I slam the door as hard as I can, but Vince’s boot jams inside and stops it from shutting.
“I’m not done, Natalie.”
I swallow quickly, looking up and seeing something wicked in his eyes that sends a cold chill down my back. Vince is stronger than he looks. Not Austin, of course, but there’s more to his weasely, slender frame that you can tell by looking at him.
He leans closer, grinning. “You know, I think I like you scared.”
“What do you want?” My voice is small, weak sounding.
Scared.
“Well, Natalie, despite our history and your disgusting betrayal, I actually came by today to see how my loan is coming along.” He sees the confused look on my face and grins. “But I’m betting your husband didn’t tell you about that.”
“Vince I don’t know what you’re talking-”
“I know you don’t, Natalie, but I’m going to make sure you do.”
Something about the way he says it makes me retreat further inside myself, hunching my shoulders and half-backing behind the door like some sort of cornered animal.
“Your boy-toy and his daddy owe the family money.”
The family.
I don’t even have to ask him to clarify, because I can see from the evil glint in his eye exactly which “family” he means.
And I know what that means.
I feel a cold dread shroud over me like a veil as I slowly shake my head. “Why are you telling me this?”
“It’s a lot of money, Natalie, and debts need to be paid.”
He plucks at an errant piece of lint on his suit before he looks back up at me, a look of triumph on his face like he’s won something.
“But you know, I’m a forgiving man.”
Fear tingles through me as I hold onto the doorframe like a lifeline, forcing myself to breathe.
“No one cheats on me, Natalie.”
I clench my jaw, the indignity of his accusation pushing through my fear. “I didn’t-”
“And when you figure that out and come back to me, well,” he smirks. “Maybe we can work out our own little arrangement, since you’re so good at those these days,” he says, arching an eyebrow at me and then turning his gaze back to the house around me.
I stare at him, shaking my head and feel the anger creep up my neck. “Are you trying to buy me back?”
“I’m giving everyone a way out, Natalie.” He clasps his hands in front of his chest, eyes looking skyward. “It’s just what I do.”
“You are out of your mind if you think I’d ever be with you again, Vince.”
“I’m just saying think about it babe, it could very much be worth your while.”
He grins wickedly.
“And his.”
I glare at him. “Vince-”
“You think you’re the only one, by the way? With Austin, that is? Where is he right now, Natalie? Where’s this loving husband of yours?”
“Get your foot out of the door before I call the police,” I hiss.
Vince holds out his phone again. This time, there’s a picture that looks half grainy, as if shot through a telephoto-
I freeze as my eyes focus on the image of Austin, on a yacht of some kind, grinning with his arm around a very pretty girl with strawberry hair.
I swallow quickly, swallowing the emotion along with it as I dart my eyes back to Vince. “That’s an old picture,” I say thinly.
“That was taken an hour ago.” Vince smirks at me again as he slips his phone back into his pocket.
He turns on his heel and strolls back to the car, his driver opening the side door for him.
“Think about it, Natalie.”
He turns back to me just before he steps into the car. “Debts will be collected.”
I slam the door and lock it as his car pulls away, sinking down against it and burying my face in my hands.
32
Austin
The house is dark when I come home, and I sigh.
So much for the apology Stella coached me into that I’ve been rehearsing out loud for the past hour in the car.
I kick my shoes off and pad through the dark house. I grab a tumbler and a bottle of bourbon from the bar cart in my living room and slump onto the couch. Buckley jumps up and snuffles at my arm as I pour a couple fingers before bringing it to my lips and taking a deep pull of the amber sweetness.
I sigh as I glance around the dark house. No music or TV on anywhere, no sign of her at all.
“The hell are you, Natalie,” I murmur out loud, taking another sip of bourbon.
Buckley whines, rolling onto his back and showing his belly just at the sound of her name.
“Dude,” I turn and grin at him. “You’re seriously going to have to quit playing favorite with my girl, traitor.”