Sinner - A Bad Boy's Baby Romance Read online

  “That bad, huh?”

  “Can you hear it in my voice?”

  “I can nearly feel it across the miles that separate us,” Veronica answered.

  “Mm. I just… I want…”

  To quit.

  Truth was, there wasn’t another career she dreamed of having. Which was why the only one she’d ever had had happened. It paid well, and with no husband or kids, she was free to travel.

  “How’s everything there?” Viv asked, tired of talking about herself.

  “Good. Cruz got that contract for the new liquor store.”

  “That’s awesome!”

  With Veronica’s husband’s construction business doing well, it had allowed her to quit her teaching job and stay home right after Emma had been born four years earlier. Sure, they weren’t rich by any means, but from where Viv stood, it seemed like they had it all.

  “Yeah.” There was the sound of a cupboard opening and closing on Veronica’s end. She was getting dinner ready. “And I talked to Mom today. She wants to know…”

  “Ugh.” Viv cringed.

  “Yeah. Never mind.”

  “No, it’s okay. It’s just… she wants to know if I’ve been dating, right? What is it with moms and that?”

  “Tell me about it.” Veronica laughed. “It’s the twenty-first century. A woman isn’t going to starve to death if she doesn’t find a man.”

  Viv bit the inside of her lip. Fact was, she would love to find a man.

  The right man, that was.

  “Also…” Veronica cleared her throat. “Dad…”

  A sharp pain hit Viv’s chest. “Hey, did you see the forecast for this weekend? Crazy, right?”

  The long silence made her ears buzz.

  “Yeah,” Veronica said slowly. “Crazy.”

  Viv’s face burned. It was wrong to pull that shit on her sweet sister, but there was only one topic that was off-limits, and Veronica knew what it was. Or she should have known.

  They finished up their phone call talking about small things, like how Emma’s first Judo class went and when they could go shopping together to pick out new curtains for Viv’s apartment. Too soon, Veronica had to hang up to focus on the kids and dinner, and Viv was left with another two hours till Jacksonville.

  By the time she pulled into the parking lot of her beachfront apartment building, she was full of that weird mix of exhaustion and nerves that come from sitting in a car for extended periods. The sun had set, leaving nothing but the lamp posts to light the building.

  Closing her car door, Viv looked up at her dark corner window on the third floor. As much as she’d wanted to leave Tallahassee, she now found home to be the last place she wanted to be.

  Her stomach growled.

  “Good idea,” she said. “Dinner.”

  Locking up the car, she shouldered her purse and walked down the sidewalk. Her favorite grill was only a few blocks away and had late hours.

  After getting settled into one of the small tables near an ocean-view window, she ordered a margarita and a plate of ribs. Relaxing into her seat, Viv looked out at the dark water dotted with ships’ lights.

  Growing up in Jacksonville had done nothing to diminish her desire to be near the water. She and Veronica always joked that they had more saltwater than blood running through their veins. When they were little, there was a time when their dad would take them every day to…

  Viv closed her eyes.

  Now why would she go there?

  It was all because Veronica had brought up their father. That’s why. Usually, he hardly entered her mind at all.

  Taking a deep breath, Viv opened her eyes and pulled out her phone. It was late, but she hadn’t gotten a chance to check her email since early afternoon.

  As per usual, there were a number of messages. Giving them all a quick once-over, she slipped the phone back into her purse. Tomorrow was Sunday, her day off (technically), but she would get to them then.

  It wasn’t like she had anything else to do.

  For what felt like the hundredth time that day, she fought a cringe. She was fortunate, really. She had a great career and a sister and mom—even if she was retired all the way in Mexico—who loved her.

  But there was still the other side of the coin. Almost all of Viv’s friends were not only busy with work but with families as well. They didn’t have the time to hang. Not like they used to.

  They had all moved into the next stage of life, the husband and kids stage. Wouldn’t it be nice if she did, too?

  The waitress dropped the margarita off, and not a moment too late. Viv took a long drink.

  Yeah, a family would be great. First, though, she needed to find a man.

  Chapter 3

  Markus

  “Was this your card?” Markus flipped the card over and showed it to Stan, the bartender.

  “Hah!” Stan, an older man with a fisherman’s tan, clapped his hands. “That’s it! Fran, you see that? See what Markus did?”

  The woman down the bar smiled and nodded her head. “Cute trick, kid.”

  “Thanks.”

  Markus pocketed his deck. He wasn’t that great at magic, but the few tricks he knew made people smile, and that was the best part.

  “Another one?” Stan nodded at Markus’ empty tumbler.

  “Eh…”

  “It’s not that late.” Stan’s grin revealed a missing tooth.

  The couple at the end of the bar got up, and for the first time Markus noticed a young woman sitting in the corner. At the sight of her, his back straightened.

  “Where’d she come from?” He nodded his head at the brunette sipping a margarita and finishing off a plate of ribs. Her loose hair hung down her back, and a pair of bright red stilettos offset the black skirt suit.

  “Oh, that’s uh…” Stan snapped his fingers and shook his head. “Violet? Vicki? Nice girl.”

  Markus couldn’t tear his gaze from her. “How come I’ve never seen her in here?”

  “You come at different times, I guess. Hey, you want that drink?”

  “Yeah. Pour me another.”

  Gin in hand, Markus left the bar and walked over to the girl. “Hey.”

  She startled and dropped a rib. “Huh?”

  “Sorry.” He held out his palm. “I didn’t mean to spook you.”

  “Oh. No, no. It’s okay.”

  Grabbing a napkin, she dabbed at her lips. Confusion entered her eyes, and it seemed she was trying to figure out whether or not he worked there.

  “Sorry,” he said. “I’m not here to see if you’d like another drink. I only came over to hit on you.”

  Her eyes widened, and he opened his mouth to apologize, but then she smiled.

  “What’s that for?” She nodded at the cards in his hand. “You a gambling man?”

  “These?” His face warmed.

  Okay, magic was fun with the older crowd. Word was, however, that it didn’t help much when it came to getting the ladies. He’d never tested that theory out, choosing instead to leave the tricks at home whenever he had a date.

  “They’re, uh…” He started to pocket them.

  “We could play.” The brunette hooked an arm over the back of her seat. “I only know Go Fish, unfortunately, but maybe you could teach me something new.”

  Unexpectedly, his heart skipped a beat. Close up, he saw the green and blue lacing the gray of her eyes. They were like marbles, each full of their own universe.

  “I’m afraid I’d be a horrible teacher,” he said. “I’ve lost nearly every game I’ve played.”

  “Hm. Well, how about a drink then?”

  “A drink sounds perfect.” Taking the chair across from her, he extended his hand. “Markus Sinn.”

  “Viv Thomas.” She shook his hand. “Sinn, huh? That’s a fun name. You don’t live up to it, do you?”

  He exhaled through his teeth. “Depends on who you ask.”

  Viv laughed, unaware of how little he was joking.

  “It’
s weird that I’ve never seen you here.” Markus propped his forearms on the table and leaned into them.

  “I usually come on Sundays.” She swirled the umbrella in her margarita.

  “What made today the exception?” he asked.

  She caught her bottom lip between her teeth and hesitated. “I couldn’t stand the thought of going home.”

  A second later, she made a face. “I’m sorry.” She pushed her long bangs in front of her eyes, hiding them. “I can’t believe I just told a stranger that.”

  Markus’ chest warmed. “Hey, no. It’s okay. I get it. I feel that way sometimes, too.”

  “I guess a lot of people do from time to time.”

  Viv sighed and leaned her head back, which caused her hair to slide away from her eyes—which was good. Eyes that pretty shouldn’t have been hidden.

  It was his turn to hesitate. As a matter of fact, he often didn’t want to go home. Living alone didn’t suit him that well, but it seemed too risky to live with his mom. With his line of work, keeping some separation was good.

  “Want to share any specifics?” He eyed her over his glass.

  Viv looked sideways, lips twisting. He didn’t mind waiting, so long as he got to look at her.

  “My life isn’t where I want it to be.” Her sparkling gaze snapped back to his. “It’s good. Don’t get me wrong.”

  “You don’t say it like it’s good.”

  “I just said it’s good. Those were my literal words.”

  “Yeah, but your tone…”

  Viv chewed on her bottom lip. Her margarita had run dry. Signaling to Stan, Markus gestured for another round.

  “I have a really good job, but I don’t like it.” Her eyes squinted. “Should I feel bad about that?”

  “Why would you feel bad about that?” he asked, genuinely interested.

  “Because other people would love to be where I am.”

  “So what? Those are other people. They’re not you. Thanks, Stan.”

  He raised his glass and clinked it against hers.

  “Thanks.” Viv smiled. “I hear you. I tend to beat myself up, though. For so long, all I wanted was security, and now that I have it, I want something else.”

  “What?”

  Pink tinted her cheeks. She fluttered her hand, dismissing the matter. “I’m talking too much.”

  “We’re at a bar.” He sipped his gin. “What else are we supposed to do?”

  “Good point, but how about you tell me about yourself? Give my gabbing jaw a rest.”

  That was the last thing he wanted, but he stroked the stubble across his cheek and thought about it. Telling her his last name had been a lot. Usually, when he got together with girls, the less, the better.

  Something about Viv made him want to open up, though. Maybe it was the way she fully engaged in each and every word. Her varied expressions had hooked him.

  “I grew up here,” he started.

  “Me, too.”

  “With a single mother.”

  “Me, too. Kind of.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Yeah.” Viv’s attention was on her drink. “I mean, my dad was around some, until he wasn’t.”

  She fluttered her hand again. Time to move on.

  “Right. I never knew my dad.” He shrugged. No big deal.

  It was the things you had that made you, not the things you didn’t. If you were intentional about your approach, that was.

  “I have a question,” she said.

  “Shoot.”

  “Why have you stayed in Jacksonville?”

  “Because it’s in Florida and has beaches.”

  Her smile lit up the dining room. “True.”

  “You have family here still?”

  “Yeah,” she said slowly. “My sister lives nearby.”

  Her voice had dropped a bit. She seemed sad.

  “Maybe I should bring these back out.” He slapped the deck onto the table.

  “Oh, really?” Viv raised an eyebrow. “I thought you said you were a bad teacher.”

  “I am. I’m not teaching you anything.” He shuffled and spread out the deck. “This might come back to bite me in the ass, but pick a card.”

  Lips twisting with delight, she did. Five minutes and two tricks later, Viv’s smile had doubled in size. Even if she now turned him down for being a magician, he almost didn’t care. He’d lifted her worries for a few.

  “Why didn’t you show me that right away?” she asked, as Stan set down another round after declaring last call.

  “Eh. ‘Hey, you like magic?’ doesn’t seem like the best pickup line.”

  “I disagree.” She propped her chin on her fist and gazed at him.

  Markus suddenly wished he had a whole arsenal of tricks up his sleeve.

  He also wished he could reverse the clock, say, about an hour, and do this all over again. The bar’s closing hung above his head, an axe sure to drop at the worst possible time.

  “I showed you my tricks,” he said. “Do you have any to show me?”

  “Lord,” she laughed. “Uh, let’s see. No.”

  “Aw, come on. You didn’t even think about it.”

  “Don’t have to.” She pointed at him with a paper umbrella. “The only skill I have is convincing people they need something they don’t.”

  “I bet you’re the best at it.”

  Her face colored, and she bit into a smile. “Yeah. I’m pretty good.”

  “You were working today, then? This is your business attire, I take it?”

  “Exactly. This is my salesgirl getup.”

  “Yeah.” He let his gaze linger on her smooth, toned legs for a beat. “You definitely don’t hear no a lot.”

  “What about you? How often do you hear no?” She batted her eyelashes.

  There was something suggestive there. The conversation had taken a turn, and they weren’t talking about work anymore.

  “In order to hear no or yes, I’d have to try more.”

  “Whatever.” Viv rolled her eyes.

  He stayed serious. “When I go out, it’s usually on my own. I’m not the most social person.”

  True, and true. While he did date here and there, and he was a human man who needed an itch scratched every once in a while, he’d always held off on getting close to anyone.

  Ryder was his closest friend, and while the two of them would put their lives on the line for each other, there was also an impermanence to the whole thing. The kind that was caused by the understanding that their relationship and lives, good as they were, could end in the blink of an eye.

  “Bars are good places to be for someone like me,” he said.

  She blinked, quiet. Nothing had to be said. She got the meaning there.

  Markus drained the last of his drink. “Where else is there to go around here?” he asked.

  “Umm…” Her eyes shifted to the side. “My place?”

  “Your place?”

  “Yeah.” Viv sipped her drink. “I don’t think anyplace else is gonna be open.”

  “That would be lovely.” A grin stretched his lips. “Where is your place?”

  “Only a few blocks away. I walked here. Also, I don’t know if this helps convince you or not, but I have a pool table.”

  “Damn. In that case, you might not be able to get rid of me.”

  Viv giggled. “I’m rusty. You’re gonna win.”

  “We’ll see. Something tells me you’re full of surprises.”

  He dropped some cash on the table. She’d finished her drink as well, so they stood and made their way to the door.

  The balmy night wrapped around them, a humid blanket, even with the breeze coming off the ocean. Some people might have found the air suffocating, but to him, it meant comfort. It meant home.

  He’d planned on offering to drive, but once they stepped foot outside and began walking, it felt too good. In silence, they crossed the parking lot and continued down the sidewalk.

  His car would be okay in the bac
k parking lot overnight. He’d left it there a few times before; Stan was fine with it.

  Their footsteps beat a gentle rhythm against the pavement, and even though Markus couldn’t wait to get to Viv’s place, he also didn’t want the walk to end.

  Was it normal to feel this comfortable in silence around someone you’d just met?

  He couldn’t say. A lot about his life had never seemed normal.

  All he knew for sure was that the moment felt good. And he never wanted it to stop.

  Chapter 4

  Viv

  Viv’s hands shook as she fished her keys from her purse and opened up the apartment. It wasn’t anxiety making her tremble. Rather, excitement.

  How ironic that she’d been sitting at the grill thinking about how she wanted to meet a nice, handsome man, and a minute later, exactly that walked up to her!

  It had been a while since she’d flirted, and she’d felt rusty, but Markus’ presence pushed her to try as hard as she could. With his jet-black hair, dark brown eyes, and buff physique, he’d floored her at “hello.”

  Oh, and the smile. Couldn’t forget that. The man had dimples that would make a cherub jealous. Though they were a sharp contrast to his angular jaw, there was something perfect about it.

  “Here it is. Home sweet home.” She pushed open the door into the living room and hit the lights.

  It had taken her a good while, but a few years before, she’d perfected the art of never being at home and yet keeping her place in order. Minimalism: that’s what it really came down to.

  The less she owned, the less there was to clean and organize. It made all the travel and dawn-to-dusk days possible. Other than the pool table, the living room contained a couch, a TV, and a coffee table. The living room walls held a few frames of her mom and Veronica’s family, but other than the abstract painting in the bedroom, that did it for decorations.

  Oh, and the potted plants in the kitchen and near her bed? Definitely fake.

  “Nice place.” Markus stepped into the living room, hands in his pockets.

  She stole a moment to admire his backside. “Thanks. I’m not here much, so I like to keep it simple. Want some wine?”