Page 3 of Crash

“You and your father served a mean red snapper,” I say to him. Instead of the friendly smile he gave me earlier, he grabs a table and walks right by me, not saying a word. Embarrassed by the display, I turn around only to find Lucas Clark smirking at me while he holds an ice cream cone to his mouth.

“What did you say to him?” I hiss.

“The truth. That they only let you out of the institution for the weekend. I told him you have a history of stalking men. Just doing the poor guy a favor.” He laughs and licks the ice cream cone.

“You wasted your time, Big Foot. I have his card. I can just call him and explain.”

“You think he’ll believe a stalker who lives in a mental institution? You want to know what I told him you were in for? For trying to stab a man who dumped you, and you’re only out for the weekend because my family pulled some strings. And do you really have his card, Vivienne? Do you really?” His words are infuriating as they are challenging.

I open my purse only to find the card gone. Unable to take his smirking expression for another second, I reach up and shove the ice cream cone in his face as hard as I can.

“Dammit!” I hear him yell as I walk away.

With nothing left for me to do but put on my dress, I enjoy a glass of champagne and nibble on the fruit platter the staff has put out. Thankful to have been the first to finish with my hair and makeup, I can enjoy some peace before we dress and leave.

I don’t even pretend to be surprised when the front door opens and slams. I knew he’d be here, and I smile in victory. The oldest Clark sibling, Troy, is right behind him, looking frazzled.

First thing this morning, I grabbed Tash’s keys and snuck out to a local shop that sells gag gifts. I only felt a little guilty for using the spending money Tash had given me on this, but Luke Clark deserves it. He reached a new low last night when I saw him talking with the wedding planner. It’s not like I wanted to be paired up with him for the wedding either, but the way he went about it hurt.

“You,” he says, pointing at me. He starts to approach, but when he sees me, his steps falter and he comes to a stop. He eyes me in my short silk robe, and for the first time, I’m aware that I have nothing on under this robe. His Adam’s apple bobs. To appear unaffected by his intense gaze, I pop a grape in my mouth and refuse to flinch as he approaches. He looks a mess. His hair is all over his head and his face has gone completely red. I pinch my nose closed when he’s close enough to smell.

“You smell like shit,” I say with a snicker.

“Not only do you sneak into my room and put a stink bomb in there, you spray some disgusting smelling cologne on all my clothes. And you stole my tux. Give it to me or I swear I will pick you up and throw you in the pool.” He reaches for me, but I scream and run behind Troy, using him as a shield.

“Luke, just go to your room and look for your shit so we can get out of here. You better hope you can wash that smell off.”

He growls and reaches for me again, but I push his mammoth paw away from me.

“I don’t want your stench on me, rich boy. Get your paw off me. And how the hell did I get into your room, idiot?” I stole his room key right after breakfast, that’s how. He was dumb enough to leave it on his table inside the little card with the room number written on it. The big oaf gave me the perfect opportunity when he took the kids, stripped out of his shirt, revealing his perfect body, and jumped in the pool. I swiped his key and was in and out of his room in under five minutes with no one the wiser.

“You little thief! If I can’t find my tux, you’re dead.” He storms off and runs up the stairs. I laugh loud and deep when I hear his mother chastise him for his smell.

Troy just looks at me and shakes his head, but I don’t say a word. I’ve won this round, and that is good enough for me.

“Is Jake nervous?” I ask Troy as I eat more grapes.

“He’s anxious, not nervous. He’s pacing his suite like a caged lion. I had to take his phone so he wouldn’t FaceTime her.”

“Aww, that’s so sweet,” I say. “I don’t understand how Luke can be related to the two of you. Are you sure he wasn’t adopted? Or maybe his real mother took one look at his ugly face and left him on your doorstep or something. Your parents are nice people and took him in.”

“We’re sure he’s ours biologically,” Troy says with a loud laugh.

“Really?” I ask, feigning surprise. “I think you should check and make sure. You and Jake are fairly intelligent human beings, but Luke has the IQ of a slug, the looks of the Elephant Man, and the manners of a baby monkey.”

“How do you know what the IQ of a slug is?” he asks as he reaches for the grapes.

While I think of a smart response, the oaf comes stomping down the stairs with his garment bag thrown over his shoulder.

“Let’s go,” he says to Troy. “We need to stop off at a store so I can buy some clothes and new underwear. This criminal ruined all my shit.”

“You certainly smell like it,” I say back. “And have you always been such a whiny baby? Maybe Troy should check your diaper before you leave.”

He growls and shoves his tux into Troy’s arms before reaching for me.

I let out a loud scream and hide behind Troy, holding on to him as my shield. “Go away, Elephant Man!”

“I’m going to wring your skinny little neck for what you did in my room.” He grabs my forearm with one giant paw, and I scream again. I try to move Troy to block me, and with both of us sandwiching him in the middle he nearly loses his balance.

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