“Fine,” I agreed, sitting on the bed.I gave him my address and apartment number, which he entered into the device before tapping out a message.The screen’s glow illuminated his face but did nothing to reveal the thoughts behind it.
“It’s done.Someone will be over there within ten minutes.They’re discreet,” he assured me before I could ask.“And if you want to Uber so we’re not seen together, at least let me order it for you.This way, no one can trace it back to you.”I had to give him credit.He was a quick thinker.
Still, he only ordered the car once he had confirmation the security guard had arrived at my building.“Wait outside your apartment door,” he explained.“You’ll give him your key, he’ll check the place out to make sure everything is safe.After that, he’ll sit outside in his car until his replacement shows up.”
I had no idea what to say.I didn’t even know what to think.He seemed to have everything under control, not to mention having all these resources at his fingertips, willing to jump at a moment’s notice.“Why are you doing this?Why go to all this trouble?”
“Come on, Oxford,” he reminded me with a grin that did nothing to soften his gaze.“Remember?You’re my wife.”
Before I rolled my eyes, his grin hardened into something decidedly more threatening.“And nobody fucks with what’smine.”
His words replayed in my memory long after I was safely in the back seat of my Uber, having promised to send him a thumbs-up once I was home and locked in for the night.They replayed past the point where I met the security guard in the hallway and waited while he checked out the apartment.After, he’d given me the all-clear so I could go inside.
It wasn’t until I sent a thumbs-up message to Vaughn—nothing more, nothing with any details—that I had to ask myself why he considered me his when an annulment was always part of the deal.
9
VAUGHN
“Ihonestly don’t know what the fuck I’m supposed to do.”Sebastian pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger, tipping his head back once he had drained the whisky from his glass.“If I didn’t know better, I would think this is the universe’s way of telling me to change careers.”
It wasn’t the first time he had bemoaned a stressful situation with his restaurant.Everyone knew the restaurant industry was high-stress, fickle, demanding.Only the best made it look easy, and Sebastian was one of the best, having been brought up in a family where hospitality was everything.None of his predecessors had risen to the heights he’d reached, though, having earned the James Beard Award at the tender age of twenty-five before consistently landing in the Top Ten of Las Vegas restaurants.
This was the first time I couldn’t easily brush off his concerns in hopes of brightening the mood.“It happens in all restaurants,” I offered, shooting an almost panicked look around the table.Aiden and Grayson nodded firmly in agreement.“I’m sure there isn’t a single restaurant in Las Vegas where someone hasn’t complained that the food made them sick.”
What did I get for my efforts?An epic eye roll that made me wish I had never opened my mouth.“No, it doesn’t happen in every restaurant,” he informed me in a withering tone.“I know you’re trying to make me feel better, but maybe stick to things you know something about.”
“Whoa!”Grayson held his hands up like he was calling timeout.“Not cool.”
“He was only trying to help,” Aiden agreed.Once in a while, he stopped joking long enough to have my back.
“Yeah, I know.”Sebastian shot me a guilty look.“This could break me.I know you’re only trying to be a friend.”
“One alleged case of food poisoning is not going to break you,” Grayson insisted.“I know it feels that way, but people move on from things like this.It’s not like they could prove it happened in your restaurant.”
“You’re right, but nobody needs proof,” Sebastian reminded us, grunting in disgust.“All it takes is reading one single shitty review online, and the public forms their own opinion.The worst thing the internet ever did was give people the idea the whole world gives a shit about their opinion.”
I couldn’t argue with that.“It’ll pass,” I insisted.“You have a great reputation around town.People will fly to the new restaurant once it opens.”
“Yeah.You’re probably right.”It didn’t sound like he believed me, but it was clear he wanted to drop the subject.How did he do that?Simple.By turning to me.“So, how’s the wife?I notice you chose this particular lounge to meet tonight.”
How was my wife?The woman whose pussy was tighter than a chokehold and hotter than any I’d ever had the pleasure of sinking into?My back still bore the scratch marks left behind by her nails, and I’d spent the past two days fighting for my life to keep the memories at bay.They never failed to make me stir, not something a man needed while trying to get through his day.I was no better than a teenage boy lately, popping boners left and right.
My wife was, according to the security guard on duty, currently having dinner with a girlfriend.Nothing alarming or to be concerned about.The team had orders to keep an eye on anyone who seemed like they might be a little too interested in her, but so far, everything had gone smoothly.
I forced a laugh while willing myself to return to the present.“You didn’t seem to mind this place when we practically drank it dry at the wedding,” I reminded him while our friends laughed.Yes, I’d chosen Clay Manning’s hotel lounge thanks to its proximity to where I suspected Nova had seen whatever it was she’d seen because I couldn’t get her out of my head.How was I supposed to help her?Was there any way, as long as she insisted on being so damn stubborn?
“How long will it take for the annulment to process?”Grayson asked with a smirk.
“Not long.”He would ask about that, wouldn’t he?Was it too much to ask them to forget?To put it in the past?I would never live it down.This was the kind of fuckup they would feast on for years, bringing it up at random times.
Remember when Vaughn married a stranger?Remember when he did exactly the kind of drunken bullshit we’ve always rolled our eyes at?
Sure, Las Vegas tourists were our bread and butter, but it didn’t mean they weren’t worth a good laugh every once in a while.
“No, it shouldn’t,” Aiden predicted.“I’m surprised they don’t do drive-thru annulments in this town.They should make it as easy to end a marriage as it is to start one.”
Every once in a while, he made a good point.“Anyway, it’s in the past,” I announced before draining my glass.They didn’t need to know about the time we’d spent together since then.It was probably safer that way.
