Served Hot: Best Revenge, Book 2

by Marie Harte

  “Why?” He frowned.

  “Why?” It was sounding more and more as if he and her father hadn’t shared anything at all about her. No asking her dad for her hand in marriage or begging Roy to tell Maya to come back to him. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

  He looked her over, and she thought she saw hunger in his gaze. But when he met her stare, she saw nothing but worry.

  “You’re freaking me out. What’s up?”

  Dex gave a deep sigh. “You remember that little film we made? The one in my studio?”

  The blood drained from her face. “Yeah.”

  “Well, it’s missing.”

  “What do you mean, missing?” She stupidly hadn’t given it another thought after making the thing. Dumb, Maya.

  “I mean, I had it at work in the back. I’d meant to destroy it. I’d never use it against you or anything.” He turned red.

  “I know, Dex.” God, her heart hurt seeing him and feeling so distant from him. “I trust you.”

  He swore. “Too bad I forgot to lock up the drawer I had it in.”

  “Just tell me already.”

  “Selena Thorpe and a few friends came in for a photo shoot a few days ago. Selena might be Selena, but money is money. I was taking pictures of her friends when she disappeared. I didn’t think anything about it. Hell, I was glad not to have to deal with her looking over my shoulder, if you want the truth. But when I packed up to go home for the day, I remembered our video. It was gone.” He looked miserable. “I couldn’t believe she’d have anything to do with it being missing. I mean, I could, but how the hell could she know what was on that camera? It could have been a simple theft, right? But who the hell leaves expensive equipment and steals a memory card? So I thought maybe I’d taken the card home and misplaced it. I’ve been looking everywhere for it.”

  She felt light-headed.

  “Selena called last night. She wants both of us to meet her up on the mountain or it goes viral.”

  “Oh my God. Are you serious?” Her voice rose. “That bitch is trying to blackmail us?”

  “Honestly I don’t know what she wants. She told me that you and I had to meet her, alone, in the mountains. I wanted to talk to her in town. I mean, I don’t know what she’s up to, but we both know she hates you. She insisted on neutral ground, so Jack volunteered his folks’ cabin.”

  “Jack knows?”

  “Not about the video. Just that we have a problem.”

  “Good.” Not that she wouldn’t brag to her friends about a homemade porn tape at some point in her future, but not now. Not with Selena’s grimy hands on it.

  “So I need you to get dressed. We have two hours before she gets there.”

  “Shit. Can I shower?”

  He glanced away from her and put his hands in his pockets. “Sure. I’ll wait out here, okay?”

  After a hurried shower, she put on her clothes: jeans, boots and—in anticipation of snow in the mountains—a sweater and jacket. She’d taken time to dry her hair, but not much else.

  Once inside his truck, they pulled away toward Mount Bachelor.

  The silence became awkward. And then he started to speak, and she wished for that silence to come right back.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “How’ve you been?” he asked, his deep voice so familiar and welcoming. Yet the clear weirdness of his tone worried her.

  “You okay, Dex?”

  “You mean, despite the fact we’re heading to the mountain to try and get back our porn tape before it goes worldwide? Yeah, I’m dandy.”

  She bit her lower lip. “I’m sorry about this.”

  “You mean about the way you kicked Selena at the festival?” He tightened his hands on the wheel. “Maya, I know she’s a bitch, but she has power and money. And now she has our lives in the palm of her hand.”

  “I don’t know that I’d go that far.” Maya wasn’t a prude, but she cringed every time she thought about Selena seeing something so personal. Seeing Dex naked!

  “Yeah, well I would. It was one thing when you punched her. I’d never tell, and you know Anson wouldn’t. She had no leg to stand on. But now, with that video of us…” He grew quiet. “She could ruin my life here. No one wants a guy shooting dirty movies to take pictures of his kid and family. And I sure as hell don’t want my parents finding out about it.”

  “Embarrassed to be seen with me?” she snapped, worried, annoyed and hurt for him. God, she hated Selena Thorpe with every fiber of her being.

  “Yes, as a matter of fact,” he barked.

  She stared at his profile, seeing the angry flush over his cheeks and narrowed eyes. “You are?”

  “I don’t know about you, but my mother hasn’t seen me naked since I wore diapers. I sure as hell don’t want her to see me going down on you, okay? Jesus, get a clue.”

  She felt doubly foolish for doubting him. Especially when he glanced at her with something bordering on disgust.

  “You thought I was embarrassed of you, didn’t you?”

  “No.”

  “Liar.” He startled her by pounding the dash. “I am such an asshole for ever thinking we could be together, aren’t I?”

  “Dex, no.”

  “You wanted revenge? Well, you got it. I blackmailed you once. No, twice. Now I’m on the other end of it, and I hate it.”

  “It’s not like that.” She frowned. “You can’t compare yourself to Selena. You never meant any harm.”

  “Didn’t I?”

  She sighed. “No. Look, when we were kids you had a crush on me, and in high school I was barely aware of you.”

  “Thanks so much.” He swore under his breath as the snow started coming down. “Yeah, I thought you were hot. And for a beautiful girl, you didn’t have that phony attitude a lot of the others did. You were always real. In your own way you were nice to me.”

  “You made me laugh.” She smiled, remembering his antics. “To be honest, I was a little bummed when you transferred to Mountain View High.”

  “Me too. But they had the courses I wanted. I was obsessed with you back then. And yeah, you could probably say I stalked you a little. Innocent, but I was so into you. I would have done anything for you.”

  Then, went unspoken.

  She coughed. “So, um, you don’t think I’m blaming you anymore for that? I enjoyed myself at the prom. I just didn’t like how we’d gotten there, but not that we were there, if that makes sense.”

  “I guess. Then I had to ruin things by showing up in town and doing it all over again, eh?” He snorted with derision. “I’m not as bright as I thought I was.”

  “Dex, stop.” She put a hand on his arm, and he tensed beneath her. “I’m glad you came back, glad you forced me to go out with you.” She squeezed. “I like you a lot.”

  “Could have fooled me.” He turned and glared at her. “And for the record, my mother is not a bigot. You’re the one with the chip on your shoulder about race.”

  “I know.” She sighed. They’d turned off the main drag onto a private road. “Your mom was fine. I have issues, okay?”

  “Okay,” he said gruffly. “Not saying you aren’t entitled. There are some real jackasses around, Selena being one. But damn, Maya. Let it go. You should only care about the people who love you and what they think.”

  Are you one of them? she wanted to ask. She glanced around at the handsome cabin in the middle of nowhere. So close to the ski resort yet far enough away, tucked on private land. “I don’t see her car yet.”

  “Good. We’re here early.” He turned off the ignition, but before he could go in, she grabbed his arm.

  “Wait, Dex. I have something I need to say.”

  “Go ahead.” He turned to face her, and she stared at him, not sure where to begin.

  “I miss you.”

  He didn’t respond, but
his jaw clenched.

  “I’m so sorry for how I ended things. Your mom was just an excuse.”

  “But why?”

  Her hand slid down to his and squeezed it tight. He didn’t squeeze back, but he didn’t pull away either. “This is going to sound stupid, but I was too happy.”

  After a moment, he pulled his hand away. “You’re right. That is stupid.”

  “Just listen, would you?” So annoying, this man. No wonder she loved him. “You made me so happy. I kept waiting for it all to go bad. I’m not lucky when it comes to love. Actually, I’ve never been in love.” She took a deep breath. “Until you.”

  “Wait. You’re saying you love me, so you broke it off with me.”

  “I know, stupid.” Such an idiot, Maya. “I had a big talk with my dad last night. That’s why I was so late getting up. We discussed my mom leaving and how it impacted us both. I’ve been afraid of getting my heart broken for a long time.”

  His expression seemed to soften. Fingers crossed…

  “I got in way deep with you. I didn’t mean to. But hell, you’re hot and you know it. Don’t even pretend you don’t know how good-looking you are.”

  His small grin relieved her. “It’s the biceps, right? Chicks dig the biceps.”

  “No, dork. It’s you. You’re funny and nice. No, don’t frown. Trust me. Nice is good. Nice is great. And if it makes you feel any better, you’re not nice in bed at all. You turn me on just by breathing.”

  “Yeah, well, you too.” His smile left him. “But I wasn’t going to break up with you because of it.”

  “Look, I already admitted I was an idiot. I fell hard for you, and I couldn’t handle it. Then your mom made me extra nervous, because I wanted so much for her to like me. I know how close you and your family are.”

  “And that mattered to you?”

  “Of course it did.” She prayed he’d believe her. “You matter to me, Dex. I love you.”

  Silence.

  She kept going. “I wanted more than anything for us to be happy together, but in the back of my mind I always worried you’d leave me. I’m still that little kid who was no good for my mother or the kids at school. Too needy. Too angry. Too white. Too dark. Hell, I’m too everything for most people.”

  “You weren’t for me.” His quiet words hurt, because he’d said “weren’t”—past tense.

  “Why wouldn’t I have doubts? You’re such a terrific guy, Dex. You have so much to offer. So why would you give yourself to me? What kind of sense does that make?” she finally asked, needing to know. “I’m a grump. I’m too emotional half the time. I have my own way of doing things, and I’ve been called stubborn.”

  “I thought controlling, personally.”

  “Yeah, controlling. Obsessive. Dark. Temperamental. Then you come in, Mr. Boy Scout.” She wiped her eyes, annoyed to find herself crying again. “You knocked me off my feet. You wouldn’t let me scare you away. Hell, you completely destroyed me in bed, which is no easy task.” She sniffed, hoping she wouldn’t snot all over the car. “But then you just let me go? I called it off, and you said nothing.” Her turn to get mad. She poked him in the chest. “How could you smile and leave me?”

  She sobbed for real.

  Dex just looked at her and shook his head. “Come on. You’re ugly when you cry.”

  “Fuck you.” She hiccupped, and when he smiled, she wanted to hurl herself into his arms.

  “Let’s take this inside, okay? You don’t want Selena to see us arguing in here. Or worse, to see you crying.”

  “Fuck no.” She jumped out of the truck before he could help her and hurried up the steps to Jack’s cabin. “It’s cold out.”

  “I think fifteen degrees today. Nice, huh?”

  He fumbled with the keys and unlocked the door. To her unease, a fireplace had been lit, lights had been turned on, and she smelled something delicious from the kitchen.

  “Did we interrupt a family thing or something?” Good Lord, how embarrassing to think Jack’s family might be here.

  He frowned. “I don’t know. Wait here.”

  He left and she looked around. No doubt about it, it paid to have money. Jack’s parents had invested wisely over the years. How nice to see it pay off. The log cabin had a home and hearth feel. Durable yet comfortable furniture in woods and fabrics. A wide stone fireplace that heated the entire living room. A dining table separated the huge living space from the kitchen. Beyond the dining table she saw a long counter, overhead lights, and stainless-steel kitchen appliances.

  The knotty oak floors were a smart choice to combat wet snow and dirt and remain intact through the years. An oval rug in front of the couch and another beneath the wooden dining table separated the areas into functional spaces. Dex had disappeared down a long hallway, and she wondered how big the place was. From the outside it looked like a two-story, but she hadn’t seen any stairs.

  He returned, looking perturbed. Dex removed his jacket and boots, so she did the same. Still confused, but ready to handle whatever came next, she asked, “Well?”

  “I don’t… You have to see this. Come with me.”

  She followed him down the hall past a few guest rooms and a bathroom. “Is she here?” she whispered.

  “Not exactly.”

  What the hell did that mean? More than a little nervous, she let him lead her into what must have been the master bedroom. Against a far wall another huge stone fireplace had been lit. The king-size bed had a spindle headboard, upon which she saw what looked like…restraints?

  “Dex…?”

  A flat-screen TV was mounted above the fireplace, large enough that their home movie could clearly be seen from the bed.

  “Oh my God.” Her ass was not that big, surely?

  He closed the door to the master suite. “Bathroom is through there.” He pointed to another doorway near him. “No one in there though. Looks like it’s just us.”

  “And whoever hooked up that camera to the TV.” Yep, a camera playing their movie sat on the mantle, plugged into the set via a long cable. She wanted to look away, but the scene had just gotten to the part where she moved to her knees to blow Dex.

  “Oh, uh, wow.”

  He came to stand right behind her, watching in silence.

  “Awkward,” she said in a small voice, wishing she could turn away. But seeing what they’d done, remembering, and having him so close skyrocketed her arousal.

  “Hmm.”

  She turned in his arms and frowned. “What does that mean?”

  The glint in his eyes took her aback. “It means this is only going to be awkward for you.” Then he pounced.

  Dex had been doing his level best to set a calm, unthreatening tone. Selena Thorpe? Their movie? The pieces had clicked for him after Selena had stormed off after her session. Blackmail—his go-to and an ingenious ploy to get Maya right where he wanted her. Hell, she’d even confessed to loving him back in the car, and that had been nearly enough to have him come clean.

  There was no blackmail. No Selena. No danger to anything but his aching, breaking heart. And if Anson played that fuck-all stupid song one more time, Dex would break his cousin in half.

  “Let me down!” Maya dangled over his shoulder and thumped his back with enough force to fell a small tree. Man, he loved a strong woman.

  “Shut up.” He dumped her on the bed and stripped her bare with minimal fuss. So what if his hands strayed while undressing her? Her struggle was halfhearted at best. She leaned into him as much as away from him.

  He swallowed a smile. She wanted him back. Her nipples were hard, her pussy slick and smelling of sweet need. He couldn’t wait to lick her up, just as soon as he had his revenge.

  Her right wrist slipped into a fuzzy cuff before she caught on to what he was up to.

  “Oh hell, no. If anyone’s getting tied up, it
’s you. You big cheat!”

  That earned her a chuckle, to which she responded with some not so nice comments about his parentage, his head, ass, and a few choice things he could do with himself. Yet she made no more attempts to escape. In fact, she moved closer to help him tie her up. He had her in wrist and ankle cuffs, now spread wide for his pleasure. But that coarse language had to go.

  “A motherfucker? Really, Maya?” He shook his head and tied a scarf around her mouth to gag her. “More like a Maya-fucker.” With a grin, he pointed at the screen. “Look at you blowing me. Oh, wait, there I am doing you from behind. You liked that, didn’t you? Creamed all over me.”

  With casual slowness, he stripped out of his clothes and continued to watch the video. After they finished on screen, he turned and saw the desire bright in her eyes.

  “As you’ve probably figured out, there is no Selena in this scenario.”

  Her eyes narrowed. So fucking beautiful.

  “Yep. I gave you some time, but you weren’t moving fast enough for me. Glad to see you came to your senses and talked to your dad, though. I really like Roy. God knows he should be commemorated for dealing with your stubborn ass over the years.”

  He heard muffled swearing behind the gag.

  “You might want to tone down the attitude. I have a ball gag with me.” His wide smile turned into laughter once more, especially when she gave him the finger from a cuffed hand. “You sure are feisty. Too bad you let all the fight out of you after breaking my heart.”

  She quieted and stilled.

  “You think I just walked out with a smile and devil-may-care attitude? You just about broke me thinking you didn’t love me as much as I loved you. Love you, present tense,” he corrected. “God knows why, but I can’t get you out of my mind. I think about you all the time. Can’t sleep, can’t eat. You’re everything to me. You always have been.”

  At her surprise, he scowled. “You know, Riley and Ann are right. You are thick as a brick. Hell yeah, I’m in love with you. Damn girl. I made a fortune photographing anything I damn well please around the world. Yet I came home to Bend. To you.”

  She blinked, and a tear raced over her cheekbone.