Served Hot: Best Revenge, Book 2

by Marie Harte

  “I can protect myself, thanks.”

  “From what?” Anson asked, standing right behind Riley.

  “Quit sneaking up on people,” Riley said with a glare.

  He shrugged. “Not my fault. Ann made me take my shoes off.”

  They both glanced down at his huge, bare feet. Maya felt bad for Riley, because Anson might be annoying, but no question he was hot. Even his humongous feet looked less Flintstoney and more graceful. He and Dex looked a lot alike, but whereas Dex had a weightlifter look, Anson was more streamlined. Muscular but sleek.

  Maya could tell Riley felt uncomfortable, but the girl stood her ground. “Yeah, well, take those big clodhoppers somewhere else. You’re crowding me.”

  He looked like he wanted to say something, glanced at Maya, then sighed and moved to the other side of the table.

  They all took their seats and ate. Maya next to Dex. Riley and Anson across the table from each other, and Jack and Ann grinning like fools, making suggestive comments about Dex and Maya that she found amusing, not irritating. Oh man, she had it bad.

  Unfortunately for Riley, it seemed Anson felt something for her too.

  “Leave him alone,” Dex whispered when he followed her stare. “My poor cousin has to handle Riley his own way. Trust me. She dislikes him enough as it is. He doesn’t need you heaping onto his troubles.”

  “Hey.”

  “For me?” He gripped her hand under the table, reminding her of how he’d been there when she’d needed him.

  “Fine. But just for you.”

  He grinned. “I owe you. I’ll make it up to you. I promise.”

  She couldn’t wait.

  An hour later, as everyone readied to leave, Maya finished in the bathroom and had just entered the hallway when she came abreast of Anson.

  She walked toward him, expecting him to move, but he stood rooted in the middle of the hallway. “I can go through you or around you. Your choice.”

  He didn’t react, except to say, “Dex likes you.”

  “Um, okay.”

  “And I like him. Break his heart, and you’ll answer to me.”

  Fascinating. He sounded threatening, yet he had little inflection in his voice, which had the odd effect of making his warning seem even more real. “Big deal.”

  Then Anson smiled, and she wanted to take a step back at the predatory gleam in his eyes. “It will be. I know how to hit where it hurts.” A deliberate pause. “Math has always been my strong suit. Hurt my cousin, you’ll be crying all the way to the poorhouse.” He stepped around her and closeted himself in the bathroom.

  Huh. For the first time, Maya felt a certain respect for Anson. He might be an ass, but he loved Dex. His devotion to his cousin was an admirable quality. Maybe not enough to wipe out his overbearing arrogance, but still.

  She rejoined the others in the living room and decided not to mention Anson’s warning to Dex. She was a big girl. She could handle it. Besides, what were the odds she’d be the one breaking his heart?

  Chapter Twelve

  Maya frowned, thinking about her boyfriend going AWOL. Thursday night, when he’d said he’d make things up to her, she’d envisioned a night of honey, edible undies and a full-body massage.

  Instead, she’d gotten nothing but a smile, a hug and the promise of a sex-filled weekend. Then the bastard had left her to help Anson with a real house emergency. That had been two days ago.

  This afternoon, staring at the weekend crowd buzzing around the Sisters Art Festival, she felt nothing but frustrated as she sat under her canopy, bundled in a jacket, hat and gloves, while art lovers touched and studied her pottery. The twelve-by-twelve-foot tent housed her shelves and tables full of her art while she sat toward the back with more boxes of her wares.

  She’d already sold one load of her vases. Her practical crockery seemed to be selling out as well, and she’d need to replenish after just half a day at the festival. But she refused to be happy about her sales. Blasted Dex had her addicted to his touch. An evening without him left her dissatisfied. Two never-ending sexless nights had been nothing short of hell.

  “Hey. How much for this crap? I could use it to store flour,” Riley asked with a large grin, holding up a vase with a copper luster.

  “For you, four hundred. For the nice people trying to get around you, seventy-five.”

  Riley moved out of the way and joined Maya in the back, but before they could talk, Maya had to ring up two vases, a set of mugs and four bowls. The rush passed, and Maya turned to see Riley sitting in her chair. “Make yourself comfy.”

  “I have.” Riley stretched out. “Ah, this feels good.”

  “What? Sitting?”

  “Not seeing you-know-who for a whole day. It’s like he’s always there whenever I turn around anymore.”

  Maya would have felt bad for the guy, except that the few times they’d actually talked, she left wanting to smack the man. At Ann’s house, he’d threatened her not to break his cousin’s heart.

  So yeah, she respected his loyalty. The way he looked down on everyone? Not so much.

  Hard to imagine that he and Dex were related.

  “Moping again, huh? Missing Dex?” Riley mocked.

  “Hmm. I don’t know. Am I missing a man who kisses me, tells me I’m beautiful and calls me his girlfriend with pride?”

  Riley sneered. “I really don’t like happy people. Ann is bad enough with ‘Jack this’ and ‘Jack that’. Now you’re doing it too? Say it ain’t so.”

  “It is so. Jack is nice, I guess, but he’s no Dex.” Then, because Riley deserved it, she added, “And he’s certainly no Anson Black, that’s for sure.”

  “You bitch. Why must you taunt me with that name?”

  Maya laughed. “It amuses me. Isn’t it weird that he and Dex are related? Dex is so nice.” A word that used to bore her. Now she couldn’t imagine living without her personal Boy Scout by her side. Yet just thinking that made her break out in hives. Being happy was like the kiss of death with her and men.

  As if she’d summoned him, Dex materialized at her booth and looked around. He whistled. “Nice stuff. How much for the lot?”

  A steady stream of potential customers continued to mill about the area, trudging out in the sunny yet cold weather. She tugged Dex back with her and Riley, and they watched the crowd.

  “She’s been selling like crazy,” Riley said.

  “Of course she has. Her work is amazing.” Dex beamed.

  Maya flushed with pride. Stupid to enjoy his approval, but she had to admit she wanted it.

  Riley continued, “In fact, I’d say her vases are as beautiful as my lemonade cupcakes are tasty.”

  “The ones with the toasted coconut icing?” Dex licked his lips, and Maya noted more than one woman look his way. The hussies. “Let’s not be hasty. Maya’s an artist, but you’re a goddess.”

  Maya narrowed her eyes. “Hey.”

  “You’ve had her food. You know I’m right.” Dex rubbed his stomach. “Speaking of which, I’m starving.”

  “Oh? Been working up an appetite with your emergency?”

  He shook his head. “I swear it’s karma. We had an actual water leak, followed by a small electrical fire up at the house. Been dealing with the landlord for two days.”

  Riley seemed concerned. “Is everything all right?”

  “We’re good. The stuff in the garage isn’t so pretty. I’m not sure what all Anson had in those cardboard boxes. I don’t think I’ve ever heard him curse like that before.”

  Riley didn’t hide her grin.

  “So anyway, I need food.”

  “Go eat, you monster.” Maya patted his flat belly. “Besides, there’s not enough room in this tent for Riley’s ego and your stomach.”

  “Ha-ha.” He gave her a quick kiss and left.

  Rile
y watched her after he’d gone.

  “What now?”

  “You love him. Fess up.”

  “Not the time, Riley.” She made a few more sales and could finally appreciate how well she’d done now that she’d seen Dex.

  “When is the time? Have you told him yet?”

  “No. But he hasn’t told me either. Apparently he only talks to you about important stuff.” Which annoyed her.

  “He’s probably scared you’ll run off. You don’t do PDAs much, and you barely tolerate the male of the species.”

  “Dex is different.”

  “I know that. You know that. But does he know that?”

  “I…” Maya trailed off. She recognized Dex’s mother and Selena Thorpe, of all people, standing across from her tent looking at another vendor. “Oh hell.”

  Riley turned to look with her. “Oh hell is right. Dex’s mom and the devil herself? Don’t worry. I’m here for you.”

  “Great. If she pisses us off, you can bean her with a super muffin since you’re such a goddess and all.”

  “Or you could pop her in the face again. But make sure no one’s looking this time. We can’t afford witnesses.”

  They laughed. Then Selena and Dex’s mom disappeared from sight. Thank God.

  Riley left with a promise to return with a hot cocoa. Since Maya needed a caffeine jolt, she let Riley leave with little guilt.

  “Maya Werner?” She glanced up from her computer tablet and saw Dex’s mother.

  “Oh, uh, Mrs. Black?”

  Dex had the woman’s features, but he must have taken after his father in size.

  “Call me Connie,” she said with a smile. “My word, I haven’t seen you in years. Not since the senior prom.”

  “Yeah. Hi.” Feeling awkward and wanting to put on a good face, Maya forced herself to be at ease. “Nice to see you. Are you enjoying the festival?” A harmless enough topic.

  They chatted about art for a while, and Maya felt herself relaxing. A few people pulled her away during their conversation, but each time Connie waved at her to attend to business.

  The last time, Connie glanced at her watch. “I’ll be back in a little bit. Go see to your customers.”

  When Riley finally returned, Maya left her friend in charge so she could find Dex. She walked through the maze of artists, seeking her boyfriend.

  God, she had a boyfriend. Life was good. Maya frowned. Maybe too good. That karmic cloud hung over her head, and she found herself worrying though she had no cause to.

  After looking around the art booths for a bit, she headed toward the meal tents. There she spotted Connie and Selena. Connie stood with her back to Maya, but Selena saw her and smiled. The bitch. Before she could make her presence known, she heard Connie loud and clear.

  “I mean, those people.” Connie shook her head. “I’ve been coming to this festival for years. The nerve of them thinking they belong here. It’s ridiculous. We’ve had this argument for what feels like forever. Frankly, I’m disgusted. It’s bad enough my son thinks he can do whatever he wants with them, but really…”

  Selena piped in before Maya could interrupt. “Oh, I agree, Connie. They’re everywhere it seems. Hell, I’m looking at one right now.” Selena made a face. “And always so tribal. It’s ridiculous. They’re everywhere, like ants.”

  “Tribal? Do you mean— Oh, wait, there’s Dexter. Honey, over here.”

  Floored that Connie had been so nice to her face and so nasty behind her back, Maya turned and left. She knew Dex loved his mother, but really. How could he tolerate that kind of prejudice? Was Maya hearing things?

  Or maybe he’s like-minded and has been playing you this entire time.

  She’d been duped before. But never by someone she cared for so much. It was like her father and her mother all over again.

  “Oh, there you are.” Selena appeared from around a nearby tent and stepped in front of her. “Big bad Maya Werner running from a hater. Poor little Pocahontas.” She tittered. “Where are you heading off to? That shit you’re trying to pass off as art?”

  Maya stopped, ignoring thoughts of Dex’s mother for the moment, and considered her enemy. “I don’t get it. You’re pretty, rich and successfully mowing through any guy with money in the Pacific Northwest. What’s your problem with me?”

  Selena blinked. “Are you serious? You broke my fucking nose.”

  “Before that. You’ve been a bitch to me since third grade. I mean, what’s the deal? Did I step on your Malibu Barbie or something?”

  “You’re pathetic. You don’t belong here.”

  “What? At an arts festival? Um, I’m an artist.”

  “You’re a waste of space. Dirt beneath my feet.” Selena glanced down at heels that had no doubt cost more than Maya’s entire wardrobe.

  “If I’m so beneath you, so not worthy of your time, why do you spend so much of it trying to make my life miserable?”

  “Are you kidding? I don’t think of you at all.” Selena buffed her nails on her low-cut blouse.

  “You know what I think?”

  “Do I look like I care?”

  “I think you’re either jealous or afraid of me. I’m prettier than you. I’m meaner and more successful. Yeah, I don’t need to fuck or marry men to get wealthy. I create things people pay to own. What’s the last thing someone paid you for, beside an orgasm?”

  “You’re not prettier than me, you bitch.” Selena fumed.

  “You’re just a vain, useless walking vagina. It’s flattery to call you a whore. At least those women work for their money.” Maya shouldn’t have said that, but Selena annoyed the shit out of her. And that conversation with Connie Black. That plain hurt.

  Selena’s eyes narrowed, and Maya read the woman before she took her first step. Sliding out of the way, Maya dodged the dainty fist aimed clumsily at her face. Then she stuck her foot out so Selena tripped in her stupidly high heels.

  “Oh my. Are you okay?” She pretended to lean down to help Selena up and “accidentally” kicked her in the ass.

  Selena screeched, but Maya had called for help. “Someone, my friend fell. Can you get help for her?”

  She walked away before Selena could make another scene and felt pretty darned proud of herself for being the bigger person. Until she remembered that Dex’s mom—the woman he loved like no other—used terms like “those people”.

  Well, fuck.

  Maya had been on the fence about Dex for a while anyway. She might love him. He might love her, though she only had Riley’s word for it because the lug had never said anything to Maya about his feelings. Probably best to end things before they really got started. They hadn’t been dating that long. She could do without the drama of a guy’s parents hating her.

  A strange surge of relief overwhelmed her grief. No more waiting for it to be over. She was done.

  She returned to Riley, who was giving a customer his change.

  “What happened?”

  And like that, Maya wanted to cry her eyes out. So she sucked it up and mentioned her altercation with Selena while keeping quiet about Connie Black. She felt embarrassed for Dex—and herself for having had to hear such toxic talk. It made her sad.

  She hated sad.

  “Maya? What’s wrong? Selena get under your skin?”

  She blinked and coughed to clear her throat. “I’ll tell you later, okay?” Maya locked down her emotions. “Can you do me a favor?”

  “Sure. Anything.” Riley put an arm around her.

  “Can you take over for me here? Just for a little while? I need some space. And if you could tell Dex I’ll see him at home on Sunday, I’d appreciate it. I just need to be alone right now.”

  Riley studied her. “No problem. But call me later, okay?”

  “Yeah.”

  Maya walked away, and Riley watche
d, alarmed. That dead look in Maya’s eyes hadn’t been good. What the hell had Selena done to her? What had Dex done, because Maya didn’t seem to want to see him either?

  The handsome devil returned with his mother. “Hey, Riley.” He glanced around, frowning. “Where’s Maya?”

  “I have no idea,” she said coolly. Dex looked confused, or maybe he’d been caught doing something he shouldn’t. “Where’s Selena?”

  He tensed. “She’s here? Hell. I should find Maya before she does something to get herself thrown in jail.”

  “Selena Thorpe?” Connie said. “I was just talking to her. But you’re changing the subject, Dexter.”

  Riley watched them. Connie seemed irked about something. She poked her son in the chest. “What is wrong with you? I’ve told you time and time again not to hang around those people. They’re criminals.”

  Riley stared at him, wondering at the flush on his face. “Those people?” Had she heard that expression more than a few times in her life. Maybe that’s why Maya had run away.

  Connie nodded. “Those freeloading cart vendors who don’t bother getting permits for the festival. They ruin things for everyone, especially for the food trucks. The people who pay end up having to hike their rates to break even, while the interlopers undercut them and steal legitimate business. It’s ridiculous to see them here after they’ve been warned repeatedly to leave. I’m going to have to find David and talk with him about this.”

  “My mom is one of the benefactors of the festival,” Dex said to Riley. “She’s a little fiery about the subject.”

  “You’re darned right.” Connie glared at him. “Bad enough my own son is frequenting those illegals. Eat a gyro for heaven’s sake. It won’t kill you.”

  “But those fish tacos are—ah, you’re right. My bad.”

  “Selena and I were talking and she spotted one of them in the food section, so brazen they don’t even keep to the edges of the festival anymore.”

  “Selena?” Dex frowned. “Why were you talking to her anyway?”

  “Her father is also one of the board members. And that girl understands. Said they were tribal and like ants. A bit confusing, but I guess they do organize.” Connie nodded.