Twice as Sexy (The Sexy 2)

Having accepted her fate, Scarlett smiled. “You now have control over our plans tonight and my clothing. Are you happy?”

Letting out a clap and squeal, Leigh nodded. “Did I mention I have a bag full of makeup too?”

Scarlett chuckled, giving in to the inevitable. Leigh was right. She only turned thirty once, and Scarlett hadn’t gone out for fun in way too long. She missed acting her age and putting her focus on herself and not the job. One night at a club wouldn’t kill her. In fact, she might just enjoy it.

“I’m going to close up my computer for the night. I’ll meet you in the ladies’ room in five minutes.” Leigh tapped on her Apple watch. “Don’t make me have to come drag you away from paperwork, birthday girl.”

“I’ll be there,” she said to Leigh’s retreating back.

Knowing she was now going out tonight, she picked up her cell and called her mother, wanting to check in with her caregiver. For as long as Scarlett could remember, Maxine Davis had suffered from depression. Her father had worked hard at his job as a salesman. Before being relegated to a desk job, he used to travel often and hadn’t had a lot of understanding of his wife’s moods and inability to function.

He’d taken her to a few doctors, medication had been prescribed, but the drugs didn’t work and her mother often forgot to take them. And with her dad busy, her treatment wasn’t the best. By the time Scarlett was old enough to comprehend her mother’s issues, the depression was deep-seated and no medications took hold or worked. The doctors talked about giving her shock therapy but her mother refused, and as she wasn’t a danger to herself or others, no one could force her to agree. Mack, Scarlett’s father, took the night shift caring for his wife, and during the day, he paid a neighbor who had been a nurse to watch over her mom.

The phone rang twice and Colleen, the nurse, answered. “Hello?”

“Hi, it’s Scarlett. I’m just calling to check on my mom. Is she okay?”

“Hi, honey. Your mom is fine.”

Code for status quo. Staring out the window, probably. Scarlett sighed. “Ask her if she wants to talk to me?”

Why she put herself through this, she didn’t know. The answer was always the same. Scarlett heard Colleen ask and silence followed.

“I think she’s tired,” Colleen said gently.

“Thanks.” Scarlett swallowed over the lump in her throat. “Tell Dad if he needs me to call.”

“I will. You take care,” Colleen said.

“You too.” Scarlett disconnected and glanced again at the picture of her brother. She couldn’t bring him back any more than she could her mother. Both were lost to her and had been for some time. At least with Hank, she felt like she was accomplishing something in his honor. Putting criminals away, unlike the bastards who’d killed him and gotten away with it.

* * *

Tanner Grayson stepped out of the MMA cage, sweating and breathing hard after working out with his sparring opponent. His blood pumped inside him, and his heart beat out a rapid rhythm as he pulled out his mouth guard and tried to catch his breath. Removing his helmet, he shook his head and sweat sprayed around him.

Beside him, his partners and best friends, Jason Dare and Landon Bennett, men he considered brothers, scowled as they did before and after every match or practice Tanner participated in. But they understood, as Tanner did, that working out his aggression was therapy for his anger issues. Hell, it was therapist approved.

Kicking, punching, grappling, anything that ultimately involved full-body contact in a channeled way was a relief to his senses. Better than nearly killing a human being in anger, and his partners understood that. They still liked to show up and have his back. Just as he’d always have theirs. He owed them his life. Jason had called in a favor when Tanner had hit rock bottom. His friends had saved him and he’d never forget it. He’d never fuck up what they’d created together.

“Good job,” Jason said, handing Tanner his water bottle.

Tanner squeezed it over his face and head before drinking what was left.

Landon passed him a towel and slapped him on the back. “Feel okay?”

Tanner nodded. “Thanks for being here. Let me take a quick shower and we can go grab something to eat before we head over to the club for the night.” Tanner jogged into the locker room area, leaving his friends behind.

A short while later, he rejoined them and immediately noticed the change in atmosphere, the tight set to Jason’s shoulders, and Landon’s steely-eyed stare. Something had clearly occurred while he was cleaning up.

Tanner’s entire body tensed as he went on alert. “What happened?”

“Another incident at the club,” Landon bit out.

“Fuck,” Tanner muttered. They’d had a string of not-so-random problems that had been escalating.