Their Ex's Redrock Three (2 page)

Victor grabbed her finger, and she exclaimed under her breath trying to pull it away. “
Cara
, you need a strong man to take your back,” he said lowly with his gaze intense. “For a woman like you, I might stand against my boss.”

“Oh!” Tess exclaimed incensed, and finally getting her finger free. She did not give Victor a response to his crazy talk — she just turned, grabbed her purse and stalked away.

Then she drove straight to her lawyer’s office, but on the way she texted Vincent. “So sorry I let out I knew about our spouses’ affair.”

TWO / I NOTICE SWEET JUST AS WELL AS THE NEXT MAN

Vincent read Tess’ text and he wondered what the hell was going on. He needed one more night to make the board vote happen because he’d just secured the last single vote. He swore looking at the text. He needed details, but just then his cell rang from an unlikely number.

“Yeah,” he answered. “Strange, you being in my ear.”

Finn O’Neil’s voice was low and measured on the other end. “I’m breaking all kinds of protocol making this call and a fucking year undercover, so listen up.”

Vincent stood from his seat in the jet, looked over his shoulder and marked the hostess in the rear so he walked up to the pilot’s door and the furthest point from prying ears. He was blown away to hear Finn could be an agent of some kind, but determined to keep his cool.

“Yeah, bud, listening with all ears.”

“Know it’s a strange question but I need you to answer. You just do a one nighter on Tess Navarro or you set your sights?”

Vincent replied without delay. “Sights.”

“Shit,” Finn uttered. “Figures, but as much as it pains me, it’s going to be a good thing.”

“You’re losing me, bud,” Vincent advised him, however he got the vibe that Finn might have a personal interest in Tess.  

“Coronado's tagged Tess. Got an interest, his man Torenni says.”

“Fucking A,” Vincent hissed. Then he released some of his own intelligence. “My work up on Navarro showed the mob connection. It’s not lost on me their interest in Navarro, his in Luna, and Coronado’s in Red Rock.”

“We need to get Tess out of the headlights,” Finn said.

“Why is it we?” Vincent demanded.

“I notice fucking sweet just as well as the next man, Vin,” Finn responded.

Shit,
Vincent thought, he did not like Finn O’Neil tagging his woman. And the woman he had a hard time claiming in public.

“Tell you something that goes no further, bud. Couple of things going down shortly should take me off Coronado’s to do list through Luna. We will become irrelevant.”

Finn whistled, then said. “Can’t say it’s not unexpected, since you’re claiming Tess.”

Vincent knew Finn guessed, as he wanted him too, that thing happening was him divorcing Luna and he should tell Finn that he couldn’t let that out. But he was stubborn, not wanting a man interested in Tess to know that shit.

As Vincent remained doggedly quiet, Finn continued, “We will talk after you make happen what you got. See if it gets her out of Coronado's sights. But heads up, amigo, deeper shit going on than Coronado wanting a cut of Red Rock. Be good if Tess dumps her fucking husband and gets clear.”

“I hear you,” Vincent replied.

“Good you get clear too,” Finn added.

“Thanks for taking the risk,” Vincent offered. “Later.”

“Definitely, later,” Finn said.

Vincent thumbed off the call and returned to his seat. He’d had plans before that call to make the vote happen when Luna was on stage at Red Rock. Making it impossible for her to get in on it. He wondered who Tess had told and if they’d spill it. Luna was so convinced she had him wrapped around her pussy that he’d not guess she was still fucking another man.

But someone coming up and telling her, she’d know he was playing her.

He called Tess this time with his gut tightening the second he heard her soft voice.  “I’m so sorry, Vincent. I wasn’t thinking, just mad.”

“Who, beautiful?” he asked as quietly.

She made a sound of not wanting to tell him. “It doesn’t matter, just that he might tell Luna or definitely Steven.”

Vincent held his temper, picturing how sweet she was when she wasn’t being stubborn. “Need to know who.”

He heard her sigh. A sound that had places on him thinking about rising. He quelled those urges. “Okay, Torenni, Victor Torenni. Do you know who that is?”

Vincent grimaced — he did not like Tess being around Torenni
at
all. “I know he’s mob and up your husband’s ass,” Vincent muttered, and maybe he should have held back at little.

“Mob?” Tess expelled. “So it’s the real mob?” she exclaimed.

“Yeah, beautiful, and I do not like you on his radar.”

“Torenni said his boss was interested in me,” she whispered. “He … God, Vincent, he came on to me, saying maybe I was worth standing up to his boss for.”

Christ, Tess so needed him claiming her... in public... so these assholes would back off.

“Beautiful, you need to go to my house tonight and lock yourself in. No one will find you there.”

“Vincent...” She sounded unsure. “I started the paperwork on the divorce today. Steven should be served by the end of the week.”

“Good,” he clipped, then he backed up the conversation. “My house. Tonight. Keys on back porch, under the clay planter, left side.”

“I don’t even know we
are
together. I thought you and Luna were...”

He interrupted her. “Told you, not what it seems. Now’s not the time to talk, but we will.” Complete silence. “Tess, taking my offer is smart. Doesn’t have anything to do with us.”

“Only if you don’t come there.” Her voice broke.

He cussed a silent stream, then he uttered. “Yeah.”

Tess got off the phone with Vincent and looked out into her flower shop. Everything was such a mess. The mob? Her husband was caught up in the mob? He was just a really bad talent agent that couldn’t keep his hands off pretty and wild women. How that translated into the mob, she thought was crazy. But she could see now Victor Torenni was mob through and through. Even that beat up thing they did to that guy innocently flirting with her was all mob-like.

“Hey, Tess, I have to set the camera directions.” Tess opened her eyes, surprised to see Cabe standing at the counter, a few feet from where she sat. He was very quiet, and she looked at him trying to figure out how he did that.

“I worked out all the trajectories last night to cover the most ground,” he said, then he asked, “Are you okay? You look upset.”

Tess stood, trying to give him a smile. Didn’t really work. “Just, you know, marriage falling apart stuff.”

He nodded, coming around the counter, she saw then, he carried a ladder. “I got a line on that falling apart stuff, if you need an ear.”

Tess wondered what he meant and she glanced at his hand.
Oh.
Cabe was married, she saw he wore a ring. Was his marriage rocky too? But she had too much going on to even know where to start.

“Thanks.” She did smile then, and he sort of stilled looking at her closely. He had nice eyes and a workman type build. Very nice. “I’ll take a rain check,” she finished softly.

He seemed to want to say more, but then his face showed he came to a decision. “I’ll be back in the corner.” He nodded and moved past her. She wondered what he’d been thinking. She knew he and Vincent were close. Did he know about them?

She bit her bottom lip. Was there a them? Vincent had gone straight to Luna and walked out with her at the condo. But every time Vincent said, “Things aren’t what they seem,” she thought of how violent Luna was toward them. And, she thought about how protective Vincent had been toward her from the moment they met.

Cabe worked quietly, and she tried to get her life in some semblance of order by calling Rusty and inviting (begging) her to come spend a girl’s night at Vincent’s. She just told Rusty it was a friend’s place, but she’d clue her in later that night about everything, because she really needed advice, and Rusty agreed to come.

Tess was paying better attention to the front door after Cabe surprised her and she saw her next customer as soon as she hit the door. Tess’ mouth dropped open as Luna Whitehorse strutted into her flower shop, and then right up to the front counter.

“Holy hell,” Tess muttered, glued to her seat, not certain what to do as Luna stopped at the counter and stood glaring at her. Then, Luna slowly lifted her hand to begin banging on the bell Tess had there for when she was alone and in the back. Luna could see her sitting right in front of her.

Luna had a nasty slant to her deep red, lipstick lips, and the bell was incessant as Tess finally rose. “Alright already, Ms Whitehorse,” Tess exclaimed, walking to the other side of the counter.

Luna was wearing gold colored, leather leggings with five inch heels that completely put her above Tess on the other side of the counter. Luna had on a metallic tee that was see-through, over a skimpy black bra, a hot motorcycle jacket with flaming zebra stripes up the arms, and huge gold medallions on both ears. Seriously, her heels cost more than Tess’ entire outfit.

“I need service,” Luna drawled, ringing the bell a few more times, looking down her perfect nose through eyes shaded in sparkly, gold eye shadow. “Name’s Whiterose, by the way, remember it. Be like Cher someday.”

Tess had a hard time not rolling her eyes. “Ms Whiterose, are you sure you are in the right place?”

“Flowers,” Luna snapped, as she stopped ringing the bell. “For my husband,” she added on a snotty and triumphant note.

Tess froze.
Oh, she did not come in here too...

“Two dozen white roses, delivered. You know the white rose means love don’t you. I have to thank my man, Vin, for making love to me
so
good this morning I still feel it. A feeling you couldn’t know, hon.”

Tess blanched with a quiver running through her as Luna’s face twisted with vindictiveness on each word.

“And, the card,” Luna drawled, then she snatched a card from the holder Tess had setting on the counter. “You write it, hon, I just had my nails done.” Luna slapped down the card under Tess’ nose.

Tess wanted to retreat as every nerve ending inside her wanted to blast back and take the bitch down a few pegs.

“Luna, cut the crap.”

Oh thank god, Cabe. Tess turned her gaze toward him, seeing him on the top of a ladder, in the back of the shop. She’d forgotten he was there.

“You shouldn’t get involved in happy marriages, Cabe honey.” Luna practically spat at Cabe, then she slapped the counter. “I haven’t got all day. Write on this card ‘no man makes me come in bed like you do, baby.’”

Tess made a strangled sound, and heard the rattle of the ladder behind her, then Cabe’s voice. “That’s enough, Luna. You get or I’ll carry you out.”

Suddenly, Luna grabbed a pair of scissors Tess also had on the counter for any variety of flower shop needs. But the way Luna picked it up, it was more like a dagger.

“You don’t touch me, Tonto,” she hissed, swinging the scissors up, then down.

Tess jumped back and Cabe was there to latch her waist and swing her to the side. The scissors tips embedded in the counter. “You deliver those flowers!” Luna yelled, as she backed up. “Just like I said!”

Cabe muttered in Tess’ ear. “Don’t move.” Then he started around the counter, but Luna kept going to the door, pushing it open. “You deliver them!” she screamed, then she was out the door and walking away fast.

Tess nearly crumbled with shakes attacking her as she propped a hand to the side of the counter to stay upright. Cabe stopped at the door, watching.

“How can she be so crazy?” Tess whispered.

“Her mama was that way too, and left Luna with too many part-time boyfriends,” Cabe said, turning to look back at her. “It’s nothing anyone can fix, she just rides that edge of crazy and she has a lethal, possessive streak.”

Cabe walked back to her, kind of fast, and said, “Here, sit, sweetheart.”

She wanted to cry. “I-I don’t know what to do with that,” Tess whispered, leaning on Cabe’s strong arm as he helped her to sit.

He crouched in front of her, grabbing her hands in his. “Tess, maybe learning to defend yourself would help,” he said, quietly.

She blinked at him with one tear falling down her cheek. “Against a crazy woman with a knife?” she asked, noticing the shake in her voice.

“Against anyone attacking you,” he responded, squeezing her hands. “WTSF has classes you can take.”

A shuddering breath left her. More than anything she didn’t want to be afraid of that bitch Luna Whitehorse. It couldn’t hurt to feel more capable of defending herself.

“I can’t, um ... really wouldn’t, if Vincent was a part of...”

“Nope,” Cabe said quickly. “Just you and me.”

Tess nodded, now squeezing Cabe’s hands back. “So glad you were here.”

Cabe’s hand reached up and cupped her jaw. “That was seriously jacked, sweetheart. We might talk about a restraining order and filing a complaint so getting that order will be easier.”

She nodded, moving his hand with her motion. “Okay.”

That night driving to Rowdie’s before she went to Vincent’s ranch house, she thought about how much Cabe had helped her. He was a very nice man. A very good looking one too, but quiet and calm, she could see him in charge of volatile young women in the throes of crisis’.

Cabe had basically called an officer to her shop to take a report. Also, Cabe had produced a video of the entire encounter. It seemed the security cameras were working. The officer had given her a card about restraining orders, and after he left Cabe had encouraged her to talk to her divorce lawyer about it.

Tess couldn’t imagine being alone in the shop with Luna. Just thinking that could have happened made her feel sick and spurred her to make her first appointment for a self-defense class, starting the next afternoon. Tess could leave Shannon in charge of the shop after Shannon got out of school.

She felt better for being proactive, so after a quick stop to get tequila and margarita fixings, she and Rusty were going to need some alcohol to get through the mess that was her life. She pulled into Rowdie’s intending to get a quick overnight bag, and pretty much dreading to see Finn.