The Bad Boy's Biggest Mistake(16)
Vicki saw him watching the entrance to the station.
“She’s only in her thirties. Kevin is in his early twenties.”
“Exactly, a woman Marla’s age needs a man with experience.”
She stared at him for several seconds and cottoned on to what was happening. Laughing, Vicki thumped him in the arm. “You’ve got a thing for Marla. What’s wrong? Afraid of the competition?”
“Kevin is no competition.”
Chuckling, Vicki waited for him to secure his bike outside the building.
“I can see the attraction with Kevin. She can train him to be exactly what she wants, whereas you, you’re damaged goods.” She pointed at him.
Stefan growled.
“Come on, let’s go and say hi to the mysterious Marla.”
Vicki opened the door in time to see Kevin handing the other woman a flower. The single red rose shook as it passed from one hand to the other.
“Thank you, Kevin,” Marla said.
Marla looked past Kevin’s shoulder and gave a sigh of relief. “Hi, Vicki. Tristan’s expecting you. Lunch hasn’t arrived yet, but I expect it to be here soon.”
“Hello, Marla,” Stefan said. His voice was dripping with charm. Vicki rolled her eyes.
“Don’t worry about lunch. How are you settling in?” Vicki asked, ignoring the two men.
Marla’s gaze flitted between the two men. On the one side was sweet and innocent Kevin, and on the other was domineering Stefan.
“I’m doing great. The cookies you brought yesterday were amazing.”
“Do you have a last name?” Stefan asked.
“Don’t be rude. I’m pleased you liked them.” Vicki gave the woman the best reassuring smile she could. She wanted to put the other woman at ease. Stefan wasn’t a horrid man, even though he held a presence that promised danger if he was pushed.
“Last name is Gates. I’m Marla Gates.”
“Lovely to meet you, Miss Gates.”
Vicki had enough of the flirting. She started to say as much when a feminine cry came from Tristan’s office.
Frowning, Vicki followed the noise and ignored Marla’s warning. Who could be inside Tristan’s office making a pleasurable noise?
She opened the door and gasped. A woman was bent over his desk. Her skirt was pulled up and panties pulled down. The marks on her flesh were hideous. Tristan turned to her. “Vicki?”
He looked at her then at the woman bent over his desk.
“Why have you stopped?” The woman’s head turned, and Vicki was struck through the heart. His wife, very current wife, was the woman bent over the desk.
“This isn’t what it looks like,” he said.
Kate moved from under him. Vicki watched with her mouth open staring at the other woman.
“Tristan, who is this?” Kate asked.
His wife was even more appealing in the flesh than Vicki could handle.
She stared at him with tears in her eyes. Stefan, Marla, and Kevin stood behind her watching the scene.
“Don’t start, Kate. Vicki, I promise this isn’t what it looks like.”
“I only came for lunch. I didn’t come for this.”
The first tear started to fall, and she wished with all her heart she could make the pain stop. She needed to get over this.
“I can’t do this. This is unfair even from you,” Vicki said.
“Please, I swear, this is completely innocent. I didn’t know she was coming here. I would have told you.”
She had no choice but to believe him. Tristan didn’t explain himself.
“Excuse me, who are you?” Kate asked. The other woman offered her hand with a smile to her lips. Vicki stared at the hand then at the woman.
“No one.”
Turning on her heel she walked away. She brushed past the three people behind her and rushed out of the door. Vicki needed the fresh air to help her breathe. She felt like air had been cut off from her lungs. Breathing was a problem.
Crashing through the door, she ran around the building to get to the shaded part. With the sunshine bearing down, Vicki couldn’t think, let alone deal with her pain.
She’d heard her name being called on the way out of the building. Ignoring her name and everything else, Vicki closed her eyes.
Kate was back. What did it mean? She didn’t know the answer. His wife looked way to comfortable for this visit to be fleeting.
“Vicki, are you all right?”
Opening her eyes she saw Stefan staring down at her.
“I can’t deal with this. It’s too much. Will you take me home?” she asked.
“Of course.”
He didn’t say anything else. She climbed on the back of his bike and let him take her the short distance home. Stefan saw her to her door. “Vicki, who was that woman?” he asked.