suffocating.
“He’s been volunteering with the older kids.”
“He’s been what?” She yanked her thoughts back to the conversation. She couldn’t imagine the stoic lawyer hanging out with kids, let alone the rigid Dom doing that.
Liv’s brows drew together, her words drawn out in hesitation. “He’s been tutoring the older kids. Helping them with math and reading.”
“Noah?”
“Tall guy, dark hair always in place, deep eyes and rarely smiles? The guy with thousand-dollar suits and three-hundred-dollar shoes? That Noah?” She waited until Vanessa nodded. “Then, yeah. He’s been here three times a week for the last month.”
“Really?” Vanessa couldn’t reconcile that in her head no matter how she shifted it.
Worry took over Liv’s face. “Why? You did send him, didn’t you? He said he worked with you and provides legal services to Jake and Deklan. He was telling the truth, right?”
“Yes. Of course,” Vanessa rushed to reassure her. “I’m just surprised. He didn’t say anything to me.” But then, she hadn’t been around the club much either.
Liv sat back, relaxing again. “Good. Even if you hadn’t, his background check was clean and he’s been amazing with the older kids.” She grimaced. “They’re so often the ones who need the most help but get the least. Everyone sees them as old enough to handle themselves and by that age, they’ve usually given up on asking for help, even when they need it.” She scrubbed her face, exhaling. “Even I’m guilty of getting so caught up with the younger ones that I run out of time for them.”
“Hey. Stop that.” Vanessa leaned in, rubbing her sister’s arm. “You do so much. You can’t beat yourself up over what you can’t control.”
Liv tossed her head back, her laugh bursting into the room. “Right,” she choked out between breaths. “Did you hear what you said? You, the control-freak queen.”
Shit. Hello, pot... She rubbed her brow, unable to deny what was well-known between them. “Do as I say, not as I do. Isn’t that how it goes?”
“Yeah, something like that.” Liv patted Vanessa’s leg. “But it’s not all bad, V. Just think where I might be if you hadn’t stepped up when we were kids. Mom and Dad certainly didn’t raise me. And look at all you’ve accomplished. The world needs people like you.”
Vanessa smile wavered with the doubt that’d been building for weeks. “Maybe.”
“Definitely.” Liv stood to enfold Vanessa in a hug. “I need you just like you are. Well...” She leaned back, her smile quirking. “You could drop some of that bitchy shield and I wouldn’t complain. But as a whole,” she rushed on when Vanessa frowned, “you’re the best.”
“Right. What do you want now?”
“Moi?” she said, pressing her hand to her chest. “Nothing.”
Vanessa shook her head and pushed off the desk, her toes screaming as they were pinched once again. She straightened her jacket and brushed out the wrinkles in her skirt. “You never could lie, Vivian.”
“Oh, come on.” Her sister rolled her eyes. “I was being honest. You’ve always been there for me. Someday I’m going to pay it all back. I promise.”
“Don’t you get it?” Vanessa asked, waiting for her sister to look at her before she continued. “You do every day. You’re everything I wish I could be. Open, giving, friendly, loving...forgiving.” She glanced away, clearing her throat. “Seeing you happy is my reward.”
“And queue the tacky music.”
They both broke into laughter, the sappy moment buried before the bad memories invaded.
“I have to go.” She grabbed her purse off the chair where she’d tossed it when she’d arrived. “Do you need a ride?”
“I’m good,” Liv said, waving her off. “Bessie’s still hanging in there.”
Vanessa’s sigh had her sister rolling her eyes again. “When are you going to give up on that old clunker and get something reliable?”
“She still works.” Her sister defended the car like it was a living object with feelings. “Besides, this job doesn’t have me rolling in extra money.”
“You know I’d buy you a decent car.”
“But I don’t want you to.” Liv shook her head in a way that was too reminiscent of their mother. It was the “how many times do I have to tell you” look that had Vanessa’s stomach twisting again. “We’ve been through this a thousand times.”
“It doesn’t mean I’ll
stop trying to convince you I’m right.” If that junker ever broke down in this part of town and Liv got hurt, she’d never forgive herself.
“You wouldn’t be my sister if you didn’t.”
Right. She pursed her lips, took in her sister’s stance with her hands propped in a defensive position on her hips and decided to let it go.
She left the office, and Liv walked her to the front doors, the halls echoing in the odd emptiness. The lights in the parking area had come on while she’d been inside, but the safety they offered didn’t reach the shadowed areas along the edge of the lot.
She turned back to Liv and gave her a hug. “Be careful when you leave.”
“Yes, V.”
The indulgent, slightly exasperated tone was the same one that came with “Yes, I brushed my teeth” and “Yes, I took out the trash.” It only reinforced their roles more. They might be sisters, but they’d never really been equal.
She waited until she heard the lock click then waved at Liv through the glass door before she headed to her car. The night was muggy but cooler as summer wound down. She kept her eyes on the shadows and locked herself in as soon as she shut the car door. Liv was still at the door, highlighted by the interior lights. It was like an advertisement saying “I’m a female alone in this big building—come and get me.”
A security system. That would be on the list of donations that came through. Deklan and Rock would help her out with that if she asked. Why in the hell hadn’t she thought of it before? Because you rarely come here, let alone at night.
Hello, guilt. Oh yeah, there was that bag of kryptonite too. She’d be calling Deklan as soon as she got home.
It didn’t matter how much she focused on her driving or deliberately tried to ignore it, she couldn’t stop the sensation from prickling over her skin. The flash of hot then cold that swept over her in counter intervals. Slow, deep breaths failed to keep her lungs expanded, her chest open. The weight pressed down, tightened and held until sweat formed on her nape.
One week. The fund-raiser would be over, Holden’s season would be close to starting, keeping him busy, and her worlds could go back to being independent entities. Maybe she’d get lucky and come down with a horrible flu the day of the carnival so she wouldn’t have to go.
Right. Short of death, she had to be there. For Liv and, yeah, for Holden too. She’d be there for them, even if it meant destroying everything she’d built. Somehow though, she’d keep that from happening. Spin the story, put up smoke screens, grin through the torture and come out on the other side.
She did it for everyone else, had been doing it for herself for years. It was just another challenge she’d survive.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Holden entered Vanessa’s outer office, box in hand. He made a quick glance to see no one waiting then smiled at her assistant as he approached her desk. “Morning, Angie.”
“Mr. Hauke, right?” Angie looked him over but gave away nothing in her expression.
“Yes. Is Vanessa available by chance?”
“Do you have an appointment?”
He shook his head. “I’m sure you know that I don’t.”
Angie narrowed her eyes and slid her glasses off before she sat back in her chair. “You’re right. I do know that.”
He lifted the wrapped box. “I just need to drop this off. I won’t take long.”
She glanced at the closed office door. “How do you know she’s even here?”
He had her on this one. “Because I just finished talking to her.”
That got a brow raised before it was quickly schooled behind her composed expression that was welcoming but not exactly warm. She stood. “Let me check with her.” After a knock, she disappeared inside of Vanessa’s office, closing the door behind her. Almost immediately, she came back out, a smile on her face. “Vanessa will see you.”
He swore he heard a soft “good luck” as he passed her, but he wasn’t certain. It still made him chuckle when Angie closed the door behind him.
“Holden.” Vanessa looked up from her computer, her features softening as she smiled. “What are you doing here?” There was only curiosity and pleasure in her voice.
He’d been a bit worried she’d be annoyed. They hadn’t crossed the full-on relationship line yet, but he figured no one would see him here. He came around her desk and cupped her cheek to drop a quick kiss on her lips. “I got you something. I hope you don’t mind that I stopped by.”
She shook her head, but her brows drew together. “No. It’s fine.” She glanced at the box in his hand. “What’s that?”
He propped himself on the corner of her desk and held out the box. “A gift.”
“A what?”
“A present.” He motioned for her to take it, but she only stared at it.
“Why?” She looked from him to the wrapped box then back like she expected it to explode at any second.
“Because I wanted to. That’s all.” He shrugged. She was stressed about the coming carnival. She tried to hide it, but she’d been more hot and cold than ever this past week. Had he made another wrong move? Damn, he was here now, so what the hell. “I thought of you when I saw them.”
“Them what?”
Her suspicion reconfirmed his conviction. This wasn’t a bad move. Not if it made her smile. “You’ll have to open it to find out.”
She took the box, her hesitation showing in the frown that deepened and the tentative way she flipped the gift around, analyzing it.
“It won’t bite. I promise.”
“That doesn’t help,” she mumbled but started to meticulously pry the tape off the wrapping. She wasn’t a tear-into-it kind of gift receiver, and that didn’t surprise him at all. “Don’t you have enough to do with the carnival two days away?”
“I always have time for you,” he shot back, grinning.
She gave him a dry look. “Cheesy.”
He wrinkled his nose. “Yeah.” But it was kind of true.
He waited, leg bouncing as she slowly unwrapped the box. She glanced at him, her confusion evident when she saw the markings on the outside. He motioned for her to continue, and she did.
She lifted the lid off, a soft laugh leaving her lips. Perfect. That was exactly what he’d hoped for.
“Flip-flops?” She laughed again, louder, head tossed back as she grinned at him.
“Yup.” He leaned over and pulled the shoes out of the box. He held them up, grinning back at her. “I know you don’t need these, but I thought you might like a break from those killer heels you wear all the time.”
Simple black leather straps with silver studs, they weren’t fancy or expensive. However, they were a step above the two-dollar specials found at most discount stores.
She set the box aside and kicked her heels off. “Let me see them.” He handed them over, and she dropped them to the floor to slide them on. She wiggled her toes. “They fit.” Again with the surprise.
“Of course they do. I checked your size before I bought them.”
She stared at him. “How?”
She looked so cute right then. He’d never thought of her as cute, but it fit. The pure amazement and wonder reminded him of the moments she’d missed out on. Yeah, this was good.
“I have my ways,” he said evasively. “Do you like them?”
She stood and walked around her desk to the far wall and back before she spun around and kicked a foot out to admire it. “I do.”
“Good.” Man, did he feel incredible right then. It was a silly gift, really, for a woman who could probably buy almost anything she wanted. But he hoped she got what he meant by them. The only time she wasn’t in heels was when she let her shields down, and he wanted that all the time with him.
“Thank you.”
She came over to hi
m, and he spread his legs so she could stand between them. He wrapped his arms around her waist and tugged her in tight.
“You’re welcome.”
Her hands were firm on his jaw as she leaned in. “I’ll thank you properly tomorrow night.” She kissed him before he could respond. A deep kiss that he opened for.
His body responded like it did every time she touched him. The heat flowed through his blood and found his dick. He spread his legs farther and let the hardness rest where it was. It was up to her if she wanted to do more with it.
A chime from one of her phones finally prompted her to pull away. She glanced at her desk then stepped back. “I need to respond to that.”
“No problem,” he said before stealing one last kiss. He nodded toward the box she’d left on her desk. “But there’s something else in there, too.”
“Really?” She rifled through the tissue paper and laughed once again. “You...” She shook her head and lifted the Belgium chocolate bar out.
“It’s very good,” he assured her. He’d hunted online to find the brands people raved about and then he’d tasted four different ones, selecting his favorite.
“Thank you, Holden. I...” She took a breath, eyes blinking a few times before she finished. “I love them.”
“My pleasure.” Right then, he made it his personal quest to hear those words as often as possible. She’d have an entire collection of flip-flops and chocolate bars before he was done.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
“Yay!”
The cheer surrounded Holden an instant before the liquid plunged over his head. The water was frigid, but he stayed below the surface for a moment to soak up the muffled quiet. The diluted rush of voices and music reached him in the hushed solitude before he pushed to the surface with a big splash. The resulting eruption of more screams had him laughing too.
His grin was on high when he wiped his face.
“I told you I’d get you again, Mr. Hauke.” Jimmy did a jig before he met his best friend in a high five.
Holden grinned. Simple joys were sometimes the hardest to get. He plunked back down on the seat of the dunk tank and motioned for Jimmy to let him have it. “I bet you can’t do it again,” he taunted, knowing he’d be in the icy water soon. The kid had an arm on him that stood up to his mouth.