King:Las Vegas Bad Boys(36)

The limo stops in the parking lot, and I explain my plan to McQueen and Jack.

"It's fucking go time, bro," McQueen says.

I take a deep breath, nodding, and then I open the door.

"Good luck," Jack says through the open window.

I turn toward the building and knock on the door.

I don't know what to expect. I just know I need to ask to speak to Claire's mom alone, and then lay it out there.

I've never been so goddamned nervous in my life.

I'm never nervous when I'm with Claire. With her, life makes sense. But right now, I don't have my woman by my side.

I knock. The door opens after a moment, and a woman who looks a few decades older than Claire opens the door.

"Hello?" she asks, eyebrows raised.

"Eva?" I ask, remembering the name Claire told me was her mother's. I  reach out my hand to her. "I'm Landon, a friend of your daughter?"

She takes it, shaking it slowly. "Aren't you supposed to be with her, in  England? For work?" She lets go of my hand and tilts her head to the  side, trying to understand. She's a trim woman, with cropped blonde hair  and those same green eyes Claire has.

"I was."

"Is she here?" Eva asks. "Because I just spoke with her earlier and she never mentioned...."

"No," I say, needing to clarify. "She's still in England. I came over on my own, because I wanted to speak with you."

"Me?" She laughs. "What do I have to do with anything?"

Behind her, I see a flash of blonde hair and a small girl calling for her Gram.

"Gram, come back, come play," the girl calls from down the hall.

Sophia.

I didn't see her face, or meet her, but her voice proves she is in fact real. Really Claire's daughter.

I swallow. If I'm going to do this, I need to do it now. No second-guessing. No hesitation.

"Could I speak with you a moment?" I ask Eva. "Privately?"

"Give me a minute, okay? I'll get Sophia on a show." Eva turns back into  the condo, and I hear her helping Sophia with the television.

She returns after a moment. "Bubble Guppies." She shrugs as if I have  any clue what those words mean. "She's obsessed with the show."

I nod, now understanding. Knowing I have an awful lot to learn, if Claire will have me.

"You have me worried," Eva says, keeping the door slightly ajar and stepping out of the house. "Is everything okay, truly?"

"Everything is more than fine. The truth is, I've fallen in love with your daughter. Completely. And she's in love with me."

Eva lets out a small humph, as if completely taken back. Which I'm sure she is.

"Claire, and you. In love?"

"Is it so impossible to believe?"

"Well, sort of. I mean, it's Claire. She doesn't do relationships."

"I want to marry her."

At this, Eva shakes her head, arms crossed.

"Does Claire know you're here?" When I shake my head, she adds, "Has she spoken to you about getting married?"

Not wanting to tell her about the fake engagement, I shake my head  again. We haven't spoken about getting married for real. Only the fake  double wedding.

"Listen, if you love Claire, and Claire really loves you ... I think you  could talk to her about getting married yourself. Not me."

"I know. Of course I'll talk to Claire, ask her properly. But the thing  is, I came back to Vegas to get some business in order, and I thought  coming to you would be a thoughtful gesture. I know how much her family  means to her."

"Right," Eva says uncomfortably, waving her hands in front of her. "Well, the thing is, you can't marry Claire."

"Of course I can," I say defensively. Always so fucking defensive.

I just want someone to say yes, you can. You can do this. Instead it's always that I'm not bloody enough. I'm tired if it.

"I'm capable of being her husband, if that's what you're worried about.  I'm going to go get myself a bloody house right after this. I'm closing  on an investment property for a proper business. I can take care of her  and Sophia. I can do this."

Eva face softens, and she presses her hand to my arm. "Oh, sweetie, I  didn't say you weren't capable of being her partner. You seem nice, and  you certainly seem to love my daughter. Which is everything I want for  her."

"Then why? Why can't I marry her?"

"Because, Landon. Claire is already married."





Chapter Twenty-Seven





Landon









Her words hit me in in the chest. Hard.

Claire is fucking married?

"What are you talking about?" I ask Claire's mom, Eva.

We're standing outside her condo, and she has a pained expression on her  face-which is a hell of a lot better than the expression on my face.

I want to hit something. Now.

"I'm sorry. I wish she would have told you, but she doesn't talk about it. Ever. With me, or with anyone."

"I don't understand." My patience in thin-not with Eva, with the  situation. I need more information, faster. "You're screwing with me,  right? This is some American joke?"

"I wish it were, Landon." She sighs, arms crossed and she shakes her  head. "Look, maybe you should come inside, so we can talk properly."

"I don't want to intrude."

"It's not intruding. Sophia is fine; she's watching her shows. Come in, have a cup of coffee, and we can talk.'

"My friends are in the car," I tell her. "Let me tell them I'll be a while."

"Oh, for heavens sake, get them in the house. Don't be rude," Eva scolds, just like my mother would.

"Yes, ma'am."

"And don't ma'am me, either. I'm only forty-nine."

I run my hands through my hair, trying to breathe. "I should call Claire."

Eva shrugs. "Maybe. Either way, you're welcome to come inside, or at least have your friends come inside while you call her."

I nod, and walk back to the limo. It's taking everything inside me not to scream.

Jack unrolls the window.

"What's up man? You look awful. Did she ... not give you the a-ok?"

I shake my head, unable to form the words.

"Dude, you're freaking me out," McQueen says. "Get in the car and explain."

"No," I say, cracking my knuckles. "You need to come in the apartment. I think I'll be a while."

The guys get out of the car, and Jack places his hands on my shoulders. "Seriously, you look like shit. What did she say?"

"Claire's married."

"What the fuck?" McQueen shouts.

"Eva is going to explain, she said it might take a while."

"And you had no idea?" Jack asks.

"None." I feel my phone vibrating in my pocket. I pull it out and see  that it's Claire. She's called a few times and texted a bunch. "It's  Claire."

"You need some fucking answers." Jack looks unsure.

I want to punch something. "Claire should have told me, right?"

"Fuck, yeah," McQueen says. "She's fucking playing you."

I put my phone on silent, not knowing how I feel about any of this. Especially Claire.

The front door of the condo is slightly ajar and we step inside gingerly. "Hello?" I call out as we walk down the hallway.

"In here," Eva says. We walk in the living room and see Sophia sitting on a sofa with a tablet in her hands. She looks up.

"Who are you?" she asks. Her lips are heart-shaped just like her mother's, her green eyes wide and curious.

"We're friends of your mother's," I tell her. "I'm Landon, and this is McQueen and Jack."

She sets down the tablet and walks over to us. Offering a low curtsy, she says, "Pleased to meet you. I'm Sophia."

I smile despite the fact that I feel sucker punched. How can Claire be  married? Keeping her daughter a secret is one thing ... but a husband?

My heart pounds in my chest, I need to fight-go to McQueen's gym and beat the shit out of something.

Sophia's voice brings me back to reality.

"Are you okay, mister?" Sophia asks. "You look mad."

"I'm good. Thank you, though." I give her a crooked smile, the best I can manage.

"How do you know my mama?"

This riles me up even more. I know I must look like a deranged fool:  nostrils flared, hands clenched. I need some information. Fast.

I need to call Claire. This can't fucking wait.

"Give me a moment," I tell them, leaving through the front door.

In the parking lot, I call Claire's number. I have to hear this story from her.

Not from her mother. Not from her daughter.

From the woman I wanted to be my fucking forever.

"Landon?" she asks. "Where are you? Is everything okay?"

"Don't. Don't ask me those sorts of questions. I'm the one who is going to do the talking now."

"What's going on?" she asks again, as if she has no clue what she's been keeping from me.







"Is there anything you'd like to tell me?"

"Actually, yeah, there is. That's why I've been calling and texting. I  wanted to talk to you about something really important, but then you  just skipped town. Without a word. That's not how relationships work,  Landon."

"How do they work then, Claire? Tell me exactly how relationships work. Actually, scratch that-tell me how marriages work."

"Marriages? I don't know how marriage works. Landon. What is going on?"