Chapter Three
Shoni sank lower into her chair, staring at the breakfast plate in front of her. She lifted her fork to her mouth and then chewed on a bite of pancakes. They tasted wonderful, but she had no appetite. Misery sat around the table with her in the form of her family. She really hoped the other hotel guests near their table couldn’t hear what was being said.
“You should go out with my son.” Her stepmother paused. “He wouldn’t have humiliated our family this way.”
It was tempting for Shoni to stab herself with the fork because needing to go to the emergency room right at that moment seemed preferable over talking about the possibility of dating her horrible stepbrother. Mikey was a lot like his mother. That would be self-centered, ugly on the inside, and just outright mean. She managed to shake her head.
“Well, you sure didn’t do well choosing a man on your own,” her stepmother snapped. “Mikey would be good for you.”
“Oh, give it up!” Her cousin Ember slammed her glass of orange juice on the table. “Hasn’t Shoni been through enough without having to listen to you, Perri? Nobody wants to date your son because he’s a weirdo. The only way someone would consider him a catch is if the police raided his home for his internet porn addiction. I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the stuff he watches isn’t legal.”
“How dare you!” Perri leaned forward. “You don’t get to talk to me that way.”
“I tell it like it is,” Ember loudly stated. “You’re so nasty.”
“I am? Did you hear the way your niece spoke to me? Do something, Clint.”
Shoni felt bad for her dad. He’d had the wool pulled over his eyes when he’d dated his now-wife. There had been a time when Perri pretended to be a sweet, loving woman. Then he’d married her four years before, and the act had quickly ended. She was mean, bitchy, and demanding.
Perri elbowed Shoni’s dad hard enough to make him grunt after he remained silent. It angered Shoni enough to say something. She really disliked her stepmother.
“Well, look on the bright side. I could have married Marco and then discovered he was a bad person. Thanks for reminding me of that, step-monster. You’re a living example.”
Perri gasped. “Do something, Clint. Did you hear what your daughter just said to me?”
“My hearing is fine.” Her dad sighed, shifting his upper body away from his wife. He probably feared she’d elbow him again.
“Well, I never!” Perri rose to her feet.
“Sit down,” her dad demanded. “You’re the one who started this by being rude. And I’m paying for this breakfast. I plan on finishing my food.”
“We are not footing the bill.” Perri sat down again.
“I think you should spend some money on a divorce lawyer, Uncle Clint,” Ember muttered loud enough for everyone at the table to hear.
A few chuckles from some of her other cousins followed. They’d come to see her get married.
“Shut up, you tramp.” Perri glowered at Ember.
“There you go, projecting your own crap onto others again. Nope.” Ember shook her head. “You’re the one who found your first husband in prison. Isn’t that where you met Mikey Senior when you worked at the prison hospital? Was that your idea of how to heal criminals? Giving them a hug with your vagina?”
“I don’t have to take this,” Perri spat. “You’re crude!”
“It’s okay, Uncle Clint. We all figured she must suck D like a vacuum to have any redeeming qualities. It sure isn’t her personality you were drawn to. Men have been suckered into marriage for far less. Literally.”
Shoni sank a little lower in her seat, glancing at her father. He had paled but didn’t say a word. She almost felt sorry for him, but part of her wanted to cheer. She loved Ember. Her cousin was known to be mouthy when she was pissed, but she wasn’t saying anything Shoni hadn’t wanted to throw in her step-monster’s face many times before.
Perri stood, her face blotchy red as she gasped.
“Sit down,” Shoni’s dad snapped. He shot a scowl at her cousin. “Enough, Ember. I know you’re drawing her ire to make Perri leave my daughter alone.” He turned his head, shooting a dirty look at his wife. “If you can dish it out, you can take it. I’d castrate your son before I’d let him touch my baby. He’s a perverted prick.”
Perri sat down hard, and her face turned an ugly shade of red. The important part, though, was she snapped her lips together tight and didn’t talk.
Shoni cleared her throat and sat up straight. “Look, let’s not fight. Marco was a mistake, but I’m glad I found out before I married him. Divorces are much messier than dating breakups. I’m sorry you came all this way for a wedding that didn’t happen, but it was for the best.”
“Totally true,” her cousin Earl quickly agreed.
“I’ve been through a divorce, as you all know, and you’re absolutely right, Shoni,” her cousin Rick added. “Marco can’t go after your home and demand half of everything else you own like my ex-wife did.”
Perri narrowed her eyes, staring at Shoni. “It’s fine. We should have known your fiancé would back out at the last minute. He was too good for you.”
“Goddamn it,” her father hissed. “Stop, Perri.”
“He was a cheater and a liar,” Shoni reminded her.
“I’m sure you’ll be able to find some ugly, desperate man to eventually marry. One day, you might make enough money that one will be able to overlook your many flaws.”
Shoni clenched her hands and held herself back from lunging at her step-monster.
“What? Don’t elbow me, Clint. She’s always had a weight problem. She’s at a decent size right now, but we all know she’ll gain it back after this. Shoni eats her feelings in cake by the pounds. She’ll be pudgy again soon.”
“Shut up,” her dad hissed. “I’ve had enough. That’s my daughter.”
Now Shoni felt a little guilty. Her father was getting into an argument with his terrible wife because of her. She looked away, trying to calm down. The sight of the tall man from the night before caught her attention when he stood up from a table a few over from theirs. She recognized him from his hair, and he wore dark sunglasses again. He’d been really nice to her.
Chaz stopped a few feet away from where Shoni sat, seeming to stare down at her. It was hard to tell, though, since his sunglasses completely hid his eyes.
“Hello. I’m Chaz Deslayer. Shoni, honey. I know you didn’t want me to meet everyone yet, but they are here. Now is as good a time as any. I don’t see a reason to hide me anymore.”
Shoni gaped up at him. He reached for her, gently gripped her upper arm, and helped her to her feet. He pulled her against his side and released her before putting his arm around her waist.
Ember cleared her throat, her green eyes wide as she stared at him. “Hide you?”
He inclined his head. “Probably a poor choice of words, but I met Shoni when I recently moved to this area. I begged her to go out with me, but she was already engaged to Marco. It about killed me when she said we could only be friends.”
Her family were all staring at the handsome stranger. Shoni glanced between them and up at him, wondering what he was doing. She was too stunned to speak.
“Of course, no one could blame me for falling for my Shoni here,” he went on. “She’s beautiful, incredibly smart, and funny as hell. I came here yesterday to ask her to reconsider marrying that jerk and to date me instead. I was happy that Marco turned out to be an idiot. That was lucky for me. We talked last night, and I’m happy to say she’s finally seen it my way. We’re officially dating now.”
Shoni’s heart pounded, but she forced a smile. The look on her step-monster’s face was priceless. Perri resembled a fish out of water with her wide-open eyes and mouth hanging open.
“Now, if you’ll excuse us, I’d like to escort my beautiful girlfriend up to the honeymoon suite. We need to pack our things.”
“Our things?” Perri darted her gaze between them.
“Oh.” Chaz cleared his throat. “Whoops. This is awkward. I didn’t mean to let that slip, but I’m a bit nervous meeting you all.”
“I call bullshit,” Perri coldly stated. “No way you are interested in Shoni. You’re too attractive for her.”
Chaz turned his head in her direction. “You must be the step-monster. The title fits. Congratulations. You’re as foul as I’ve heard.”
He suddenly adjusted Shoni in his hold, spinning her until they faced each other. It left her back to her family. Her body ended up flush against his. She stared up at his handsome face.
Shoni really wished she could see his eyes as Chaz leaned down. Then, his hot mouth was on hers in an instant. She gasped, surprised.
Chaz used that opening to pull her right off her feet as he deepened the kiss. She lost the ability to think as he wreaked havoc on her. Her body felt like she was going up in flames, and she didn’t even care.
When he finally pulled his mouth from hers, Shoni’s arms were wrapped around his shoulders, one of her hands tangled in his short, dark hair. It felt silky and wonderful.
Chaz grinned as he gently lowered her to the floor, keeping her at his side. Shoni hated to let go of him. The urge to cling hit hard. And to kiss him again. She wished she could see his eyes, but he turned his head, facing off against her father and step-monster.
“Sir, I don’t want us to start off on the wrong foot, but one day, if Shoni and I are lucky enough to have children, I’d never allow anyone to speak to them the way your wife does. I wouldn’t let my kids near that woman.” He pointed at Perri.
Perri gasped.
Her father appeared too stunned to even make a sound.
Chaz spoke again. “Shoni and I are leaving now. I don’t want her around anyone who might upset her after all she’s gone through. That’s what loving someone means. Also, not being mean and kicking them when they are down. You should take notes, step-monster.” He seemed to glance at her cousin Ember. “You’re good family. Keep it up.”
Ember grinned. “Sure thing, hottie.”
Chaz pulled Shoni away from the table, leading her out of the restaurant.
She stared up at him with some hero worship and tried to ignore that her body had gone a little haywire over that kiss. No one had ever put that much passion into it before. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“How did you know I needed rescuing?” Embarrassment had her face feeling flush. “Were we that loud at my table? Did everyone hear all that?”
“I’ve always had extremely good hearing.” He paused once they were in the lobby. “Give me your number.”
She opened her mouth, closed it, and sighed. “I left my purse and cell up in my room. I don’t have anything to write with.”
He gripped her wrist, making her look up at him. She was starting to hate those sunglasses, really wishing she could see his eyes. Even to know what color they were.
“Just tell me. I’ll remember. How long are you staying at the hotel for?”
“Just a few more hours, but I live nearby.”
“I’ll call you when I’m done with my meeting. Keep your cell close. Give me the number for it, Shoni.”
She rattled it off.
He repeated it and smiled. “We’ll talk soon.”
“Okay.” She felt stunned. Maybe Chaz only said it to be nice. Hope was a good thing to have, though. After that kiss, she really wanted him to call.
“I need to go. I can’t be late for my meeting.”
“Right. Sure. Thank you, Chaz. I’ll talk to you soon.”
“You will.” He released her wrist and strode across the lobby toward the front exit of the hotel.
Shoni watched him until he was out of sight before fleeing toward the elevator to get her belongings from the suite. “Oh my god. He’s so hot.” She hoped Chaz would call. The relocation he’d mentioned gave her hope that he might have just moved into the area from Alaska.
She pushed the button to call the elevator, a smile on her lips. Life was turning around for her. Despite not knowing much about him, Chaz was a thousand times better than Marco.
She remembered him talking about what he did for a living the night before. Company mergers sounded like a job that might pay well. How much money he had didn’t really matter, though. He was kind and had gone out of his way twice to look out for a stranger. Her.
Two women walked up to stand next to Shoni. The elevator arrived, and three guests got out. Shoni entered, along with the two women. She went to push the button for the top floor, but one of the women blocked her hand, pressing for the basement instead.
Shoni tried to reach around her again to hit the right button, but the woman turned, glaring down at her. She frowned up at the tall brunette. “Excuse me. I’m trying to press my floor.”
The elevator door closed, and the brunette pulled a small handgun, holding it tight against her body. “Remain calm, and I won’t shoot you.”
Terror hit Shoni. She frantically looked up at the camera in the elevator corner. The woman’s body blocked security from seeing the gun. Next, Shoni looked to the black-haired woman for help, but that one glared at her, too. It became obvious they were working together.
“I don’t have much cash, but you can have it all.” Shoni went to dig into her pocket.
“Shut up. We don’t want your money.”
Shoni sealed her lips. The elevator doors opened behind the two women. She hoped someone would be there to help her. Instead, it was empty. It looked like an employee area with many abandoned cleaning carts just shoved against one side of the corridor.
The black-haired woman motioned with her head. “Walk. Don’t scream if you want to live. We just want to have a talk with you. My friend will shoot you if you make her, though. You’ll be dead before anyone responds to the gunshots, and we’ll be long gone.”
Shoni sent a frantic look up at the cameras, hoping someone would see that she was in trouble, but she had no choice except to walk out of the elevator. The black-haired woman stayed in front of her, but the brunette remained so close that she felt it when the gun was shoved into her back.
“What’s this about?” Shoni hated how her voice shook from terror.
“Your man pissed off the wrong people.” The black-haired woman looked back, glaring at Shoni before facing forward again to walk.
Shoni let that information stew as they took a turn. “We’re over. He dumped me.”
“Shut up. We’ll talk about him once we leave here.”
Shoni wondered what Marco had done now. He was not only a cheater and a liar but maybe had a gambling problem. That was the only reason she could think of as to why someone would want to kidnap her. “He’s not going to pay to get me back if that’s your plan.”
The one with the gun jabbed her with it. “Shut up. We’ll discuss your man when we’re somewhere else.”
Shoni hoped they’d run into hotel employees, but none were in sight. Where are they? The woman in the lead opened a door, showing off a big laundry room. The brunette behind her welding the gun removed it from pressing against Shoni’s spine, but then pain exploded in the back of her head.
Shoni’s knees buckled, and she grunted, passing out.