Page 64 of Scored

“Vee and your mom opened a bottle of wine.” He pointed to the glass of red wine at his side.

“Good. I’ll be back out in a minute. I want to check on Vee.” I walked toward the primary bedroom and opened the door. A trail of clothing led me to the en suite bathroom. I followed boots, socks, a skirt, and a blouse. I scanned Vee from her bare feet up her sexy bare legs, over her panty-covered ass, the black tank-top blouse, all the way to her untethered hair. Our eyes met in the mirror over the vanity. “How are you?”

She turned to face me. “Mad.”

My lips curled. “Good.”

“Good?”

We walked toward one another, meeting on the tile floor. I snaked my arm around her waist. “I anticipated scared or sad.”

“No, I’m angry.” Her voice was fierce with determination. “Today was a great day. The Coopers won. Our injuries were few. You totally demolished the Bills. Your parents are here. And then someone sucked the light out of the day.”

I shook my head. “No. You’re the light, Vee. The beaming beacon the entire world sees.”

“Someone said that the spotlight will grow hotter.”

“Someone is fucking with the wrong woman. Not only isn’t she frightened, but she’s also mad as hell. I’ll tell you something else.” I didn’t wait for her to speak. “You have a roommate, boyfriend, lover…whatever title I get to wear, who is also fucking pissed. We’re going to get to the bottom of this even if it means I need to kick ass.”

Vee’s smile lifted her cheeks. “I don’t want to risk your scholarship.”

Pulling her closer, I held her tight and rested my chin on the top of her head. “Fuck my scholarship. This is where I want to keep you, wrapped in my arms.”

She sighed and laid her cheek against my shirt-covered chest. “I like being here.”

A loud curse came from the living room.

Vee looked up. “That doesn’t sound good for the Vikings.”

Cupping her cheek, I brought my lips to hers. “Are you coming out?”

“Yeah.” She stepped back. “I’m just getting comfortable. I opened a bottle of wine.”

“Dad told me.”

She inhaled and nodded. “I’m all right, Fin. Let’s enjoy tonight with your parents.”

I wiggled my eyebrows. “I like enjoying the night without my parents.”

Unbuttoning the cuffs of my button-down shirt, I rolled them up as I walked back to the living room. Mom was now with Dad. She had also made herself comfortable, changing from her earlier clothes into exercise pants and a sweatshirt. I turned my attention to the television screen. “What happened?”

Dad was the one to answer. “Vikings had it at the one-yard line. Damn referees called the Vikings for offensive holding. Took the ball back to the eleven-yard line and had to settle for a field goal.”

The score flashed at the bottom of the screen. Vikings were ahead 20–17.

I went into the kitchen and poured a glass from the open bottle of wine and joined my parents in the living room, taking a seat on the couch.

Mom spoke softly. “What’s happening? What was with those flowers?”

“Vee received a similar bouquet and message after the Coopers secured the No. 1 seed. I don’t know who’s messing with her. Tomorrow, I’m going to convince her to contact the police.”

“Maybe the florist knows the name of the sender,” Mom replied.

“The last time, they said the order came through a nationwide network.”

“The name,” Vee said, entering the living room and the conversation, “on the last order was Jack Sparrow.”

Mom laughed. “I wonder which pirate it will be this time. Captain Hook?”