and insisted they were meant for each other. When he’d gotten to know her better and hadn’t liked what he was seeing, he’d made it clear to her that he wasn’t looking for a serious relationship with her...or anyone.
“Roman?”
“Yes, sweetheart?”
“How did Audria know you were in Catalina Cove?”
“I’m not sure. She probably had my call traced when I talked to her. Mint suggested I call her to get her off his back when she showed up at his office demanding to know where I was.”
“And you think she would go that far to smear your reputation?”
“Yes, if she’d convinced herself she could help clean it back up.” His hands tightened around her. “To be honest, I became suspicious when she called and offered to stand by my side at the press conference today. It sounded as if she had already planned things out—or thought she had. I think she assumed I was going to save my own reputation by saying you and I were just a vacation fling, and that my true love was her.”
“In other words, she felt your constituents would accept your behavior for what we’d done because you’re a man, but they wouldn’t accept mine because I’m a woman supposedly engaged to another man?”
“I hate admitting it, but yes. With both Tanner and I immediately publicly calling out the article as nothing but lies worked in our favor.”
He kissed her forehead and then said, “With the information Alex provided, I’m contacting my attorney for a cease-and-desist. However, it seems Jake plans to take things a little further.”
Victoria smiled. “Yes, it appears that way. I think he has a score to settle with that particular tabloid for how they treated Diamond when they kept insisting that she and Sterling were lovers, and she’d secretly been married to Jake. Unfortunately for them, what Tanner said at his press conference might have put that idea in Uncle Jake’s head.”
She turned and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Well, I thank both you and Tanner for speaking out.”
“I will always do my best to protect you, Victoria. No matter what.” Then he pulled her closer and kissed her.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
TANNER CHECKED HIS WATCH. It was close to nine o’clock. The construction crew had left hours ago. The club was empty and it was dark outside. Why had he thought Lyric would watch that press conference and see she’d been wrong about him, and then come to him? He should not have gotten his hopes up like he had. Better yet, he should not have fallen in love so hard and so quickly.
He leaned back in his office chair thinking he hadn’t been able to help it, and whether she showed up here tonight or not, if Lyric thought she’d seen the last of him, she was wrong. Dead wrong.
He sighed at the ringing of his phone and picked it up. If another one of his family members called him, he would be throwing something against the wall. He checked caller ID and his heart stopped. It was Lyric. He quickly clicked on the call. “Yes, Lyric?”
“I’m outside. Will you open the door to let me in?”
He couldn’t contain his joy. She had come. “Yes, I’ll be right there.”
Tanner rushed through the club and practically threw open the door. And there Lyric stood, looking more beautiful than any woman had a right to look. Her thick, twisted hair crowned her face, and her outfit...
OMG...it was a very short tube-like dress that showed every delectable curve she had. His gaze roamed all over her. The dress was skin-tight, which made him wonder if she was wearing anything under it. He knew for certain she didn’t have on a bra. His trained eyes could definitely detect that. And then those sky-high stilettos finished off what was one hell of a very sexy package.
It took him a moment to find his words. “Come in,” he said in a deep, husky voice, one he barely recognized as his own.
“Thanks,” she said, walking past him and giving him a delicious whiff of her scent. Whatever perfume she was wearing, she could definitely take ownership of it.
He watched her glance around at all the work that had been done in the club since she’d last been here. She then looked back at him. “The place looks good.”
He smiled and then said, “You look good.”
She returned his smile. “You think so?”
Hell yeah. “I know so.” He paused to slowly take her in again. “You look good enough to eat.”
The smile