Sweet Vengeance: Ladies (Iron Orchids Book 14)

by Danielle Norman

  As Traci waited for his answer, she wandered to the kitchen and started to brew a pot of coffee.

  "Tell me more about what you thought of Sunday," Traci said "Don't tell me why you are mad at her, tell me what she is like when she is with you, not the side that I see?"

  He slid by her and grabbed two mugs, saying, "She's light. Everything has been so dark and she just makes it light. She makes me do ridiculous things and laugh."

  "Good, you have a great laugh."

  "I stood her up," Bo admitted while bracing himself for the backlash.

  Traci's voice was patient but had a strict undertone, "Why?"

  "It's just . . . she and I, we made that promise to work together and she broke it. I'm tired of the dishonesty. I can't."

  Traci's lips pursed a little and she leveled a suspicious look at him. "Sounds to me that you are making excuses. You are smart enough to know what real dishonesty is, and I can't see that girl truly lying to anyone. Is this like me telling you that Santa was real?"

  "No," Bo said. But then her thought about it, was it? What all had Sunday lied about? Stuff that would protect him and help his mother just like she said she would.

  "I see that war is going off in your head again. I'll just take my coffee to your guest room. I'll go out searching for a condo tomorrow so I won't be in your hair very long."

  "Stay as long as you want."

  "You're sweet, but you don't need your mother hanging around."

  Sunday

  Sunday sat at her desk, scrolling through online tabloids and catching up on celebrity gossip. She skipped the articles about who was dating who, since she wasn't quite ready to deal with matters of the heart yet, not while hers was still tender and bruised.

  Despite knowing it was silly to continue to mourn the loss of a non-existent relationship with Bo, she couldn't help it. So many feelings had risen to the surface, good ones and then, when he hadn't called apologized or thanked him for digging up what she had, the less than pleasant ones.

  The front door opened and closed. She glanced up and then settled back in her chair.

  Traci stood in front of her, and Bo waited near the door, as if he were prepared to run. He was wearing the hat she'd made him wear in the Caymans, and she didn't know how she felt about that.

  Sunday locked down any emotion that seeing Bo brought on and turned her attention to Traci. "You look great! How are you doing?"

  "Never better," Traci said with a smile. "I slept so well last night, better than I have in ages. I can't believe I'm out of that nightmare, and I didn't have to lose everything in the process."

  "Well, we are happy to have helped," Sunday said, flipping to the client software.

  Traci beamed. "And help you did. I'm ready to close out my account."

  Sunday nodded, purposely not looking at Bo as she typed in the last notes and finished settling the account. She sent a receipt to be printed, and Olivia spun in her chair to collect it from the printer behind her and then pushed her chair forward as she handed the paper to Sunday.

  Sunday grabbed it with two fingers and placed it on the desk before sliding it toward Traci.

  Traci dug in her purse for a pen and then leaned down to sign it with a flourish. She nudged the paper back and straightened, smiling.

  "Thanks again for your service," she said.

  "Hopefully, you'll never need us again," Melanie piped up as she entered the room with a cup of coffee.

  Everyone chuckled.

  "Oh, gosh, let's hope not," Traci said. "I'm older and wiser now. Definitely able to make better decisions going forward." She hesitated before adding, "I'll keep that card on me so I can pass it on to the next woman who might need it."

  "And don't forget to stay up on your shooting lessons," Adeline said from her desk. "Maybe take some self-defense classes, too. It's better to know this stuff before you need it."

  Traci nodded. "Will do." She scanned each of their faces. "You were all wonderful. Thank you."

  She turned and left, passing Bo on her way out the door. He started to follow her, but then he stopped and looked back.

  "Sunday?" he said in a soft voice before clearing his throat. "May I speak with you, please?"

  "No," she said, fixing her gaze on her computer screen. "I'm busy. Working."

  He didn't do anything for a long moment. In that time, Sunday wanted to apologize. She wanted to cry. She wanted to do anything but remain in her chair, acting calm and put together.

  "It'll take only a moment," he said, polite but certain.

  "No, thank you," she replied, curt and uninterested.

  He started toward her desk.

  She popped up, locking her gaze on his. "I said no. You had all this time to call, to text, to send me a singing telegram--anything--but you chose to ignore me. Do you know how much you hurt my feelings? That you couldn't be bothered to pick up the phone and let me know what was going on that night? That you made me wait, dressed up and foolish, for a date that never happened? So, no, you don't get to talk to me now. I am working."

  Relief flooded through her at finally getting that off her chest.

  "Sunday, I--" he began, but she found she had more to say.

  "Look, Bo, I'm a nerd. I get that. Everyone sees me as that. I'm totally aware of this. Trust me, it followed me around in high school, though college, and even now. I don't get the hot guys. I don't get the guy, ever. But I'm not going to just sit back and take being treated like this over nothing. You're too volatile, too volcanic, and I need stability, I need support and communication. I need a man who can own up and show up. I need a man who is more than just his daddy's money. I want a man who cares about me, who is worried about me even if he doesn't need to be, who wants to make sure I'm not sad or hurt or unhappy."

  Bo came closer. "That's the--"

  "No." She held up her hand to silence him. "It's too much. It's all too damn much. I really liked you, Bo. A lot. I know we didn't know each other long and we got off on the wrong foot, but I thought we had something between us, or at least the potential of something, and then you threw that away by being an ass and ignoring me, you just shut me out. No explanation.

  "I'm sorry. I had this war going on in my head. I'll explain it if you'll let me," Bo's words were somewhat desperate.

  "I know this is probably new to you, to be told no. You had an easy life. I mean, your dad is a piece of shit, but your mom is amazing, and she loves you. She treats you well. I have no doubt about that. And you didn't really have to work for anything you didn't want to. But now it's time for you to grow up. You need to determine who you are and what you want. I know who I am, and I know what I want. Now you need to do the same."

  It wasn't until she finished her tirade that she realized Adeline, Olivia, and Melanie were staring, unabashed, mouths gaped. Then proud smiles lit their faces, and they exchanged glances before clapping.

  Sunday flushed, but she didn't sit or try to backpedal.

  She had meant what she said.

  Bo nodded once. "You're right. I'm sorry, I did not mean to interject myself into the job you were hired for and try to insist on how you do it. It was bad timing, that's all I can say. I had my father who I was supposed to be able to trust lie to me and try and pin his illegal operations on me, he had forged my name. Then I find out you lied to me, you had promised we would work together then you immediately go off and leave me out of the loop. Yes, I understand why, now, but I didn't then. I was dealing with the fact my father had used my name, and learning you had used my name, granted you did it to protect me, but still, I wasn't informed. It took me a while to wrap my head around it all and come to one conclusion."

  "What's that?"

  "I know who I am, and I know what I want. I'm Bo Camden, and I want you." With that, he finished closing the distance between them, wrapped his hands around her head, and kissed her so hard she thought her knees might buckle. She returned the kiss, deepening it, until nothing was left but just her and Bo, locked together.
Maybe she didn't need someone, but that just made wanting him so much better.

  When they finally broke the kiss, she stared up into his eyes and in them she saw everything he was and would be, and their future together.

  "Officer and a Gentleman?" he asked. Sunday nodded. Before she could say a single word, Bo pulled out his phone, pressed a button and the music to "Up Where We Belong" began to trill, he reached down and scooped her up into his arms. The hat he had on wasn't quite the hat for a dress uniform, but it would definitely do. She yelped and then giggled as she wrapped her arms around his neck and then reached up and snagged his hat placing it on her head like Debra Winger had done in the movie.

  "Well, fuck me," Adeline hissed.

  Olivia and Melanie cheered and whooped as Bo carried Sunday off to the elevator.

  As they descended, she kissed him and continued to do so as he exited out to the bright sunny day where a limo waited.

  "How about that date?" he asked as he placed her on her feet.

  He opened the door for her, and she ducked inside. Her heart raced as he scooted in next to her.

  "That would be amazing," she said, heady and breathless.

  He leaned forward as if to kiss her again, but passed a few inches shy of her lips. "That is, if you aren't too busy with work."

  She grinned and then kissed him again, trying to process how she had started today brokenhearted and rejected, and now she had the man of her dreams. One who would try his hardest to be his best self for her, and she would do the same for him. One who literally had swept her off her feet. Even as a teenager, she had never dared to hope for that for herself. That was something other girls had, not her.

  Until now.

  There was no going back, and she didn't want to.

  Epilogue

  Bo

  "What do you want to do tonight?" Sunday asked.

  "The same as always. I'm finally ready to kick your ass in Madden Football." Bo shook his head. "I should be embarrassed, right? My girl can kick my ass in Madden Football."

  "Who are you kidding? I can kick your ass at all video games."

  "Let's try this one, I found it when I was out shopping." Bo held up a silly looking arcade-style game.

  "I'm all for nostalgia, but where did you find that, in some dollar bin? Even I've never heard of it before. Sorry, but that looks boring, no thanks."

  "Someone seems afraid I might actually win." Bo taunted.

  Sunday snatched it from his hand and inserted the disc. "Is this all, shoot little green apples? Oh, come on, they could have been original and at least named it Johnny Appleseed or something. What was the name again?" Before she could eject the disc, more shapes appeared. "This makes no freaking sense at all, what is with emeralds and rubies? Ummm, hello game creators, they do not go with apples." Sunday was exasperated, but she kept playing, her points tallying higher, one thousand, three thousand, five thousand.

  "I think I read there was a bonus at ten thousand points or something," Bo stated as he cleared away their pizza plates while Sunday shot apples and smashed jewels.

  "Okay, you read that, but did you even bother to read the recommended age?"

  "Nope." Bo grinned. "It's mindless fun, stop bitching."

  Her points continued to roll up, higher and higher. In no time, she had crossed the four thousand mark and was headed toward ten thousand. Hopefully, the game would be mercifully over. She was trying to be a good sport. Really, she was.

  Finally, she hit ten thousand, and she tossed the controller on the floor and let out a heavy, relieved sigh as diamonds exploded across the screen like fireworks and then drifted down like confetti. A happy little eight-bit song beeped in the background.

  Sunday rubbed her eyes with one hand and yawned. "I'm sorry, Bo, but that was the dumbest game ever."

  She looked up just as words flashed on the screen:

  Will you marry me?

  She paused. "Huh? What sort of dumbass kid's game ends like that? Were the creators high when they made this game?"

  "Or, in love," Bo said from behind her.

  She spun around and then gasped.

  Bo held a ring box in one hand.

  "Sorry," he said with a sheepish grin, "the game seemed like a cool idea at the time."

  Sunday was motionless, her gaze fixed on the little black box.

  Bo took a deep breath. "Sunday, I've known you were amazing from the day I met you. I had never met anyone like you. Fiery, brilliant, and sexy. When you were helping my mom, I was astounded by your bravery, by your intelligence, by you. You are incredible, and I don't know how any guy wouldn't feel lucky as hell to have you." He flipped open the ring box, revealing an enormous diamond surrounded by smaller diamonds. "Will you marry me?"

  Sunday bit her bottom lip, looking between the ring, his face, and the screen where the once stupid game was now the most brilliant game ever created.

  Had he really just asked her to marry him?

  And was she really just sitting there, not answering, like she didn't know how she felt?

  "Yes," she said softly and then repeated more clearly, "Yes, Bo. I love you so much. Of course I will marry you."

  Meet Danielle

  Before becoming a romance writer, Danielle was a body double for Heidi Klum and a backup singer for Adele. Now, she spends her days trying to play keep away from Theo James who won’t stop calling her and asking her out.

  And all of this happens before she wakes up and faces reality where in fact she is a 50 something mom with grown kids, she’s been married longer than Theo’s been alive, and she now gets her kicks riding a Harley.

  As far as her body, she thanks, Ben & Jerry’s for that as well as gravity. Plus she could never be Adele’s backup since she never stops saying the F-word long enough actually to sing.

  Lets Socialize

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  Enough

  Chapter One

  Ariel

  Moving to the happiest fucking place on Earth had nothing to do with fairy tales or finding my Prince Charming. Thanks to my daddy, I no longer believed in magic or happily ever afters. I landed in this city because this was the land of hotels, conventions, and destination weddings, which meant it was my best bet at becoming an event planner.

  I didn’t hate being a seamstress, but it wasn’t my dream, it was my mama’s. I never told her that I’d rather be on the other side, planning the events where people wore the fancy clothes, costumes, and uniforms.

  I never got the chance.

  During my freshman year of high school, she had her first stroke, spoke with a slur, and relied a little more on me. But just before my senior year, Mama had her second stroke, and someone needed to keep the business going to pay the bills, so I took over. Because Daddy was long gone, he had no use for an invalid wife, and no interest in raising a teenage daughter who hated him
.

  I told myself repeatedly that Mama would have wanted me to follow my dream, even if it meant hers was gone. Though, I doubted that included buying a motorcycle.

  I brushed the wetness away then strapped on my helmet and headed to my motorcycle. Ever since binge watching Sons of Anarchy, I wanted to be badass. Okay, not like crime badass. Just the I-look-cool-on-this-bike kind of badass. So, after I unpacked my last box, I went out and purchased a Harley Sportster. I couldn’t wait to start the engine and let the wind whip across my face. It was cathartic. As the engine roared to life, I replayed the words my teacher said just a few weeks ago during motorcycle safety class.

  Ease up on the throttle.

  Hold steady.

  Don’t freak.

  The bike will go where your eyes go.

  I found myself twisting the throttle a little more than I should have, and a small smile pulled at my lips.

  I shifted gears and headed to the service road around the Mall at Millennia, Orlando’s version of Rodeo Drive. Since I lived in metro Orlando, finding somewhere to practice riding wasn’t easy. There were always constant road improvements or tourists who drove like idiots reversing down the interstate because they missed the fucking exit. So, the rarely traversed area behind the mall was one of the best places to practice.

  It was also one of the only places I’d practiced. I stayed within a five-mile radius of my home, but I needed to get comfortable and feel confident so I could take my bike out for a long ride, let the sun shine down on my face and forget the reality that was my life.

  After a few laps around the mall, I pulled my bike into a parking spot, headed inside to grab a drink, and was walking back out to my bike when two men dressed all in black cut between two cars.