Their Ex's Redrock Serial Bundle 1-4 (14 page)

She didn’t even know what she threw into a small duffle she unearthed from her partially unpacked things. She was homeless. Again.
But for Vincent’s house.
That thought just came to her, taunting her, even though she knew better. He was not a safe haven either.

“Gad,” she growled under her breath, throwing some things from the bathroom in the duffle, which she then zipped shut. When she went out the motel room door, locking it behind her, she stood for a few seconds, praying Finn was, like,
not
there. But she heard his deep voice so she knew that prayer was hopeless.

However, lucky for her, Finn was having a very aggressive conversation with a short, wiry guy that looked like a casting call for “strung-out drug dealer” or maybe “hyped-up pimp.” Either way, he looked scary and Tess just motored past them, head down, trying to seem invisible.

She heard, “You gotta hook me up, Ghost. Man, I had your back when ...”

Then she heard Finn’s rough voice bark, “Quiet! Ears.”

Tess just kept moving to the lobby door, pushing past it, and she missed the hard look of regret in electric green eyes, following the swing of her ass out the door.

I
t was past seven when Vincent got off the jet, but Cabe was waiting for him in a WTSF Jeep. Vincent veered from going to his pickup to walk up to the side of Cabe’s Jeep, where Cabe stood leaning against it.

Without a word, Cabe handed him a file. Vincent put his bag down to grab it and Cabe started talking as Vincent flipped open the file. It was too dark so he brought out his cell, flicking it on to flashlight mode, then turned it toward the open file.

“We have a new friend in the agency,” Cabe informed him.

“Which one?” Vincent asked, and his gut suddenly tightened at seeing a grainy black-and-white picture of Luna with her tongue down some tall guy’s throat. They were naked in what had to be a hotel room. Shit.

“Not sure which agency, but it’s Finn O’Neil, street name, Ghost.”

“No shit,” Vincent uttered, looking up at Cabe.

Cabe nodded, then nodded toward the file. “This showed up, compliments of him. And, brother, those pictures are recent, as in yesterday.”

There were a lot of things Vincent thought at that moment, but the one that came growling out of his mouth was: “That’s not fucking Navarro.”

In the growing dark, Cabe’s white teeth showed in a grin. “No, brother, it isn’t.”

Vincent knew Cabe knew that he had no feelings left for his wife, so the pictures on the cheating-him level didn’t signify. Why Cabe was grinning slowly came to him. What Vincent could do with
this
.

His gaze jerked to Cabe as an edgy feeling filled him, and he whispered the question, “You think it could work?” He could blackmail Luna with these, playing her two lovers off each other, but getting him fucking free.

Cabe grabbed his bicep, squeezing. “I so do, brother—she wants that fame real fucking bad.”

Vincent nodded and he knew his gaze was fierce. He’d never felt hope of getting free of Luna before. Really free. But if he used this other affair to blackmail her, he might get that free. Free enough to have Tess. Out in the open.

“Anything Finn needs
ever
, we are on it,” Vincent rasped, with a rough voice he had to clear. “Appreciate you being so current on this with me, brother.”

Cabe nodded, and then straightened from the Jeep. “Piece of advice, brother ... don’t wait long to use that.”

They talked for about ten minutes about WTSF and everything there seemed fairly normal for the usual young women high dramatics. Cabe finished telling him about a new recruit named Angie who was taking to security installations like she was born to it, but had a boyfriend that was not letting go.

“Give me to the end of the week. Then we’ll go head knocking,” Vincent said.

Cabe nodded as he opened the door to his Jeep. “I could use the outlet,” he muttered.

Vincent stopped him from sitting with a hand on Cabe’s forearm. “Talk to me,” he ordered.

Cabe shook his head, but muttered, “She didn’t fucking come home last night. At all.”

“Hell.” Vincent squeezed Cabe’s forearm. “Are you ready to have her followed yet?”

“Yeah,” Cabe uttered, and he looked pissed but wounded; Vincent knew Cabe believed in the marriage vows and had given his wife every opportunity or excuse for her behavior he could. And then some.

“Get Tag on it. Tell him it’s priority.” Vincent paused, then said, “But, brother, you do not view the file alone. You understand me?”

“Yeah, I need you to keep me from killing the bastard dipping in my wife. So yeah.”

One thing about Cabe, he cared about his wife, where Vincent just felt trapped by his. Or maybe Cabe really cared more about the vows now after all the shit they’d been through in their marriage.

“I’m a cell call away,” Vincent said, letting go of Cabe’s forearm, then going to pick up his satchel as he watched Cabe pull out. How messed up was it that both their wives were fucking the marriage vows into the ground?

Vincent turned toward his truck to go do something he promised he wouldn’t.

***

T
ess licked the salt on her margarita glass, and then took a deep drink. It was very yummy and a blessing in a truly demanding day. It was her second and she felt better curled on the comfy couch in Vincent’s living room, with Rusty camped out on the other side of it, and Rusty’s incredible nachos sitting on a platter between them.

“Don’t know who your friends are, babe. But I love their kitchen.” Rusty crinkled her nose, looking thoughtful. “You know that magazine-quality kitchen looks really unused.”

Tess dipped a nacho chip in her mouth, crunching. She’d not told Rusty this was Vincent’s house. It wasn’t that she really wanted to keep it from her girl, Rusty; it was just that she was very much not in the mood to rehash.

She changed the subject and told Rusty about Steven’s call. “I think I better get an accountant or disclosure attorney.” She paused with an aside. “Do they have those?” Then she barreled on. “To look into the money and the deed on my shop.”

Rusty leaned forward, whispering, “If he did, he forged your name.”

“I know,” Tess muttered. “I could be in more debt than I know.
Damn
him.”

Rusty scooted closer, reached over the nachos, and clasped Tess’ hand sitting on her crossed knee while expertly keeping her margarita from spilling. “I have to tell you ... I hate telling you ... but we junior girls gotta stick together.” They’d met in junior high school. Tess braced, because Rusty only used the tone she was using when something was really bad.

“They were in my cab.” Rusty gulped, and then looked down at her drink, which she lifted and took a big swallow from while Tess tensed. Tess knew who
they
were. “Aw, sweetheart,” Rusty started again, and Tess immediately knew it was going to be even worse because Rusty used that tone and endearment. “They could give a shit—they were
all
over each other.”

“Oh,” Tess whined, then she exclaimed, “He knows you and I know each other!”

Rusty nodded, but contradicted her nod by what she said: “He was so up her ass he never noticed it was me. I don’t think.”

“It’s like he’s become addicted or something,” Tess exclaimed, throwing up a hand. “He just
goes
off with her like he is totally
not
married. At least the other time he tried to not let me find out. He snuck around but still sort of acted like a husband at home. God, and Rusty ...” Tess grabbed Rusty’s hand back, continuing, “That cheating witch is all, ‘
My
fans
so
adore me. It’s all me, me,
me
.’” Tess huffed, pausing and draining her glass, before she said, “
Why
would Steven like
that
?”

“I don’t know, babe.” Rusty patted her hand. “But this time the ties are really broken and you can get free. I bet there’ll be no more of that ‘no one can have you’ junk.”

“Yeah,” Tess murmured, instantly thinking of Vincent. But she got up to pour another margarita instead of lingering on any thoughts of him. Over the next two drinks with very little nacho eating, she and Rusty dissected Finn O’Neil.

“I had such a crush on him in high school.” Rusty slurred her admission a bit ... they’d both drunk more than they’d ate. Tess looked at her friend critically: she was petite but voluptuous, with freckles, auburn hair, and a bunch of sass. She was perfect.

“You so could have got him,” Tess declared. “You should have jumped him back then.”

“So he’s turned really badass, huh?” Rusty asked. Again.

Tess narrowed her slightly blurry eyes on that obvious interest. Then, selfishly or not, definitely drunkenly, and she knew what happened last time she got drunk, she tried to turn Rusty’s attention. “But you should meet Cabe.” Tess swept her hand under Rusty’s nose. “Your cute sass and his calm chivalry. Perfect,” Tess announced.

“Who is Cabe?”

Without thinking, Tess replied, “Cabe Santos is Vincent’s main man at WTSF.” Tess leaned toward Rusty. “Think Cabe’s marriage is rocky. But he’s laid back,
hot
. The kind of hot that slowly burns you, in a really good way.”

“Damn, babe,” Rusty exclaimed. “Where are you meeting all these hot guys, and is that Vincent, as in the one we squealed our tires away from the other day? That Vincent?” Rusty’s eyes narrowed. “The ‘I went to bed with him’ Vincent?”

“Shhhh,” Tess shushed loudly as if someone was around to see. “
Three
orgasms,” she blurted, then she stood and declared it again. She wobbled and grabbed her temple. “Whoa.”

Rusty laughed, stood, and steadied her. “Three?” Rusty exclaimed.

“He’s un-be-lievable, Rusty.”

They sort of hugged each other, to hold each other up. “Too bad his soon-to-be ex is freaking loony bins.” Tess frowned, then smiled. “But I’m going to learn to kick her ass.”

“Come on, babe,” Rusty said. “Need to get your ass to bed. You can tell me this amazing thing on the way ...”

Tess was lying face down in the dark, on Vincent’s bed, when her cell phone rang in the pocket of her cutoff shorts. She’d put them on to get comfy for girls’ night when she hit Vincent’s. It was completely dark in the room and she might have been drooling in her sleep.

“What?” she exclaimed into the cell.

“Let me in.”

“Vincent?” Of course it was Vincent. No one could growl straight to her pussy like him. Tess rose on her elbow, shoving her long hair out of her face.

“Let me in,” he whispered, and she clenched her thighs.

“You promised,” she whispered back. “Where are you? Are you outside?”

“Let me in, beautiful.”

He had to be outside. That realization made her quiver more. “Oh God,” she moaned, rolling onto her back and barely keeping her hand from touching herself. “I’m drunk,” she admitted.

“Let me inside,” he urged in a low, growly voice that had her squirming ... then, after long moments, he added, “
In
you.”

Let me inside you.
She blurted into the phone. “I’ll be
messy
drunk. You want
messy
drunk sex?”

“I want you. Let me in.”

Oh God. In a small voice she asked, “You really want me?”

“Baby.” His voice got rougher. “Yes, I want you more than really. Let me in.”

More than really.
“Vincent ... come in.”

V
incent found Tess in the dark on his bed. She was drunk and giggly, cute as hell trying to order him to turn on the lights and strip for her. Tess and he were not trading control of the power handle. So he stripped her in the dark, overpowering her weaker struggles to keep him from doing it as he nipped her lips.

Then he skimmed his hands down her body, feeling every curve like he was dying for it. He’d been crazy thinking he liked trim. She felt like satin and hot woman in his hands and his stroking got her purring more than struggling.

“I wanted you naked,” she said against his ear, pouting. Then she nibbled on it as he caressed her hips, belly, then ribs, up to the under-swell of her breasts.

“Like you naked,” he uttered with finality in his tone. Then he covered her with his clothed body and showed her what that could do by rubbing into her bareness.

“Vincent,” she gasped lightly.

He chuckled. “Gonna do you slow, beautiful. Real slow.”

“I let you in,” she whispered, kissing his jaw, while he did a slow grind over her body.

“You did,” he admitted as he turned his head and caught her mouth beneath his. He kissed her deep and hot, until she moaned and was clutching him.

“Is my hot little pussy getting ready for me?” he whispered against her ear, changing his mouth’s position from her soft, full lips. The sound she made ached an answer over his cock.

“Oh God, yes.” She rubbed against him now.

He grabbed her outer thigh and lifted it over his hip, opening her up. Her body rose against his pressing deep and he hooked the small of her back, helping her. His hard thigh was pressed to her slit and he rode his thigh into it, making her whimper against his ear.

“That’s my baby,” he rumbled low against her ear.

“Vincent,” she moaned, clutching his shirt, digging her nails in. She was so fucking hot.

Then he went to town on her, starting with her breasts, until she was begging him to come.

“Wanna spank you,” he uttered over plucking her nipple tight between his lips. He had his hand cupped over her slit and she was humping his hand with whimpers and moans that made him fucking crazy hot for her.

He’d wanted to do this ever since he’d first seen her ass, and she was just tipsy enough to let him.

“Gotta come,” she moaned.

“Spanking first,” he ordered, then rose, grasped her bare waist, and flipped her onto her tummy. Oh fuck yeah. He could not see well and that irritated him, but he was not willing to get up and lose the moment.

He slapped her ass before she could wiggle and get up. After each slap he stroked her slit from behind between her thighs. The sound, the feel of each smack on her bare ass, attacked his cock.