Powerplay

by Cher Carson

  Brushing her hair off her face, Tracey said, “We’ve been telling you what we think of him all along, Jen. You just didn’t want to hear it.”

  Kevin had often been the butt of their jokes, but she assumed they were poking fun at him to amuse themselves, not because they genuinely disliked him.

  She drew her legs up, resting her chin on her knees. “You really think he’s wrong for me, huh?”

  “The question isn’t whether we think he’s wrong for you. We’re not the ones who have to live with him, you are,” Callie said.

  After their dress fitting, she convinced herself it was pre-wedding jitters, the normal doubts every bride experiences before taking that long walk down the aisle, but she knew every bride didn’t spend every waking hour fantasizing about a man who wasn’t her bridegroom.

  “This is such a mess,” she muttered, circling her arms around her face.

  “It’s not too late to back out,” Trace said, reaching out to rub her back.

  Jen tilted her head to the side, looking at her friend. “You know what I wanna do right now?”

  “What’s that?”

  “I wanna get loaded.”

  Mark and Steve entered the restaurant, trying to slide in under the radar of the other diners. Mark realized he should have chosen a less conspicuous dinner companion if he didn’t want to be recognized, but Steve had experience landing the woman of his dreams and he needed his expertise tonight.

  Steve approached the hostess as Mark scanned the bar, looking for a man who might pass as the owner. He needed to see Kevin for himself, if for no other reason than to size up his competition.

  If Callie was right, and Kevin made a practice of cheating on his fiancée, his employees may know about it.

  Steve clapped Mark on the shoulder. “She’s got the perfect table for us, way in the back.” He nodded his head toward the bar. “That blond guy, dressed in black, that’s him.”

  Mark glared at the man in question. He was model perfect with bronzed skin and glaring white teeth, a pretty boy if he had ever seen one. “Ugh, seriously?” He watched him lean over the bar, flirting up a pretty patron wearing a thigh-high dress.

  Steve laughed. “Yeah, he’s got that look about him, doesn’t he?”

  Mark tore his eyes away. He wanted to observe Jen’s fiancé without being obvious. “What look is that?”

  “You know what I mean. He makes you wanna knock all of his teeth out.”

  Mark fisted one hand in the other, wishing he could do just that. But he had a game in two days, and the coach would have his ass if he got thrown in jail. “I thought I was the only one who felt that way.”

  “Nah, you can tell he’s a dirtbag,” Steve said. “Just look at the way he’s chattin’ up that chick. No question he’s banging her.”

  Mark looked over his shoulder at the couple in question. They did look too intimate to pass as mere acquaintances. “You think so?”

  “No doubt about it, man,” Steve said, shaking his head. “The guy’s an asshole.”

  “I can’t argue with that.”

  Steve chuckled. “Hey, I remember Jenna. Any guy who’d fuck around on her must be crazy.”

  Mark wished he could say he had been smart enough to realize a good thing when he had it, but he was no smarter than Kevin. At least he had finally come to his senses. He only hoped it wasn’t too late to make up for his past sins.

  The hostess appeared and led them to their table.

  Mark was grateful that the dim lighting allowed them to remain anonymous as they meandered through the tables.

  Once they were seated, Steve looked at the hostess’s name tag and grinned. “So, Sarah, what can you tell us about your boss?”

  She frowned, looking suspicious. “Kevin? Why do you ask?”

  Steve pulled out a chair, inviting her to sit down. “We have our reasons. Let’s just say, if you could help us out, we’d be more than willing to show our gratitude.”

  Mark pulled a wad of bills out of his pocket, peeling a few hundreds off the top. “Consider it a tip.” He slipped the money under the leather bound menu as he smiled at her.

  She looked around to see if anyone was watching them before claiming the seat Steve offered. She discreetly slipped the bills into her pocket, asking, “What do you want to know?”

  “You ever see him with a woman?” Steve asked.

  “You mean besides his fiancé?”

  Mark leaned forward. “You know Jenna?”

  Sarah smiled. “Sure, she’s a sweetheart. Way too good for him, if you ask me.”

  “We think so, too,” Steve said, smiling. “That’s why we need your help.”

  She looked at Mark and Steve carefully, sizing them up. “So, which one of you is after Jenna?”

  Steve held up his left hand to reveal a platinum and diamond wedding band. “I’m a happily married man.”

  She tipped her head toward Mark. “So it’s you, huh?” She grinned. “That’s too bad. You’re cute.”

  Mark smiled, intent on using her interest in him to lower her guard. Obviously Sarah wasn’t a hockey fan, which seemed to be working in their favor. As long as Kevin didn’t know they were there, they could find out what they needed to know and bail before he figured it out.

  “Let’s just say that I’m a friend who doesn’t want to see her make a mistake.”

  She snorted, folding her arms. “Yeah, and marrying that guy would definitely be a mistake.”

  Steve glanced at Mark across the table. “Really? Why’s that?”

  “He’d chase anything in a skirt.”

  “Is that right?” Steve asked, smiling. “He doesn’t even try to hide it, huh?”

  It was taking everything in Mark not to lay the guy out in front of his customers and employees.

  He deserved to be humiliated the same way he’d been humiliating Jen for the past two years.

  “He hides it from Jenna,” she said, shaking her head in disgust. “He’s a totally different person when she’s around.” She made a face, shuddering. “He’s so sweet and attentive; it makes us all sick to watch him.”

  “Did it ever occur to someone to let her in on it?” Mark asked, clenching his teeth.

  “Hey,” she said, holding up her hands. “I like Jenna and all, but I need this job. I’m going to school full-time and…”

  Steve waved off her explanation. “We get it, Sarah, we do.”

  Mark peeled a few more bills off the roll, tossing them across the table. “Thanks, you’ve told me everything I need to know.”

  She fisted the money in her hand and stood up, bracing her hands on the back of the chair.

  “Listen, I hope you can convince Jenna to see that guy for what he is. She deserves better.”

  “I agree,” Mark said, casting a glance at the bar. If only he could help Jen to realize that.

  They were on their way out of the restaurant when Mark got a text message from Callie.

  Someone’s having a little too much fun at her bachelorette party. She made need a ride. You up for it?

  His fingers flew over the keypad. Yeah, where is she?

  Murphy’s, better hurry or you’ll miss your opportunity.

  What the hell was that supposed to mean? Surely she wouldn’t consider leaving the bar with some stranger. Not unless she was loaded or… Don’t let her leave. I’m on my way.

  He turned to Steve as they reached their respective vehicles. “Hey, man, thanks for coming tonight.”

  “No problem.” He inclined his head toward the cell phone Mark clenched in his hand.

  “Everything okay?”

  “Yeah, Jen’s at Murphy’s for her bachelorette party. One of her girlfriends just texted me to let me know she needs a ride home. I’m gonna head over there now.”

  Steve grinned as he opened his car door. “Have fun playing hero.”

  Mark opened his door. Just the thought of seeing her again made him smile. “I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”

  Steve tap
ped the roof of his car. “Good luck with Jen. Seriously, man, I hope it works out for you two.”

  “Thanks, buddy, so do I.”

  Mark drove the short distance to the bar, weighing his options. Should he come right out and tell Jen that her fiancé was a lying, cheating sleazebag, or should he set it up so she could see for herself the kind of man she planned to marry? He didn’t want to hurt her, but there was no way he was going to allow her to commit to spending the rest of her life with a man who wasn’t worthy of her.

  He pulled into the parking lot and spotted Jen’s black Roadster. It was easy to identify with vanity plates that read Dealmkr.

  He eased his truck into the empty space beside her car and cut the engine. Jumping out of his vehicle, he raised a hand in greeting to the security team working the door.

  There was a line forming outside of the busy sports bar and he felt the murmur of excitement move through the crowd as hockey fans began to recognize him.

  He smiled and waved at them as a uniformed guard waved him inside. Men were shouting, huddled around a large-screen TV watching sports highlights. Any other night he would have pulled up a stool to join them, but tonight he had only one thing on his mind: finding Jen.

  Someone shouted his name, and he turned to see Callie staggering toward him, a beer in her hand.

  “Hey, handsome, you made it just in time.” She reached up to put her arm around his shoulder.

  “Some other dude was dyin’ to give her a ride home.”

  “I’ll bet,” Mark muttered. “Where the hell is she?”

  Callie pointed to a table in the back of the seating area. “Way back there.” She leveled her hand over her eyes and giggled. “Can you see her?”

  “I’ll find her,” he said, edging people aside as he moved through the crowd.

  He could see Jen seated at a table of boisterous women; some he recognized, while others were strangers to him. Half a dozen men surrounded the group of women, one with his arm around Jen as he whispered in her ear.

  Mark walked up behind her, fighting the urge to twist the guy’s arm behind his back.

  Jen’s new friend raised his head and looked at Mark, his face splitting into a grin. “Hey, look who it is: Mark Atwell.”

  Mark nodded, glancing at the small group. “Hey, guys, what’s up?”

  Tracey smiled, wagging her finger at him. “Why am I not surprised to see you here tonight?”

  He laughed. “Am I that predictable?”

  Jen leaned her head on his shoulder. “Hi, hon, I missed you.”

  He knew she was under the influence, enabling her tell him how she felt without censoring her words. He hooked his arm around her chair. “I missed you too, baby. That’s why I’m here.”

  The guy who had been coming on to Jen took a step back. “You coulda told me your fiancé was Mark Atwell.”

  Jen frowned, looking confused. “But Mark’s…”

  He kissed her lips, cutting off her protest. He didn’t care what her friends thought of his public display of affection. As far as he was concerned, Jen’s days of wearing another man’s ring were numbered.

  “Listen, baby, why don’t we get outta here? I just came from having dinner with Davis and I’m beat.” He wasn’t tired, just anxious to get her alone.

  One of the men crowding the table asked, “Hey, is it true they may be trading him next season?”

  Mark didn’t want to talk about hockey tonight. He wanted to talk about weddings, or more specifically, when Jen planned to cancel hers. “Not as far as I know, man.”

  The guy nodded, seeming satisfied. “Good to hear. That’d be a hell of a loss.”

  “It sure would.” He looked at the women seated around the table. “I’m gonna send a car to pick you ladies up in half an hour, okay?”

  “You don’t have to do that,” Tracey said, raising her glass. “We’re fine.”

  Mark rolled his eyes. “Yeah, well, I’d sleep easier knowing you ladies had a designated driver.”

  Callie came up behind him, slipping her arms around his waist as she flattened her cheek to his chest. “Isn’t he the sweetest? If you don’t want him, I’ll take him, Jen.”

  Jen scowled at her friend as she slid off her seat. “Don’t even think about it.” She slipped her hand into Mark’s and looked up at him, her eyes shifting, as though she were having difficulty focusing.

  He leaned over to kiss her cheek. “You okay, baby?”

  She took a deep breath. “Yeah, I think I just need some fresh air.”

  He settled his arm around her waist to support her. “Hey,” he said, looking at the men still standing around the table. “You guys want me to send another car?”

  The guy who had been flirting with Jen reached out to shake his hand. “No, thanks, we’re good, man. I haven’t been drinking. I’ve got to get up early for work in the morning.” He smiled at Jen.

  “In case I didn’t say it earlier, congratulations. I hope you two will be real happy.”

  “Thanks,” Mark said, turning Jen away from the group. He was sure her girlfriends had questions, but he didn’t care what anyone thought of him or their relationship. He loved her, simple as that. Anyone who had a problem with that could take it up with him.

  Jen wrapped her arm around his waist, leaning into him.

  “Where’s your coat?” he asked, when they reached the door.

  She looked back at their table. “Uh, I don’t know. I’ll go and look for it.”

  He shook his head, slipping his leather jacket off and settling it around her shoulders. “Forget it. I’m sure one of your friends will grab it.”

  She tried to take his jacket off, but he held onto it, pulling it tight around her. “But you’ll be cold.” He chuckled, wondering how much she had to drink tonight. It didn’t matter; he was going to be there to take care of her as long as she needed him. “Come on, sweetheart. Let’s get you home.”

  She looked up at him, smiling. “Your place or mine?”

  He recognized the innuendo, but there was no way he was going to take advantage of her, not in her condition. When they made love again, he wanted her to be stone-cold sober and a free woman.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Mark insisted on stopping at a drive-thru to get her a strong black coffee on the way home. He said they needed to talk, and he wanted her to have a clear head for this conversation. If she had her way, she would have proceeded with the night in a blissful, wine-induced fog, picking up where they left in her office. She didn’t want to talk. She wanted to fuck, now. “Pull over,” she said, gripping the interior door handle.

  “Are you okay?” he asked, shooting her a concerned look. “Do you feel sick?”

  She took her seat belt off. “I’m fine.” She pointed to the parking lot of her father’s dental office. “Pull in here.”

  “You wanna stop at your old man’s office? Why? Did he ask you to pick something up for him?”

  “No, please, just do it.” She couldn’t stand it anymore. She had been hot and horny all night, and she was dying for some relief. “Come inside with me.”

  He parked his truck near the front door and asked, “What the hell are we doing here, Jen?”

  “I need you, now.”

  “But…”

  She reached for the door handle. With or without his help, she needed to come.

  He muttered a curse and followed her to the door. “What if someone walks in on us?”

  She fumbled in her purse, trying to find the set of keys her father gave her. Since her parents lived forty-five minutes from the office, she was listed as the contact person if the alarm sounded during the night.

  Her hands were shaking by the time she finally extracted the silver keychain from her bag.

  Handing it to Mark, she said, “Open the door, please.”

  “Baby, let’s just go back to your place. We can…”

  “No,” she said quickly. “I can’t.”

  The overhead glow of the security lights li
t his face and she saw the flash of anger in his eyes. “You don’t want me to come to your place because of that son of a bitch?”

  She shrugged. “He stops by after work sometimes.” She hated feeling torn between the man she was supposed to marry and the man who satisfied her in ways she never thought possible.

  “Let him walk in on us,” he said, clenching his jaw. “Let him watch while I fuck you.”

  She grabbed his arm. “Mark, please…”

  He turned on her. “What? You just want me to be your dirty little secret, Jen? You want to go on sleeping with me behind his back even after you’re married?”

  No, she wouldn’t do that, would she? But how could she stop? Mark was like an addiction, a self-destructive habit she couldn’t break.

  He stared at her, rage darkening his eyes. “My God, you’re actually considering it, aren’t you?” He stalked back to his truck. “Not gonna happen!” he shouted. “You think you’re going to marry him, have his babies, and use me to keep you satisfied in the sack?” He opened the driver’s door.

  “Why not? You used me for sex for almost a year,” she cried. She knew, even though it was late and there were few people walking the streets, their conversation could still be overheard. She didn’t care. He needed to know how much his callous treatment hurt her.

  He slammed the truck door, the sound reverberating through her ears. “I didn’t use you. We had an understanding.”

  She threw her hands up in the air. “Yeah, I understood that you had the right to fuck anyone you wanted and I had to keep my mouth shut, right?”

  He leapt up the stairs, grabbing her shoulders. “I didn’t cheat on you back then. You knew the score. You could have been with other people.”

  “I didn’t want anyone else,” she said quietly, looking at the ground. “I wanted you, only you. And I wanted you to want me too.”

  He set a finger under her chin, tipping her head until she was forced to look at him. “I did want you, sweetheart.”

  “You just wanted me for sex when it was convenient. I was your hometown connection. What about all those other girls? Did you have one in every city, Mark?”