A nightclub owner with a shady past, he was the antithesis of the goals she’d set out for her life. Yet he was everything she wanted. And Scarlett didn’t deal well with contradictions, something she sensed Tanner understood because after that kiss, he’d taken a step back. And was studying her like he expected her to change her mind at any moment.
“I need you to do me a favor,” Tanner said.
That was a surprising request. “Okay. What is it?”
“Can you find out how someone got out of prison earlier than they should have?”
She nodded. “Who?”
“Victor Clark.”
She blinked in shock. “You mean the same Victor who killed Levi?”
He groaned. “Yeah. I saw him outside last night after the bomb threat evacuation.”
She cocked her head to the side. “How’d you react?”
A reluctant frown pulled at his sexy lips. “Instinct took over. I started to go after him.” He paused. “But Landon put a hand on my shoulder. His touch brought me back to the present. The truth is the guys dragged me out of the alley and away from temptation.”
She knew how difficult it must be for him to admit the truth to her when he was trying to convince her he’d changed.
“At least you’re honest.” He could have said it had been no problem seeing Victor again.
“I don’t see the point in lying to you. You’d figure out who I really am soon enough.” Despite the seriousness of their conversation, he winked and her girlie parts stood up and took notice.
How was she supposed to think with her brain when her body just wanted to jump him where he stood?
“So you’ll find out about Victor?” He brought them back to the point at hand.
She nodded. “I’ll give you a call as soon as I find out something.”
“Thank you.” He started for the door.
His sudden departure took her off guard. “Why are you leaving?”
“I’m going to give you time to work through things in that pretty head of yours. You know where to find me.” He walked out, shutting the door behind him.
Alone, she returned to the living room and settled on the couch, wondering why life threw the one man in her path who challenged her on every level. The one man she couldn’t resist.
Chapter Seven
“Good morning!” Leigh popped her head into Scarlett’s office. “I hear someone’s going to be doing actual witness questioning in court next month!” She slid into the chair she always chose and crossed her legs in front of her. “Go you.”
Scarlett grinned. “Kyle told me this morning during our team meeting.”
“I told you you’re proving yourself. That’s a huge case for him to loosen the reins on.”
“I’m happy.” Scarlett folded her hands on her desk and glanced at her friend. “So? How’s things?”
“Same old. How’s your mom?”
Scarlett scrunched up her nose. “Not great. My dad’s now able to sign off on her getting ECT since she’s a threat to herself … but he’s scared to do it. He’s afraid she’ll blame him and be angry. Not that she’s had any real emotion in so long. But I understand how tough a decision it is for him. I don’t blame him for struggling.”
She’d visited her mother once a week since she’d been put in the home, but nothing had changed. No acknowledgment of her presence, nothing. The sad truth was that Scarlett had long since given up hope of having her mom in her life as a real presence. She’d done enough reading that she wasn’t even convinced that ECT would bring her back after all this time.
“Okay so on to happier things, how’s your hot guy?” Leigh changed the subject.
“How’s your hot guy?” Scarlett threw back at her friend.
Leigh held up her hands and laughed. “Fine. I’ll go first. Cliff is awesome. He texts during the day, he isn’t pulling away or acting like a commitment-phobe … so far really good!” She leaned in closer. “I answered you, so now you can’t avoid my question. How’s your club owner?”
“He’s … complicated, Leigh. He’s got what amounts to an expunged record for assault and yet he’s a good guy. I can sense that in him.” And she’d been around enough criminals to know the difference.
“Honey, relationships are complicated. And it’s a known fact that opposites attract. So you like a bad boy. This isn’t a terrible thing.”
“Maybe, maybe not.” She’d tossed and turned last night, unable to reconcile his past and the promise she’d made crying over her brother’s grave. “I need to think about how I really feel.”
“Don’t think too long. A guy who looks like him won’t be on the market for long,” Leigh said as she twirled a strand of her brown hair around her finger. “Know what I mean?”
Scarlett ignored that comment. “Listen, I need to make a call,” she said as she picked up the phone on her desk.