Tough Love
Page 126
“I... I don’t have any place to go.”
Reese covered the phone and said, “I’m pretty sure I’ll be able to help you with that.”
Tabby nodded. “Perfect.” Giving Stack a pat, she stood again.
A uniformed cop approached. “Let’s go.”
Phil’s eyes widened. “But...they already told the detective. I didn’t do anything!”
Reese strode over. “That’s not entirely true, now, is it? Either way, you’re coming to the station to answer questions. Until I have this sorted out, you’re under arrest.”
It took a little longer before the police left, the drugs confiscated and Phil in handcuffs. When Stack rejoined Vanity, he saw that Denver and Cannon were both on their cells.
Amused, he asked Vanity, “Checking in with their ladies?”
She nodded. “Yes.” With a look at Armie, she softly added, “And he got a message.”
Over Armie’s shoulder, Stack saw the screen of Armie’s cell.
Rissy was here.
Armie looked painfully undecided as to whether or not he’d text her back. In the end, Stack would bet on Rissy.
Needing to be alone with Vanity, he said, “You guys should go. Everything is under control now. Reese spoke with Vanity’s PI, and he said they’ll be picking up Whitney and charging her with conspiracy to commit a felony.”
Vanity nodded. “Jack, my PI, overheard when and where Whitney arranged the next attack, so the officers will be watching. If things go off as planned, they’ll arrest those men who, most likely, will share what they know about Whitney.”
“And knowing Phil,” Tabby added, “he’ll be volunteering as many details as he can, especially if it’ll help save his own butt.”
Stack ruffled his sister’s hair, and when she glared at him, he grinned and helped her smooth it back. Crazy as it seemed, he knew he’d missed her.
Thanks to Vanity, he was now reunited with his family. And just in time, considering there’d soon be a baby in the mix.
“Wow,” Leese told Vanity. “You wrapped it all up nice and tight. Impressive.”
Vanity blushed. “Not me. I just hired the investigator.”
“A smart move,” Cannon said. “If you hadn’t, eventually Whitney might’ve gotten lucky.”
“No,” she protested, then took a deep breath. “Stack would never have let that happen.”
He slipped his arm around her; her faith in him was humbling.
“Besides,” she continued, “I don’t think Whitney really wanted to hurt Stack.” With a droll look at Stack, she added, “I think she wanted to create a situation where she could get back on his good side—meaning in his bed.”
“And if he got beat up in the process...?” Leese asked.
“He wouldn’t.” Again Vanity glanced at him. “Stack can take care of himself.”
Drawing her away from Stack, Armie enfolded her in a big bear hug. “Thanks to you, he doesn’t have to, does he, Vee? Not when you’re taking such good care of him.”
Stack grinned and said, “True enough.”
Quietly overwhelmed, Vanity accepted hugs from each of the guys. After Leese embraced her, Stack clapped him on the shoulder. “Thank you.”
Leese nodded. “’Bout time you wised up.”
“Also true.”
Vanity frowned at each of them. “What are you guys talking about?”
“It’s getting late.” They had a lot to get straightened out, and Stack knew it’d be easier without an audience. “I’ll help Vanity close up, and then we’ll head home.”
Vanity turned to stare at him.
“Your home.” Brushing his knuckles over her cheek, he smiled. “If that’s okay?”
She breathed a little faster. “Yes.”
Damn, he loved her. “Good, because I need plenty of time to apologize.”
Turning in a rush, she opened the door and tried to hurry everyone out.
Laughing, teasing her, treating her like a little sister, the guys finally left.
Now he just needed to get his sister on her way. “You need a ride?” Stack asked her.
“Nope. I have this awesome little brother who bought me a car that I stupidly let my soon-to-be ex-husband drive, but no more.”
Vanity laughed.
“So.” Tabby eyed them both, and the sternness of her expression sobered Vanity. “I heard this very nasty rumor that you two had called it quits. And I have to say, if that’s true, if Stack is an idiot, well, Mom and I are keeping Vanity anyway.”
Reese covered the phone and said, “I’m pretty sure I’ll be able to help you with that.”
Tabby nodded. “Perfect.” Giving Stack a pat, she stood again.
A uniformed cop approached. “Let’s go.”
Phil’s eyes widened. “But...they already told the detective. I didn’t do anything!”
Reese strode over. “That’s not entirely true, now, is it? Either way, you’re coming to the station to answer questions. Until I have this sorted out, you’re under arrest.”
It took a little longer before the police left, the drugs confiscated and Phil in handcuffs. When Stack rejoined Vanity, he saw that Denver and Cannon were both on their cells.
Amused, he asked Vanity, “Checking in with their ladies?”
She nodded. “Yes.” With a look at Armie, she softly added, “And he got a message.”
Over Armie’s shoulder, Stack saw the screen of Armie’s cell.
Rissy was here.
Armie looked painfully undecided as to whether or not he’d text her back. In the end, Stack would bet on Rissy.
Needing to be alone with Vanity, he said, “You guys should go. Everything is under control now. Reese spoke with Vanity’s PI, and he said they’ll be picking up Whitney and charging her with conspiracy to commit a felony.”
Vanity nodded. “Jack, my PI, overheard when and where Whitney arranged the next attack, so the officers will be watching. If things go off as planned, they’ll arrest those men who, most likely, will share what they know about Whitney.”
“And knowing Phil,” Tabby added, “he’ll be volunteering as many details as he can, especially if it’ll help save his own butt.”
Stack ruffled his sister’s hair, and when she glared at him, he grinned and helped her smooth it back. Crazy as it seemed, he knew he’d missed her.
Thanks to Vanity, he was now reunited with his family. And just in time, considering there’d soon be a baby in the mix.
“Wow,” Leese told Vanity. “You wrapped it all up nice and tight. Impressive.”
Vanity blushed. “Not me. I just hired the investigator.”
“A smart move,” Cannon said. “If you hadn’t, eventually Whitney might’ve gotten lucky.”
“No,” she protested, then took a deep breath. “Stack would never have let that happen.”
He slipped his arm around her; her faith in him was humbling.
“Besides,” she continued, “I don’t think Whitney really wanted to hurt Stack.” With a droll look at Stack, she added, “I think she wanted to create a situation where she could get back on his good side—meaning in his bed.”
“And if he got beat up in the process...?” Leese asked.
“He wouldn’t.” Again Vanity glanced at him. “Stack can take care of himself.”
Drawing her away from Stack, Armie enfolded her in a big bear hug. “Thanks to you, he doesn’t have to, does he, Vee? Not when you’re taking such good care of him.”
Stack grinned and said, “True enough.”
Quietly overwhelmed, Vanity accepted hugs from each of the guys. After Leese embraced her, Stack clapped him on the shoulder. “Thank you.”
Leese nodded. “’Bout time you wised up.”
“Also true.”
Vanity frowned at each of them. “What are you guys talking about?”
“It’s getting late.” They had a lot to get straightened out, and Stack knew it’d be easier without an audience. “I’ll help Vanity close up, and then we’ll head home.”
Vanity turned to stare at him.
“Your home.” Brushing his knuckles over her cheek, he smiled. “If that’s okay?”
She breathed a little faster. “Yes.”
Damn, he loved her. “Good, because I need plenty of time to apologize.”
Turning in a rush, she opened the door and tried to hurry everyone out.
Laughing, teasing her, treating her like a little sister, the guys finally left.
Now he just needed to get his sister on her way. “You need a ride?” Stack asked her.
“Nope. I have this awesome little brother who bought me a car that I stupidly let my soon-to-be ex-husband drive, but no more.”
Vanity laughed.
“So.” Tabby eyed them both, and the sternness of her expression sobered Vanity. “I heard this very nasty rumor that you two had called it quits. And I have to say, if that’s true, if Stack is an idiot, well, Mom and I are keeping Vanity anyway.”
