Compared to the couples around them, they must have looked prim and proper, but she didn’t care, barely noticed. An organic flow to everything took her, and she ignored the dirty dancing, lifted her chin and focused on Joel.

His hands circled her waist. The wide grasp made her feel delicate and fragile, even as his expression said ravishment was rising on the agenda. Vicki trailed her fingers up his chest until she caught hold of his neck, nothing but fabric separating them.

His pupils dilated, his breathing increased in tempo. It wasn’t just the dancing, wasn’t the energy around them feeding the demand. Vicki felt it, needed it. Needed something with an urgency she’d never experienced before.

I want you. The words were there in her brain, yet she kept her lips from forming them. Not in public, not with their plans.

He seemed to have heard her anyway, his nostrils flaring. If he’d dragged her from the dance floor in that moment, she wouldn’t have been surprised, the tension thick enough to make her want to throw caution aside.

Good thing one of them was in control, because she seemed to have lost it, and this time it wasn’t her temper making her careless and foolhardy, it was the fire in her veins that called for his touch. For more than public glances and caresses.

The music broke, switching to another slow song. But instead of taking advantage of it, Joel found them a spot at one of the tables and tucked her against his side. “I need a drink.”

So did she. Ice water, to pour on her head. “Okay.”

Travis and Ashley joined them. Matt and Hope. In the time they’d been on the dance floor, more of the Coleman clan had switched to the dance side, and suddenly the space around them was filled with Joel’s family. Another couple of the older guy cousins who Vicki only knew vaguely stepped closer. Tamara was there with a lean, dark-haired man. It was a totally overwhelming and complete surrounding.

Only, this time the atmosphere changed subtly. No one focused on her alone. No one checked her and Joel and Jesse to see if something kinky was about to start.

Especially since Jesse had found someone to dance with, and the two were wrapped around each other on the floor. He’d as good as put up an I’m not interested in Vicki sign, and she couldn’t be happier.

Maybe this evening hadn’t been a mistake after all. Glancing up at Joel and the wicked promise in his eyes, the evening wasn’t over either.

Vicki reluctantly untangled herself from his embrace. “Got to hit the washroom.”

She needed a moment alone to cool off. She patted water on her face when she was done, trying to soothe her heated cheeks, but there was no hiding the sparkle in her eyes.

She hadn’t felt this alive in forever. Being with Joel and his family was a different world. Hope for the future gave her a reckless courage. This relationship was only going to last for the next six months, but she was going to enjoy every minute of it.

She was headed out of the bathroom when the door opened. Vicki moved aside to let a group enter when one of them blocked her path.

The woman gasped indignantly. “I can’t believe you have the guts to show yourself in public.”

Without any warning she raised her hand and slapped Vicki in the face.

Chapter Fourteen

Vicki fell back, hands rising in defense, her cheek burning as she attempted to escape her attacker. She found her balance only after she slammed into a stall door.

“What the hell are you doing? Stop it.” She swung at the hands reaching for her.

The blur of bodies in the small space made it difficult to focus on faces. The air filled with noise, and one single voice called out above the rest in anger. “Bitch. Get out of here, you whore.”

Fingers caught her dress, the fabric ripping as she was shoved out the main door. She stumbled over her feet and ended up in a heap against the opposite wall. Anger flared along with a healthy dose of fear. Fight or flight was kicking in, but she wasn’t stupid enough to head back into a confined space to face her attackers. Nor did she want to end up brawling in the hallway.

For once logic swept away the urge to swing her fists, and she scrambled upright and headed toward the main room and the protection of the crowd.

Cool air brushed her side, and she stared in disbelief at the wide gap in her dress, the seam torn in two from her rib cage to her hip. Even pulling the fabric together didn’t help, as holes gaped on either side of her white-knuckled grip, leaving her bra and underwear exposed.

She couldn’t go into the main room like this. And she couldn’t stay in the hall—the group that had assaulted her could be out at any moment.

Frustration and anger flared, this time at the unfairness of it all. Everything had been going well, and yet her usual luck had caught her again.

She turned and headed for the emergency exit, hoping it wasn’t wired to set off alarms.

The tears that threatened to rise were shoved away by sheer determination and the rush of cold air that greeted her. Cigarette smoke carried from the sitting area to the north, a far-enough distance from the main doors to meet provincial regulations.

Vicki glanced to check she was safe, but the few people huddled together within the smoky haze scarcely looked her way before returning to their conversation and beers.

One arm wrapped around her waist to hold herself together, she pulled her phone from her purse and dialed Joel.

The noise in the background was deafening loud, but the confusion as he answered was still audible. “Vicki?”

“Can you grab my coat? I’m outside. We need to go.”

“I’ll be right there.”

Thank God he didn’t ask any questions. She tucked her phone away, keeping alert as she hid in the darkest section of the area. It seemed only safe to stay out of sight from anyone driving by.

She was shivering by the time Joel rounded the corner, but hell if she’d let this break her. Although running and jumping into his arms was what she wanted, she simply stepped forward.

He was at her side in a moment, wrapping her coat around her shoulders, looking her over. “Damn it, Vicki, what the hell is up?”

“Someone—”

What did she say when she wasn’t sure, other than it had to have something to do with her family?

“Fuck.” Joel lifted her chin and turned her face to the side, brushing his fingers tenderly over her cheek. “Who hit you?”

He was furious. She played it down. “Let’s go home. I’m cold.”

He might have ignored her request if a full-body shiver hadn’t shaken her. Joel had her against his side and headed toward her apartment without another word.

She didn’t need revenge right now, didn’t need his anger. He was there, and that was enough. Made it easier to put aside some of the confusion, and a lot of the frustration, and just accept his arm around her, the heat of his body brushing hers.

The couple of blocks passed quickly, and they were out on the landing as her fingers shook on the keys.

Joel wrapped his hand over hers and helped her, turning to snarl wordlessly at the man in the next apartment who’d opened his door to snoop, this time classily dressed in nothing but boxers.

“Fucking bastard. I’m talking to your landlord tomorrow.”

Vicki dropped her purse on the table beside the door, too wound up to protest. She kicked off her shoes and stumbled to the edge of the daybed. “Thank you for taking care of me.”

“If I’d taken care of you properly, you wouldn’t have ended up standing outside in the cold.” He was on his knees in front of her examining her cheek again. He swore, his knuckles whisper-soft over where the strike still pounded. “What happened, darling? You went to the bathroom, and next thing I know it looks as if you’ve been beaten up.”

“Someone called me a whore.” The words burst out. So much for keeping her cool. The hopelessness she felt was clear even in her own ears. “I didn’t do anything, Joel, I swear I’ve never done anything to—”

Her voice broke. Staying strong when he was looking at her with such tenderness in his eyes was impossible. She caught him by the shirtfront, leaned closer to soak in the comfort of his body, and gave in to the tears.


Emotionally he’d been yo-yoing all night. The slow changeover in attitude from those around them once they’d hit the dance floor had reassured him there was hope. The blazing heat rising between him and Vicki made the rest of their deal that much more attractive as well. With a few plans falling into place for the future, like spending time with Matt and Travis and their partners, things were looking up.

But the confusion of having her call him, and the sight of her stepping from the shadows so forlorn and broken had torn something inside him apart.

The truth finally sank in. It wasn’t rumours and innuendo Vicki had to put up with. It wasn’t laughing jokes or snide comments like he and Jesse had been fielding. To be physically hurt by someone pushed her life into territory he’d never experienced.

The asshole across the hall was just one more example of a dangerous situation she daily disregarded because there was no choice for her than to ignore it. How long did she have to put up with this insanity, until it was too late? Until she was seriously hurt or raped?

His safe, small town showed a different face in that moment, and Joel Coleman grew up in a hell of a hurry.

While Vicki wept in his arms, Joel’s heart ached. He held her tight and let her have it out. Didn’t try to reassure her everything would be all right, didn’t give her any platitudes, because there was so much wrong here that he didn’t know how to fix.