Thanks so much to Guest for reviewing the last chapter. It meant the world! (And you're right, Buck is going to be mad! There's going to be a lot for him to find out in the coming chapters. :) )
Chapter 8
Vin tripped over a box. Stopping, he picked it up, feeling the weight and realizing that's why it was in the middle of the floor. No doubt, Morgan and her friends hadn't been able to move it. He added it to the accumulation of boxes lined up under the windows.
"That everything?" Vin asked.
Morgan sighed and brushed her hair back from her face. "Everything in my room," she answered cryptically.
Vin waited for her to tell him what else she needed to pack, but she didn't say anything else. Instead, she lifted her bag onto her bed and unzipped it, took out a small bag of toiletries and clothes.
"I'm going to shower," she said.
She looked exhausted. Vin figured that had more to do with the memories and injustice staring her in the face than the light task of packing up her room. He was glad her friends had rallied around her. Every time he had checked in on her, she had at least two other girls with her, helping her pack, chattering away at her, occasionally coming up elaborate scenarios of vengeance for Morgan's ex. He hadn't realized sorority girls had so much violence in them.
"Kat said she'd sleep in Kennedy and Charity's room, so you can take her bed," Morgan said. She grabbed her things and a towel and started out of the room. She hesitated in the door.
"Tomorrow," she started, then stopped and looked at him.
Vin waited.
"I need to get my things that my ex still has."
Vin nodded slowly. He could imagine all the ways that could go wrong. "If you got a restrainin' order, we should let the local police know—"
Morgan shook her head sharply. "Not an option." She didn't elaborate, but seeing as how much more there was to this story than she had been willing to share, he didn't push. "But I'd appreciate it if you'd go with me." She stared at a spot over his shoulder, looking like the simple request pained her.
He didn't know if it was the thought of facing her ex, or that she had to ask for help to do it, that put the look on her face, but he tried to do what he could to make it less insulting for her. "That's why I'm here."
She nodded and turned to go. She paused and Vin thought she might say something more, but in the end, she squared her shoulders and left the room.
Vin went to his own bag, pulling out a pair of sweatpants and an ATF t-shirt. He would never admit it out loud, but the day had been draining. Seeing Morgan struggling, staying on guard for University security to find out she was trespassing on campus, one eye open for the ex. He was looking forward to getting her back to Denver. Add in the constant giggles and open solicitations from Morgan's friends all day and he was more than ready to lock the door and close his eyes for the night.
He changed, stowing his gun and holster under the pillow of the roomate's bed. He had hidden them beneath the plaid shirt he wore loose over a t-shirt on the plane thanks to paperwork declaring him a federal agent who needed to be armed. He may have stretched the truth a bit about being on the job, but it got him here with his gun. Didn't feel right not having his weapon on him.
He leaned back against the headboard and picked up his phone for the first time since boarding the plane earlier in the day.
Two texts from Chris, each succinct and to the point. Chris was concerned for Vin. Followed by, Vin had better be thinking about what he was doing.
Three texts from Buck asking when he was getting back from fishing because he needed Vin to track down Morgan. Guilt edged in uncomfortably. Vin thought of the team as his family and family didn't lie to one another. Not that he had a lot of experience with family, bouncing around between foster homes until he was old enough to enlist. But it went against everything in him to hide something from his team. Especially Buck, who had never been anything but forthright and open from the day they met.
A text from Ezra telling Vin to ask Morgan her thoughts on the game this weekend and instructions for Vin to bet big while in Vegas. It took a little longer for Vin to sort out Ezra's wordier message, but when he did, a soft laugh escaped. Ezra always knew more than he let on and judged less than you'd think. He debated sending Ezra back a text, but the door opened and Morgan came back in.
Vin deleted the messages and set his phone aside.
Morgan's face was free of make-up and Vin thought to himself how pretty she was with her clean face. She also looked more vulnerable and he wondered if that's why she covered her features with so much makeup. Her hair was gathered on top of her head and she was in a strappy tank top and lacy shorts that left way too little the imagination. Vin reached over and flipped off the bedside light, hoping that would take care of the alluring sight of Morgan.
Unfortunately, the lights from the campus outside came in through the window and he could make out Morgan pulling the covers back. Once she slipped into the twin bed on the other side of the modest sized room, he let out a sigh of relief.
Morgan was less talkative than usual, rolling over and pulling the blankets up over her shoulder. Vin laid awake, not closing his eyes until he heard her steady breaths saying she made it through the day unscathed. Then he was able to close his eyes and went to sleep.
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Chris stepped outside, the only light on his deck coming from what came out the kitchen window and sliding glass door. His boots across the deck boards was the only sound, save for the crickets in the evening darkness.
He stared across the yard, in the direction of his barn without seeing anything. At least anything that was actually in front of him. It didn't set right not telling Buck about Morgan roping Vin into…whatever she was getting him into. Not that Vin was all that unwilling. Chris knew all Vin had to see was someone in trouble and he would be all in, no questions asked. Make it a pretty girl who tried to hide her vulnerability and Vin would be in over his head before he knew it.
He hissed out a breath between his teeth, running a hand through hair that was several weeks overdue for a haircut. He wished he knew what Morgan was into now. What she was getting Vin into. No way that report JD had found told the whole story. And until he knew what Morgan was into, there was no point in telling Buck suspicions or half-pieces of information. And definitely no point in letting Buck know Vin was most likely privy to more details than Morgan was planning to share with either Chris or Buck. Chris needed his team functioning, not tearing into each other. Or hiding things from each other. Another hard breath and gritted teeth.
His phone was in the house, no point in keeping it near him since Vin wasn't going to respond to the texts he had sent today. The younger man hated texting anyway, but Chris could imagine what Vin's reaction was to the words he had sent. He slapped a hand against the deck railing. He knew he didn't know how to tell Vin, or Morgan, what he was really thinking. Sarah had always been the one to help him temper his words and make sure his true concern came through, not just the blunt statements that too easily sounded like anger.
He took a drink of the beer he had set on the rail. The cold liquid did little to clear his head. He didn't know what to do about Vin. Or Morgan. And for a man who wasn't used to not knowing what to do, the feeling was unsettling.
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Morgan wanted to get the day over with. She wanted to get her things, load her car, and get the hell out of Vegas.
She stabbed at a piece of fruit, but didn't bring it to her mouth. She stared down at it darkly.
"That strawberry do somethin' to you?"
She looked up at Vin. He sat across from her in the roomy sorority house kitchen, no one else with them since all the residents had headed off to classes or study dates.
Vin's blue eyes said he knew exactly what she was thinking about.
"You sure you want to do this?" he asked. "I could get your things. You don't need to face him."
Morgan felt a hitch of guilt, but pushed it away. Better for Vin to be able to plead ignorance. "We should get going."
She tossed her yogurt and fruit in the garbage. Vin took his empty plate to the sink and rinsed it before putting it in the dishwasher. He hadn't commented on the pancakes, waffles, sausage, bacon, eggs, fruit, and yogurt Charity and Esme had ready on a plate for him when he came downstairs. Other than a kind 'thanks', and then he had avoided their eyes until they had finally given up and gone to class.
Morgan picked up her purse, fishing her keys out and leading the way outside. Her small silver car was exactly where she had left it when she had stormed away from her entire life here to go running to Buck.
Buck. She felt her lips pull down in a frown. Things hadn't worked out how she planned with her brother. She certainly hadn't planned on everything exploding. At least not so soon. And not so badly.
She shook off thoughts of Buck and what waited for her in Colorado. She needed to focus on today. On getting her stuff and getting out of here without any run-ins with anyone.
She unlocked her car and got behind the wheel. She stifled a smile at the sight of Vin trying to fold his long frame into the small bucket seat on the passenger side.
"This what we're drivin' back up to Denver?" he asked, attempting to move his seat farther back.
Morgan lifted an eyebrow at him. "Are you going to make it?"
"Better than flyin'," he said wryly.
Morgan couldn't hold back a small smile. She shifted into gear and pulled out. It was a short drive to the fraternity house and she pulled around through the alley, parking slightly away from the house they were actually visiting.
"Does he know you're stoppin' by?" Vin asked. She noticed him scanning the empty backyard.
"He should know I'm going to get my things," Morgan answered.
"Sure," Vin agreed. He kept pace with her as she strode toward the back door like she was on a mission. "But does he know that's today?"
Morgan didn't answer. She tried the knob on the back door. Locked. Good. That meant everyone was at class or the gym, or hungover from the night before somewhere else on campus.
"Can I borrow your shirt?" she asked, nodding toward the lightweight plaid shirt Vin wore.
His brow wrinkled, but he pulled his arms from the sleeves and handed it to her.
Morgan glanced once at the gun on his belt without comment. She had figured that was the reason for the extra layer.
She took the shirt, then paused. "If we run into…anyone…don't tell them you're ATF." She hoped Vin wouldn't ask for an explanation.
"They have a problem with federal agents?"
Only one of them did. "It's just better if no one knows you're with the agency." Turning her back on Vin, she wrapped his shirt around her hand and punched out the glass window in the backdoor. She had to give Vin credit for not flinching. She could do without his look of concern, however.
"Morgan," he started.
"You can wait in the car," she said, not veering from her plan.
She shook out his shirt to free it of any glass shards and handed it back.
Reaching through the broken window pane, she felt for the lock and flipped it. Opening the door, she carefully stepped over the broken glass. She noticed Vin used his shirt to wipe down the doorknob.
"Don't touch anything," he said. "You don't want prints anywhere in here."
Morgan nodded. She hurried through the house that was decidedly less clean than the sorority house. She made it to the room she was looking for and made a move to open the door, but Vin stopped her with a hand on her arm. Using his shirt as a cover for his hand, he turned the doorknob and opened it for her.
Morgan didn't brace herself. She should have. The room smelled like him. Like his expensive, arrogant, cocky, stupid cologne. Morgan grit her teeth.
"What's yours?" Vin asked, bringing Morgan back to the task at hand.
She reeled in the emotions that were driving too much anger and looked around the familiar room. She opened the nightstand drawer. Finding the necklace she had left there, she took it and tucked it into the pocket of her shorts. She held a hand out to Vin and he gave her the shirt-turned-rag to remove fingerprints and wiped away any evidence on the nightstand.
Her watch was on the desk in plain sight, so she took that.
One of the drawers was halfway open and Morgan caught a glimpse of a photograph. One of her. She snatched it out and shoved it in her pocket after the necklace. But it only revealed the picture underneath.
A sultry redhead with her arm around the man Morgan had been dating. Morgan grabbed it and flipped it over. The note on the back left nothing to the imagination. Neither did the date.
Another picture under that one of the redhead, this one with her lounging on the bed that was behind Morgan in the room, in a tank top and not much else. There was an entire stack of pictures. Morgan flipped through them, one after the other, the pit in her stomach growing more and more hollow. The entire time they had been dating…
"You ok?"
Vin's voice jerked her back. He glanced down at the pictures in her hand.
Morgan couldn't find any words. After she had stayed with him. Believed his apologies. Believed his promises. She thought of Kennedy taking her to Urgent Care with broken ribs. Charity giving her an ice pack for a black eye. And the entire time there had been another girl. One who didn't have bruises or broken bones. One who hadn't been strangled with his bare hands when he found out she had reported the abuse to the campus police.
The hollow ache in her started to fill with anger. Then fury. And finally white hot rage. Morgan grabbed the first thing her hand landed on. The bottle of cologne. She hurled it across the room with a cry and it smashed against the wall, the overwhelming scent flowing from the bottle and spreading through the room. She snatched a trophy from a shelf, aiming it for the mirror where he checked his reflection every time he walked past. It smashed into the glass and she spat out a name for him. She grasped for the letter opener on the desk. As soon as her hand curled around it, she slashed it across the pillows on his bed, yanking the stuffing from them just to pitch it on the floor, her hair falling in her face until she couldn't see what she was cutting. She whirled back to the desk and found the pictures. She tightened her grip on the letter opener until her fist ached. She stabbed it into a picture of him with the redhead, pinning it against the wall. She gripped the plain blue curtains and gave them a hard yank, wrenching the screws that held the curtain rod from the wall. She tried to throw the whole mess away from her, across the room.
"Hey." Vin finally spoke.
Morgan glared at him, chest heaving. She silently dared him to offer her a platitude. To judge her.
"We should go before anyone gets home."
Morgan looked around the room, at the destruction and felt a small measure of satisfaction. She ran a hand through her hair.
"Come on," Vin urged gently.
Morgan nodded. She looked down at the pictures that had ended up strewn across the floor. Then saw the tube of lipstick under the desk. It wasn't her shade.
She seized it and uncapped it, tossing the cap aside. Across the shattered mirror she wrote 'PIG' before grinding the tube against the wall to destroy what was left of the gloss. She threw the tube, not wanting to touch anything that belonged to her. It clattered against the desk before rolling off and landing back on the carpet.
Vin put a light hand on her back, hurrying her along, through the empty house and out the back door. He took the key from her shaking hand when they got to the car and guided her around to the passenger side. Morgan got in, too numb to argue.
Vin checked the rearview mirror often as he drove the few blocks back to the sorority house. Parking on the concrete pad alongside the house, he turned off the engine, but didn't get out.
Morgan stared out the windshield, her teeth gritted together.
"So much for wiping your fingerprints clean."
Morgan let out a huff of cynicism.
Silence filled the car. In the distance, Morgan saw a group of girls running to catch up to their friends, on their way to class.
"I'm sorry you had to find that." Vin's voice was quiet and Morgan weighed it for pity. Not hearing any, she risked a look at him. She saw her own hurt mirrored in his face. But it was the anger that edged harsh lines around his eyes that surprised her.
"I wish he had a' been there," Vin said, his voice a hard tone she hadn't heard from him before.
For a second, Morgan indulged in imagining what would have happened in a face off with Vin Tanner, armed or not.
His eyes held hers and Morgan saw everything there that promised she could trust him. That he would never mistreat her. Her brow wrinkled. Was that what she wanted?
Vin didn't make a move toward her, didn't offer any advice or promise, but there was nothing there to make her doubt him. She started to move a hand toward him, reaching for him without knowing what she intended to do but his eyes looked at something over her shoulder. Or rather, someone.
Morgan turned and saw Kennedy and Kat.
"How'd it go?" Kat asked as Morgan got out of the car.
Morgan made a face and Kate grimaced. "Ugh."
"I'm going to get everything in my car. We should head out before it gets too late." Morgan tried not to notice the crestfallen look on Kat's face or Kennedy's disappointment. She would miss them. Would miss all her friends and the life she had here.
"Stay one more day," Kennedy said impulsively.
Morgan started to shake her head.
Kat jumped on the bandwagon. "Yes! Stay until tomorrow!"
"It's a long drive—"
"Which is why you should get an early start tomorrow," Kennedy declared. "Come on! You know Thursdays are Ladies' Night at the Cactus Flower. Don't tell me you don't want to go out while you're here. What's in Denver that can't wait?"
Morgan could feel her resolve waiver. What was waiting for her in Denver? An angry brother? Intrusive Chris checking up on her? A job at a strip club?
"Good!" Kennedy squealed, reading the hesitation correctly. "We're heading out at 7. I'll let all the girls know." She turned big green eyes on Vin. "You'll be coming along, too, right?"
Morgan started to shake her head, tell Vin he didn't need to come out dancing with her and her sorority sisters. But then saw the look in his eyes. The one that said after the stunt she had just pulled, she shouldn't let her guard down.
"I'll be there," Vin said.
Another squeal and then Kennedy and Kat wrapped their arms around Morgan, telling her they were skipping the rest of their classes for the day so they could get pedicures, and of course Morgan was going to need to unpack her heels and a great dress, and they would be out until tomorrow morning.
Morgan let their voices wash over her, savoring her last moments of college and fun. She glanced back at Vin, following behind, a steady presence in the midst of the torrent around her.
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