Page 60 of Unburied

“That was definitely a bonus,” he said, “even if I didn’t realize it at the time. Turns out she’d left me for Cross.”

Vivi jerked up to look at him. “Wait. Like… Carter? Our Carter?”

“The very same.” He nodded.

His girlfriend, Audrey, had run into some trouble recently, and he’d hired Vantage to do some background on his boss. Carter now worked for them, doing some legal consultation. Audrey was a sweetheart. Carter… he still wasn’t sure how he felt about him.

“I hated him when we were kids. His parents doted on him, gave him everything. He had everything while I had nothing. And then he got my girl.”

Vivi’s body trembled with fury. “Did he know you two were together?”

“No, she lied to him, too. Told him we went our separate ways after graduation.” He shook his head. “You know what’s even worse? He actually served, too. He put in his time overseas, then headed back to the States to study law, just like his old man. So Sam got the best of both worlds—the Marine and the rich lawyer.”

Vivi thought on that for a second. “They’re obviously not together now.”

“No, they’re not.” Carter had found Audrey, and they seemed to be extremely happy together. “From what I understand, they dated for a while until she cheated on him, too.”

“She played you both. That’s why the situation with the Morrisons bothered you so much,” Vivi said softly.

He nodded. “I can’t stand cheaters. Relationships should be built on respect and trust. If you break that…” He lifted one shoulder. “There’s just no going back for me.”

“I can understand that.” She was quiet for a second. “I’m sorry that happened to you.”

“I’m not.” It had sucked at the time, but he was forever grateful he hadn’t married Samantha. “Now I have you, and what we have is a thousand times better.”

He pulled her in close, loving the feel of her against him. Holding her close, knowing that she was his and he was hers… There was no better feeling in the world.

CHAPTER

THIRTY-THREE

Vivi couldn’t get Mason off her mind. After last night, it felt like everything was… perfect. Mason had opened up and shown her a side of him she never knew existed, and she had fallen deeper than she ever thought possible.

She wished he were more vocal about his feelings for her, but she knew he would tell her when he was ready. In the meantime, he showered her with attention, showing her every single day how much he cared for her. Actions spoke so much louder than words, and she loved what he was telling her.

She had decided to meet up with her friend Jamie that night, and they had spent the past two hours at a bar downtown. Jamie’s boyfriend was a chef, so he rarely got home before midnight. When she had asked Vivi to come hang out with her, Vivi had jumped at the chance. She had needed some girl talk anyway and told Jamie everything that had happened recently—meeting Mason at the hotel, finding out they would be working together… and Knox finding out about them.

Across from her, Jamie shook her head. “Are you worried about how it will affect you guys?”

“I was,” Vivi admitted, “but I think he understands. He’s seen us together, and he knows I’m happy. I think he’ll always have that reservation about any guy I date, though, you know?”

Jamie nodded. “It’s what big brothers do. It’s stupid, but they feel like it’s their job to protect us from everything.”

“Tell me about it.” Vivi rolled her eyes. “I just don’t want it to ruin anything between him and Mason.”

Knox knew Vivi was happy, but she wondered if he’d always be waiting for Mason to hurt her. She knew about Mason’s past, and she’d be lying if she said it didn’t bother her, at least a little bit. She still thought back to that night once in a while when he’d started to leave. She kept reminding herself that he hadn’t. He’d come back, and that showed her how much he cared and wanted things to work.

She tried to put herself in his shoes. After everything that had happened with him, she completely understood his reservations. He’d been hurt before, and he was afraid of letting people in. Mason was so domineering that she didn’t really think of his being vulnerable. But everyone had fears, and intimacy was one of his. Him being willing to come back to her, even being terrified of what would happen, meant the world to her.

She glanced at her phone. “I should go. But it was great seeing you.”

“You too.” They headed for the front door, and Jamie turned to her. “We’ll have another girls’ night soon.”

“Absolutely.”

Vivi gave Jamie a hug, then cut across the parking lot to her car. The night was warm, and she couldn't help but wonder what Mason was doing right now. She hoped he would finish up his job early so she would have a chance to see him tonight for a while. A tiny smile curved her face. Either way, she knew he would find his way into her bed regardless of how late it was.

Over the past couple of weeks, they had fallen into a steady rhythm. It probably should have scared her how fast things were moving, but it didn't. She enjoyed having him around and—surprise, she knew—she loved talking to him. They talked about everything and nothing, exchanged random trivia, and confided stories of their youth. She felt more in tune with Mason than she ever had with another person, like he was a missing part of her.