“So Lucian and Devril keep having to remind me,” she sighed, though the wicked glint in her eyes gave lie to her put-upon tone of voice. “Maybe I can get them to remind me again tonight. I did point out that exceptionally designed paddle we found on the internet. ”
Laughter filled the tub again as wineglasses were refilled and the conversation began to dissolve into hilarity.
“Hey, what happened to Sax’s car?” Tally suddenly asked, her question creating a ripple effect that had silence filling the tub.
“There’s nothing wrong with the car. ” Marey frowned. “Why?”
“The sheriff’s office was towing it off as Lucian and I left the office. I was just curious… Ouch, Ella, why the hell did you pinch me?”
“Because you don’t play dumb nearly well enough,” Ella snapped, her eyes glinting in anger as she set her glass on the deck behind her. “Let’s hope we’ve all had enough to last us for a while because I bet we get cut off for a long time after this one. ”
Marey’s eyes narrowed as her heart began to beat furiously in her chest. She turned to Kimberly. She was now part of Delacourte’s security team and would know more than any of the rest of the ladies.
“I like my job, Marey,” she sighed. “Don’t make me jeopardize it. But I promise you, everything is under control. ”
“Vince,” she whispered. “He did something to the car. ”
“I think I overheard someone mentioning a damaged brake line and possible deterioration before the car reached the cliffs. ” Tally was on a roll, and her own anger showing now. “She’s not a child, she deserves the truth. ”
“I bet Lucian and Devril don’t spank you for a week,” Ella muttered.
“You and James lied to me. ” Marey turned on Ella, fury flaming inside her. “You were going along with it, Ella?”
Ella stared back at her unapologetically.
“For now,” she admitted defensively. “Dammit, Marey, you’re ready to run from Sax at the least excuse. I wasn’t about to see you get an excuse. I don’t want to see you dead. ”
“You’d rather see Sax dead?” she yelled back, jumping to her feet as she stumbled from the hot tub, pulling the towel around her as Ella joined her. “What do you think that would do to me, Ella?”
“Well, no one is dead this way,” Ella shouted back as she knotted the towel between her breasts. “You’re so stubborn, Marey, you’d cut your own nose off to spite your face. Sax can protect you. ”
“I don’t need his protection or yours,” Marey spat furiously. “Damn you, Ella, you had no right to lie to me. ”
“Why not?” she snapped. “You lie to yourself all the damned time. It shouldn’t bother you so fucking bad when someone else tries to do no more than protect you from your own foolishness. ”
“I’m here aren’t I?” Marey nearly screamed. “I’m sleeping in his damned bed and he’s fucking me regularly. Isn’t that what you wanted?”
“More to the point, it’s what you want and deny yourself with any and every excuse,” Ella accused her, crossing her arms over her breasts, her expression mulish, defiant. “I just wanted to make certain you didn’t come up with a new excuse. ”
“It was none of your business…”
“The hell it wasn’t. Do you think we enjoyed sitting in that goddamned hospital room with you after he nearly killed you?” Ella yelled, her own voice hoarse with her anger. “Get a clue here, Marey, he wants you dead. ”
“Get a clue here, Ella, you’re a nosey bitch,” Marey snarled.
“And you’re a stubborn bitch. ” Ella was nearly in her face now, nose to nose, her face flushed in anger. “And if you try to walk out on Sax over this I’m going to beat you myself. ”
“Oh, be careful, baby, you might make me hot,” Marey mocked her heatedly. “Wouldn’t that be a new stroke of pleasure for the bastards?”
“Ewww. They’re going to get all pissy and gross now,” Tess announced to one and all. “Someone go find Sax and James to cool them down. ”
“Shut up, Tess. ” They both turned on her, snarling furiously before turning back to each other.
“Well, I can see we left you ladies alone too long,” Sax spoke from the sliding doors, his voice calm, a shade mocking as Marey turned to him slowly.
His arms were crossed over his broad chest, his teeth flashing in a mocking smile as the others stood behind him, watching the scene outside with varying expressions of disapproval.
Her eyes narrowed on him before she looked to each one in turn.