What Happened After Vegas? (Unexpected Love #2) by Sharon Cummin Read Free Book Online

old," she joked.
    Rachel's
phone buzzed. She reached to check her message.
    "It's
probably Tina asking where we went to lunch. I'm sure that's not all
she'll ask," Rachel joked.
    When
she opened her message, she gasped.
    "What?"
Cliff asked. "Is she asking if I've taken my jacket off yet?"
    Rachel's
mouth dropped open, and she felt the blood leave her face. What the
hell was going on, she wondered?
    "Are
you okay? Who was it?" he asked with concern.
    She
sat silent.
    "Talk
to me, Rachel," he said.
    "I
don't know this number," she said, as she turned the phone to
face him.
    Unknown:
I love you.
    "What
the hell," he said. "You don't know that number. Are you
sure?"
    His
tone was serious. She could tell he was upset. There was no way she
wanted him to think badly of her. She hadn't talked to another man
since she walked away from Jake. Why now, she thought? Why fuck with
her now? Did he know about Cliff? Was he just lonely without his
girlfriend? Who else could it be? Question after question popped into
her mind.
    "I
promise you," she said. "I do not know that number."
    "I
don't like this," he said.
    "I
need to go home. This is not your problem. I'll figure it out. I'm
not leaving this weekend. I'm not bringing this crap around you. I'm
so sorry. I don't understand why someone wants to mess with me."
    "Do
you think it's Jake?" he asked.
    "You
are the first man I have talked to since I ended it with him. I can't
imagine who else it could be. I just don't understand. He was an
asshole through the entire divorce. I mean a huge one. You have no
idea how hard he fought every single detail until I finally gave up
and walked away with nothing. Not one single thing. I gave him our
entire bank account, our house, and our nicer car. Everything I have
is mine. I don't get it. It's freaking me out. I'll admit that. He
needs to get out of my life and stop torturing me. I can't even move
on. I just want to move on."
    Cliff
wrapped his arms around her.
    "We'll
figure it out. If it's him, that fucker better watch out."
    "No,"
she said. "This is not your problem, Cliff. You have a business
to run and a life to live. I'll take care of it."
    "Nope,"
he said. "I care about you. We will take care of it together. He
better hope he doesn't touch you. I don't think he realizes what he's
doing. He thinks you're alone and vulnerable. He doesn't have a job
or a girlfriend. He's probably thinking he can beg you to take him
back and take care of him. He's not going to know what hit him if he
doesn't knock his shit off. We're going back to my office."
    Cliff
left money on the table, stood up, and reached for Rachel's hand. He
opened the door for her and led her to his car. The driver was
immediately there with the door open and waiting. She got in, and
Cliff got in next to her. He let his driver know to take them back to
the office.
    "I'm
not going in," she said, as she nodded her head.
    "You
are," he said. "It's not negotiable. I'm not having this.
Look at me."
    Rachel
quietly looked into his eyes.
    "He
will not do this to you. I will not have you living in fear or being
uncomfortable. I need to know that you're safe. When I'm at work, I
need to know that everything is okay with you. I will worry about you
if I don't. I'll take care of you. Do you hear me?"
    "He's
harmless. I know he's all talk. I can't let you put anything on the
line for me. You've done so much with your life."
    "Stop,"
he demanded. "Don't say one more word. I care about you,
probably much more than I should for only a week and a half. That
fucker's done with his games. He will not hurt you. I will never give
him that chance. I want to take care of you. I want to be there for
you. Stop trying to do it all alone. You're worth so much more than
that asshole ever gave you. You.Are.Mine."
    Cliff
took a deep breath.
    "I
want to be here for you, Rachel. Stop pushing me away. Give us a damn
chance. I'm done with you finding reasons I shouldn't want you. They
are all bullshit. I want you, and