“Not yet, he’s not.” Kaci giggled as I dried my hands, then sat next to her at the table. “Though he would have been, if you’d been a few minuteslater.”
Vic’s brow rose. “I assume that made sense toyou?”
“I don’t actually have access to my money yet. Hold still,” I admonished as I spread cream on Kaci’s fresh stitches with a clean cottonswab.
“But he will be if we have sex.” She giggled again. “And seriously, we weresoclose.”
Chris looked surprised. “You haven’t…?” Evidently Marc hadn’tquitefilled themin.
“Not the point,” Vic growled. “I’m actually not sure what the point is. Why would sleeping with your own wife make yourich?”
“Because then we’ll really be married.” Kaci took another drink from her soda can. “Consummated. Then he caninherit.”
“You’re a trust fund brat,” Chris said, and Inodded.
Vic tossed Kaci’s bag to Chris, then threw my duffle over his shoulder with his good hand. “Someone fill mein.”
“There was this guy in my high school who had a trust fund,” Chris said. “He had something like three million dollars coming to him. But not until he turned twenty—or got married. I swear, that stupid fucker proposed to half the girls in the school, trying to get his hands on his moneyearly…”
They both turned to me, as the realization sank in. Vic growled. His eyes began to…churn with color. Which is when I realized they were shifting. As were his teeth. “You married her to get yourmoney?”
“No!” I stood and backed away as they came at me. I would defend myself if I had to, but I’d rather they understand the truth. “Well, yes, but it wasn’t like that. I didn’t just do it for me. I did it for us. We werebothgoing to go.Together.”
“Forever on an island,” Kaci muttered, staring at the table, her gaze unfocused. She looked sleepy. Which meant her buzz was wearingoff.
“You worthless bastard.” Vic advanced on me, his broken arm still strapped to his chest, evidently ready to beat me to a pulp with the other one. “She’s barely eighteen years old, and she’s had it rougher than you can imagine. For some rich, pretty-boy predator like youto—”
“Stop.” Kaci stood, wobbling on her feet. “It’s not like it sounds. This isn’t hisfault.”
“It’s okay.” I reached for her, but Chris stepped between us and steadied her by theshoulders.
“Don’t touch her,” hesnapped.
“Take her to the car,” Vic ordered. “Justus and I are going to have achat.
“Leave him alone.” Tears stood in Kaci’s eyes. She shoved Chris with her injured arm, then hissed at the pain. Blood leaked through herbandage.
“Let her go,” I growled, struggling against a protective instinct that felt extreme, yet somehow also entirely warranted. “If you try to take her out of this room without me, I will break every bone in yourbody.”
“Okay, everybody calm down.” Vic held one hand up, palm out, moving slowly and carefully. His gaze narrowed on me, and I realized he recognized the same hormonal mayhem in me that Marc had heard in my voice over the phone. “We’re going to get in the car and head straight back to Texas. Justus will sit up front with Chris, and I’ll sit in the back withKaci.”
“No…” shemumbled.
“Put her in the car.” Vic’s voice was low andcalm.
Chris led Kaci toward the hotel door, and she turned to me, eyes full of tears. She looked confused and afraid, and seeing her likethat—
I burst into motion. My arm slid around her waist and I spun her carefully away from Chris as I kicked him in the chest. He went flying. Kaci clung to me with her goodarm.
Vic stared at us both inastonishment.
“I saidno,” she growled at him. “I’m staying withJustus.”
“I believe the lady has spoken,” I said through clenched teeth, struggling to control my racing pulse, as well as the urge to pull his arms off and beat him with them. She wanted me. She wasmine. And I would shred anyone who came between us. If they couldn’t see that, they could damn well learn the hardway.
“Fine.” Vic glared at me. “But whatever you’ve done to her—however you convinced her that this was real—you should beashamed. Marc will skin you alive when he findsout.”
“Just shut up,” Kaci snapped at him. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Her grip on me tightened, and she turned a defiant, if slightly unsteady gaze on Vic. “I love him.That’swhy I married him. Because while the rest of you fuckers were whispering about me behind my back, he actuallyhadmy back. He made me feel beautiful, and wanted, and normal. SoI—”
