by Shirl Anders
Christ, Tess so needed him claiming her... in public... so these assholes would back off.
“Beautiful, you need to go to my house tonight and lock yourself in. No one will find you there.”
“Vincent...” She sounded unsure. “I started the paperwork on the divorce today. Steven should be served by the end of the week.”
“Good,” he clipped, then he backed up the conversation. “My house. Tonight. Keys on back porch, under the clay planter, left side.”
“I don’t even know we are together. I thought you and Luna were...”
He interrupted her. “Told you, not what it seems. Now’s not the time to talk, but we will.” Complete silence. “Tess, taking my offer is smart. Doesn’t have anything to do with us.”
“Only if you don’t come there.” Her voice broke.
He cussed a silent stream, then he uttered. “Yeah.”
Tess got off the phone with Vincent and looked out into her flower shop. Everything was such a mess. The mob? Her husband was caught up in the mob? He was just a really bad talent agent that couldn’t keep his hands off pretty and wild women. How that translated into the mob, she thought was crazy. But she could see now Victor Torenni was mob through and through. Even that beat up thing they did to that guy innocently flirting with her was all mob-like.
“Hey, Tess, I have to set the camera directions.” Tess opened her eyes, surprised to see Cabe standing at the counter, a few feet from where she sat. He was very quiet, and she looked at him trying to figure out how he did that.
“I worked out all the trajectories last night to cover the most ground,” he said, then he asked, “Are you okay? You look upset.”
Tess stood, trying to give him a smile. Didn’t really work. “Just, you know, marriage falling apart stuff.”
He nodded, coming around the counter, she saw then, he carried a ladder. “I got a line on that falling apart stuff, if you need an ear.”
Tess wondered what he meant and she glanced at his hand. Oh. Cabe was married, she saw he wore a ring. Was his marriage rocky too? But she had too much going on to even know where to start.
“Thanks.” She did smile then, and he sort of stilled looking at her closely. He had nice eyes and a workman type build. Very nice. “I’ll take a rain check,” she finished softly.
He seemed to want to say more, but then his face showed he came to a decision. “I’ll be back in the corner.” He nodded and moved past her. She wondered what he’d been thinking. She knew he and Vincent were close. Did he know about them?
She bit her bottom lip. Was there a them? Vincent had gone straight to Luna and walked out with her at the condo. But every time Vincent said, “Things aren’t what they seem,” she thought of how violent Luna was toward them. And, she thought about how protective Vincent had been toward her from the moment they met.
Cabe worked quietly, and she tried to get her life in some semblance of order by calling Rusty and inviting (begging) her to come spend a girl’s night at Vincent’s. She just told Rusty it was a friend’s place, but she’d clue her in later that night about everything, because she really needed advice, and Rusty agreed to come.
Tess was paying better attention to the front door after Cabe surprised her and she saw her next customer as soon as she hit the door. Tess’ mouth dropped open as Luna Whitehorse strutted into her flower shop, and then right up to the front counter.
“Holy hell,” Tess muttered, glued to her seat, not certain what to do as Luna stopped at the counter and stood glaring at her. Then, Luna slowly lifted her hand to begin banging on the bell Tess had there for when she was alone and in the back. Luna could see her sitting right in front of her.
Luna had a nasty slant to her deep red, lipstick lips, and the bell was incessant as Tess finally rose. “Alright already, Ms Whitehorse,” Tess exclaimed, walking to the other side of the counter.
Luna was wearing gold colored, leather leggings with five inch heels that completely put her above Tess on the other side of the counter. Luna had on a metallic tee that was see-through, over a skimpy black bra, a hot motorcycle jacket with flaming zebra stripes up the arms, and huge gold medallions on both ears. Seriously, her heels cost more than Tess’ entire outfit.
“I need service,” Luna drawled, ringing the bell a few more times, looking down her perfect nose through eyes shaded in sparkly, gold eye shadow. “Name’s Whiterose, by the way, remember it. Be like Cher someday.”
Tess had a hard time not rolling her eyes. “Ms Whiterose, are you sure you are in the right place?”
“Flowers,” Luna snapped, as she stopped ringing the bell. “For my husband,” she added on a snotty and triumphant note.
Tess froze. Oh, she did not come in here too...
“Two dozen white roses, delivered. You know the white rose means love don’t you. I have to thank my man, Vin, for making love to me so good this morning I still feel it. A feeling you couldn’t know, hon.”
Tess blanched with a quiver running through her as Luna’s face twisted with vindictiveness on each word.
“And, the card,” Luna drawled, then she snatched a card from the holder Tess had setting on the counter. “You write it, hon, I just had my nails done.” Luna slapped down the card under Tess’ nose.
Tess wanted to retreat as every nerve ending inside her wanted to blast back and take the bitch down a few pegs.
“Luna, cut the crap.”
Oh thank god, Cabe. Tess turned her gaze toward him, seeing him on the top of a ladder, in the back of the shop. She’d forgotten he was there.
“You shouldn’t get involved in happy marriages, Cabe honey.” Luna practically spat at Cabe, then she slapped the counter. “I haven’t got all day. Write on this card ‘no man makes me come in bed like you do, baby.’”
Tess made a strangled sound, and heard the rattle of the ladder behind her, then Cabe’s voice. “That’s enough, Luna. You get or I’ll carry you out.”
Suddenly, Luna grabbed a pair of scissors Tess also had on the counter for any variety of flower shop needs. But the way Luna picked it up, it was more like a dagger.
“You don’t touch me, Tonto,” she hissed, swinging the scissors up, then down.
Tess jumped back and Cabe was there to latch her waist and swing her to the side. The scissors tips embedded in the counter. “You deliver those flowers!” Luna yelled, as she backed up. “Just like I said!”
Cabe muttered in Tess’ ear. “Don’t move.” Then he started around the counter, but Luna kept going to the door, pushing it open. “You deliver them!” she screamed, then she was out the door and walking away fast.
Tess nearly crumbled with shakes attacking her as she propped a hand to the side of the counter to stay upright. Cabe stopped at the door, watching.
“How can she be so crazy?” Tess whispered.
“Her mama was that way too, and left Luna with too many part-time boyfriends,” Cabe said, turning to look back at her. “It’s nothing anyone can fix, she just rides that edge of crazy and she has a lethal, possessive streak.”
Cabe walked back to her, kind of fast, and said, “Here, sit, sweetheart.”
She wanted to cry. “I-I don’t know what to do with that,” Tess whispered, leaning on Cabe’s strong arm as he helped her to sit.
He crouched in front of her, grabbing her hands in his. “Tess, maybe learning to defend yourself would help,” he said, quietly.
She blinked at him with one tear falling down her cheek. “Against a crazy woman with a knife?” she asked, noticing the shake in her voice.
“Against anyone attacking you,” he responded, squeezing her hands. “WTSF has classes you can take.”
A shuddering breath left her. More than anything she didn’t want to be afraid of that bitch Luna Whitehorse. It couldn’t hurt to feel more capable of defending herself.
“I can’t, um ... really wouldn’t, if Vincent was a part of...”
“Nope,” Cabe said quickly. “Just you and me.”
&nbs
p; Tess nodded, now squeezing Cabe’s hands back. “So glad you were here.”
Cabe’s hand reached up and cupped her jaw. “That was seriously jacked, sweetheart. We might talk about a restraining order and filing a complaint so getting that order will be easier.”
She nodded, moving his hand with her motion. “Okay.”
That night driving to Rowdie’s before she went to Vincent’s ranch house, she thought about how much Cabe had helped her. He was a very nice man. A very good looking one too, but quiet and calm, she could see him in charge of volatile young women in the throes of crisis’.
Cabe had basically called an officer to her shop to take a report. Also, Cabe had produced a video of the entire encounter. It seemed the security cameras were working. The officer had given her a card about restraining orders, and after he left Cabe had encouraged her to talk to her divorce lawyer about it.
Tess couldn’t imagine being alone in the shop with Luna. Just thinking that could have happened made her feel sick and spurred her to make her first appointment for a self-defense class, starting the next afternoon. Tess could leave Shannon in charge of the shop after Shannon got out of school.
She felt better for being proactive, so after a quick stop to get tequila and margarita fixings, she and Rusty were going to need some alcohol to get through the mess that was her life. She pulled into Rowdie’s intending to get a quick overnight bag, and pretty much dreading to see Finn.
Maybe it was for the best, what happened with Finn. Even though he made her feel warm and fuzzy and she drooled over how hot he was, in a bad boy way, it was nothing compared to Vincent. So she needed to figure out, that for her, it was Vincent or nothing. And Tess knew the ‘or nothing way’ was really what she should be doing.
“But, I can’t help it if it’s like I’m single or a widow or something?” she muttered, turning off the ignition to her car sitting in front of Rowdie’s office. Her husband acted like she didn’t exist. No calls … nothing. Didn’t he even wonder how she put up with his disappearing act? How delusional did a man have to be to just wander off with another woman, and not think at all about the wife he left behind?
But the very evil fairy king must have been homing in on her thoughts, because right then her cell rang. It was Steven.
“Hell,” she swore. If she didn’t answer it, she might never know if Torenni told them. And as much as she shouldn’t care, she knew Vincent needed the information.
“Steven, you finally remembered you have a wife?” she answered, without saying hello.
“Damn it, T, you know I’m busting my ass working for a golden future for us,” he started.
She talked over him. “That’s whitewash, Steven. No husband just leaves his home and wife, never coming home for days on end!”
“You’re not home,” he snapped.
“Don’t you even care where I am!” she yelled into the phone.
“T,” he scolded. “This is the big time, you got to handle it.”
“Oh!” she exclaimed. “Oh! I so do not. And, Steven, you will be getting divorce papers this week.”
After a long moment, he muttered, “Maybe it’s for the best.”
Tess tried not to cry. “I’m glad you see it that way.” Her voice broke.
“But we need to talk about money, T. Your future is riding on Whiterose, um ... Luna’s group. Everything is tied up in it.”
Tess wiped her eyes, “I don’t understand, what do you mean? Nothing I have is tied up, as you say, on Whiterose.” Tess fairly spat Luna’s stage name.
“T, it takes a lot of capital to bring a talent up into a big name.”
Blah, blah, Tess wanted to shoot herself, she’d heard this so much. Money? Really? That was all he could go on about. They were so over!
Steven continued, “I’m not quite there, T, and you're going to have to kick in.”
“Kick in?” she asked, with her voice rising. “Are you crazy? No. Do not answer that. You are!”
“T, we will lose the house if you don’t and the flower shop building...”
He got no more words out, before she yelled, “My shop! Oh, hell no! Do not tell me you did anything to the shop! How could you, you need my signature.”
He kept talking like she was not screaming at him. “T, in this instance, you have to give more money to get it all back. Superstar talent takes money.”
“Oh God, you mean, Luna fucking Whiterose is expensive to keep!”
Ah oh! Tess clamped a hand over her mouth. Not believing she said that. But her shop!
“The whole setup is expensive, and I got her on exclusive contract. No one could get that, T, but I did.”
Tess let out a tight breath, realizing her husband was so up his own ass he’d missed the meaning of what she’d said. She said a little thank you prayer.
Then she blurted, because why the hell not. “I’m going to see other men too, Steven, get that into your skull, and my lawyer will be seeing about this money mess.”
“T, I need ten thousand now, before...”
Tess cut the call, heaving deep breaths, before she swore, “Bastard. That bastard.”
She was too upset. She should have gone straight to Vincent’s and just slept in one of his tee shirts. But she hit Rowdie’s lobby without remembering it would put her in front of Finn. Another man that just dropped her … and then walked away.
She pretty much skidded to a halt, halfway into the lobby, when she saw him. Immediately, she freaked out, because his face was beat up and she forgot she was really freaking pissed at him. But it seemed she was not the only one into cooling their tiny budding relationship. Mr. Busted Lip, O’Neil was not feeling her. At all.
His glare was lethal and it sent shivers up her spine. That she ignored. “What happened to you? Are you okay!” she exclaimed, rushing to the far side of the counter.
“None of your business,” he rasped, and she swore his biceps flexed as if he squeezed his hands into fists out of her view.
Tess frowned. His face looked bad and she wondered what other parts of him were hurt. Then it occurred to her...
“Did Torenni do this?” she asked in an exclamation. “Because of me!”
Finn’s battered faced drew deeper into a fierce glare. “Got other business than them. Bad business, and not for a little housewife to be involved in.”
He said housewife like it was distasteful, and she felt as if he’d slapped her.
“You’re not like this,” she told him, then she hurried past him so he wouldn’t see her bright eyes and the tears she held back.
“I am, Chiquita,” he growled to her back. “You need to be out of here by the end of the week. Fucking up my business.”
Tess sucked in an exclamation. She didn’t know what was wrong with Finn, but he was scaring her. Once in her room, she grabbed some things not really looking at what she got. After Finn and Torenni this morning, then Luna, then Finn again. Oh, and her bastard husband in between, she was basically a wreck.
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 t
o 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.
THREE / LET ME IN
It 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 onto 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 black and white, grainy 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 its 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.
