Vendetta Road (Torpedo Ink 3)

He was a gorgeous man. She’d been with him a few times to get groceries, and women stared at him. Sometimes openmouthed. He was that good-looking. He could have any woman he wanted. He might say he wouldn’t cheat on her, but why stay with one woman when he could have an entire buffet? She heard the talk of parties, of women all over him and Storm. So many wanting him. She didn’t blame them.

A soft groan escaped. She pressed her fingertips to her lips and turned away from the window, tears blurring her vision. She’d invested so much in him so fast, and she was going to get her heart torn out. Glancing at him, she hurried out of the room to the wide expanse of carpet overlooking the first floor.

At night, with the lights out, the house was different. It seemed much more ominous. Shadows played through the glass and danced through the great room. She went halfway down the stairs and sat, dropping her head into her hands. She hadn’t taken care of business. She needed to find a lawyer she could trust, and figure out her life, because, really, did she think a man like Ice would want her forever? She was a throwaway unless she was wanted for her money, and Ice certainly didn’t need that.

She didn’t realize she was crying until a sob welled up and she had to choke it down. She wiped at her wet cheeks over and over. She’d been called that by her aunt. A throwaway. She’d been told no one wanted her and if she wasn’t coughing up money, what was the point of caring for her? The worst was, Winston had said nearly the same thing to her when he’d been angry with her after a fund-raising event. He’d told her she was useless and that if she didn’t have the money, what man would be interested in her?

Soleil had been so hurt. She’d refused to talk to him and had cried herself to sleep. He’d been very apologetic and told her he loved her, but that she really needed to make more of an effort to do as he asked. It was such a simple thing to avoid those people he knew wouldn’t help further his career. Was that so much to ask? At the time, she’d been desperate not to be alone. She’d been alone far too much, and she wanted a relationship. She’d done everything she could think of to please him, and it hadn’t been enough.

Was that what she was doing with Ice? Doing everything she could to please him? Unfortunately, that was who she was. That was what she did. She loved pleasing the people she loved. She wanted them happy. That was what made her happy. She rocked herself gently, terrified of losing him. It wouldn’t be like losing Winston. She’d wanted out of that relationship. Losing Ice would just about kill her. She wanted to be with him.

He’d shown her his workroom he’d set up to make jewelry. It was kept locked and gems were kept in a safe. He’d laughed and told her before they’d come to Caspar, he’d made jewelry on the road and those same very expensive gems were just in one of the compartments on his bike. He’d been so free. Now, he was tied down to her. What did she really have to offer him? She was certain the explosive chemistry between them would wear off. Then what?

“Soleil?”

Her breath caught in her throat. He was at the top of the stairs. Ice. Her heart began to pound the way it often did when he was near. She turned her head slightly to acknowledge his presence, but she couldn’t stop the tears running down her face. She could only suppress the sobs, so no sound emerged.

He came straight to her, his body entirely naked. He seemed so at ease without clothes, as if he was more used to going nude than dressed. “Princess, what is it?” He sat down beside her, his arm sliding around her shoulders to pull her close to him.

She shook her head. How could she explain that she knew sooner or later he was going to want another woman? That he would see she was a fraud and didn’t know how to sustain a relationship? That he would grow tired of her and leave her? That he would see her attempts at pleasing him as desperation?

“All right, baby, cry it out and then we’ll talk,” he said. “But the stairway isn’t the best place to hold you.” He took her hand and tugged, forcing her to rise, and they went down together to the very comfortable seats in front of the fireplace. He sat on the couch and pulled her down to him, fitting her head on his lap as she stretched out. “That’s better, Soleil.” He stroked her hair, comforting her.