Page 14 of Something like Desire

“I didn’t mean that,” she cries. “Nicholas! Wait!”

If I had to guess, I think she accused him of signing her up for the song, which I still don’t think is the case because he looked equally uncomfortable.

“Everyone gets cold feet sometimes,” the karaoke host says into the microphone, flashing the chuckling crowd a knowing grin. “Next up we have Samantha.”

I get up and ease my chair back into place, waiting just long enough so I’m not right on their heels, but not so long that I lose track of where they’re going.

Nicholas is still a few feet ahead, with my mom speed-walking behind. They rush along the winding stone pathway past a fountain and a wooden sculpture of a lion. They stop outside of the Courtyard Villas. Now at least I know where their room is. Mom’s talking, and Nicholas nods before slipping his arm around her shoulders. She leans into him without hesitation. A moment later, his hand moves to the small of her back, and he either kisses the top of her head or murmurs something into her hair—I can’t quite tell which.

I creep closer, until I’m behind the wall of the building, peeking out at them, and they’re just around the corner, a mere twenty feet in front of me.

“I would never humiliate you,” he says. “There must be someone here who wants to mess with us.” He pulls her in close and she rests her head on his shoulder.

“And I don’t know who would have that pathetic of a life to do something like that,” Mom says softly.

I swallow a small laugh. Honestly, if I’d thought of it first, I probably would’ve done the same. But I can’t take the credit, unfortunately. I just need to find the guy who pulled it off—and ask what his deal is. After I thank him.

“I’m sorry,” Mom continues, looking up at Nicholas. “I thought maybe you were playing a joke on me. But I should never have accused you of that.”

“It’s okay. It was definitely confusing. For both of us.” Nicholas leans in, cupping Mom’s chin gently. “Is this our first fight?” he asks, his voice low and husky.

Mom arches into him, a flicker of something electric in her eyes. “I think it is.”

He smiles. “Well then, I guess it’s time for the fun part.” He tilts his head, watching her closely. Mom nods eagerly and the only thing that would make her look more enthusiastic would be if she rubbed her hands together and giggled in anticipation.

They disappear into the room, and I have to swallow a wave of nausea because at this distance, how can I not picture the makeup sex occurring on the other side of the wall right now?

“Shit,” a deep voice says from behind me.

I jump and spin around. The angry man is standing there, the professional-looking camera strapped across his chest, somehow looking even more irritated than before. Okay, this is officially getting weird.

Did someone hire a hitman?

SEVEN

Dad wouldn’t hire a hit man. Right? Even if he’s been pushed to the brink of his self-respect. He’s far too gentle to resort to murder. He sounded sad on the phone, a little shellshocked, but not murderous.

Maybe someone on Nicholas’s side paid an assassin. A scorned lover, perhaps.

Part of me wants to make a run for it, back to my room, but another part of me, the margarita-brave part, wants to confront this possibly dangerous man right now and get to the bottom of this. I allow that part of me to win. I plant my hands on my hips and give him my best attempt at an intimidating glare.

“Whoareyou, and why did you request that song for my mom?” My voice comes out stronger and more authoritative than I expected it to and I silently congratulate myself for being fierce.

A look of confusion crosses his face and he narrows his eyes at me. “She’syourmom? The homewrecker?”

My mouth drops open and I take an angry step forward. Despite my irritation with my mother,no oneis allowed to talk about her like that. “Excuseme? Who the hell do you think you are?”

“Your mother broke my family apart right before my mom launched her new business. She’sdevastated. I have a right to be mad.”

My legs start tingling and my heart’s racing a mile a minute. “You’re... Nicholas’s son?”

“Yeah. Zach,” he says flatly, raising a hand in a half-assed wave.

I give him a once-over. Aside from the fact that Zach has a beard, I guess I see a resemblance. Nicholas and Zach both have the same self-assured swagger. They both have longish wavy hair. Brown eyes. If this guy gave smiling a chance, I might even find him attractive, but unfortunately for him, he looks far too uptight to ever do such a thing. “I’m Lexi,” I finally say.

“Why are you here?” he asks, ignoring my introduction, crossing his arms against his muscular chest, jostling his camera. He gives me a curious look, and he’s got this unwavering eye contact that makes me instantly clammy.

“The same reason as you, apparently. I’m here to break up your dad and my mom.”