Just Between Us (The Kings)

Veda

If you keep forcing Sketch to be your errand boy, I’m going to help him file a grievance with the Michigan Department of Labor.

I see you got your lunch.

I did and it was delicious. Thank you.

I neededto see her again. I hadn’t obsessed over a woman like this . . . well, ever. I dragged a hand down my face.

Fuck.

Fair warning, I’m about to call you and I expect an answer.

Veda

I already told you I don’t use my phone for that.

I chuckled and dialed her number anyway. Pride swelled in my chest when she answered on the second ring. Her exasperated sigh was my greeting, and I broke into a smile. “Hey, Precious, I’ve been thinking—these rules of yours, would they prevent me from being able to take you out?”

The line was silent until she asked, “Like a date?”

I smiled into the phone. “Yes, Veda, if you need it spelled out—I would like to date you. It’s no one’s business what we do behind closed doors, but I cannot continue seeing you around town and feel like I can’t even talk to you.”

Veda scoffed on the other end. “Don’t be ridiculous. I never said you couldn’t talk to me. It’s just that I don’t want things to get messy is all.”

Oh, I had every intention of getting messy with Veda Bauer, that much was certain. “What if we consider it lesson number two? Nothing big, just you experiencing what it’s like to have someone pick you up and show you off a little.”

“Hmm,” she hummed. “I don’t know . . .”

Damn it, she is difficult.

I grinned. “I know the perfect place. It’s a fun little dive bar up the coastline a bit. I’d be shocked if we ran into anyone who recognized us.”

The line was quiet, but I could hear her breathing as she considered my offer. “If you really think no one would know . . .”

I shot a silent, victorious fist into the air. “Perfect. Be ready at seven.”

I ended the call before she had a chance to argue. I might need to shuffle a few things, but I would make it work. I pulled up my calendar and my heart sank. When I had pitched the idea to Veda, I hadn’t bothered to look to see if I had any appointments.

It was a Saturday night, so of course I was slammed with clients.

“Hey, Luna?” I walked from the cramped office in the back toward the front counter. “Can you please clear my schedule from six p.m. on?”

Her eyes went wide, and her mouth popped open. “Again?”

Unease rolled through me. It wasn’t the first time I’d bailed on appointments. What can I say? I liked to have a good time, and the last time it happened, my brother Whip had needed some backup. I wasn’t about to miss the opportunity to stir up trouble.

This time I had fucked up by not looking at the schedule, but there was no way in hell I was going to bail on Veda—not after she had finally agreed to go out with me. “It’s a . . . family emergency.”

She rolled her eyes as her nails clacked on her computer. “Whatever.”

I turned away, feeling shitty that I had just lied to my best employee. My impulsive decision meant that Luna would have to make the calls and take the brunt of their disappointment. I set my jaw and determined to find a way to make it up to Luna. I didn’t want to think about the disappointed look on her face and how it poked a sore spot under my ribs.

With a sigh I escaped to my tattoo booth, relieved that I could lose myself in the remaining clients for the day before it was time to meet Veda.

Star Harbor was a coastal town about twenty miles up Blue Star Highway, and it reminded me of Outtatowner, but in a different font. The town itself was slightly bigger than my hometown and seemed to be a bit more family oriented, with a local farm for tourists being a big draw all year round. There were wineries dotting the coast and the same towering dunes that always made me think of home. Locals tended to stick to the town they knew, and that meant Veda wouldn’t have to worry about someone seeing us out together.

I tried to keep my focus trained on the band and people milling around the stage, but my eyes kept slipping across the table at Veda. I was dressed in denim, boots, and a button-down short-sleeve shirt. The print on my shirt was subtle, but if you looked closely enough it was a repeating pattern of tiny black cats. I smoothed a hand down my chest to settle my nerves.

Veda wore a flirty sundress in a deep-red color that made my mouth go dry. Her tits perched above the scooping neckline, and the straps looked thin enough that I could break them with one tug. What the hell was it about a gorgeous woman in a sundress that made men go absolutely feral?

One leg was crossed over the other, and Veda’s foot was swishing to the beat. When she caught me staring, she frowned. “What?”

I eased back in my seat and grinned. “Nothing.” I shrugged. “You seem different is all.”

She smoothed the ends of her dark hair. “Different?” She scowled. “Well, that’s not good.”

I shook my head and chuckled. “I meant different from any other woman I’ve ever met. Trust me, Precious. Different is phenomenal.”

Her cheeks flushed in that way I couldn’t seem to get enough of, so I continued. “You seem more at ease . . . less on edge, maybe.”

She looked around and then shrugged with a sigh. “In here, I’m nobody. I’m not the curious new girl in town or King Equities’ newest employee. I don’t have to analyze every word when someone speaks to me, wondering if there’s more to the story than what they’re offering.”

My brows furrowed. “That’s an interesting assessment.”

It struck me as odd that was the way she had felt in my small town.

“I met your dad the other day.” Her jade-green eyes flicked to mine.

I chuckled and nodded. “Oh yeah, well . . .” I took a swig of my beer. “That’ll do it.”

Her eyes narrowed on me. “What’s the deal? It seems like everyone in town fawns over him, except for his own children.”

“The deal? Hell, I wouldn’t even know where to begin.” She eyed me warily but didn’t press as I focused on the music and the ambiance of the lakeside bar.

I didn’t want to think about my father and all the ways he had wronged his own children over the years, all while doing everything in his power to remain the benevolent Mr. King in public.

No, this was my time with Veda, and I wasn’t touching that childhood trauma with a ten-foot pole.

When I stayed silent, Veda asked, “How did you know I liked this band?”

I scoffed. “I can’t share all my secrets.”

She stared at me, and I tried to hide my smile.

“Fine.” I exhaled. “You were humming it when I walked you back to your apartment. I recognized the tune, so I looked it up, and as luck would have it, they had a gig booked up here.”

Veda chuckled and shook her head in disbelief as she looked down and took a sip of her beer. “You’re good. I’ll give you that.”

A victorious grin split my face. “I know.”

She laughed and rolled her eyes. “Ugh. As if you need me to feed your ego and make it bigger than it already is.”

I pressed a hand to my chest. “I like to think of it not as ego so much as a healthy confidence.”

The band, Mystic Fyre, played a mashup of alternative rock covers and original songs, one of which I recognized from the radio. They ended their set and announced they were taking a break to sign merchandise at the back of the venue. I watched Veda’s eyes glitter with delight as the band walked offstage.

“You should go,” I offered.

Her moody eyes studied me. “Really?” She looked toward the merchandise table, then back to me. “Are you sure you don’t mind? I’ll just be a second.”

She was already slipping out of the seat, and I cracked a smile. “Of course, I’ll be right here if you need anything.”

Contemporary music from the jukebox took over while the band made their way toward a merchandise table. I watched with appreciation as both men and women were captivated by Veda’s presence.

A soft hand dragged across the nape of my neck, tearing my gaze from her. I turned to find a woman I didn’t know standing behind me and smiling.

“Hi there.” The woman licked her lips and leaned closer to me.

“Ma’am.” I nodded and shifted away from her touch.

A barking laugh cracked out of her. “Ma’am?” She laughed again, this time letting her hand rest on my forearm. “I’m too young to be anyone’s ma’am.”

I stood, slipping from her touch, and offered a polite smile as my eyes searched again for Veda. I flattened my lips and offered the stranger a terse nod. “You have a good night.”

I was only two steps away when she called out to me. “I know who you are, you know . . . Mr.Right.Now.”

I glanced back. She shimmied her shoulders, and her tongue swiped across her lip. “You can be my Mr. Right Now anytime.”

I was stunned, too shocked to move. My mind spun.

How did she know who I was?

The whole point of my online persona was to be completely anonymous. Knowing I could set free the dominant side of my personality was part of the thrill. Despite the public platform, behind the camera I had always felt safe. The degrading way the woman was openly gawking at me made my skin crawl.

I imagined that must have been how Veda felt when, at the wedding, I had tossed in her face that I knew her online identity.

Being on the opposite side of it was gutting.

“You might not show your face”—the woman’s finger swirled in my direction—“but you and those sexy-ass tattoos have a starring role in my fantasies almost every night. I dumped a boyfriend because he couldn’t live up to you.” She pouted and stomped, the motion bouncing her breasts in a way I was certain worked to capture the attention of most men.

My gut turned leaden. It was surreal having my online persona and real life come crashing together. The urge to flee was instinctual and insistent.

I stuffed my hands into my pockets in an attempt to appear aloof. “I wish I could say I knew what you were talking about,” I lied with a tight smile. “Good luck, though.”

I wound through the crowded bar in search of Veda, leaving the woman pouting behind me. With every pair of eyes that moved my way, I wondered if they knew. I had never been ashamed of the content I created, but keeping my identity hidden had been my choice. The anonymity protected me but also gave the viewers the opportunity to picture whoever they chose in my role.

Mr.Right.Nowwas like a part of me I had plucked out and put on a shelf, but there it was, being shoved down my throat.

A frustrated growl tore out of me as I stomped through the bar. In the dark corner near the band’s merchandise table, I finally spotted Veda with her profile to me. Next to her was a man I recognized as the band’s lead guitarist. He was a skinny guy wearing tight black jeans and high-top sneakers. His arms were slim, and he had a few faded tattoos that could use some rework on the shading. Veda seemed to be enjoying the conversation, so I made a mental note to offer him my card and a consultation to clean up his ink.

When she pointed to a shirt, he leaned in close to her.

Too close.

When she let out a hearty, genuine laugh at something he said, I wanted to tear his head from his fucking shoulders.

He could live with his shitty tattoos.

I sucked in a deep breath. She was a grown woman and was allowed to talk with whomever she’d like.

I stared harder and closed the distance between us. She stood across from the musician as he spoke to her. She was concentrating. I recognized the cute line between her eyebrows and the slightest pout to her lower lip.

He noticed too.

A jealous spike of awareness pinched my back. If he looked at her again like a meal he was ready to devour, I was going to lose it.

Trying not to be an overprotective man-baby, I casually joined their conversation. The guitarist’s eyes flicked to mine, and he paused.

Veda turned. “Hey, Royal, this is Dan. He’s the guitarist. Dan, my friend, Royal.”

I was surprised to hear the giddiness had faded from her voice, but I held out a hand. “Nice to meet you. The band sounds great tonight.”

Dan’s chest puffed. “Nice to meet you, friend. I was just telling Veda here that the second set was going to blow the roof off the place.”

“Yeah.” She nodded. “He was also saying . . . what was it?” Her arms crossed, pushing her tits higher as her cheeks flared. “Right . . . that I would be prettier if I smiled more.”

My eyes whipped to Dan, who shrank like a violet withering in the summer sun.

I mirrored her stance by crossing my own arms. “Oh. Is that right?”

One black eyebrow tipped up. “That’s what I heard.”

Dan stammered and struggled to form a response. His hand reached out to touch Veda’s elbow, but she shifted out from under his touch. “Come on, you know I only meant⁠—”

I held up a hand to cut off his blubbering. “Dan, do you need both arms to play guitar?”

“What?” He shook his head, confused. “Of course, man.”

“Good.” I nodded. “You should remember that, because if you touch what’s mine again, I’ll rip your arm off and beat you to death with it.”

I held my hand out for Veda. “Let’s go, Precious.”

Her laugh was infectious as her hand slipped into mine. I was high on adrenaline and her as I pulled her onto the dance floor and into my arms.

The song playing was a popular eighties ballad, and I swayed with Veda in my embrace. “I’m sorry if I ruined your opportunity to meet the rest of the band.”

She shook her head. Colored lights from the stage danced across her features, and I was utterly captivated. “It’s fine. He was kind of a dick.” Her eyes fell to the dance floor before she looked up at me. “He’s right, though . . . maybe I should walk around like this all the time.” She set her eyes wide and smiled in a frighteningly happy grimace that showed nearly all her teeth.

A shotgun burst of laughter erupted from me, and I shook my head. One hand slipped up to catch her chin and hold her attention on me. “I will stand beside every version of you. You can frown all you want to.”

Her eyes went soft, and she leaned into me, melting into my embrace.

From the corner of my eye, I saw the woman from earlier showing her phone to some friends. She nodded, pointing toward me and then back to her phone. My stomach churned, and I wanted to run somewhere I could exist with Veda without rules.

The song ended as the band climbed back onto the stage. “Do you want to stay for the second set?”

She rolled her eyes. “Definitely no.”

I held out my hand. “Then come on, Black Cat. Let’s go have some fun.”