Served Hot: Best Revenge, Book 2

by Marie Harte

  “I did.”

  “Voluntarily? She didn’t have a gun pointed at your head or anything?”

  Bev chuckled. “She has you pegged.”

  Roy explained, “Bev put it to me pretty plainly. We’re not getting any younger, and what are we doing together? I had a hard time answering at first, because I’ve never felt this way about anyone besides your mother.”

  Maya eased up on Dex’s hand, but he wouldn’t let her pull away. To his surprise, she didn’t fight him on it.

  Roy continued, “We like the same things. When we argue, we agree she’s usually right.”

  “But only because I am,” Bev conceded, and Dex laughed.

  “You want to get married? Why now?” Maya asked. She didn’t sound rude. She sounded puzzled and trying to understand.

  “Why not now?” Roy shrugged. “I never told you this, but I’ve been seeing a therapist for a while. It’s helped a lot. Living with fear and living in the past isn’t healthy.” He gave her a pointed look, which Dex inwardly applauded. “It’s not good for anyone, especially if you want to find love in your future.”

  “You sound all Dr. Phil.” Maya frowned at him. “You could just date.”

  “We have been, but Bev is more than a girlfriend. She’s my everything.”

  Dex had no idea how Maya would react, but he hadn’t expected to see her tear up. “Maya, you okay?”

  She took her hand from his, and this time he let her go. Then she crossed to her father. He stood, and Dex watched in awe as Maya hugged her dad fiercely and cried. She then yanked Bev to her and hugged her too.

  “I’m so happy for you guys.”

  Totally not the reaction Dex would have predicted from her. No inquisition, no swearing, no accusations that Bev might be using her father. Maybe Maya was changing.

  Or maybe she was able to accept her dad could find love because she loved Dex.

  His heart raced as the fantasy came and went. Just because she wanted her father to be happy didn’t mean she was ready to face her own future. Did it?

  He heard his name. “What?”

  “Well, don’t just sit there,” Maya said. “Come join our group hug.”

  He hurried before he missed it, and the inclusion into her special circle meant a lot to him.

  The rest of the dinner was a festive affair, but on the ride back to her house, Maya remained quiet.

  “You okay?” he asked for what felt like the fifth time.

  “Yeah.” Same answer, but this time she added, “Still processing what just happened.”

  He nodded and finished the drive without talking. Once he’d parked, she turned to him. “Would you come in?”

  So polite. He nodded and joined her inside, feeling cautious because he didn’t know this side of Maya. The woman had never been anything but in-your-face confrontational or assertive. Not quiet and contemplative.

  “You okay?” He hugged her, surprised when she hugged him back so hard.

  “I guess.” She pulled back, and her eyes glistened.

  “Maya, honey. Talk to me.” He wiped a tear from her thick lashes. More followed. “Maya?”

  She smiled. “I’m so happy for my dad. He’s been alone for so long. And all because of me.”

  “What?”

  She sighed.

  He pulled them to the couch and sat with her in his lap. He held her and offered comfort, hoping she’d explain.

  After a few moments, she did. “Winona—my mom—left us when I was three. She didn’t want me, and she didn’t want Dad. But she might have stayed with him if I’d never been born.”

  “Maya, no.”

  “Yes.” She nodded. “My mom was full Paiute but not close to her family or tribe. They’d had a falling out before she graduated high school. I guess she’d moved around a lot after that. She met my dad and fell for him in one of her more lucid moments. She did a lot of drugs, and she was a dreamer.”

  “Must be where you get your creativity.”

  She shrugged against him and rubbed his chest. “I guess. My mother didn’t want to settle anywhere. Winona once wrote that she was a passing shadow, always drifting. My father loved that about her at first, that wandering soul. She was a writer, you know. A pretty popular poet.”

  He let her continue, knowing she needed to let it out.

  “But when she got pregnant with me, she figured it was time to settle down. She got back in touch with her family. Tried to put down roots. She married Dad after he spent months talking her into it. He can talk anyone into anything.”

  He smiled against the top of her head. “I like that about him.”

  “He likes you too. Always has.”

  His heart thumped beneath her hand.

  “But when my mom took my dad back to her family to introduce them, her father wouldn’t accept him. Dad’s white. Not family, no matter how hard he tried. My grandfather didn’t want me either.”

  “They couldn’t all have been that bad.”

  “No, not all. Her mom—my grandmother—liked Dad, and so did my mom’s sisters. But her father was your typical tyrant dad. What he said went. That’s pretty much why she left home to begin with.” She snuggled into his arms. “To hear Dad tell it, my grandfather would have forgiven her if she hadn’t gotten knocked up by a white man. I didn’t make things any better when I arrived. One of them, yet not. I’d always be white to them. Which is ironic, because to a lot of folks in Bend, I’m nothing but an ‘Indian’.”

  “I’m confused. Your mom was pregnant with you, and she loved your dad. Why didn’t she stay with him?”

  “She tried to be with Dad, but she missed her father. And truthfully, she missed her drugs and her writing. Dad made her stop when they learned she was pregnant with me, and I guess her muse needed pot and pills to work. When I arrived, Winona had had enough. She turned against Dad. Against everything, really. Dad was so in love with her, and she shut him out. She left a few months after I was born, then came back, then left again. It went on like that for a few years. She never tried to get custody or anything to take me with her. She just left us.”

  “Jesus. That sucks.”

  “Yeah.” She sounded so sad. “Dad raised me, but he never forgot her. Unfortunately, I look just like her.”

  “Then I know why your dad could never forget her. You’re gorgeous.”

  She didn’t seem to be hearing him. “He’d tell me stories about her, hell, even after she died. Tried to act like she was just confused, that she loved me but the drugs made her crazy. But I read her letters. I knew.”

  She sniffed, and he hurt for her. “What did they say?” he asked.

  “How much she hated how she’d left everything good for him. How I was too needy, too much a burden. She hated coming back to visit. She hated me—she wrote that.”

  “Maya…”

  “So all those years, Dad kept himself apart from others. Because of me.”

  “No. He loves you.” Dex knew that to his bones. “He said he was seeing a therapist. He had his own issues.”

  “Because—”

  “Because he fell in love with a woman who didn’t love him back. Period. You had nothing to do with it. You know that deep down. Your mom would have left him anyway because your grandfather didn’t like your dad.”

  “Prejudiced old bastard.”

  He hugged her tight. “Those two missed out on you. Their loss.”

  She snorted. “Yeah, sure.”

  “How did she die? A crash, right?”

  “Car accident. My grandmother called to let Dad know. According to him, the old woman was beside herself. He tried to visit her once, but they’d already moved. He never heard from any of them again.”

  Like being rejected all over again, he thought. “So because your dad was hurt, you were too. Is that why you haven’t b
een in a long-term relationship?”

  She pulled out of his arms. “I’m with you, aren’t I?”

  Considering they’d only been together going on three weeks, he didn’t think that constituted long term, but maybe to her it did. Before he could even think about how to argue the matter, she kissed him.

  She felt hesitant, so unlike his usual lover that he took extra care with her. He gentled his hold, lifting her in his arms and carrying her back to the bedroom.

  “Make love to me,” she whispered.

  He set her down and removed her clothes while she took his off. They tumbled into bed together, and the soft kisses and tender touches grew more intense. He rolled her under him.

  “Let me,” he said before kissing her again.

  She clenched his shoulders and rubbed against him.

  Then he was in her, loving her with long strokes. They watched each other as they made love, and he felt their connection as he became a part of her.

  She whispered his name as she sought release at the same time he came, filling her with more than his body, but with everything inside him. As they crested fulfillment and caught their breaths, he cradled her to him, bound together.

  He kissed her hair and whispered, “You always have me, Maya.”

  He didn’t think she’d heard him. Until she hugged him and kissed his chest.

  Maya woke the next morning awash in a strange mix of embarrassment, affection and unease. Dex had been so understanding, even when she’d gushed and cried like a friggin’ baby. Then he’d been so tender with her. Just thinking about it made her want to cry all over again.

  She sniffed, alone in bed. On the nightstand she saw a note. A goodbye and a smart-ass comment about how much he wanted to “shoot” her ass again.

  She smiled and settled back into bed, smelling Dex on her pillow.

  She’d told him her sob story, not expecting much more than some sympathy. A few pats on the back maybe. Dex was a nice guy, after all.

  Seeing her dad and Bev so happy had taken her to a great emotional high and low all in the same breath.

  Surprisingly, she had a feeling her dad and Bev would make a good match. It didn’t hurt that the woman was loaded. That way she wouldn’t be marrying her dad for his money. And to know that her father, after nearly thirty years, had it in him to ask a woman to marry him… Who knew a Werner could be so emotionally mature like that?

  It made her question where things with Dex might end. Not marriage, though the thought of having him exclusively had a lot of appeal. No. Her father might be ready for a big step like that, but not Maya.

  She and Dex had barely been dating. She hadn’t even met his family yet. Might never meet them. A well of relief struck her at the thought.

  For all that she’d acted like her mother’s rejection didn’t still sting, it did. A mother was supposed to love her child regardless. The one person in Maya’s life who should have given her unconditional love had bailed on her. Maya’s father had always been there, but Maya heard the talk. She’d been called a lot of names throughout the years. And though she knew she was physically attractive, some part of her still believed the ugly talk. The half-breed, dirty Indian, not-good-enough mixed-blood bullshit.

  Stupid, but she couldn’t help it. Prejudice was still alive and well in America. She’d had real-world experience. An ex-boyfriend had slept with her on a dare, later bragging about bagging one more nationality to add to his list. That had hurt, but not as much as one of her old friend’s mother’s comments. She hadn’t wanted her daughter to play with those “dirty redskins”.

  The worst were the people who said nothing but moved when she sat in a restaurant or stood near them in line. The looks of disgust, the frowns. Mostly from older people. Even a month ago she’d seen censure in an old entitled biddy’s eyes. Sure, Maya acted like it didn’t matter. And most of the time it didn’t. People could be cruel. But she knew more than most that those closest to you did the most damage.

  Only Riley—a black woman—and Ann—the new girl in the neighborhood all those years ago—had remained true to her and themselves. They didn’t lie. They didn’t pretend. She could count on them through everything.

  But Dex… He’d always been a sweet guy. Now a sexy man, and one who made her body sing and her heart stutter in confusion. Could she trust him? Should she try to? After all, if her father could bend after thirty years, couldn’t she take a chance on a man she’d been falling for?

  “If he breaks my heart, I’ll break his face,” she mumbled, trying to act tougher than she felt. Her eyes watered, and she wondered if her time of the month had come early. Though normally she turned bitchy, not depressed when it hit.

  She spent the rest of the day working then arranging to meet the girls for dinner. She sent Dex a text before leaving for Ann’s, knowing he didn’t mind when she was away for some quality girl time.

  To her surprise, she found Jack, Dex and Anson invited to dinner as well.

  Jack and Dex she didn’t mind. But Anson?

  Dex sat at the kitchen counter drinking with his cousin and Jack when she entered. When he spotted her, he left his buddies and joined her at Ann’s front door. “Hey, sexy.” He kissed her on the lips, right in front of everyone.

  The girls smirked, Jack grinned and Anson…glared at her.

  Riley also noted his unwelcoming expression and stepped closer to Maya.

  “Easy, Riley. I’ll handle him,” Dex said with a grin. He gave Maya another kiss. “And you. Be nice.”

  She growled at him, but he laughed and moved back to the guys.

  Maya turned and dragged Ann closer. “What the hell? Y chromosomes have invaded our special dinner night?”

  “Special?” Ann blinked. “We’re having spaghetti.”

  “I think it’s special,” Riley agreed with Maya. “I didn’t have to cook.”

  “But you brought dessert, right?” Ann sounded anxious.

  “Relax. I brought pie.”

  “Seriously though, what’s with all the dick?” Maya nodded to the guys.

  Dex must have heard her, because he nearly spit out his drink. “What part about ‘nice’ did you not understand?” He took another swallow, shaking his head.

  “Big dick,” she corrected, and this time he spit his beer over Anson, who swore.

  Riley finally smiled. “Awesome.”

  “Just following my man’s orders to be nice.”

  Ann smirked. “Told you they were together-together.” She accepted both the disgruntled huff and the ten dollar bill Riley handed her.

  “I’m so disappointed in you,” Riley said to Maya. “I thought for sure you’d hold out against that square jaw for another week.”

  “It wasn’t the jaw that threw me.”

  Ann and Riley shared a grin. “Ah.”

  “No, you idiots.” She pulled Ann and Riley aside and summarized her emotional evening from the night before.

  Riley sighed. “If you don’t want him, I’m calling dibs. Dex is so sweet.”

  “Such a great guy,” Ann agreed. “Don’t screw this up.”

  Riley and Ann stared at her.

  “What? Why are you acting like if anything happens between us, it’ll be my fault?”

  Ann answered, “If it were Jack and me, things could go either way. Riley or Anson, we’d obviously blame Anson.”

  “Obviously.” Riley nodded. “But Dex is so head over heels for you it isn’t funny. He told me so.”

  Maya paused. “He did? When?”

  Riley lowered her voice. “Friday night at dinner. Told me he lo—well, maybe I should let him tell you. And get that ‘freaked out’ look off your face.”

  Riley had been about to say loves. Maya knew it. Oh God. Now she wanted to simultaneously run to him and away from him. How could she deal with someone who liked her that muc
h? Especially because she worried she loved him too? Capital L Loved.

  “I think she’s going to pass out,” Riley whispered to Ann, and the pair closed in. “Take her in the back and make her breathe into a paper bag or something.”

  “Stop. I’m fine.” Maya coughed to clear her throat. Loved. Oh. My. God. “I’m good. Just, ah, thinking about this weekend’s show.”

  “O-kay.” Ann clearly didn’t believe her.

  “The one in Sisters, right? We’ll be there.” Riley nodded. Of course she would, because Riley cared.

  “Is Dex going?” Ann asked.

  “Am I going where?” he said from behind Maya. She jumped.

  “Easy, girl.”

  “I’m not a horse,” she snapped but she did settle down.

  “Not someone to ride?” he asked, and the guys broke into laughter.

  “I see someone wants to sleep alone tonight,” Ann said loudly.

  Jack stopped laughing.

  Anson shook his head, still grinning. “I love my cousin. What a funny, funny guy.”

  Dex rubbed Maya’s shoulders, and she leaned back against him, all too aware of his stability and strength. And he loved her. “Dex?”

  “Yeah?”

  She turned to watch him, not sure what she planned to say. “You, uh, I—”

  “Time to eat.” Riley tugged her out of his arms.

  “Right. Yep. Noodles are done.” Ann scurried back to the kitchen.

  Jack frowned. “The timer says two more minutes.”

  “Nope. The timer is wrong. I have a hot oven.”

  “Yeah, but you’re using the stovetop.”

  “Jack?” Ann said. “Shut up.”

  “Yes, dear.” He sighed.

  Conscious her girlfriends were trying to save her from saying the wrong thing, Maya let them lead her away. She and Riley set the table, and needing something else to think about, she asked Riley about Anson.

  “Apparently Dex wanted him included,” Riley explained under her breath. “The rat got to Ann and sweet-talked her into letting Anson come along.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ll protect you.” Maya winked.