The Bad Boy's Biggest Mistake (11 page)

Tristan knew about the joint account. They were
married, and he didn’t see a problem with her using his money. She was out of
his life and no longer begging for him to cause her pain, so Tristan didn’t see
an issue with the funds going down. He had more than enough money to replace
it. In the last few years it was clear Cameron certainly knew way more about
Kate than Tristan ever did. When Tristan looked back over their life together,
he’d abided Kate’s company for the easy relief it provided. There was nothing
else appealing about her.
 

A knock at the door interrupted their conversation.

“Come in,” Tristan said. He was distracted by his
own stupidity.
 

Vicki opened the door. She was carrying their lunch
in her hands.

“I thought I ordered that.”

“You did. I thought I’d surprise you. Stefan’s on
his way over to try to convince Marla to have lunch with him. I got off early.”
Her gaze went from him to Cameron. “I didn’t mean to interrupt,” she said,
nibbling her lip.

He walked toward her, took her face in his hands and
kissed her lips. “You’re never an interruption.”

Cameron cleared his throat. Tristan ignored him.

He didn’t like the sudden attention coming from the
other man. There was no chance Cameron was getting his hands on Vicki.

“If you wait with Marla while I finish this,” he
said.

“Sure.” She closed the door without questioning.

Cameron whistled. “You sure know how to pick them,
Tristan. I don’t suppose she’d be interested in me?”

“Back off. She’s mine, and if you go anywhere near
Vicki I’ll fucking kill you.” Tristan made the threat while walking back to his
seat. Once he was seated he gave Cameron his attention again.

“Okay, I know when to back off. I’m staying in town
for the fair this weekend. I think we should talk. Here is my number, and here
is the number of the investigator looking into Kate. I made sure to have all
the facts before I came here. Let me know.” Cameron handed him several cards.
“I’m not here to cause trouble, Tristan. We were once friends, and I hope you
can understand that.”

Their friendship ended the night he caught the
bastard with Kate. The anger he’d once felt toward Cameron was gone.

“Stay away from Vicki. She’s not like Kate, and I
won’t have you hurting her with your advances.”

“For all it’s worth, Tristan, Kate came onto me. She
begged and pleaded with me to give her what you couldn’t. I hate the fact I was
fooled by her lies. Kate likes to control everything and have everyone eating
out of her hand. I lost your friendship because of her, and it’s not happening
again.”

Tristan took the cards without saying a word. He
waited until Cameron left before sitting back and thinking about what the other
man said. Everything spoken about Kate made some kind of weird sense.

She’d always been concerned about the cost of dinner
and spoke highly of certain places. Tristan, at the time, thought it was
endearing of her to be worried about money. Was it all a lie? Was Kate putting
him through some kind of test?

Putting the card away he moved toward the door. He
didn’t want to think about his soon-to-be ex-wife. His real woman was outside
waiting for him.

****

“Are you sure Stefan mentioned taking me to lunch?”
Marla asked. The older woman was biting down on her lip as her gaze kept going
to the entrance of the station.

“I’m certain. Stefan likes you. He’s a good guy,
Marla.”

“But he’s covered in tattoos, and he rides a bike.
What am I supposed to think about that? He’s part of a Bad Boys group.” The
worry on Marla’s face made Vicki laugh.

“Sorry, I shouldn’t laugh. Stefan and the guys are
wonderful. I promise you won’t have to worry about anything. The gang brings in
tourists, and they’re really good company. If you don’t want his company then
tell him.”

A lot of people got the wrong idea about the men in
the club. Stefan wasn’t a bad guy. He wasn’t a criminal. From what she knew
about Stefan the guy liked tattoos and riding a bike. He liked to work out as
well. She didn’t see anything wrong.

“How can you have a problem with tattoos? Tristan is
covered in them, and he doesn’t try to hide it.”

“He’s the Sheriff and my boss.” Marla shrugged. “I
don’t know. Kevin has been acting weird around me as well. He’s such a sweet
guy.”

“Yeah, Kevin’s got the
hots
for you, and it’s real for him. He’s working up the courage to ask you out on a
date.”

“See, how is that going to work? I’m old enough to
be his mother.” Marla threw her hands up in the air and let out a frustrated
sigh. “I can’t do this. For a small town it acts all crazy.”

“Kevin would have a fit if he heard you say that.
He’s a good man as well. Law Castle is a wonderful town.” Vicki smiled even
though her thoughts returned to leaving. Her father phoned her earlier at
Stefan’s home to arrange being picked up. She wasn’t sure she wanted to leave.
What if Tristan was being honest with her? She couldn’t give up her one shot of
being happy.

“Who was the man with Tristan?” Vicki asked,
changing the subject.

“Cameron Jones. I don’t know who he is, but Tristan
didn’t seem happy when he saw the man.”

She’d seen the anger on Tristan’s face from the
brief moment she saw him. Holding their lunch in the brown paper bag, she
tapped her foot and waited for her man to appear. Several minutes later Cameron
walked out of the office. He closed the door behind him.

“Ladies,” he said, looking at each of them.

Vicki stood with Marla until he was out of the door.
Stefan walked through. His gaze wandered over Cameron as he passed.

“Do I want to know who that guy is?” Stefan asked.

Both women shook their head.

“Okay.” Stefan’s gaze went to Marla as Tristan moved
out of his office. His hand moved to her back. Vicki liked Stefan’s move. The
guy was slick, and from the smile on his face, he knew it as well.

“Are you two going out to lunch?” Tristan asked.

“If the lovely Marla would have
me?”

Marla smiled and turned to her boss.

“I’ve got the station. Go and have lunch.”

Vicki waited, pensively.

“Let’s go somewhere else to eat,” he said. Tristan
took her hand, locked the station and turned on the cell phone connected to the
station. They walked hand in hand behind the back of the station. A park was
several feet away with a picnic area. The park was only one of two. This park
was for mothers and their children while the bigger park hosted the fairs and
festivals Law Castle held.

“Did you see what I ordered for lunch?” he asked.

“No. I thought it would be a surprise. You like
feeding me.”

His arm banded around her waist. “Of course I like
feeding you. You’re way too thin.”

He fell silent. Every time he referred to her weight
Vicki couldn’t help but remember the reason why she was slender. Eating after
losing her child felt wrong.

“It’s in the past, Tristan,” she said. Part of her
knew he was hurting from their loss of a baby.

“It will never be in the past for me. At times I
wish I could go back and change everything.”

She turned to him, wrapped her arms around his neck
and held him close.

“I’m here now.”

“I know.” He pressed his face against her neck,
breathing in her scent. “I should have divorced Kate a long time ago.”

Vicki didn’t say anything else while they sat down
on the dry grass. Tristan took the bag from her and handed her some noodles.
She accepted the food with a smile. He smiled back, but it didn’t reach his
eyes.

“You’re sad,” she said.

“Yeah, I am.” Denying his feelings would have been a
waste of time. She understood him better than he realised.

They sat down and ate their food.

“Kate’s making it difficult for me to divorce her.”

“Why?”

“The guy who came in to see me, he’s the guy I was
telling you about.”

“Which one?”
Vicki asked.

“The one who gave Kate what she
needed.”

Vicki listened and was shocked by everything he
said. His wife didn’t sound like a nice person at all.

“So, you’re rich?” she asked, laughing.

“Yeah.
I’ve
got a trust fund my dad set up before he died. There are shares and stuff, and
over the years it amounted up. I don’t have to worry about money ever again.”
He chuckled. “I don’t even have to have this job. I’ve never been the kind of
guy to be waited on.”

“I never thought you were,” Vicki said. “Why are you
sharing all this with me?” She turned toward him curious of the answer.

He reached out, caressing her cheek. Before she gave
herself time to doubt her actions she pressed her lips to his. Tristan moaned,
and his hand moved to her neck. He tilted her head back to deepen the kiss.

Her nipples tightened, and her pussy clenched. Her
arousal drenched her panties. She’d been so long without any touch, and she
yearned for more of him. They’d been together a matter of days, and already she
wanted to touch and to taste him.

Tristan stopped the kiss. “Not here and not now.”

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“I’ve got to get Kate to agree to the divorce
proceedings before I’m with you again,” Tristan said. His head rested against
hers.

“What?”

“I’m not risking Kate dragging your name through the
mud because I can’t keep my dick in my pants.” Tristan went to his knees before
her.

“I’m going to be leaving Law Castle, and I’m taking
Kate out of here.” Tristan kissed her lips again. “I promise I’ll come back,
and when I do we can be together.”

“What? You’re leaving?” she asked.

“I’ve got to leave. She’s going to keep fighting,
and I don’t want to bring this here. Kate is not going to let it go. I know
this now,” he said.

“Is this because of what Cameron said?”

“Partly, and because I know the kind of woman I’m
dealing with. Talking about it with you has made me clear on what I want and
what I need to do to get it.” He kissed her again and groaned. “God, I hate
leaving you. I promise, I’ll sort everything out, and then I’m coming back for
you.”

They finished their food, and Tristan walked her
back to Stefan’s house before he returned home. She stared out of the window of
Stefan’s home wishing she knew what the future held. In the space of
a lunchtime
her life had changed.

What if Tristan didn’t return?

Vicki couldn’t bring herself to let the negative
thoughts conquer her mind. She pushed them aside and got through her work. It
was the only way for her to handle everything.

Chapter
Ten

Tristan waited until Vicki had left Stefan’s house
for the night before going to see the other man. He wasn’t stupid, and
everything Cameron said about Kate was the truth. His wife wasn’t going to let
him go without a fight. Touching Vicki and being near her before he got a
divorce would only ruin their time together. He’d already hurt her because of
his marriage to Kate.

There was no way he’d ever put her through that
again. He loved her way too much to put her through it again. Cameron was
meeting him in the morning, and together they were riding out to the city to
handle his marriage.

There were only two things he needed to do, and both
of them involved Stefan.

Chloe, Stefan’s younger sister, opened the door.
“Sheriff, what are you doing here?” she asked.

“I’ve come to see your brother.”

“Stefan’s in the kitchen.” Chloe moved out of the
way letting him enter. Tristan followed behind her. He passed several of the
Bad Boys and nodded in their direction.

“Stefan, the Sheriff is here to see you,” Chloe
said.

“Tell him to fuck off. I’m not interested to hear
anything more from him.” Stefan was flipping eggs at the stove as he spoke.

“Tell him yourself.” Chloe turned and walked away.

The man turned to him. “Sheriff, how lovely to see
you,” Stefan said.

Tristan laughed. “Cut the crap. I know you’re faking
it.”

“What brings you inside my house?” Stefan placed
eggs on several plates followed by some sausage and tomatoes. He waited as
Stefan shouted to whoever he cooked dinner for.

“They missed Vicki’s cooking. She makes a pretty
decent meal, but she never makes enough for leftovers.”

Stefan wiped his hand on the towel as he walked over
to where Tristan stood. “I take it this is not a social call?”

“No. I need a couple of favours.”