Page 14 of Redemption

“Fury …” The warning conveyed in Vector’s voice has me grinning in his sister’s direction.

“You don’t seem like a ‘Fury’ to me,” I say, giving his sister an assessing glance.

“Just a joke between Dad and Vector.” She waves off her road name with her perfectly manicured hand, but the blush on her cheeks tells me there’s more to the story. “So, you work for the county?”

“No, I’m with Virginia Gas. I’m the project manager for the upgrade the county wants though. And how about you? You said you’re working tonight?” I ask her in return.

“I’m an accountant. I don’t usually work nights, but I was down in Florida dealing with my mom and now it sounds like I’ll have a trip out west next week, so I’m trying to see how big a mess my darling brother made of my books while I was gone,” she explains, and I’m more than a little surprised to see an old-fashioned ledger on the desk behind her.

Figuring that’s none of my business, I decide to tease Vector instead of commenting on it. “And howbig a messdid he make?”

“Aren’t you supposed to be on my side?” he asks me with a wink.

“I didn’t take you for the sensitive type,” I retort, getting a laugh from Bridget.

“Trust me, he isn’t! However, in his defense, so far it actually looks pretty good,” she announces, and he regally nods his head from where he’s standing near the door. “I’m hoping to finish up tonight so I can just chill out tomorrow. Do you have any siblings, Sloane?”

“I have three brothers.” I’m slow to answer her question, then find it easier to throw my beer back rather than elaborating.

“Me too! Vector and me have the same father, but different mothers,” she explains. “I’m the youngest, how about you?”

“I’m the third. Oh! Vector assured me that he had someone clean your kitchen after the carnage I left behind.” I quickly change the subject to an easier topic. It did look like someone was murdered in there after I scraped my knee the day of the kids’ party, but it’s impossible not to notice the look Bridget and Vector exchange.

“I felt so bad. I knew that transition plate was loose, but it’s one of those things around your house that you just live with, y’know?” Bridget barely misses a beat before helping me skip her attempt to find out about my family.

“Yeah, and I want a full list of things that need to be done around your place,” Vector responds after taking a long pull from his beer. “I’ll have the prospects handle everything while you’re gone.”

“Right, like the idea ofprospects handling my thingsdoesn’t make me cringe,” she says, turning his words on him. “Anddon’t say, you’ll have one of the guys supervising them. Roman, Swann, or Oak are the only guys I’ll accept.”

“Actually, Swann doesn’t have reliable childcare the next couple of weeks, I’ll put him on it so he can keep an eye on Evon over there,” Vector decides, but it’s the smile that he and Bridget exchange that tells me they’re pretty in tune with each other.

“Evon is …” Bridget starts, turning to include me in the conversation again.

“Adorable and bossy? Yes, she helped your brother nurse me after I fell,” I interrupt with a smile.

“Hey, is there any carpentry work that needs to be handled?” Vector asks, straightening up from his position against the wall as the idea strikes him. “Sloane, do you think I could get your granddad out of retirement?”

His thoughtful idea causes butterflies to start beating in my chest and a slow smile spreads across my face as I nod, too choked up to say anything.

“Typically, when a woman looks at a man like that, I’d take my leave, but I’m the one working here.” Bridget’s words, coming from a stranger might have rubbed me the wrong way, if not for the wistful expression on her face. “I hope we can hang out when I get back, Sloane.”

The hug she gives me as we’re leaving is completely unexpected, but welcome regardless.

“Vector,” I barely whisper his name, holding him in place within the alcove. “Thank you. Really, for thinking of that.”

“I know things aren’t easy, with his arthritis, but sometimes they’re harder when you don’t have enough to keep you occupied either,” he answers with a shrug, studying my face as he wraps his arms around me. “We can skip the party, if you want …”

“Why? Are you worried the girl with her tits out will scare me off?”

“Ya noticed that, huh?”

“You’re not forgetting my daddy’s a roughneck, are you? I can hold my own,” I tell him, lifting my face up until there’s less than an inch between our lips. “If I think you’re worth it, that is.”

Just as he starts to shift down to me, I close my eyes expecting a kiss. Until a second later when he’s by-passed my mouth and is down low enough to bend me over his shoulder. Screaming with surprise, I drop what’s left of my beer as I try to get a hold of him.

With a slap on my ass, he grunts and turns, walking through the room as my face flames red and I get a bird’s eye view of everyone laughing and cheering in his wake. Now, technically, I was in the process lifting one hand to shoot them all the bird, it just wasn’t fully extended until the nearly naked woman from earlier stepped into my line of sight.

Somehow, I doubt we’re going to be friends.

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