What Happens In Vegas... Doesn't Always Stay There (18 page)

double shifts he was putting in were all a cover-up so he could keep both relationships going?
a voice in the back of her mind warned.

Her mouth went dry and her stomach did a flip flop. She feared she was going to be sick. It

felt like the past was coming back to relive itself.

The blonde shrugged. “I’ve been around. We had a little spat before he went to Vegas, but I

promise you, we’ve resolved our issues.” The blonde grabbed the Frederick’s bag and passed it

to her along with the grocery bag. “I don’t know who you are, but you’re not welcome here any

longer. I assume you were a distraction until we got things worked out. They’re worked out

now.”

The blonde woman spun around and started to make her way back into the house. Dropping

the bags to the ground, Genevieve followed behind the woman, stopping her from closing the

door.

“I want to speak to him.”

The smirk returned to Emma’s lips. “Honey. He’s sleeping, we had an exhausting night. Do

yourself a favour and don’t embarrass yourself more. Take your skank ass home.” Without

another word the other woman slammed the door in Genevieve’s astonished face.

This can’t be happening, not again.
She felt the tears welling up in her eyes.
Not again,
Graham was supposed to be different.
But how else could she explain Emma nearly naked

answering the door? Graham’s car was in the yard so he was home. Gathering the bags of

groceries and the Frederick’s bag from the ground, with a hollow heart, Genevieve made her way

back to her car.

When she reached the car, she considered turning back and demanding to go in and speak to

him face to face, refusing to leave until that happened. Hear it from his mouth. But what good

would it do, really? All that would be accomplished would be her embarrassing herself further.

“Fuck him,” she growled to herself, “fuck him and fuck Alex and fuck every man in this

motherfucking world.” Her friends were right, no-attachment sex and you don’t get disappointed.

There’s no point in giving a man your heart, all they did was tear it in two and throw it back at
you. Fuck them all!

~*~*~*~*~

~ Dane ~

“I’m coming, I’m coming,” Dane shouted, rubbing his eyes as he made his way downstairs

and to the front door. “I swear to God, if it’s someone peddling some bullshit magazine or

preaching the Goddamned gospel there’ll be hell to pay.”

The previous night had been hell, the streets seemed to be crazy. Every insane and unstable

person seemed to be out and the calls never stopped. It had been a long time since he’d been so

exhausted. He glanced at the clock mounted on the wall next to the door. 6am. He’d gotten less

than an hour’s sleep.

“This is bullshit,” he grumbled, unlocking the door and pulling it open.

His hazy state immediately cleared at the sight of Genevieve on his doorstep. She was

fighting back tears and the feelings he’d had for her before she chose his brother came rushing

back to him and it tore at him to see her hurting. He’d spend the past couple of weeks telling

himself she was just another girl to him, but he knew he was lying to himself.

Quickly he stepped aside and motioned for her to enter.

“Oh Dane!” She threw herself into his arms, burying her face against his neck. “I didn’t know

where to go, or who to talk to.”

He held her tight to him, stroking her dark hair and basking in the sweet smell of her

shampoo. She felt so good in his arms, regardless of the reason she was there. He wasn’t sure

what it had been about her that had gotten under his skin, but she had and despite making up with his brother, he still couldn’t bring himself to go see his brother when he knew she’d be there. He knew now why he kept himself at a distance, he didn’t want to allow himself to be in a position

to be hurt.

“What’s going on?”

“It’s G-Graham…” The floodgates opened up and sobs overtook her, her petite body

trembling with each sob. “Why does it keep happening? Why? First Alex and him?” She pulled

back to look him in the eye, her green eyes red and brimming with a new set of tears. “What’s

wrong with me?”

Dane frowned. What in the hell did Graham do to her? He was scared to ask and bring about

another round of tears and sobs.

“Not a thing, you’re incredible, Ginny.” He pulled her back into his arms and kissed her

temple. “Come on and sit for a minute. Do you want some water, coffee?”

“No… I don’t know. I just…” She sniffed and raked her hand through her hair.

Closing the door, he led her into the living room and sat down on the sofa, pulling her down

with him. She sniffed as she sat and cuddled into him, wrapping her arms around his waist and

burying her face into his bare chest.

“Do you want to talk about it? What happened?”

She shook her head and clung tighter to him. He was dying of curiosity, he had no idea what

Graham could have possibly done. He let her go so she wouldn’t be hurt, because he thought she

had a better chance with Graham. Graham was the faithful one who wanted a commitment. It

made no sense.

Could he have been wrong? Should he have fought harder to win her affections? Graham

hadn’t said a word about them breaking up or her being upset with him, although they still

weren’t on the best of terms with each other.

“Can you just hold me for now?” She looked up, pain etched in her face. “Just for a bit.”

He touched the side of her face, swiping at the tear that was making its way down her cheek

with his thumb. “Of course. Take all the time you need.” Grabbing a throw pillow he arranged it

and laid back, pulling her down with him so she was stretched out next to him, snuggling the top

of her head under his chin.

Why in the hell did I let Graham have her?
She felt so good and right in his arms. He didn’t say a word to her, just waited. Her sniffs slowed and stopped, replaced by soft snores. With a

sigh and too tired to remain awake any longer and seeing no point in it, Dane closed his eyes and decided to go back to the sleep she’d interrupted. There’d be time to get to the bottom of things when she woke.

~*~*~*~*~

~ Graham ~

“Thanks a lot, man.” Graham gave his partner Officer Mooney a nod as he exited the car and

stepped onto the sidewalk in front of his house. They’d attended a football game before their

shift so it made more sense just to carpool rather than take separate cars to the game and then to work since their shifts were at the same time. They didn’t carpool often, but in cases like this it made sense.

He was across the lawn and about to step onto the porch when he caught sight of Emma’s

Fiat in his driveway.

“What the fuck…” he frowned as he walked toward the car and discovered it empty.

Turning back to the house his eyes landed on the large rock he hid his spare key under and

noticed it was overturned. Emma was there, in his house waiting for him.

You have got to be kidding me
, he groaned inwardly.
After all this time why in the hell is she
here?
If anything he’d have expected to see her showing up at Dane’s house, but certainly not his.

The last thing he wanted to do was deal with Emma today. His plan was to go straight to

sleep and get up mid-afternoon to get ready for his date with Genevieve. Since it was their one-

month anniversary he wanted to make it extra special. While most men never thought of such

things, he knew it would be important to her and he could barely wait to see the big smile that

would spread across her lips when she discovered what he had planned.

He sighed, as he made his way back to the house and with great reluctance unlocked the front

door and stepped inside. Pausing just inside the door he stood and listened for any indication of where she might be; the house remained silent.

“Emma?” he called out, but silence answered him. Perplexed he performed a thorough search

of the bottom floor and came up empty. Glancing up the staircase to the second floor he cringed

and began the stairs as if he were a man walking the mile of death row.

Oh fuck me
, he groaned inwardly as he walked to his bedroom and noticed the door was

closed. He never closed his bedroom door.
What in the hell is she doing in there?
As he asked himself the question, he suspected he knew.

Opening the door he stepped inside and as feared there she was, stretched out on his bed, a

wicked smile on her lips and dressed in a little teddy that barely covered her.

“What are you doing here Emma?” He crossed his arms over his chest and eyed her, waiting

for an explanation. “You’re no longer welcome here, I thought we had an understanding on that.”

She cringed, but not one to be deterred she struggled to her knees and made her way to the

end of the bed. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking and I think the divorce was a mistake.”

Leaning against the door jamb, Graham shook his head. “There wasn’t any mistake, Emma.

We should never have gotten married in the first place –
that
was the mistake. But now we’re divorced and that’s how it should be.”

“Come on. Think about it. We were good together. I’m saying I’m sorry, you’re the one I

should be with.”

Graham laughed as things became clear. “You and the FedEx guy broke up, you went to

Dane and he wouldn’t give you the time of day so now you’re back. I see now.”

Her lips turned into a pout and she shook her head. “No. No, it’s not like that.”

“So you and the FedEx guy are still together?”

“No.”

“So if I were to call Dane and ask if you came sniffing around he’d tell me no?”

She lowered her eyes and began twirling a lock of golden hair around her index finger. “Dane

and I spoke, yes.”

“And he told you…” A part of him was getting a bit of satisfaction out of this encounter.

She’d never apologized or shown remorse for what she’d done. With Emma everything was

everyone else’s fault but her own, and she was so beautiful and was able to charm people so well

that people usually bought what she was selling. But not this time. Graham knew her and her

games way too well now.

“It’s not important.”

“That’s what I thought.” He sighed, thrusting a hand into his blonde hair. “And why in the

hell are you even in my house?”

Her head jerked back up and her eyes narrowed at him. “You were ignoring my calls.”

“That’s the beauty of divorce, once those papers are signed, I’m no longer required to speak

to you.”

“Besides, Graham, you leave the key outside for anyone to use, for a cop I’d have thought

you wouldn’t do something so foolish.”

“Yes, I should have moved it once your ass was out of here.” He pointed to the hallway.

“Now you have to leave.”

“Why the rush?” A smirk touched her lips and he immediately knew she was up to

something, or had done something. Any amount of amusement he was feeling at seeing her

squirm was fading fast. He wanted and needed her out, immediately.

“Most importantly, because I don’t want you around anymore. But also, I had a long day and

I need some sleep, so you need to leave. NOW!”

“Is it because of that girl you’re seeing?”

Graham fought back the surge of anger that was beginning to simmer within, as his jaw

clenched. “What do you know about her?”

Emma shrugged as she slid from the bed and walked toward him, swaying her hips

seductively. “She dropped by. I sent her home.”

“Sent her home?”

“She’s not right for you. I can tell.”

“Where did she go?”

“Why should I care?” She reached out to touch him, but he grabbed her wrist.

“Don’t touch me Emma. I’m going to find her and you’re going to get out of my house.”

“This was our house.” She yanked her wrist from his grasp and scowled at him.

“WAS our house, but not anymore. When I get home I want you out, otherwise I’ll have you

escorted out and charged. Are we clear?”

Anger flared up in her blue eyes as she glared at him.

“I asked, are we clear?”

“Asshole! Now I remember why I fucked around on you.” She grabbed her handbag and a

duffle bag from beside the bed, then stormed past him, nudging him in the stomach with her

elbow as she went past. Out in the hallway she spun around and caught his gaze. “And by the

way, the FedEx guy wasn’t the only guy I fucked in our bed!”

What in the name of God did I do to deserve this bullshit?
Graham groaned inwardly, not

bothering to answer back and encourage more of an argument with her.

She waited for his response, and when one didn’t come she huffed and stormed down the

staircase. He didn’t follow, but waited until he heard the front door open and close before he

released the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.

He looked over to the bed; it beckoned to him, but he had more pressing issues. He didn’t

even want to imagine how torn up Genevieve would be feeling right now. He’d worked so hard

at making her feel as special as she deserved to be feeling and it would be shot to hell because of his bitch ex-wife.

Not bothering to take the time to change out of his uniform, he waited until he heard Emma’s

car start and tear out of the driveway before heading downstairs and grabbing his car keys.

Chapter 16

~ Graham ~