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  It was Shanna's turn to laugh. “No, I’m not going back to Kevin and I decided not to smack LaToya. Ben I’d punch and trust me, he wouldn’t like it. Although, I did want to smack LaToya. Boy, did I want to. Still do, but Ross stopped me.”

  “Ross, huh? You know you still haven’t told me about Mr. Fine Amber Eyes. What’s going on with you two?”

  “I promise to tell you all about him later. Right now, the man made me breakfast and it’s getting cold.” She hung up the phone on her sister’s excited squeal.

  ***

  “She knows.”

  “What?”

  “Shanna knows about us. LaToya told her.”

  “Hmm, so what? This just means we can finally be up front with her.”

  “I don’t know, man. I’m not sure your way is working.”

  “You still love her, don’t you?”

  “Yes. Yes, I do.”

  “So do I. I know what you need, so let me help you get her back.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  After Ross dropped Shanna off at the main salon she tried to keep her mind on work, she really did. That lasted all of two hours. When she hadn’t heard from him, she grabbed her phone and dialed Kevin’s work number. His secretary picked up. Recognizing Shanna’s voice, the woman put her straight through to Kevin.

  When he answered, her first thought was to ask him what the hell he thought he was doing. She made a split second decision not to handle it that way. How could she have been engaged to this man, slept with him for five years, yet not really know him at all?

  She needed answers and only he could give them to her. She’d start her conversation with arranging to return his key and getting her clothes back, before she’d get to LaToya. She’d probably told him about her visit anyway so he shouldn’t be surprised by her call or her anger. Before she could say anything, he started talking.

  “Baby, I am so sorry. LaToya told me she spoke to you.”

  “Kevin, how could you? She was one of my best friends.”

  “I…I don’t want to talk about this over the phone.” He sighed. “Can you meet me in about half an hour?”

  “This isn’t a conversation I want to have at some restaurant, Kevin.”

  “No, that’s not what I had in mind, but I do owe you an explanation. I want to show you something so you know I really did love you, still do. I was ready and willing to make a commitment to you, babe. Just you.”

  “Kevin…”

  “I know you’re angry. That dude that was with you, the security guy…”

  “That’s none of your business.”

  “Look. Just meet me, alone. Give me a chance to explain. Besides, I still have some of your stuff. I’ll give it back to you. I want to show you something. You ran out on me, so you at least owe me a face to face.”

  “As far as running out on you, I’m at least sorry about that. I should have confronted you then, so I’ll give you the courtesy of meeting you. Bring my things with you and I’ll give you your key back, too. Where?”

  He gave her an address and directions. After she hung up she studied the address. She recognized it. It was the address of the house she and Ross had been watching last night.

  “Oh, my God.” She knew, just knew what the house was. He’d bought it for her. This was his surprise wedding present to her. They’d talked about buying something and had been looking but couldn’t find anything. Then with planning the wedding she didn’t have any time to look for a house, but she remembered how he was always asking her questions about her dream house. Little things like how many rooms, carpet or wood floors, style of kitchen. It was all making sense; he’d been looking for a house for them and had finally found one.

  Her heart hurt a little for what had happened between them. He had been a big part of her life for so long. Maybe in his own way he had loved her. Since hearing LaToya’s story, she wasn’t so sure. The one thing she did know was Kevin’s kind of love wasn’t enough for her, as hers wasn’t enough for him. She needed a man to love her completely and unselfishly. And she needed to be able to do the same. Ross’ face flashed in her mind and warmth infused her. Her heart expanded, leaving no room in it for any other man.

  Traffic was light, so she made good time getting to the Hills. She pulled her Beamer in the driveway, stopping behind Kevin’s Lexus, the one she’d seen the night before. It was such a common car and color in the area and it didn’t necessarily stand out. No one was in the car, but she knew he was there and she began to suspect what had happened. She felt no fear meeting Kevin, and she needed to know what was really going on from him. This had to end. She had moved on with her life he needed to do the same.

  She got out of her car and stood before the door. She'd just released the brass knocker when the door opened. Kevin stood in front of her, all six feet of solid chocolate muscle. Either in jeans and a T-shirt, like he was dressed now, or in a suit, he was a very handsome man. Add his success to his looks and it was perfectly understandable why both LaToya and Ben would want him. Other than being able to appreciate and understand his appeal, she knew now she didn’t love him, not with her whole heart. She never had.

  “Come in,” he said, waving his hand to indicate the area behind him.

  She stepped through the arched doorway and glanced up. The ceiling in the entryway went a good twenty feet up, and a large artichoke shaped chandelier hung over their heads. “Beautiful house.”

  “You ain’t seen nothing yet.” He flashed a grin. “Let me show you around.”

  He led her from room to room, like a real estate agent, pointing out the features of the house. And it truly was a beautiful home even if it was bare on furniture, but with features she’d talked about having in her dream house with him. Finally, they returned to the first level and he led her to the den, one of the few rooms that seemed completely furnished. An open box sat on the desk in there; she could see a few of her things on the top.

  “Kevin, whose house is this?” But she already knew the answer.

  “It was supposed to be ours.”

  Her phone vibrated and she reached into her purse to put it on silent mode so she could respond. They needed to clear the air between them.

  “Oh, Kevin, I’m sorry.” She stepped closer to him and squeezed his arm. “You did a fantastic job.”

  “So you really like it?”

  “Yes, I do.”

  He seemed to visibly relax. His features smoothed at her reply. “Please sit down. I told you I owed you an explanation.”

  Moving over to the sofa, he sat down and she sat next to him. He took her hand and she let him. “I never meant to hurt you. Please believe that. I never meant for any of this to touch you. Touch us. I loved you, still love you. I was going to make it work for just the two of us. I need you to know that. And I’m still hoping that you’ll forgive me and give us another chance.”

  She pulled her hand out of his grasp. “Kevin, I do forgive you. But it’s over. It was over before I think I even left the church. You, LaToya and Ben made sure of that.”

  “Ah, baby. No. I had stopped my relationship with them from the moment I put my ring on your finger. You can call LaToya or Ben and ask them right now.”

  “I know. LaToya said the same thing. You’re ignoring something, though—the fact you’d been carrying on an affair with them behind my back is why it's over. I would never be able to trust you. Frankly, I’m not sure I ever really did.”

  “Damn it!” He rubbed his hand across his close-cropped hair. “You can trust me.”

  She ignored that. “And no sooner do I leave, you take right back up where you left off with those two.”

  He got up and began pacing the room. “How do I make you understand?” He got to his knees before her, putting his hands on either side of her. “I was hurt. Hurt that you’d run out on me, believed LaToya’s lies, instead of waiting to listen to what I had to say.”

  “Lies? How exactly did she lie, really? Seems like you were the one doing the lying
all this time.” When he remained quiet, she continued. “Then when I walked out on you, your first thought was to go sleep with those two to get back at me?”

  He stood and paced around. “No. That was just about being needed. I loved you and just hurt so much. They helped me during those first few days. You…you never seemed to need me, not the way I wanted you to.”

  “And what about now?”

  “I’ve broke it off with them. I’m done. It can be just you and me again. I can make this right between us.” He sat down and tried to take her hand again, but she pulled it away.

  “Don’t you see? It was never right between us to begin with.” She shook her head. “I think on some level I’ve always known that. I can’t give you what you really need. I think Ben and LaToya have been doing that.”

  This time she got off the sofa and walked around the room. She stopped in front of the desk and placed his key on it.

  When he saw what she had done, he sat forward on the edge of the sofa. “That’s not true,” he pleaded. “Just give me another chance, babe. I swear I’ll make it up to you. Get rid of that security dude.”

  She shook her head. “First of all, his name is Ross and he’s not going anywhere.” She returned to sit down next to him. He had to face facts. “Look, there is no more us. I don’t love you. In truth I think I was more in love with the idea than the actual feeling. And even if I do forgive you for cheating on me, I need to know what you have to do with me getting hang-up phone calls.”

  He glanced away from her before looking at her again, and even then he couldn’t quite meet her gaze. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Don’t friggin’ lie anymore. That night I got back, I think after you left my house, you went to see LaToya. She probably told you how she’d called my house and hung up. And that’s where you got the idea to continue doing it after LaToya stopped. What I don’t understand is why? Why, Kevin?” She was guessing, but knew she’d guessed right by his reaction.

  He hung his head but grabbed her around the waist. “God, I’m sorry, baby. So sorry for scaring you.” He raised his head but maintained his hold on her. “I just had this crazy idea that maybe if you needed me like I needed you, you’d lean on me. Ask for my help with the calls. Come back to me.”

  She crossed her arms in front of her. “That’s the most ass backwards reasoning I’ve ever heard.”

  He released her and faced forward, his hands hanging loosely on his knees. “Yeah, I know. Which is why after you changed your phone numbers, I stopped. I’m so sorry. I know I sound like a stuck recording but it’s true. If I could redo this I would.”

  “Wait a minute. Are you saying you stopped making those calls after I changed my phone numbers?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Well I just got another one this morning.”

  He held one hand palm up. “I swear to you, it wasn’t me. Maybe LaToya started it up again. She knew how upset I still was.”

  “What about my salon?”

  “Your salon? I stopped those, too.”

  “No, I’m talking about the break-in.”

  “Break-in?” He sat up straight and shook his head. “What break-in?”

  “At my main hair salon. Someone broke the glass on one of the doors and got in. They turned off the alarm and helped themselves to some of the hair equipment and products.”

  “Damn! This is the first I’m hearing about this, and I had nothing to do with it. I swear.”

  “Then if you didn’t, who?”

  “Perhaps I can answer that.”

  Both their heads swung in the direction of the door. Ben’s blond, sunny California looks filled the frame. She hadn’t heard him enter the house. Even though Ben was only about an inch shorter than Kevin, she’d never noticed how much more bulky he was. All muscle, the kind bouncers or people who worked out a lot possessed. There was something else about the way he took up the doorway, like no one was leaving the room unless he let them.

  “Ben! What the fuck are you doing here?” Kevin asked.

  Ben never took his blue eyes off her. Even when he responded to his friend, he didn't look at him. Something about the way he watched her sent a chill up her spine.

  Ben spoke. “You gave me a key, remember? And I told you it wasn’t over.”

  Kevin got to his feet. “Yes it is, man, and you need to deal with that.”

  Ben finally shifted his gaze to his friend. “You said that now so many times, I’ve lost count. Yet sooner or later you always come back to LaToya and me.”

  Kevin shook his head. “No. I’m still trying to make it work with Shanna, and she wants no part of us.”

  “Funny, you weren’t thinking that last night while you had LaToya pinned between us, with your dick full up her ass, while I jammed her cunt. Maybe if you’d tried that with Shanna here you wouldn’t have lost her.”

  Shanna had heard enough; she was leaving. She’d let Ross and the police sort the rest out. He could keep her stuff. She didn’t care. Right now all she wanted was out and she came to her feet, holding her purse in her hand. As soon as she did, both men focused on her. “It seems you two still have a lot to discuss, so I’ll leave you to it.”

  Kevin stepped in her way. “No. Please, baby. Don’t go. Not yet.”

  “No, don’t go,” Ben agreed. “You didn’t know that about Kevin, did you? He used to talk about how he wanted to take you from the rear, how you have such a nice firm ass, but he didn’t want to scare you. That’s the way he prefers it, did you know that? He’s the ass man, but don’t worry, he refuses to touch mine. I usually do the cunt.”

  Shanna was stunned speechless in morbid shock. She did not know these men.

  “Don’t listen to him. Do I need to beg?”

  Ben snorted. “Now you know how I feel.”

  A thought occurred to Shanna and she opened her mouth and voiced it. “It’s been you, hasn’t it? It’s been you all along.”

  Kevin turned his head to glance at Ben, then back at Shanna. “What are you talking about?”

  “He’s the one,” she said, still staring at Ben. “He’s the one who’s still making the calls. I bet he even stole those things from the salon and gave them to LaToya. The brands she had in her salon are some of the same ones in mine.”

  Kevin turned to face his friend. “You knew what I’d been doing and you even encouraged me. You helped me set up the phone so the number couldn’t be traced, but I stopped. Have you been calling Shanna and harassing her? Was it you who broke into her salon?”

  “Yes. I did it for you, ass. To further give her a little harmless scare, to get her to turn to you. It was easy to get the new alarm code from Christy.” Ben’s tone was unrepentant and his eyes blazed with anger.

  “Christy? What? I can’t believe she’d just give that to you.”

  “She didn’t, she had it written down on a piece of paper just sitting at her station when I was there one day and I memorized it. See, I know what it’s like to love someone and not have that love returned as fully as you’d like. The way you’d like. But you’d do anything, anything for them.” His voice seemed to choke, but got stronger and resentful again. “Since I couldn’t have what I wanted, I would do anything to get you what you wanted. I love you enough to do that.”

  “Ben…I…” Kevin began softly, a sad smile on his face, but Ben interrupted him. “I know, man, I know. You love me, just not that way. Anyway I thought your original plan was a good one. Eventually, she would have turned to you for help. All I would have asked was that you share.” His gaze returned to Shanna’s, and she recognized the look in his eyes. Lust. The man wanted her and he was fully aroused.

  She had had enough of both these bastards. “You son of a bitch.” She stepped forward and slapped him, open-palmed. It didn’t even faze him, at least not in the way she’d intended.

  “Mmm.” His tongue snaked out and he slowly licked the side of his mouth where her nails had scratched him. He raised his hand to his
throat at the v-neck of his T-shirt, before moving it over his chest, across his abdomen, then below his belt. Not stopping until he reached the bulge prominent in his slacks. He gripped himself, then moved his hand back and forth across the swelling. “I like that.”

  This was so out of her league, she glanced over at Kevin for his reaction. After everything she’d just heard, she shouldn’t have been any more shocked at the sight of him watching Ben, with an impassive expression on his face, yet riveted to the sight of the man playing with himself, an answering bulge rising in his own jeans. She still couldn’t believe it.

  “That’s it. I’m outta here.”

  She took a step forward, but Ben refused to step aside. He unbuckled his belt. “Wait. Not so fast. Kevin. Tell her. For once, be honest with yourself. Tell her what you really want. What we both really want.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Ross, alone this time, parked near LaToya’s salon; he’d learned a lot more since the first time he’d been there with Shanna. This time he would ask the right questions—about Ben, their relationship, and where she got her supplies from. Before he went to see LaToya, Simon had dug up some information about Ben Hurst that made him the prime candidate for the harassing phone calls and the theft at the salon. Which LaToya had benefitted from. Ben was computer-savvy—he had an advanced degree in computer engineering. It would be easy for him to reroute those calls.

  LaToya seemed nervous to see him but the salon was empty and she agreed to talk to him, after he told her she could talk to him or the police.

  “I’m curious. Did you get this place set up by yourself or did you have help doing it?” he asked.

  “Ben helped me. He hooked me up with the townshouse and got some supplies.”

  “Where’d he get the supplies from?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know. He told me from a few of his clients.”

  “Did you know Shanna’s place had been robbed?”

  “Yeah I heard, but that ain’t got nothing to do with me.”

  “Did you believe Ben when he told you about the supplies?”