few seconds of silence followed the playfully lurid comment. Then, the sisters gave in to wild laughter that was as much about amusement as it was about happiness over the fact that they were together and that so many troubling aspects of the past were finally being laid to rest. So many...but not all.
“So did I interrupt anything here?” Sophia clasped her hands and eyed the terrace speculatively. “Anything...promising?”
Again, Viva snorted. “If you count small talk promising.”
“Ah, honey.” Sophia moved close to drop an arm around Viva’s shoulders and squeezed. “I’m sorry.”
“No need. It’s for the best.”
“I don’t think you believe that.” Sophia used her height advantage to drop a kiss to the top of her sister’s head. “Are you saying you hold absolutely no hope that you guys could have what you once did?”
“It’s been a long time.”
“And? A lot of time passed between me and Tigo too.”
Viva conceded with a smile. “Fair enough, but it still wouldn’t be a good idea, Soapy.”
“Not a good idea?” Sophia challenged once she’d chuckled over the name Viva had given her before she could correctly pronounce her little sister’s name. “You did just see the man, right? I’m surprised he walked out of here alone with all the...attention I saw him getting before I had to hustle out of here earlier.”
Viva moved to the terrace railing and looked out into the night as though she were seeing Rook there. “There’re things I don’t want him to know. Ever. Things that might hurt him and that’ll make me feel like more of an ass for leaving than I already do.”
Intrigued, Sophia’s gray eyes narrowed, all teasing elements leaving her face. “Any details you can share?” She joined Viva at the railing. “Is this about Murray?”
“This all happened near the beginning of my career.” She slid her sister a sly smile. “I promise there aren’t any moves I wish I didn’t make. At least none of the truly graphic variety. There are choices I made, though, and later wished I hadn’t. Choices I may not have made if working for Jazzy B’s hadn’t made me immune to certain signs.”
“And that’s Mom and Dad talking now.”
“Maybe,” Viva bumped her side to Sophia’s. “Parents can make a lot of sense sometimes.”
Sophia folded her arms over her chest and turned to lean back against the rail. “So are you going to let these old choices keep you from going back to the man you love?”
“Soap, it’s been six—”
“Back to the man who still loves you?” Sophia interrupted. “V, these things you mentioned... Murray was with you at the beginning. Are you sure that doesn’t have anything to do with this present mess?”
Viva was shaking her head. “This particular choice doesn’t have much to do with Murray but some of my other choices... If I hadn’t made them, you probably wouldn’t have what you need to put your case to bed.”
“Hold it, V.” Sophia took her sister’s shoulders and gave her a slight shake. “I can damn well put my case to bed without drawing you into it.”
“Maybe I want to be drawn in.” Unshakeable determination sharpened Viva’s star-quality features. “I only knew Murray a little through Rook before we started working together at my first production company. It didn’t take long for me to see that he could be a shark, but that’s a commodity in my world and I didn’t shy away from him because I wanted my career and I correctly guessed that he could give me one.”
“Hey.” Sophia gave Viva another tug. “You’re the only one responsible for your career.”
“Thanks, Soap, but Murray really is very good at what he does. He made a very successful move from security to talent representation. Over the years, I’ve come to consider him as a very good friend as well as my agent.”
“And that may make it harder for you to believe he could be involved in all the rest,” Sophia warned.
“Why’d he do it, Sophia?” Viva tugged her fingers through the light brown coils framing her face. “Why’d he risk doing something that could take away his freedom?”
“Some folks can’t resist the sparkle, no matter how much they have. A little more is always a good thing.”
“Yeah.” Viva thought of how that point had pertained to her when she’d started getting noticed—when the sparkle of real celebrity began to twinkle her way. It should’ve been enough, but Sophia was right. More always seemed better. She supposed it was the same for Murray. Too bad his quest for more sparkle had turned him into a criminal.
“I have to be part of this, Sophia.”
“All right.” Sophia nodded. “But if that’s the case, I’m going to need you to agree to any and all requests I make pertaining to your own well-being.”
Viva bit her lip before acquiescing with a hesitant nod.
“I mean it, V. Take it or leave it.”
“Okay...but only on the condition that you don’t let any of this newfound power over me go to your head.”
“I’ll try.” To Viva’s ears the words held little promise. “But give me any of that A-list actress diva attitude and I’ll put you on house arrest.”
“Such a hard-ass,” Viva accused.
“I’m worse.” Sophia waved off the insult. “I’m a bride. I’m about to start getting very anal about things being perfect. Keeping my maid of honor alive goes at the top of that list.”
Viva gave herself over to laughter. The gesture was soon being echoed by Sophia and the sisters tucked into another hug.
* * *
Rook gave a quick prayer of thanks when he pulled the Suburban into the parking spot outside his condo. The need for sleep had latched on harder and heavier the second his butt had hit the driver’s seat.
It was a blessing that he hadn’t hit anything or been pulled over for a suspected DUI considering how wiped he was. He’d been looking forward to an exceptional night of sleep, but he now feared that would be a fruitless endeavor. Finding Viva Hail on that terrace had hit him like a brick to his gut.
He’d known she was in town. He’d run into her while his team had supplied security for her sister. Not until that night had the true force of her being back really hit him. She’d always been able to read him so well and he wondered if she could see how out of it he was earlier.
Resting back on the seat, Rook reminisced on how her perception intrigued as well as annoyed him. He wasn’t a man who enjoyed having others get inside his head.
Viva Hail wasn’t just any other. No, she wasn’t just any other and how had he honored that so long ago? By giving her an ultimatum. No...it hadn’t been a blatant “take it or leave it” ultimatum, but
