Beneath These Lies (2 page)

“I’m in love. With Derrick. He’s the one.”

Her tone was emphatic, hopeful, and incredibly naive to my thinking. If she were a cartoon, there would be stars in her eyes and a giant red heart pounding from her chest.

She’d been with this Derrick guy for almost four months, and I didn’t know much about him except the fact that he was
so different from the boys in school.
Different wasn’t always good, so it wasn’t shocking that I was rather skeptical.

“Well . . . that’s exciting.” I wanted to be supportive. Trinity hadn’t had the easiest upbringing, and I wanted nothing but the best for her. Including the full-ride scholarship she’d earned to art school in the fall.

She tilted her head and crossed her arms over her chest. “You need to take that
down with love
and
I don’t ever need a man
attitude and keep it on your side of the room. Not all of us want to be crazy old cat ladies when we grow up.”

From my perch at my minimalist desk, I winced.
Ouch.
That stung.
I don’t even have a cat,
I wanted to argue. But that was a moot point.

“I just haven’t found a guy worth my time. That’s all.”

“Maybe if you’d talk to men, you might actually decide to give one a chance.” Trinity’s gaze was sharp on me, and as usual, she missed nothing.

“I talk to plenty of men.”

Her dark eyebrow arched. “Hate to break it to you, but customers don’t count, Valentina.”

“They have penises, so I’m saying they do.”

But her point was well taken—none of the customers I interacted with spurred the least bit of interest. The tourists were transient, and I wasn’t getting involved with someone long distance. The local guys who came in here and thought they saw something they liked had a tendency to flash their money around. I was happy to take it because it kept my bottom line healthy, but there was nothing attractive about a man who felt the need to use money to get my attention.

How about a flirty conversation that actually got my blood pumping? Witty banter? Apparently that was too much to ask. Hence, why I’d given up on men.

Trinity’s mouth dropped open. “You said
penis
. At work.”

A smile tugged at the corner of my mouth. Eighteen years and three days did not an adult make.

“And you’re eighteen, as you’ve informed me a dozen times in the last few days, so I’m assuming this isn’t a new word for you.”

“No, but . . .”

At least I knew I could still scandalize my employees by throwing out the word
penis
on occasion. “Face it, I’ve seen more of them than you, and I’m really not impressed with what comes attached to them.”

Especially because you couldn’t tell whether the man attached to the package fell into the category of man or monster—or a combination of both. My humor fled at the thought, but Trinity didn’t pick up on that.

“Well, if you saw Derrick’s package—”

I covered my face and groaned. “No, thank you. I do not need that visual.”

A husky laugh interrupted us.

Crap.
I cringed as I thought about a customer overhearing this particular conversation. But when I jerked my hand away from my face and caught sight of the person in the doorway, relief flooded through me, along with the reminder that I really needed to get that door chime fixed.

Yve Santos smiled as she strolled inside on fabulous red platform sandals and a retro yellow dress. Actually, it was Yve Titan now.

“If you’re talking about packages, I’m down for this conversation.”

I pushed away from my desk and stood with a smile. “I bet you are. What brings you in today?”

Trinity eyed Yve with awe. My friend had become something of an idol to her. Yve had also grown up in less-than-ideal circumstances, but now owned a successful shop in the Quarter and was married to Lucas Titan, a rather infamous businessman.

Yve crossed the wide wooden planks of the gallery to meet me in the middle. “I came to invite you to my belated bachelorette party. Tonight. Sorry for the late notice. I wasn’t going to have one, but Elle badgered me into it. As soon as I said yes this morning, she had it planned in about five minutes. I think she’s afraid Lucas is going to find out and kidnap me before she has a chance to start ordering shots.”

That sounded about right. If ever there was a man likely to kidnap his wife, Lucas Titan would be at the top of the list.

“Then by all means, we should go out and celebrate while we have the chance.”

Warmth filled my chest at the happiness Yve had found. She and I had come to know each other after facing the same monster—although it had been infinitely worse for her because he’d been her husband—and we’d both held our heads high and survived. Thrived even. And for that reason, I would go out and celebrate.

“Good! I’m so glad you’re coming. We both deserve to celebrate.” Yve squeezed me with a quick hug and pressed a kiss to my cheek. “We’ll come by and get you at your place tonight around eight.”

“Perfect. See you then.”

As soon as Yve left, Trinity looked at me with a big grin on her face. “Bachelorette party? Sounds like the perfect opportunity for you to find yourself a man.”

“M
ORE SHOTS!”
E
LLE YELLED, SWIRLING
her hand in the air.

The shot glasses lined up on the table seemed to multiply, and I didn’t know if there were actually more or if I was seeing double. Rubbing a hand across my face, I stared at the glasses again.

Seeing double wasn’t usually a concern for me. I never let myself get more than a touch tipsy because I hung on to my control with an iron grip.

But tonight had been different. My vision was hazy, and my legs had been less than steady the last time I’d made the trek to the bathroom with Yve and Elle and another one of their friends. Girl posse, Elle called it. I’d never had one of those before, but I liked it.

“Glad you’re having fun, Val,” Elle said, bringing over one of the newest round of concoctions.

“We can be a girl posse, but only if you don’t call me Val,” I said, accepting the shot.

“Fair enough.” She raised her shot glass and we clinked before downing them. When we both slammed them on the table, she added, “I’m also glad you’re losing that whole prim-and-proper thing you had going on. We need to find you a man to help you lose it the rest of the way.”

Yve joined us. “What’s this about finding Valentina a man?”

“She needs a big bad alpha of her own so she can find out just how good it is on the other side.”

I scrunched my forehead and considered. “I’m not sure I can handle a big bad alpha. Maybe a beta. Someone nice who likes wine tasting and
Masterpiece Theatre
.”

I always figured if I was going to start dating for real, that was the kind of guy I’d go for. Someone safe. Nonthreatening.

Both Yve and Elle screwed up their faces in disgust.

“Van, get your ass over here. We need you!” Elle called.

We do?

Vanessa, a gorgeous blonde, came over and snagged another shot off the table.

“I should probably stop after this one.” She tipped it back. “But Con likes it when I get a little tipsy. The man lets me climb all over him like a jungle gym. And that’s just the beginning.”

Hearing those words from the woman wearing YSL and Judith Leiber was a little more than shocking.

Elle took in my surprise. “See, alpha all the way. Tell her, Van.”

Vanessa sat and patted the seat beside her for Yve. Yve slid onto the chair. “I’m just gonna say it. The woman’s lib movement can skewer me if they want, but there is something so fucking hot about a guy who isn’t afraid to just toss you over his shoulder and carry you away.”

Both Yve and Elle nodded in agreement.

“Damn, that does sound kind of hot.” I couldn’t believe I was agreeing too. It was the shots talking, not me.

Elle piped up again. “Because it is. Alpha all the way.”

“So where does one find this species of man?” I asked. “Not that I’d even know how to handle one.”

Vanessa waved a hand. “You find one, we’ll teach you all the tricks.”

When large forms blocked the neon lights from the bar, I blinked and looked up, fighting the urge to shrink back in my seat. I was stronger now. It had been over ten years. I was fine. I was with friends. And
that
was the reason I’d let go tonight. It was truly time to let go. Yve had, and that inspiration was what I had needed to start shedding the past.

It was over. He was dead, and I was not. It was long past time to start living again.

“Sweet thing, you don’t need another shot. Hell, I don’t think any of you needs another shot.”

The man’s voice was deep, and it took me a minute to put it together that he was Elle’s boyfriend. Of course, the way she jumped up from the table and threw herself at him and then climbed the man like a spider monkey was what really gave it away. I could see the alpha thing stamped all over him from the way he lifted her up and grabbed her ass.

“You’re not supposed to be here,” Yve said, her happily slurring words directed at Lucas Titan.

“And yet I am. Your ride awaits.”

I wondered if Yve would say she wasn’t ready. I blinked again and the number of shot glasses shrank by half, and then doubled immediately on my next blink.
Yep, it’s time for me to go.

Yve rose and held out a hand. “Then take me home.” Her gazed flicked to me. “After we take Valentina home.”

Lucas glanced at me and nodded. “We’d be happy to.”

I rose from my seat on tottering heels, once again marveling at the fact I’d drunk so much, and that I’d felt completely at ease doing it. Girl posses were awesome.

I reached out with my left hand to steady myself by grabbing the back of the chair I’d vacated, but I misjudged the distance. My balance faltered, and my right hand flew out and smacked into a hard body. An arm slipped around my waist, steadying me. If it hadn’t been for the buzz, and the relief I wasn’t falling on my butt, I would have jerked away.

“Easy there.” His voice was equally deep as Elle’s boyfriend’s, but completely familiar.

Shock fighting with my buzz, I turned my head to stare at Detective Hennessy. Or rather, two Detective Hennessys.

“Had a few?” he asked.

“Maybe,” I said. “You gonna arrest me for it?”

Where the words came from, I didn’t know. I just knew being around Detective Hennessy brought back memories I’d decided to shake off completely, starting tonight.

“You done something you need to be arrested for?”

I shook my head, determined to keep the memories at bay. “No. But I do need to go home.”

I watched as Lord led Elle out of the bar, and his brother, Con, swept Vanessa up in his arms. The gorgeous blonde was beyond walking in a straight line at this point. From the big tattooed Viking of a man’s husky laugh, he didn’t seem to mind. Another alpha.

I want that
. Pea green was a horrible color on me, but that knowledge didn’t stop the envy from taking up residence in my chest.

“Ready, Valentina?” Lucas Titan asked, his eyes moving from Hennessy to me.

“I can give her a lift. She’s on my way home. It’s no trouble,” Hennessy replied.

“That okay with you, girl? If not, we’ll take you,” Yve added.

Say what now?
My head was swimming with the constant swinging back and forth to follow the conversation. I just wanted my bed. And to make it there without getting sick. With the good detective, at least I’d be safe. He’d helped put the monster in the cage, and for that, I trusted him more than I trusted most people.

“It’s fine. I’m good. I’m ready to go,” I said, taking a step and almost losing my balance again.

Note to self: I need to wear flats the next time I go out with these girls.

Hennessy steadied me, and I waved to Yve as we walked toward the door. She blew me kisses and then Lucas grabbed her ass.

I want that
, I thought again as we followed them out of the bar. That easy togetherness with a man who was all man. The kind who took care of his woman and made sure she and her friends would get home safely.

Stop, Valentina
. I forced my thoughts back to the present.

Hennessy’s bright green gaze fixed on me, and I couldn’t help but wonder what he saw.

“Am I riding in the back of a cop car?” I asked, hoping to break the intensity of his study. I wasn’t in any shape to be analyzed closely tonight.

“I don’t drive a squad car. But even if I did, you wouldn’t be riding in the backseat.”

We rounded a corner, Hennessy’s arm tucked around my back to keep me upright as I stumbled on the uneven sidewalks of the Quarter. Always a protector.

I focused on staying upright until he slowed and keys jangled. Lights flashed on some kind of SUV a few feet away. Hennessy led me around to the passenger side, opened the door, and helped me up into the seat.

“I got it,” I said, fumbling for the seat belt.

He backed away and waited until I clicked the buckle into place before shutting the door.

I was out before he put the key in the ignition.