Running From Empty (Men of the Vault Book 3)

by Aria Grace

  His eyes don’t stray from my face as he silky voice soothes the insecurity I’m feeling. “I’ll take a whiskey and Coke.”

  “Coming right up.” I take a deep breath and grab a Coke from the fridge. “Everyone’s in the living room, so you can go on in. And would you hand this to Liam?”

  Asher’s blue eyes bore into mine as he takes the Coke from my hand. “Sure thing.” He steps away, but his fingers graze the back of my hand, causing a shiver to race up my spine. I grab a bottle of whiskey Johnny brought over and mix it with Coke before swirling it around in the glass.

  I’m sure I’m just imagining things. Asher is around gorgeous guys all day long. Hell, he might have worked in the back before he moved to the front desk, for all I know. And even though I think I could get past that, there’s no way in hell he’d be interested in me.

  But that doesn’t mean I can’t look.

  Walking back into the den, I step up to Asher. “One whiskey and Coke.”

  “Thanks, doll.” Asher immediately takes a sip, licking his lips to collect a bead of moisture in the corner. God, I wish he was licking me like that.

  Tanner’s voice pulls me back to reality. “Are you making a bartender out of my son, Ash?”

  “He’s good at it, boss.” Asher gives me a wink, which only causes my face to burn red again. I seriously need to find a boyfriend so I can stop fantasizing about Tanner’s friends.

  Dad and Tanner are still sharing the loveseat on the opposite end of the room. They look like the perfect couple. I hope things stay that way for them. I’ve already lost one parent, I don’t know if I could bear it if the remaining two were on bad terms with each other.

  But tonight isn’t a night for what-ifs.

  I glance around my Coke bottle and peek at Asher. He’s laughing at something Johnny is saying but he seems to feel my gaze and looks over at me too. Okay, maybe there’s room for a few what-ifs…

  21

  Tanner (Three months later)

  Turning off the faucet brings the whole bathroom into silence. Too much silence. I used to love the absence of sound in my home, but now I hate it. I never want to be alone again. I almost regret not waking Landon up to take a shower with me, but he looks so angelic sleeping in my bed this morning that I let him stay snuggled underneath the covers for a little longer.

  His eyes flutter when I open the bathroom door and they instinctively seek me out. Once he finds me, he raises up in the bed, swinging his legs over the side and standing up. “I wish you didn’t have to go.” Landon pads over to me, covering my mouth with his and kissing me hard.

  “Sorry, babe. Duty calls. Besides, I’ve got a son to put through college now. The money isn’t going to make itself.” I wink and pat his sexy ass.

  Landon quirks an eyebrow and stares at me intently. “You know I can take care of Ian. Don’t feel like you have to start forking over money now.” In my heart, I know Landon isn’t upset with me and that he has my best interests in mind. But somewhere in the back of his mind, he’s still insecure about the disparity in our wealth. His stupid pride about taking my money is making him…stupid.

  I raise my hand to caress the side of Landon’s face, and he mirrors my motion, swiping at a dripping bead of moisture sliding down my temple. My fingers slide beneath his chin as I tilt his head, forcing his eyes to lock with mine. “I know I don’t have to. And I know that you’ve done a great job raising Ian without me. But you don’t have to do it anymore. I’m here now and I want to help him…with you. I won’t fight against you, but I hope you’ll continue to let me help take care of him…”

  My eyes drift shut as I lean in and kiss Landon’s soft lips. “I want to take care of you too.” Brushing my lips against his again, I melt into his arms as they wrap around me. Landon meets my passion with his own as I pull him tightly against me. His hands slide under the towel, eliminating the only thing that separates my naked body from his.

  I chuckle against his lips and back up. “Oh, no. I’m already late.”

  “Don’t go in,” he replies, flashing a sexy grin he knows I have zero resistance against.

  I practically growl with both sexual frustration and annoyance at the list of responsibilities awaiting me. It takes a few long minutes before I shake my head and pull farther away from my man. “Our son mentioned grad school a few days ago. Remember that?”

  Smiling, Landon acquiesces, holding his hands up in the air so I can escape his hold, even though it’s the last thing I want to do. “Yes. Our son.”

  A huge grin spreads across my face. “It has a nice ring to it.”

  “That it does.”

  I finish getting dressed for work, moving from my dresser to the closet fluidly. Each stop makes the frown deepen on his face while he watches me get dressed.

  When I turn around, I catch him staring at me with sad eyes. “What are you doing?”

  “Committing your image to memory. Not that I could ever forget you.”

  I smile and give him a kiss. “You’re a dork…”

  “But I’m your dork.” He follows me to the bedroom door.

  “I’ve got to get going, but I want to take you and Ian out tonight. Be ready around six tonight, okay?”

  He looks at me questioningly. “Why? Are we celebrating something?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe.” I wink as I step back over to him for another kiss before leaving the room. “Now go back to sleep.” I close the door behind me and head toward the kitchen.

  Ian is sitting on the couch with the TV on. “Hey, bud. What are you doing up?”

  “Just woke up. You headed in to work?” Ian’s still a little uneasy about the type of work I do, but he doesn’t say anything. He trusts that I’m taking care of my employees and paying them more money than they could make in just about any other job.

  “Yeah.” I grab my keys from the table. “We have inspectors coming in today to sign off on the renovations, so I need to be there early.”

  “Cool. Are you staying at the ranch tonight?”

  “Actually, no. I’m taking you and your dad out to dinner. I thought it would be nice to hit the Strip.”

  Oddly enough, even though they aren’t blood related, Ian gives me the same questioning look Landon did. “What are you up to?”

  I give my son a wink, not even trying to hide the mischievous look in my eye. “You’ll see. Catch you later.”

  Ian rolls his eyes, but he can’t hide the glint of excitement that’s forming behind them. “Later.”

  The twenty-minute drive out to the ranch gives me time to rehearse what I want to tell the guys tonight. My feelings for these two men have grown in entirely different ways, but they both wind up with the same end result. They mean the world to me now. And knowing Landon feels the same way about me as I do about him, makes it easy for me to put all my cards on the table. They say when you’re in Vegas, you risk it all. And that may be exactly what I do tonight. But at this point, I’m ready to go all in.

  I spend the entire drive out to The Vault planning my every sentence. Which is good, because I barely get in the door before Asher comes running from around his counter and stands in front of me. Any planning I might have attempted at work is obviously not going to happen.

  He begins talking a mile-a-minute. “I’ve laid some papers on your desk to review. And this week’s payroll file is in your inbox and ready for approval. Also, I have several messages here for you…” He runs back to the desk, grabbing a small stack of “while you were out” notes.

  “Asher.” I hold out my hands in surrender. “Slow down…”

  “Sorry, boss.” His cheeks flush, which looks even cuter on a thickly built kid like him.

  “It’s fine. Gimme here.” I take the stack from his hands. “I’ll take these and get right on the others.”

  “Great. I’ll be at the desk if you need me.”

  “Thanks, Asher.” I escape into my office, shutting the door behind me to get some privacy while I take care of all the
tasks my employee has managed to assign me. A few new thoughts fill my head, adding to the ever-growing speech I’m preparing for tonight.

  While waiting for my computer to boot up, I remember I need to make a quick call.

  Pierre picks up on the first ring. “What’s up, T?”

  “Hey, Pierre. How are things?”

  “Good. Things are good. What’s up with you?”

  “Listen, I need a table tonight. Think you can help me out and pull some strings?”

  “Of course, I’ll take care of you. What time?” Pierre is head chef at one of the best French restaurants I’ve ever been to.

  “Make it seven if you can. For three of us.”

  “Will do, T.”

  “Thanks, man. I owe you one.”

  Pierre chuckles into the receiver. “I’m just eager to see who you bring along.”

  “Whatever, but thanks again.” We hang up just as my email app loads forty-three unread messages.

  Despite being busy with work all day, thinking about tonight makes the day drag. I’m ninety percent certain things will be fine, but that still leaves ten percent of uncertainty.

  All I can do is pray that things go the way they always play out in my fantasy when I think about what I truly want out of life.

  22

  Landon

  Ian and I are both ready when a call from the lobby rings the house phone. Ian practically races to answer it, picking up the receiver and saying hello. His eyes find mine as I wait anxiously to hear what he’s being told.

  “Okay. Thanks. We’ll be right down.” He hangs up the phone and grabs his coat. “There’s a car here for us.”

  “A car?” I shake my head. Rod loves to waste his money on silly indulgences…like sending a car for us when there are two perfectly good ones in the garage.

  “That’s what the concierge said. Come on, Dad. Let’s go.”

  I step up to the hallway mirror, giving my hair one last glance. Butterflies are building up in my stomach at the thought of seeing Rod. Even though I just saw him when he left for work this morning, I still can’t wait to hold him and give him a kiss.

  “You look very handsome.” Ian steps up behind me and pats me on the shoulder.

  “Thanks, kiddo.”

  “Now, come on. We don’t want to be late.”

  I follow Ian down to the lobby and just as he said, a stretch limo is waiting with a driver holding open the door for us.

  The limo takes us to the Bellagio and I know exactly where Rod is taking us. I told him how much I love the majestic columns and beautiful décor that make this place such a gorgeous hotel. The Fountains are spraying high into the air as the echo of the pulsing bass behind us vibrates in our veins.

  When we finally arrive at the lobby, Rod is waiting for us with a nervous smile. He’s wearing a suit, looking dashing as ever. The tight pull of his clothing against his strong, muscular body makes my cock twitch, but I try to keep myself calm as his bright smile outshines every light on the Strip.

  “You guys made it.”

  “Hey, Tanner.” Ian walks over to his father, giving him a hug. “You look great.”

  “Thanks, bud. You look pretty good yourself.”

  As soon as I’m within reach, Rod pulls me into a warm embrace too. “You look stunning,” he whispers into my ear, sending a shiver down to my cock.

  “You too.” I lean into his embrace and place a warm kiss just below his earlobe.

  “Come.” Rod offers each of us a folded elbow to hold as we walk. Allowing him to walk us past the bustling crowds, the dinging slot machines, and the blinking lights blinking surrounding us makes the evening seem surreal.

  The maître d at Picasso meets Rod at the door, greeting us all. I’m beginning to think he knows everyone in town. But in this case, I’m glad he does. The restaurant is one of the most beautiful I’ve ever stepped into. The dining area is a soft white with pops of blue on a few of the tables. The same blue and white shades are scattered through the pattern on the plush carpet below us.

  As soon as we’re seated, we’re each handed a menu. I ignore it for a moment as I take in the ambiance of the restaurant and the smiling couples sitting around us. Even the glasses on the table, which is set to perfection, contain blue swirls that match the rest of the room.

  “I hope your grin means you approve?” Rod studies me closely, as if I’m a fragile egg ready to break.

  “It’s gorgeous.”

  “I can’t wait to try the food.” Ian seems less impressed with the restaurant itself and more excited about what he can put into his stomach. The waiter comes, and Rod orders a bottle of wine. When he recommends the Quail Eggs and Smoked Salmon to start, my mouth starts to water.

  After the waiter returns with the wine and takes our orders, Rod suddenly looks nervous. He takes a sip of his water, glancing around the room anxiously like he isn’t feeling well.

  “Are you okay?” I ask, watching his brow begin to perspire.

  “Yeah… I uh.”

  Ian picks up on the tension and looks worried. “What is it, Tanner? Please don’t tell me you have bad news.”

  Rod shakes his head. “No. Nothing like that. It’s just…” His eyes focus on mine, and I can see the trepidation building. “The past few weeks have been amazing.” Rod reaches out and takes my hand in his. “But it’s not enough for me.”

  Fear reaches into the depths of my soul. I’m almost too scared to hear what he’s going to say next. “Rod…”

  “No, let me finish.” He swallows hard. “Please. I need to say this.” He turns his attention to Ian. “I know I said I’d always be there for you. And I want you to know that I mean it.”

  A look of dread flashes across Ian’s face. It’s a look I haven’t seen on his him since Melissa died and it breaks my heart.

  “But,” Rod continues. “I can’t continue like this.” He turns his gaze back to me. “Landon. My life is incomplete without you. I want you to stay here…with us. Forever.”

  The confusion on my face must be evident, because Rod squeezes my hand ever so gently. “What do you say?” He gets out of his chair and kneels next to me. My heart skips a beat as he pulls out a felt box. As he opens it, the shine of a platinum band gleams against the plush lining. I’m not sure if the crowd around us goes silent or if the blood rushing to my head causes my ears to block everything out, but nothing seems to exist in the world except Rod and that ring.

  “Landon Johnson, would you do me the honor of becoming my husband?”

  I glance quickly to Ian, and his previous look of worry has turned into the biggest smile I’ve ever seen on the kid’s face. He’s nodding his head so hard I’m afraid he’s gonna give himself a concussion.

  Thoughts of my life with Rod flood my brain. He’s all I’ve ever wanted. All I’ve been missing in my life. And knowing he’s been waiting for me for just as long means the world to me.

  And there’s only one possible answer. Only one word that could sum up how much I love this man. “Yes.”

  Cheers erupt throughout the restaurant and I finally realize this intimate moment includes more than just Rod and Ian. And I don’t feel shy at all when Rod pulls me against his chest and kisses me hard and wet, in front of this room full of strangers. The waiter appears beside us with a bottle of champagne. He pops the cork and fills two beautiful flutes before handing them to us.

  “Congratulations, gentlemen.”

  The rest of the night is a blur as I try to eat without staring at the band on my finger. Ian’s smile is the brightest I’ve seen in such a long time and the thought of spending the rest of my life with Rod and our son has me giddy with joy.

  By the end of the meal, Ian has been on his phone for several minutes, texting our news to everyone he knows. “Ian. Put your phone away… We’re at dinner.”

  Rod just grins, obviously too happy to be annoyed to how rude our son is being. “Trust me, Dad. You and Tanner will be glad for this one. My friends invited me over tonigh
t to hang out tonight. Which means… I’m leaving the two of you for the night.”

  He looks between the two of us then realizes that we’re still the parents here. “If that’s okay…” he finally adds.

  “You know what, bud? I think that sounds like a good idea.” I turn to Rod. “What do you think?”

  He glances at Ian. “How much battery life do you have?”

  “Geeze, you two are made for each other. I’m at sixty percent, but I’m sure someone will have a charger, if I need it.” Ian lets out a playful huff.

  “Fine. But you come home the minute you’re ready too.” He makes sure Ian knows he’s serious. “Don’t feel like you need to stay out just for us.”

  “I will. Thanks, Tanner. Dad.”

  “We’ll drop you off,” I say, folding my napkin and placing it on the table.

  “I’ll Uber.” He stands up and gives each of us a quick hug. “Congrats!” he adds before rushing away.

  “You’d think he doesn’t like us all of a sudden,” I say.

  “I think he doesn’t want to be around for what’s going to happen tonight.” A flash of heat bursts across Rod’s eyes and I’m suddenly very anxious to get home with my fiancé.

  “Can we get the check?” Rod immediately raises his hand to catch the waiter’s attention as he’s passing by.

  The second the limo door closes behind him, Rod begins to kiss my lips forcefully. “We can’t send him away every time we have sex, you know.”

  Rod pulls back. “I have an idea for that too. But I want to make sure you approve before we go through with it.”

  “Yeah?” I ask curiously. “What’s that?”

  “Move in with me.”

  “I thought that was implied with this?” I say, pointing to the shimmering band around my finger.

  “No. Not in the apartment. I want us to buy a home. Our home.” Rod’s eyes are filled with hope, and I can see him building our future together inside the steely-grey reflection.

  “But what about Ian?”

  “He’ll always be welcome, you know that. But I think our college kid will probably appreciate having the bachelor pad to himself without his dads hanging around.”