A Perfect Storm (5 page)

Spencer didn’t miss the suggestion. But Trace had to be kidding. With a hand to the back of his neck, Spencer tried to rub away the growing tension. “The thing is, Arizona’s…skittish.”

What an understatement. Arizona was all brass and bravado, until someone showed intimate interest. Then her survival reaction of fight, flight or freeze kicked in.

So far, with him, she always chose to fight.

And every time it happened, the vise on his heart squeezed a little tighter. He had a plan to help her with that. A masochistic plan that was sure to make him nuts, but for Arizona…

“She knows you want her.”

“No.” Damn it, he’d said that too fast and sounded far too defensive.

Trace just looked at him.

“I’m too old for her.”
God, just shut up, Spencer.

“Given what she’s been through and the way she lives, I’d say you’re just what she needs.”

Not a topic he’d discuss with Trace or anyone else.

As if he realized that himself, Trace didn’t wait for confirmation. “Get her to your place, and I’ll find a way to disable her car. It’s as good an excuse as any for her to stay the night. Keeping her with you will give you more control until we shut down the joint.”

The enormity of coercing Arizona to do anything was overshadowed by Spencer’s surprise. “Shut it down?” Could it really be that easy to remove Arizona from danger—this time? “Just like that?”

“Yeah, just like that.” Being enigmatic, Trace added, “We were on this anyway.”

We, meaning Trace, Dare and Jackson? He didn’t ask. He knew Trace wouldn’t tell him. “Glad to hear it.”

“Now, with Arizona ready to dive in… It could still take some time, but I’ll do my best to accelerate things.”

“I hope so, because if you know Arizona at all, you know I’m not going to be able to get her to pull back.” Hell, he’d be lucky if he could get her to stop swinging for his head. “As for her staying with me…dicking with her car might work once, but after that? She won’t like the idea of anyone protecting her.”

Trace looked down at the table. “I understand her. After what she’s been through, she hurts, physically and emotionally, thinking about anyone caught in that situation.”

“She knows how it is,” Spencer agreed softly. “She understands that unique misery only too well.” And for Arizona, the only escape from her memories would be to validate her current well-being by helping others. Otherwise, she’d feel like she had no justice at all.

They shared a somber moment, then Trace flipped open his phone and pressed a button. “Let me make this call, and then I’ll tell you what we’re going to do.”

CHAPTER THREE

B
RIGHT
SUNSHINE
SHONE
in Arizona’s eyes as she waited in her car for Spencer to return. Even adjusting the visor didn’t help. Heat built—inside the car, inside her mind.

Growing bored, then quickly drowsy, she leaned her head back, closed her eyes against the glare…and drifted away to the day of that awful confrontation.

Spencer’s voice sounded with conviction…and with caring. “Whatever Chandra did to you, she’ll pay.”

But Arizona knew that couldn’t be true. Even thinking Chandra had died wasn’t payment enough. And now, people she cared about, people she loved, were at risk.

Because of her.

Red-hot hatred, bone-deep fear, churned inside her.

It wasn’t easy, but she pretended indifference to the situation. Not that she ever could be. Not faced with her tormentor—the one who’d orchestrated so much hurt and unthinkable disgrace, here in the flesh.

All this time, she’d thought Chandra dead, well out of reach of revenge.

And unable to cause more pain.

Yet there she stood. Smiling. Sick as always. Unfortunately, this time, Arizona wasn’t her only target. Now Chandra planned to hurt others—Jackson, his girlfriend, Alani.

Spencer.

No, not Spencer. He’d skipped out seconds before the situation escalated. To where?

Who cared? She wouldn’t. She couldn’t.

Bravado would have to get her through. Summoning a snide smile to hide the hurt, Arizona sneered, “Usually dead women can’t talk. And you are dead—whether you realize it yet or not.”

A maniacal laugh. Chandra’s awful, bone-chilling enjoyment of pain.

It left her pale, cold. Determined. Arizona didn’t back down. “It’s between us. Leave the others out of it.” Let me have my revenge. Please.

Chandra disregarded the warning, saying, “If she speaks again, shoot her.”

And they would. Chandra’s bully boys would enjoy putting a bullet in her.

What to do? Stand back, as Jackson asked? She owed him so much, but…she couldn’t. If she stayed safe, she couldn’t strike out. And she wanted to. She desperately needed to.

So what if her hands were shaking?

So what if her heart thundered and her eyes burned and the urge to flee beat hard and fast in her chest? Never would she run away.

This was her hell.

She had the right to end it.

Determined, determined…but then everything happened at once. Multiple shots, chaos…

Spencer! He hadn’t left. Not yet.

Expression fierce and jaw rock-hard, Spencer started toward her.

He’d stolen her revenge.

He hadn’t left her.

Anger and relief built in combustible force, so confusing, so powerful—

“Yoo-hoo.”

Jolted from the dark memory, Arizona bolted upright in her seat. Without thinking about it, she automatically reached for her knife and looked around at the same time.

Standing there by the passenger door, bending to look in the window, was Spencer’s busty neighbor. She showed off a bright smile, a lot of cleavage and cunning resolve.

Perfect. Just what she deserved.

Still caught up in reliving the awful scenario that had stolen her purpose for being, Arizona breathed too hard, too fast. Sweat had gathered along her spine. Her palms felt damp.

Slowly, hoping the neighbor wouldn’t notice, she drew her hand away from the knife hidden at the small of her back, then shoved her hair from her face.

Where the hell was Spencer? She’d pulled up twenty minutes ago but hadn’t seen his truck. While trying to decide whether to hang around or to bolt, she’d taken an unplanned trip down memory lane.

So lame.

Surreptitiously she swiped a forearm over her brow and put up the car windows.

Never one to miss an opportunity, Arizona undid her seat belt and left her black Focus. “Yoo-hoo, yourself.” Even saying it with sarcasm, she felt like an ass. But at least the intrusion had brought her back to the here and now. “You know where Spencer is?”

“He went out,” Blondie said helpfully.

“No kidding?” Arizona circled the hood, leaned against the fender and crossed her arms. “You don’t miss much, do you?”

Blondie’s smile slipped, making her almost feel mean.

“Sorry. I’ve had a rough day.” She held out her hand. “Arizona.”

“What?”

Well used to that reaction, she shrugged. “My name. It’s Arizona.”

“Oh.” Wary, keeping the contact as brief as possible, the neighbor-lady shook her hand in a limp, barely there greeting. “Marla.”

“Nice to meet you, Marla.” Spencer had asked her to come back at six, and she was twenty minutes early, but so what? She couldn’t break in again, not with the ever-alert Marla keeping tabs on things. Anything that happened now was Spencer’s fault. “So, that stuff this morning… You and Spence got something going on, huh?”

Marla found her backbone. “Yes.”

That was it? Arizona pursed her mouth and waited. Blondie would crack, no doubt about it.

Annnnnddd…she did.

“We’ve, ah, been seeing each other for a while now.”

Seeing each other meant what? In the sack, or had Spencer taken her out on a date? Dancing, dinner, movies… Arizona really had no understanding of the concept. Never in her life had she been out on a legitimate “date.”

This could be a great learning experience. She’d uncover details about Spencer that a cold file filled with facts couldn’t give, and maybe get a better, more personal grasp of the whole relationship ritual.

“No kidding? How long is a while?”

Marla’s bravery faltered. “Long enough.”

Meaning…they were an item? “Well of course you have. Look at you.” She gestured at Marla’s boobs. “No guy would pass that up, right?”

That must’ve been the wrong thing to say, because Marla backed up two steps. “You looked lost in thought when I walked out.”

Lost
being the operative word. But not anymore. Never again. “Just waiting on Spence.”

“Why?”

For some insane reason, maybe deeply rooted female vindictiveness, Arizona enjoyed telling her, “He wanted me to join him for dinner.”

Putting her plump shoulders back, Marla tried for a level, nasty stare. “You’re wasting your time.”

A direct attack? Bravo, Marla. Grinning, Arizona said, “Well, look at you feeling all ballsy and possessive and stuff.”

That got her a double take and more wariness. “I mean it.” Marla visually worked up her courage. “Spencer and I might not be…committed—”

“Still up in the air, huh?”

“But we have an
understanding.
”

What did that mean? An understanding about what? “Enlighten me, why doncha?”

“You can’t have him.”

No misunderstanding that. “Didn’t say I wanted him.” Arizona pushed away from the car, and Blondie took another quick step back. “At least, not for what you’re talking about.”

“No?”

“Definitely no. You want to screw him?” Her throat tightened, but she got the words out. “Have at it. More power to you.”

Marla soaked in the words, analyzed them, and gave a slow smile.

Arizona didn’t trust that smile one bit. “What’s funny?”

Overflowing with good humor, Marla said, “You haven’t slept with him, have you?”

How would she know that? She couldn’t. “I never kiss and tell.”

Marla shook her head. “Spencer said you were a one-night stand, a mistake, but now I know that was a lie.”

A mistake? That dick. She’d make him pay for that. “You calling Spence a liar?”

“I’m just saying that he made up a story for some reason. Maybe to protect you somehow. I know he’s a bounty hunter. Could be you’re undercover with him or something.”

Huh. What exactly did she think bounty hunters did? Mocking her assumptions, Arizona said, “That’s some imagination you’ve got.”

Marla shrugged. “All I know is that you haven’t slept with him.”

“You’re sure about that, are you?”

“Absolutely.” Marla oozed satisfaction, even leaned in to taunt Arizona. “If you’d ever had him, you’d feel differently about having him again.”

She sounded so convinced, she piqued Arizona’s interest. “Yeah? Why’s that?”

With significance, Marla purred, “For one thing, he’s big
all over.
”

Arizona’s heart almost stopped. In an appalled whisper, she asked, “You
like
that?”

Scowling, Marla pulled back. “Bigger is definitely better.”

Visuals came to Arizona’s mind, but she didn’t have quite the reaction Marla seemed to expect. She wrinkled her nose. “If you say so.”

Marla shivered with pleasure. “He’s delicious.”

Yeaaaahhhh, she’d let that one go. “You’re saying that even though he’s big, you don’t feel…” She couldn’t think of an appropriate word and settled for, “maybe threatened?”

“With Spencer? Of course not.”

Hmm. Okay, so Spencer was extra tall, extra muscular, solid, and loaded with ability. He had never hurt her.

Contained her, yes. Hurt her, no. “So you like it that he’s big?”

“That, and the man knows things.”

Fascinating. What things could he know that she didn’t, that Marla found not only acceptable, but good enough to want again and again? “Give me an example.”

“I’m not telling you!”

Provoking her—because she really did want details—Arizona said, “That’s what I thought. You can’t give an example because you don’t know.”

“He’s
wonderful.
”

Arizona snorted. “Wonderfully pushy.”

“He’s considerate and patient.”

“So is my bookie,” Arizona told her, “but I wouldn’t want to screw him.” She shuddered at just the thought.

Taking the bait, Marla leaned forward again. “He’s the best, most generous lover I’ve ever had.”

“How many have you had?”

“My God.” Gasping, Marla drew back once more. “That is none of your business!”

“You brought it up.” Still ripe with curiosity, Arizona asked, “So what does Spence do specifically that’s so awesome you’d be willing to fight for him?”

Marla blanched. “Fight? But…but I never said anything about
fighting.
”

“No? So then what’s this?” Arizona waved a hand between them. “Some sort of warped social call?”

Her mouth worked, but it took her a few seconds to get anything out. “He said you’re a stalker.”

Considering she’d broken in and watched him sleep, she couldn’t deny that. “Ehhhh…maybe.”

Marla found her courage again. “Well, whatever reason you’re here, you might as well give up on the idea of having him. He’s mine, and he’s staying mine.”

Spencer drove up and, looking horrified to see the women together, pulled into his driveway and slammed the truck into Park.

Lifting a hand to shield her eyes from the sun, Arizona watched him cross the yard in a fast, long-legged stride. He wore a frown of concern. Sheesh. What did he think she’d do to his girlfriend?

“Last chance to tell me what’s so special about him.” In bed.

“That’s personal, so forget it.”

Knowing there’d be no more Q & A, Arizona said to Marla, “Spoilsport.” And then she waited for Spencer to reach them.

* * *

W
HILE
A
RIZONA
ACTED
as if nothing had happened, Spencer continued to stew. He didn’t know if she truly lacked all social graces, or if she enjoyed pushing his buttons in any and every way possible.

There’d be hell to pay with Marla. She’d already started to get clingy, and now, seeing Arizona as a direct threat, she’d probably double her efforts.

Just what he didn’t need.

Since losing his wife three years ago, he’d occasionally given in to his baser urges. He was a grown man, and between long bouts of celibacy, he needed relief.

He didn’t fault himself for that.

But giving in to Marla had been a huge mistake. Their close proximity as neighbors was sticky enough; the fact that she had marriage in her eyes should have been the clincher.

Unfortunately, a few months after she’d moved in, she’d caught him at a weak moment, a moment he regretted, and after that…well, he’d slept with her a total of three times.

Idiotic. And regrettable.

But that was all before meeting Arizona, and since meeting her… No, he hadn’t wanted Marla.

Straddling a chair, Arizona watched him intently as he went about cooking dinner. There was a new attentiveness to her gaze that hadn’t been there before. He didn’t understand it.

He didn’t understand her.

They hadn’t said much since he’d more or less dragged her inside—away from Marla—with rushed excuses. He felt her amusement, and it nettled him. He felt her curiosity, and that worried him more.