Covet - Eve Vaughn Page 0,72

explaining why she was the worst person on Earth. Midway through my tirade, I realized anything I said would have fallen on death ears. She felt completely justified with what she’d done, and there was no changing that.

But I could refocus my energy on making amends with the two people whom I cared about: Robin and Frankie. The woman I called my mother was now on her own. Maybe she was a sick woman who just needed help, or maybe she was simply a master manipulator. Whatever it was, I was done. Knowing my brother, Kenny wouldn’t have wanted me to seek vengeance. And I’ve already learned that revenge came with unexpected consequences.

I was telling the truth when I’d said I was going to try to make things right with Frankie, which is how I ended up outside of her apartment building waiting for her to get home.

I must have sat parked in front of her building for a couple of hours before I saw her pull up. She was still in her scrubs, and her long braids were pulled back in a ponytail. Her face was free of makeup, and she looked just as beautiful as I remembered.

Maybe I was an asshole for what I intended to do, but I doubted she would give me the time of day any other way. She didn’t seem to notice me as I got out of my car and followed closely behind.

“Frankie,” I called out to her just as she was about to go to her building.

She jumped and let out a loud gasp. Swiftly she turned with her hand against her chest. “Nick! You scared the shit out of me. What are you doing here?” From the wary expression shadowing her lovely face, I knew my work would be cut out for me.

“I told you I would return. We need to talk.”

She sighed. “I’m not sure this is a good idea. If you’ve come to apologize, then I accept your apology. Let’s agree to move on with our lives now.” Frankie moved as if to turn her back on me, but I placed my hand on her shoulder.

“I could if that were a possibility. But you see, I made a big mistake letting you go the first time around. I’m not going to let that happen a second time.” And with that, I grabbed Frankie and tossed her over my shoulder.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Frankie

Was this real life? This couldn’t be happening. One minute I’m coming home from a long day at work looking forward to putting a dent in my Netflix queue while finishing off some left-over Tai takeout, and the next, I’m being kidnapped.

To say I was stunned was an understatement. So much in fact that I didn’t react until Nick stuff me in the passenger seat of his car and pulled out of the driveway. “Are you nuts! Stop the car right now and let me out.

Nick kept his eyes on the road, seeming not the least bit put out by my annoyance. “You can get out when we get to where I’m taking you.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you. Stop the damn car, Nick!”

“Like I said, when we reach our destination.”

“This is bullshit, Nick? Anything we have left between us has been settled. When I sent you that thumb drive, that should have answered all our questions.”

“And why did you send it to me. Why wait so long? You could have cleared your name a long time ago.”

“If that’s all you wanted to know, you could have just asked me instead of going all Neanderthal and dragging me off to God knows where.”

He shrugged his shoulder while keeping his eyes on the road. “So how about answering the question?”

I hated that his profile was so perfect. He looked a bit different from the last time I’d seen him. He’d gotten a haircut which was tapered on the sides but still a little long on top so that a few careless waves fell on his forehead. I folded my hands in my lap to resist the temptation moving one of those errant stands from off his forehead. God, what was wrong with me that I still was so wildly attracted to this man even after what he’d done?

“Are you going to answer the question?”

I didn’t realize I’d been daydreaming until he spoke again. I shook my head to break out of the trance I’d fallen under from looking at him. I quickly looked out the window so that I could think