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  I wanted to be on her, inside her, wrapped up around her, and if this joint was going to be the gateway, then so be it. I would share it with her and then I’d have my way.

  “You aren’t going to tell me your name?” Laughter laced her voice when I picked up my lighter. “I don’t usually smoke with strangers.”

  I put on a subtle smile. “Tell me yours first.”

  She looked me over twice before focusing on my face again. “Marlena Winters,” she said, voice low, like she was ashamed of it. “Friends call me Marley, so don’t get any ideas. It’s just Marley to you, too . . . stranger.”

  “Marley,” I repeated.

  She sat up and leaned in. “Yours?”

  “Vin.” I clutched the red lighter.

  She narrowed her gaze. “Are you kidding me? I told you my real name, now tell me yours.”

  “Vin is all you get, Marlena.”

  “Oh, you are a true jackass, aren’t you?” she teased, showing off a dimple. Dimples too? Fuck, could she get any hotter?

  The lights shut off on the balcony, and I looked over, not even realizing Zay and Noelle were standing by the door. He had his arm draped around her waist, and she had her arm thrown over his shoulders, sporting a wide grin.

  “We’ll be in my room if you need me, Vin,” he called, not even waiting for me to respond. He took off with Noelle, burying his nose in the bend of her neck while she giggled, and I watched until he made a turn down the hallway to get to his bedroom.

  It was even darker now, but the strobe lights from inside still flashed and danced on our skin, accenting small parts of her. The music was still loud. People walked up and down the halls, the stairs, and were still on the first floor deck dancing, but it was darker, harder to see us from a distance.

  “I guess we’re alone, Vin.” She rolled my name off her tongue.

  “I guess we are.” I brought the joint up, pinching it between my lips. Just as I was about to spark the end, she stood and walked over to sit on my lap. She gripped my wrist, lowering my hand, eyes locked on mine. Without words, she took the lighter away, ran her thumb over the turn switch, and lit the end of the joint for me. Our eyes held for what felt like an eternity, but it was literally only for a second.

  She looked away first. “Inhale,” she instructed, voice like silk. Smooth. Soft. I did what she told me to, inhaling, smoke instantly filling my lungs. “Again,” she murmured.

  I did it again, not even realizing how tight my hands were on her. I held her by the waist, feeling her mouth come closer and closer to my cheek. Then she did something I wasn’t expecting.

  She took the joint from my lips, brought it to hers, inhaled, and then parted her lips, placing them right on mine. Her pull became my pull, breaths tangled, both of us becoming high at the same time.

  I held her tighter, my cock growing anxious now. I’d never met a girl so bold, so intense, and still so soft in my hands. She smiled when she pulled away, picking up my whiskey and taking a sip, but I wasn’t having it. It wasn’t enough.

  I pulled her thigh over mine so she was sitting directly on my lap, lips hovering above mine. Her chest hit mine, breath hitching as I cupped my hand around the back of her neck and kissed her, not giving a damn if she wanted me or not.

  The joint was still in her right hand, turning to ash. She didn’t resist like I thought she would. Instead, she sank into me, sliding her velvety tongue through my mouth. I groaned, holding on even tighter when I tasted the sweet whiskey on her lips.

  There were two things I loved most back then: alcohol and pussy. And I had both right here on top of me. The whiskey on her tongue drove me fucking crazy, my cock straining in my jeans even more. I wanted to make her take another sip, just so I could drink it all away again.

  “I didn’t think you were the type to take what you wanted,” she whispered in my ear after the kiss broke. She was grinding her ass on my lap, making me harder by the second. She knew exactly what she was doing, and she wasn’t regretting a moment of it.

  I leaned back, taking the joint from her fingers. I put it between my lips, slid her off of me, and then stood. She looked up at me, dumbfounded, probably thinking I was going to leave her behind.

  I adjusted myself and extended an arm, offering a hand. “Come with me.”

  I swear her eyes lit up like stars. She didn’t hesitate to take my hand—didn’t think twice about it. She just did it, like she trusted me. Like she, too, wanted more.

  She picked up the bottle of whiskey along the way and we walked down the hallway, her hand clutched in mine, swarmed by sweaty bodies and thick clouds of smoke.

  With how intoxicating she was, I should have known to leave her alone. I should have known to make it a one-night thing and to never look back. But with Marley, I couldn’t fight it. I couldn’t make it a one-night thing because she was worth so much more than that.

  We stepped into one of the guest bedrooms, continued getting high, and then she held my shoulders, forcing me flat on my back on the bed. She climbed on top of me, straddling my lap. Her eye caught something and she picked it up, dangling my keys in the air.

  “These yours?” she asked.

  “Yep.”

  She fingered through them. “Corvette car keys and a badge to Holly Estates.” She leaned down, sniffing at me playfully and then giggling. “I smell a rich guy. I don’t usually do this kind of stuff with boys like you.”

  “Good thing I’m a man, huh?” I smirked.

  She laughed, handing the keys to me. “Yeah,” she sighed as she reached over towards the nightstand to grab the bottle of whiskey, still straddling me. “I guess so.”

  “Having second thoughts?”

  “No.” She pressed a finger to my chin, forcing my mouth open and carefully pouring a small ounce of whiskey into it. “No regrets tonight. Tonight I just want to forget. Have fun. I don’t care who it’s with.” Bringing the rim of the bottle up to her lips, she took a small sip, returned the bottle to the nightstand, and then released a sharp, wet breath.

  I drank my mouthful as she swallowed hers, unable to pull my eyes away. I wasn’t sure if I was too stoned to move, or if I was so enticed by her that she made me feel this way.

  Everything about her shouted addiction. Everything about her told me to stay away. Everything about her slayed the fuck out of me—made me weak, made me stupid— but I didn’t care. She felt too good, looked too fucking amazing, and tasted too damn sweet for me to just let it go.

  “Let’s have fun tonight . . . okay?” she whispered.

  I gripped her waist as she ground her ass on my lap. “All right.”

  With a gentle smile, she leaned down and kissed me, swirling her whiskey tongue with mine. I couldn’t fight the urges sweeping through me, so I dropped my keys and flipped her over, wanting every single drop, wanting her breath entwined with mine, aching with need, ready to just plunge deep and own this girl.

  She wasn’t like the average woman. Average women couldn’t make me feel this way after knowing them for a few minutes. Average women couldn’t make me this hard and ready to fuck the shit out of her with just the taste of whiskey on her tongue.

  I’d fucked plenty of drunk women, but none of them were like her.

  “What’s your real name, Vin?” she asked, sighing as I kissed the hollow of her throat. Her skin was warm and damp, but she smelled good, like vanilla and cherries.

  I pulled my head up, meeting those exotic eyes. “Vincent,” I told her.

  “Vincent what?”

  “Chambers.”

  “Vincent Chambers,” she repeated, my name spilling off her lips like the finest wine. “I like it.” Her teeth sank into my bottom lip and she tugged, just enough to draw me closer. She released, studying my face like she knew I was different, too.

  Her fingers threaded through my hair, and I sank between her legs, the rock in my pants grinding on her, eager. Ready. She wasn’t judging me, wasn’t telling me what to do. I liked that she took what she wan
ted—liked that she wasn’t shy or pretending to be someone else while in this room with me.

  She was being herself—a wild, sexy, reckless, beautiful goddess—and there wasn’t a damn thing wrong with that. Hell, she was probably just having fun with me that night—considering me another guy who had free pot she could smoke and whiskey she could drink. If so, I didn’t care.

  We drank more, but we didn’t fuck. Just got higher and drunker, kissed and made-out until we passed out. She didn’t ask for much, but she also didn’t reveal too much either.

  I could tell she had a mountain of secrets, and it was going to take some serious climbing to get to them. She could tell I had my own demons, but she didn’t hunt for them—didn’t try and bring them out of me. That night, none of it mattered. We had fun. We lived.

  I didn’t know it that night, but she was mine, and I was hers.

  But it wasn’t going to last for long. The good things never lasted long in my life, and the only person I could blame for that was myself.

  VIN

  Present

  Five days later and my plane landed in Houston.

  My phone chimed as soon as I turned it on, a text from Mom. I followed her instructions, walking down the terminal and towards baggage claim.

  There were various people waiting out front by the exit, but I looked for the men in black suits in front of their black cars. There were a few women in expensive designer clothes and high heels. One of those women just so happened to be my mother.

  She stood in front of a black limousine with a sleeveless red dress on, her blonde hair in tight curls. Her heels were tall, as always, making her appear taller than her regular five-foot-four frame.

  She was fifty-three, but the woman was beautiful—and no, I didn’t mean it like how most men who respected their mothers would declare it, but my mother was pretty much flawless. She aged well, looking closer to half her age than her true one.

  She didn’t need the makeup, but she swore by it. She could also do better than her shitty husband, but that was a discussion for another time.

  She spotted me when she turned her head, and her face instantly lit up. Taking off her sunglasses, she trotted towards me, opening her arms and tangling them around my neck as soon as she got a hold of me.

  Her lips met my cheek and she sighed. “Oh, Vin. I’m so happy to see you, baby boy.”

  She tipped her head back to look me all over. She always did this—scoped me out. Studying me hard.

  “I’m sober, Becks. I swear,” I laughed. “But I have been considering buying some pot to get through this weekend.”

  She rolled her brown eyes. “You better not even think about smoking that here, Vincent. I mean it.”

  I laughed.

  Her face grew strict. “I’m not laughing. Promise me,” she pleaded.

  I sighed, rolling my eyes. I swear, she still made me feel like a seventeen-year-old boy sometimes. “Fine. I promise.”

  “Good.” She pursed her lips and then turned to look at the driver standing by the doors. Unlike my mom, he actually appeared to be in his fifties, gray hair at his temples. “Give Elton your bag. We’re going to catch some lunch and then I’ll drop you off at your hotel. You haven’t eaten, have you?” she asked, hooking her arm through mine and swinging around with me.

  My head shook as I handed Elton my bag. “Nope. I could use a hot meal.”

  “Good. I know a place you’ll love.” She wiggled her eyebrows and when Elton opened the door, she slid across the leather. I slid in right after her, the door shutting behind me right away.

  “New driver?” I asked, glancing back.

  “Yes. Oh—I thought I told you! Tommy’s wife has breast cancer, so he’s with her for treatments most of the time now. Poor woman doesn’t deserve to go through it.”

  “Sorry to hear that.”

  Elton jumped into the driver’s seat and drove off without a word. It took less than fifteen minutes to reach our destination—a steakhouse in the heart of the city.

  When we stepped out of the limo, she beamed at me. I returned a soft smile. She knew how much I loved steak.

  After being seated and ordering several minutes later, she looked me over, studying me again. “I’m glad to see you doing better, honey.”

  I nodded, just barely. “I feel better.”

  “The rehab actually paid off this time, you think? It’s been two years and not one incident.”

  I nodded, trying not to wince. To be honest, it wasn’t the rehab that made me pull my shit together. It was her and how she left. Knowing I’d been the cause of her losing trust in me . . . well, it gutted me. I never thought she would give up on us.

  “I quit the hard shit—you know, the pills, coke, and all that stuff. Still have a joint from time to time to calm me when I’m stressed, but I swear it’s not often. Only like once a month—if that. Haven’t touched a drop of liquor ‘cause I’m a freaking beast.”

  “A beast?” She laughed, amused as the waitress placed fresh glasses of sweet tea down in front of us. We were seated on the balcony, a black umbrella shading us, the stray strands of Mom’s hair flying around her face.

  “Well, either way,” she said, after taking a sip of her drink, “I’m glad you’re here. I know you and your brother don’t get along much—” I scoffed. That was putting it lightly. “But,” she went on, partially ignoring the jeer, “he’s glad you’re joining him. Lloyd won’t admit it, but I’m sure he’d much rather have his only brother as his best man than one of his friends from the airline. He always complains about them. Most of them are older—around my and Will’s age. You know he’s the youngest pilot they have for Redwire. He’s only twenty-six. They hate that he’s so good, being that young. He gets a lot of criticism and backlash for it from his peers.”

  “Aww, poor Lloyd.” I tried hard not to roll my eyes, spinning the straw in my drink.

  “He’s so excited about the wedding, though. His fiancée is a beautiful woman and so sweet. She’s a darling, really. I think you’ll love her when you meet her. She has a personality that you can’t help but fall in love with.” Her eyes got all sparkly when she spoke about his bride-to-be. I really didn’t give a shit about Lloyd’s fiancée. I didn’t give a shit about the wedding or him, to be honest. I was only here for the money. That was it. Too bad Becks didn’t know it.

  “Mom, we’re having lunch together. Just you and me. I haven’t seen you in, what, three months? Can we talk about something else besides Lloyd and the wedding? I’m sure I won’t be hearing the end of it come tomorrow.”

  “Oh—sorry, sweetie! You know how I am. When I get excited about something I can talk all day about it.”

  I smiled. “Yeah, I know.”

  She reached across the table to rub the back of my hand. “Let’s talk about something else.” She paused. “What about the club you want to launch in Laguna? Are you still going to do that?”

  I nodded. “Yep. Zay and me are still working on it. He found a place with a good location. A nice-sized space. It also has a big bar. Only thing is, it’s expensive to lease. I’m working on getting a loan, though.”

  “Oh, please, Vin.” She waved a dismissive hand, like I was talking nonsense. “You know if you need a loan, I will give it to you. All you have to do is ask.”

  “I appreciate that, Becks, but you know how I am. I don’t want to run to my mother for every little penny. If I’m going to get my shit together and grow up, I have to do some stuff for myself. I want to do this on my own.”

  She put on a complacent smile. “I understand, sweetie. Just know that I’m here for anything you need. It’s okay to ask for help.”

  She always said that to me. It’s okay to ask for help. I could understand why. I used to need help. A lot. I wasn’t the easiest person to deal with, and I’d made a lot of dumb, messy mistakes throughout my twenty-nine years that she had to clean up.

  Becks had always been there for me, ever since I could remember. She’d never let me do
wn, and she never rejected me. She was always there, always trying to rescue me. I had called her Becks since I was three years old. She’d told me that ever since I learned her real name, Rebecca, and heard my grandpa call her by Becks several times, it was the only thing I’d called her. It lasted even to this day, and she didn’t mind it one bit.

  “I know,” I murmured.

  Her phone chimed on the table and she picked it up, reading over something. “It’s your brother,” she announced.

  “Of course it is. What does he want?”

  “He’s asking if you’re in town yet.” She started typing away at the keyboard. When the phone chimed again, she sighed. “He’s having dinner tonight at his place. He wants us all to join him.”

  I folded my arms. “Isn’t the engagement party tomorrow night?”

  “Yes, but you know how your brother is.” She laughed little. “He just wants to show off his beautiful bride-to-be as much as he can, that’s all.”

  “Yeah, and that’s why I won’t be there. He’s always gloating. Have fun for me, though.” Just as I said that, our food arrived. My T-bone steak looked delicious, fresh and tender, and I dug right in.

  I felt her staring at me, but she didn’t say anything more. Instead she started eating too, sighing heavily, clearly disappointed.

  I didn’t care. I wasn’t about to spend more time around Lloyd and William than I needed to. The engagement party was going to be bad enough and I was already dreading it.

  Of course he wanted to show off his fiancée. With the way Mom was talking about her, she probably was a nice girl. Mom didn’t approve of everyone Lloyd dated. She was really protective of who we wrapped our arms around, Lloyd in particular, since he was the youngest and most gullible at times.

  This girl must have pulled at their heartstrings a hell of a lot for Becks to be so excited and to actually have her hands deep in the plans for the wedding.

  We didn’t talk about Lloyd or the wedding any more while we ate our lunch.

  After we finished up, she had Elton take me straight to the hotel I was staying at, only a few blocks away from where the engagement party would be.