Page 16 of Kissing Kayley
Two men emerged from the house, stopping at the top of the driveway. When I reached for my seatbelt, Vic stayed my hand.
“Stay here.”
“Why?”
He looked at me, eyebrow arched, and I swallowed back the snark wanting to slide free. “Okay,” I said.
He climbed out and walked up to meet the two men. One looked remarkably like Vic and I mentally smacked myself as I belatedly put together he was one of Vic’s younger brothers, Cedro. I had not yet met Vic’s family but I recognized him from pictures.
I didn’t know who the other man was, but he looked important in a way I couldn’t explain even if I tried. Maybe it was the respectful deference Cedro appeared to give him. The man stood nearly as tall as Vic, had dark hair, and I couldn’t tell what color eyes. He wore a button-down shirt with the sleeves neatly rolled to his elbows, a bolo tie, jeans, and cowboy boots.
As Vic spoke, the man stood with his hands on his hips and stared at the ground, obviously listening and paying attention.
Then the three of them looked at the SUV—at me—and I instinctively ducked lower in my seat.
They talked for a good ten minutes, the man in the flannel shirt making a short phone call. After that ended, he eventually rubbed the back of his neck before saying something to Vic. Then he and Cedro headed inside, leaving the door open behind them.
Vic motioned for me to come to him and I reluctantly left the sanctuary of the SUV and walked up the driveway.
He tucked me against his side, his arm draped around my shoulders, and we followed the men inside.
Cedro stood near the front door and offered me a smile but said nothing as he pointed down the hallway. The other man stood at the far end, by an open door. I walked with Vic as Cedro closed the front door behind us.
A moment later, Vic and I stood in what was a spare bedroom, the door closed.
“Daph, this is Derek,” Vic said, indicating the other man.
I bristled, shooting Vic a glare because he knew I wasn’t fond of my middle name, and especially not a shortened version of it. Still, I bit back my instinctive, snarky reply.
Instead, I said, “Nice to meet you.”
Derek looked imposing in a friendly sort of way, I guess you could say. I’d spent my career studying people and he struck me as a man used to being in charge, but who wasn’t a swaggering asshole about it.
He nodded but didn’t offer to shake hands. “Nice to meet you, too, Daphine.”
“That’s how you’ll be registered,” Vic added. “As Daphine Belefonte.”
“Registered?” I asked.
“Where we’re going,” Vic said.
“And where, exactly,arewe going?” I asked. “Aren’t we here?” I felt exhausted, tense, worried—a far cry from the fun sexytime I’d expected to be enjoying with Vic hours ago—and frankly a little hangry because we’d eaten nothing but road snacks since the diner.
“It’s a very exclusive resort,” Vic said. “Private. Confidentiality guaranteed.”
“Oookaaay?” I looked from Vic to Derek and back again. “This is a good thing, right?”
The men exchanged a meaningful glance—to them, anyway—and Vic turned back to me. “There are strict rules where we’re going.”
I snorted. “You mean stricter than at the White?—”
Vic grabbed my wrist, not painfully but firmly, and with the obvious intention of shutting me up.
“You don’t talk about that while we’re here,” Vic said. “Toanyone, Daphine.Ever. You don’t say names, talk about your family, or tell people what you and I do. Nothing outside of me and the resort exists for you right now. If anyone asks you personal questions, simply say you won’t discuss it, or refer them to me to handle it.”
My gaze bounced from him back to Derek. “That’s kind of… rude, isn’t it?”
“Not here it isn’t,” Vic said. “And people won’t think you’re rude if you do what I just told you to.”
