The Chase

Chapter Four

Heavenly’s heartpounded as she waited for Beck’s wife to answer the door.

When she and Raine had concocted the plan to spread her dad’s ashes back home, Heavenly realized that all roads from LA to Wisconsin led directly through Las Vegas. It had seemed like the perfect opportunity to meet the woman who had once held Beck’s heart and hear the truth about their divorce.

Now she wasn’t so sure this had been a good idea. After all, she and this woman would never be friends…but the chances they’d be enemies were high.

As the lock snicked, she held her breath. The door opened to reveal a dynamo of a redhead, short hair spiked with attitude. She wore a white pencil-skirt suit. Black satin trimmed the figure-hugging jacket at the collar and cuffs, as well as outlined her ample breasts and torso like a corset. Her hourglass curves were completely covered, but the effect was decidedly suggestive. The woman’s flawless makeup was colorful, accentuating her bright eyes and almost concealing the fact she was older than Beck.

Heavenly had expected a young Instagram-ready supermodel, not this polished, professional-looking cougar.

“H-hi. Mrs. Beckman?”

“Call me Gloria.” The redhead smiled.

Heavenly feared the woman’s congeniality wouldn’t last once she learned why she’d come.

“Um, you don’t know me, but...” I accidentally slept with your husband.

“Sure I do. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Heavenly. Come on in.”

She froze. “How did you…”

“Know? Ken hasn’t shut up about you since Christmas. You’re even more beautiful than your picture.”

Beck told his wife about me? “Thank you. I-I don’t understand.”

Gloria took her hand in a firm grip and drew her inside the lofty air-conditioned foyer, complete with wall mosaic and a rustic chandelier. A modest diamond sparkled on her finger—Beck’s ring, no doubt. The thought made Heavenly sick.

“I can tell, honey.” She shut and locked the front door. “But it’s obvious you’ve been crying. Why don’t you sit down and tell me what Ken did. He must have fucked up.”

“Yes, but I did, too.”

With a raised brow, Gloria ushered her into a subtly elegant living room. Up close, she appeared even older than first glance, maybe a full decade Beck’s senior. Heavenly hadn’t seen that coming.

Gloria plopped onto the pillowy, pristine sofa, then tugged Heavenly down beside her. “I’m not surprised he did, but I doubt your screwup, whatever it was, changed how he feels. That man is hooked. And now that I’ve met you, I see why.”

Shockingly, Beck’s wife didn’t sound hostile and wasn’t casting her in the role of homewrecking whore.

Then again, maybe she shouldn’t be so shocked since everything about Gloria had been a surprise so far.

“I’m sorry to bring you bad news. There’s no easy way to say this.” Heavenly swallowed down more nausea. “I-I had sex with your husband.”

“You did?” She raised a brow. And she…smiled?

“I’m so sorry. I swear it won’t happen again—”

“It better.” A brash grin split her face. “In fact, you should let Ken fuck your brains out every night and twice on Sundays.”

Heavenly couldn’t possibly have heard that right…except she had. “You’re not angry? You don’t hate me?”

“Oh, honey, no. I’m thrilled! Ken deserves all the love in the world. I’m hoping he’ll finally have that with you.”

There wasn’t an ounce of snark in Gloria’s tone.

Holy cow. Mind blown.

“But you don’t look happy.” The redhead leaned in with a frown. “If he didn’t do you right, tell me. I’ll slap him upside the head.”