Tough Love: Back to Buckhorn

by Lori Foster

  Moving in front of Stack, she hurriedly told Leese, “I just wanted to say goodbye. We’re heading out now.”

  His hard gaze cut beyond her to Stack. When his eyes met hers again, he asked, “You okay?”

  “Yes.” She forced a tight smile. “Of course. Thank you.”

  He didn’t look convinced.

  She patted his shoulder. “I’ll see you soon, okay?”

  “If you need me, call.”

  Stepping up alongside her, Stack growled to Leese, “Back off.”

  “Sure thing.” Tone cordial as if he didn’t have a care, Leese said to Vanity, “I mean it, hon. Anytime, okay?”

  Gratitude swelled, choking her more. “Thank you.” Turning, not bothering to see if anyone else looked her way, she marched out. Her car was across the street, and as she blindly headed toward it, a horn blared.

  Stack pulled her back. “What the hell?” He scowled down at her. “You almost got hit.”

  Stupid, stupid, stupid. She would not be a pathetic victim. She’d gone into this game with Stack knowing it could backfire.

  Now that it probably had, she’d get it together and be a responsible, strong adult. “I’m sorry.” For so many things. “I didn’t see... I’ll be more careful now.” She freed her arm, glanced up and down the street, then all but ran to get in her car.

  By the time she’d driven the first block, Stack was behind her, and he stayed close all the way to her house.

  More than ever she wished Norwood and Maggie were waiting for her. Their unconditional love always filled her heart with contentment. It had been a very long time since she’d felt so alone.

  In fact, the only time she ever remembered feeling so desolate was after she’d lost her entire family.

  She pulled into the garage, thought about hurrying into the house to ensure whatever Stack had to say, he’d have to say inside. But that seemed cowardly, so she was still sitting behind the wheel when he opened her door.

  When he remained silent, she decided he planned to come in anyway.

  Dropping her keys into her purse, Vanity opened her seat belt and stepped out, shoulders back, spine straight. If she didn’t feel confident, at least she could fake it.

  Stack waited for her to precede him through the garage, pausing before going through the door to the house to hit the automatic garage door unit.

  Once inside, Vanity immediately reset the code on the alarm system, then decided to be proactive.

  Flipping on the kitchen lights to chase away the shadows, she faced Stack and shrugged out of her coat. “All right. What’s happened?”

  His gaze briefly dipped to her cleavage, making her regret her outfit choice for the night. Sure, when she’d first chosen the top, her intent had been to get his attention.

  Now she just felt exposed and foolish.

  Stack still had his keys in his hand, and while he dispassionately studied her body, he jangled them as if impatient to be on his way. “Phil broke into Tabby’s apartment.”

  “I knew that much.” She’d worried about Stack and about Tabby. In a very short time they’d become more like family than her own family had ever been. It scared her that now, out of the blue, she felt that relationship slipping through her fingers. “I hope you got there in time to keep him from taking anything valuable.”

  He nodded but moved on from that. “All those times you called him f’ing Phil, it was almost as if you understood that he’s a creep.”

  “I do understand that. Phil is self-centered, lazy and lacks any sense of responsibility.”

  “Yeah, you know all that because I told you often enough, right?”

  He sounded so bitter, Vanity felt a trap coming on. “Yes, you mentioned it. But I have eyes of my own. I didn’t need you to tell me.”

  Stack smiled, but it wasn’t a sign of pleasure or humor. “You saw everything so clearly that you decided to give him money? Money that he could have used to hire people to—”

  “No!” Urgency brought Vanity forward until she stood against him. With him looking so grim, her heart tried to pound out of her chest. “He said he needed stuff for a job. Shoes and other equipment, gas for the car. That’s all. You have to know I’d never give him money to hurt you.”

  Stack didn’t push her away, but he didn’t embrace her either, and that seemed worse. “You believed him about the shoes?”

  Seeing the distrust in his eyes set her stomach roiling. She dropped her forehead to his chest, for only a moment borrowing the strength he’d so often given freely.

  But no more.

  Sensing it all crumbling down around her, Vanity stepped back. It was past time to tell Stack everything. It might be too late, but she’d try her best and hope it was good enough.

  A deep breath helped to fortify her. “No, I didn’t believe Phil.” Chilled from the inside out, she clasped her hands together tightly. “I gave him the benefit of the doubt, hoping that maybe just this once, he really was looking for work. I hoped that if he got a job, it’d make your life easier, maybe ease the tension between you and Tabby.”

  “So it was all about helping me, huh?”

  Fear and guilt made her eyes burn. She wasn’t a crier, damn it, but never before had she been faced with a problem like this.

  Never before had she been in love.

  “Is that what happened?” She had to know. “Did Phil use that money to hire someone to come after you? It occurred to me that he might have.”

  “Huh. And still you never said a word.”

  Though she doubted it would help, Vanity told him of her plans. “I hired a private detective to find him, to see what he was up to. I wanted to protect you.”

  “A PI?”

  “Jack Woolridge. He’s supposed to be one of the best.”

  Laughing, Stack held out a hand, rubbing together two fingers and his thumb. “You’ve got plenty of cash to throw around, right? Why not spend it on that? Makes more sense than just telling me the truth.”

  Was that how he saw her efforts? As her throwing around her inheritance?

  She shook her head in denial. “I wanted to tell you.”

  “No opportunity? That’s right, after Tabby left, I was so busy declaring how much I cared, you couldn’t get a word in edgewise.”

  Hurt sat like a lead weight on her chest. “I believed you, that you cared.”

  He stared at her, not a single sign of giving in his eyes. “You wanted to know what happened between Whitney and me?”

  At one point she had very much wanted to know. But not now. “It doesn’t matter.”

  “No?” He moved closer but still stopped with too much distance between them. “I want to tell you anyway.”

  That’s when she saw the mark on his neck. All other sensations faded beneath disbelief and red-hot jealousy. She stared at his neck. “Whitney kissed you?”

  “What?” He touched his fingers to the spot, and they came away with lipstick. Stack at first looked disgusted, then he smirked. “Yeah, she did.”

  “You let her?” She couldn’t imagine it, but his dislike felt palpable. If he’d been with another woman, how could she ever recover from that?

  His eyes narrowed. “No.”

  The relief made her weak.

  “Whitney made a fool of me.”

  I’m not Whitney—not that he saw the difference. Not anymore. “I’m sorry.”

  As if she hadn’t spoken, Stack continued. “All along, she told me she didn’t like Phil. She said she hated the way he treated my sister. So many times after I’d argued with Tabby about it, Whitney commiserated, telling me she understood.”

  “I’m sure she did. Phil didn’t just use your sister, he used your mother, too.”

  “There, you see?” He narrowed his eyes. “You and Whitne
y say damn near the same things. It’s fucking uncanny.”

  Vanity flinched, both at his language and the insulting comparison.

  Not that Stack seemed to notice. “Remember I told you I walked in on them together?”

  Vanity saw how that had affected him, the betrayal he’d felt. “Yes, I remember.”

  “They were talking about me.”

  She reached out but didn’t quite touch him. “Whitney is a fool.”

  “That’s exactly what she called me. She was so busy telling Phil to ignore me, bragging that she could handle me, neither of them heard me come in. They were friends, laughing about me. Good friends. Maybe fucking, but like I said, it didn’t matter.” He locked his gaze with hers. “I detest liars.”

  “I didn’t lie.” But she knew she had. Lies of omission.

  Stack gave another of those ugly smiles. “Haven’t you?”

  Giving up, deciding to come clean on everything, Vanity put up her chin. “All right, so I have. Because I love you.”

  He looked taken aback, then barked a laugh.

  Vanity ignored his humor. “You want the truth? Fine, I’ll tell you the truth. Every word of it.” And hopefully, when she finished, he’d stop being mad...and start loving her back.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  THOUGH THE CONFRONTATION in Tabby’s apartment had ended hours ago, Stack still seethed with anger. He needed to hit up the rec center, to take his temper out on a heavy bag.

  He’d been a dupe with Whitney, and that still stung.

  But this...he felt so much more for Vanity that being played this time was far worse. He’d considered her different, up-front and ballsy and honest to a fault. He’d even started thinking long-term. Marriage, kids and pets and a house...the whole love story.

  Now...now he didn’t know how to deal with the crushing blow to his pride.

  Before going to the bar, he’d considered just asking Armie or Cannon to see Vanity home. It would have been easier. No matter the deception, he didn’t want to take his anger out on her.

  But he couldn’t do it. He’d needed to see her, hoping that somehow she’d be able to deny what he knew was true, that she’d have a logical explanation.

  She didn’t.

  He’d also wanted to ensure she made it home safe and sound, that she had her alarms set.

  And maybe, being a masochist, he’d wanted to torture himself a little more.

  His mouth twisted. “I’m waiting.”

  That seemed to snap her out of the unfamiliar mood, and the old Vanity returned.

  Posture confident, she glared at him. “You know what, Stack? You’re being a jerk! Here are your miserable truths, and I hope you choke on them.”

  He was choking all right. On deception.

  “I met you and fell hard. Almost from the day I met you, I knew I wanted you. Within a few weeks, I was in love. But you never paid any attention to me, so I decided to proposition you.”

  Every time she mentioned love his damned heartbeat galloped. He couldn’t believe her, not now, not while feeling like the biggest chump alive. So he reacted with sarcasm. “When all else fails, use sex. Tried and true way to lure a guy in.”

  “Yes,” she snapped, “it is. And like most men, you jumped all over it.”

  True. He’d been nauseatingly easy.

  “I figured I had nothing to lose, right? I mean, if it stayed a one-night stand, I’d have gotten to sleep with the Wolf.”

  Heat burned his face. “That’s a stupid fight name and you know it.”

  As if he hadn’t spoken, she continued. “But if it turned into more, as I hoped, that’d be perfect.”

  New, angrier heat coursed through him. “So all those times you brought up that idiotic agreement, that was just to continue your lies?”

  No longer fazed by his rage, she lifted her chin. “Lies, plot, whatever you want to call it.” Mocking him, she sneered, “I hoped to reel you in.”

  Humiliation choked him. “And you did.”

  Breathing hard, she stared at him...and her scowl eased, her voice softened. “Did I?”

  No way would he answer her.

  “I only wanted you to see that things would be good between us.”

  After the taunts, he ignored the sincerity in her eyes. “The sex, sure. Or...wait. Was that also a lie?”

  Confused, she searched his face, then shook her head.

  Stack laughed, as much at himself as her. “All those sweet moans and easy climaxes. Were you pretendin’, darlin’?” He put two fingers under her chin. “Stroking my ego to soften me up? Was that part of your plan? Let me think we burned up the sheets, maybe think that sex between us was somehow special?”

  If so, her plan had worked because it had felt special, more special than anything he’d ever known.

  She jerked away from him, her entire, sleek body trembling. “I wasn’t pretending.”

  “So at least the sex was real? I’m relieved something was.”

  Movements rough with anger, she flipped back her hair and pushed up her sleeves. Stack saw the small pink reminder of her burn the night of the car fire. He’d been so impressed with her, her poise under pressure, her quick thinking and her bravery.

  So many redeeming qualities, but he couldn’t put aside the lies.

  After two deep breaths, she reached out to him. “Stack...”

  New humiliations occurred to him. “You and Leese are close. Does he know you’ve been faking it?”

  She withdrew, her expression shuttered. “It’s true, I pretended not to love you. I figured if I told you up-front how much I care, you’d have run in the other direction.”

  “We’ll never know now, will we?” But she was probably right. He hadn’t wanted to get involved, not until Vanity blindsided him with that damned proposal for sex.

  She kept saying it, over and over, that she loved him. Could that be true? At the moment, in his present state of mind, he didn’t trust himself to decide. He needed to think over everything, to come to grips with what he wanted.

  He needed to be clearheaded, and right now, he wasn’t.

  “I should go.” He didn’t want to. He wanted to go back to the morning when everything had seemed possible, instead of impossible.

  For a lengthy stretch of silence, Vanity stared at him. He could see there were other things she wanted to say...but she held back. Finally, body stiff, she turned and led the way to the front door. Stack silently followed.

  In profile, she looked defiant and a little wounded.

  Not touching her was hard. In a million different ways, he wanted to comfort her, to tell her they’d work it out. But he was afraid if he gave in even a little, he’d end up rushing her to bed, and nothing would ever get settled. She needed to understand that lying wouldn’t be tolerated, and he needed the rest of the night to sort through his disappointment.

  Did she really love him?

  Tomorrow, after he finished up at the gym, they’d get together and talk.

  Accepting that plan as the most reasonable, Stack turned her to face him.

  Still she said nothing.

  “You should stay inside the rest of the night. Tomorrow, if you go out, be careful.”

  For an answer, Vanity opened the door. “Don’t worry about me, Stack. I can take care of myself.”

  Didn’t he know it? She was smart, resourceful, with an amazing inner strength and unrelenting energy. Add in her disposable cash, and she could certainly handle her own protection. Still, he needed her to know, so as he stepped out to her porch, he turned and said, “One of the guys who came after me at Tabby’s apartment said you’d be next.”

  That perked her up. She didn’t look fearful as much as curious. “It was someone I know?”

  Stack shook
his head. “He threatened me, and said my girlfriend would be next.”

  Expression flat, Vanity said, “Then he probably meant Whitney.” And with that she closed the door in his face. Immediately Stack heard the lock click into place, then the dead bolt.

  He knew Vanity would set the alarm system, too. He’d meant to ask her about that, if Phil’s visit had inspired the extra security. Probably. The woman wasn’t a dummy. Just the opposite, she was cagey enough to fool him.

  And yet, damn it, he knew she was different from Whitney. As different as night from day.

  Tomorrow they’d get everything worked out.

  Tonight he needed to regroup. He wasn’t willing to end things with her, so that meant he needed to come to grips with the fact that...what? She wasn’t perfect?

  He laughed at himself as he went down the walkway into the cold, quiet night. Vanity Baker might look perfect, but she was as human and fallible as he was.

  Maybe, despite everything, that made her absolutely perfect...for him.

  * * *

  AFTER A NIGHT spent painting, binge eating, and stupidly crying, Vanity canceled everything except her shift at Yvette’s secondhand store. Wanting uninterrupted time alone, she’d shut off her phone, and now, when she turned it back on, she saw a lot of messages.

  All from Stack’s friends.

  New tears welled up. Throughout the long night, she’d wondered if losing Stack would also mean losing everyone else she held dear.

  Determined to face the day stronger, to stop being an emotional wimp, she listened first to Armie’s message. He wanted her to call him before she left the house today. Instead she texted her thanks to him, and told him she was fine. Then she listened to a message from Leese saying he was there if she needed to talk. She sent another text, thanking him.

  Next was a message from Merissa that said, Rissy was here. It made her smile. Rissy seldom left lengthy messages. Her feeling was that people would either reply or not, but she didn’t want to be a bother.

  When she saw the note from Yvette, she hit the phone icon and called her friend.

  “Hey,” Yvette said before the phone had even finished one ring. “Are you okay?”