Victoria ended up spending the evening with the group until well past nine. When it was finally time to go, Stein offered to drive her home while the rest dispersed.
Jimmy, who’d never been one for socializing, surprised everyone—including Stein—by enthusiastically agreeing to join Lyndon and the others for the next rally race.
“Big brother, you can trust Jimmy with them,” Victoria reassured Stein as he glanced at her, still mildly incredulous.
“They’re all decent guys. Straightforward, genuine people.”
Despite what others might assume about a woman who spent so much time with men, Victoria had always held her own; Stein could see that clearly.
“Yeah. Next time, I’ll take Jimmy to the race myself. But you—” he looked at Victoria’s pregnant belly, “try not to run around too much. Be careful, okay?”
He insisted on walking her upstairs, and even had Jimmy come along. As soon as the car rolled to a stop, the three of them got out together. Waiting by the entrance, McNeil stood under the porch light, arms folded.
The moment Stein came into view, something sharp flickered in McNeil’s eyes—a cold glint, almost feral.
He strode over, all confidence and barely contained possessiveness, and without so much as a word to Victoria, wrapped an arm firmly around her waist.
“Thanks for bringing her back, Stein,” he said, voice edged with warning.
His eyes were bloodshot, wild. Like a wolf scenting a rival.
Stein just looked amused. “Mr. Langford, you and Victoria are already divorced. You never hovered this close when you two were married.”
He smirked, deliberately goading him. “Now that she’s single, she’s free to make her own choices.”
McNeil’s laugh was cold and brittle. “Not if her only choice is a twice-divorced man with baggage.”
Victoria slapped McNeil’s hand away, glaring daggers. “Who are you calling baggage?”
If she weren’t so heavily pregnant, she’d have slapped him, too. Only McNeil had the guts to be this reckless in front of Stein—anyone else would be trembling from three yards away.
Stein could let it slide; Victoria couldn’t.
McNeil, green with jealousy, shot her a look. “You want to remarry? Fine. But not him.”
Victoria’s patience snapped. “Why not? Who do you think you are, telling me what to do?”
“You think I can’t?” McNeil retorted, jaw clenched. “The baby’s mine. Doesn’t that give me a say in who gets to be his dad?”
Victoria was so angry her stomach ached. She let out a humorless laugh. “Fine. You pick, then. Who do you want me to marry?”
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