Lori Foster (13 page)

“Company?” she whispered.

“Hell, I don’t know.” Very few people knew he lived here. “A few of the women in the building have been coming by to borrow stuff. Could be one of them.”

Avery’s shoulders bunched up. “Seriously?”

With an effort, he sat up, too. Jesus, the skin of his back pulled and burned and his muscles tried to cramp. He rubbed his bristly jaw and thought how nice a hot shower would feel—especially if he could get Avery to join him.

The knock sounded again.

“I thought you said no other women had been here?”

“They haven’t.” He watched her leave the bed and mourned the lost moment. “I don’t let them past the door.”

As she shoved her legs into her jeans, she said with suggested menace, “Want me to get it for you?”

If she wanted to scare off his neighbors, well, hey, it’d give her something to do besides pamper him. “Sure, thanks. Just tell whoever it is to get lost.”

“What if it’s something important?” She lifted the hem of the big T-shirt long enough to fasten the snap on her jeans.

That small peek of her belly made him reconsider the idea of getting pampered. Maybe he could say he needed help in the shower, which, judging how he felt right now, wouldn’t be a stretch. “If it’s Reese or Logan, let him in.” One of them could have word on Marcus.

“And if it’s one of your pushy neighbors?”

He grinned at her challenge. “Tell her whatever you want.”

“Fine. I will.” Barefoot, the T-shirt swallowing her small frame, Avery marched across the floor and up to the landing. She opened the locks and pulled the door just wide enough to say, “Hello.”

Rowdy sat on the side bed and gingerly flexed his shoulders. Yeah, he needed something, but he didn’t want any mind-blurring pain meds like what the doc had prescribed. Now that he had Avery hanging around, he had to stay on his toes.

He didn’t hear the voice of the visitor, but he assumed it was a woman when Avery said, “Yes, he lives here, but he’s not up to visiting.”

Pushing to his feet, Rowdy tried to stay quiet until Avery got rid of the unwanted guest. He pulled the sheet around his waist and finger combed his hair away from his face.

Avery said, “I’m his bartender, that’s who I am.”

He smiled at her bossy tone. Cute. On another woman he might not have thought so, but on Avery, he liked this take-charge persona.

Hell, he liked everything about her.

Barring the door, Avery nodded and replied to something he couldn’t hear. “As a matter of fact, I
do
speak for him. He specifically told me to—”

She ended on a gasp when the door swung open hard and Pepper came shoving her way through.

Oh, shit.

“Rowdy!”

Avery had the good sense to get out of his sister’s way when she forged down the steps and into the living area.

Rowdy took one look at her face and started forward, the aching in his back forgotten. “What’s the matter? What’s wrong?”

Long blond hair hanging free, her eyes red, Pepper spotted him and strode forward. “You were hurt, that’s what!” She opened her arms.

He braced for her impact, but Avery said,
“His back.”

Catching herself, Pepper drew up short.

Instead of slamming into him headlong, she ducked around behind him, then gasped so loud he felt it on the back of his neck.

“Oh, my God.” Her hands muffled the appalled words.

“It’s not that bad.”

She stopped him from turning. “Rowdy?” Her fingertips touched his shoulder near a very old scar, and almost stopped his heart.

Locking eyes with Avery, he jerked the sheet up and over his shoulders so Pepper couldn’t see a thing. For most of their lives, he’d managed to insulate Pepper from the worst of his parents’ anger. She didn’t know half of what they’d done—and he very much wanted it to stay at that way.

* * *

A
VERY
’
S
LIPS
PARTED
as if she suddenly understood. She shot forward. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize you were his sister.”

Ignoring her, Pepper tugged at the sheet. “I stayed away as long as I could, but God, Rowdy, it wasn’t easy.”

“Stop that.” Shrugging the sheet into place, Rowdy stepped away and turned to tower over her. “It’s fine, kiddo. Quit fussing.”

Avery gave an exaggerated roll of her eyes, no doubt for Pepper’s benefit. “He really does rebel against any coddling at all.” She leaned in as if confiding a secret. “He even refused to stop last night to get his prescribed meds. We came straight back here.”

Pepper looked more than a little devastated, and definitely confused. “Who are you, again?”

In stepped Logan. “I already told you—she’s the bartender.” He lifted a big bag of pastries in one hand, a cup holder with four large coffees in the other and used his foot to nudge the door shut. “We stopped for breakfast, but Pepper refused to wait with me while I parked.” His gaze slid over to Avery. “Sleep well?”

“Shut up, Logan.” Rowdy wanted a shower, food and Avery—not necessarily in that order. He did not want a social call. But never would he do anything to hurt his sister; not on purpose, anyway.

Hands on her hips, Pepper scrutinized Avery. “I’ve never seen her at the bar.”

“You,” Rowdy said, “haven’t been in during hours of operation.”

“You don’t want me there!”

“Pepper.” Logan strode the rest of the way into the room. “The bar is great, but it’s not a place for you to go alone. If you want, we’ll both go visit soon.”

“I was there when all the work was being done.”

“So was I,” Avery said. “I pitched in where I could, but we must have missed each other.”

“Maybe,” Pepper conceded, her tone filled with suspicion.

Rowdy held the sheet with one hand and rubbed the back of his neck with the other. The movement pulled at his back, reminding him just how wretched yesterday had been. “Why don’t you guys go grab a seat at the table? We just woke up, so give us a minute.”

Pepper opened her mouth, but Logan stepped in front of her. “Take your time.” He nudged Pepper along toward the kitchen area, saying sotto voce, “Give the guy a break, honey.”

Yeah, more and more each day Rowdy appreciated his new brother-in-law.

“Come on.” He snagged Avery’s hand and tugged her with him right into the bathroom.

Scandalized, she gasped, “What are you doing?”

“This.” He closed the door, backed her into it and kissed her before she could protest. And damn, she tasted good, a hell of a sight better than coffee or pastries.

With a little persuasion, her mouth opened under his. When he prodded gently with his tongue, she reciprocated, and things went steamy hot in a heartbeat.

She curled her hands over his shoulders, pressed closer and let him have his way—for about thirty seconds.

Easing away, she licked her lips. “Mmm. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Lashes lifting, she stared up at him. “Your sister and brother-in-law are
really
close by.”

“Believe me, I know.” He nuzzled her neck. “Want to shower with me anyway?”

“Absolutely not.” She sucked in a big, fortifying breath, then sidled out of his hold and went to his medicine cabinet to get out the aspirin. “Take these.” Her hand trembled as she held the pills out to him.

He tossed them back and then bent to the sink to drink straight from the faucet.

“Now step out and give me two minutes. After that I’ll take off the bandages so you can grab a quick shower,
quick
being the operative word.”

Insane, but he even liked seeing her this way, trembling with need but still refusing him. “Afraid I’ll leave you alone with Pepper and Logan?”

“Not at all. They both seem really nice.” She smoothed a hand over his chest, down to his ribs and down farther to his abs. After a soft groan, she dropped her hand. “I’m afraid you’ll go against doctor’s orders and linger too long.”

He let the sheet drop. “Tell you what, honey. I’ll shower at the speed of light if you’ll promise me something.”

She didn’t even try to keep her attention on his face. “What’s that?”

“Soon as I get doctor’s clearance, you’ll shower with me, and we’ll both linger.”

She shocked the hell out of him when she cupped a hand under his testicles, caressed him once then trailed the backs of her fingers up the length of his instant boner.

While he stood there stunned silent and on fire, she turned the doorknob and gave a tug.

Rowdy moved forward. He tried to figure out what to say, but nothing witty came to mind.

“I need two minutes, remember?”

Ah, hell. He hoped his sister and Logan were in the damn kitchen because he sported major wood.

As he started out, Avery handed him the sheet, smiled up at him and whispered, “I promise.”

Rowdy found himself staring at a closed door, a lopsided grin on his face. She’d as good as said they’d be having sex, and soon. Diabolical. And a serious turn-on.

Might as well use the two minutes to get together some clothes—and work on calming down the old John Henry. He’d just returned to the bathroom door with clean boxers and jeans when Avery stepped out.

She made sure they were alone. “Since you said it was okay, I did use your toothbrush. Thank you.”

Her whisper amused him. He put his forehead to hers. “I don’t care if they hear us.”

“I do.” She gave him a quick kiss, then led him in, turned him and carefully removed the bandages from his back. She took forever doing it, saying repeatedly, “I’m sorry if I’m hurting you.”

And he repeatedly assured her, “You’re not.”

When she finished, she brushed her cool fingertips over his skin. He heard her swallow, and her barely audible whisper when she said, “You could have been killed.”

“Not a chance. Not by those two yahoos.”

“Being cocky does not make you invincible.” She came around to the front of him, tears in her eyes.

“Don’t do that, babe. You’ve held it together this long. If you start now, it’ll push Pepper right over the edge and she’ll be out on her damned white horse, trying to avenge me.”

As he’d hoped, she smiled and wiped at her eyes. “No crying, I promise. It’s awkward enough knowing what they’re thinking without me going typically female.”

He snorted. “Trust me, you don’t have a clue what either of them are thinking, so don’t worry about it.” He lifted her chin and kissed her. “Ten minutes tops. Now go make nice with my sister. If she growls at you, understand that she’s worried and out of sorts.”

Nodding agreement, Avery said, “And she loves you very much.”

“That, too.” The mention of Pepper’s love reminded him. “I’d prefer that you not say anything to her about...” How should he mention something that he didn’t want to discuss with Avery, either?

The tears welled in her eyes again, but she nodded with grave sincerity. “Your old scars, I know. You’ve protected her this long, so of course I won’t say a word.” She smoothed her hair and straightened the dark T-shirt she still wore. “How do I look?”

She looked like
his,
like she belonged with him. Not just today, but maybe... Rowdy shook his head, disturbed that he kept thinking about forever-type commitments. He was honest enough with himself to know he was out of his element. Way the hell out.

He wanted to lighten the mood with a joke, maybe say,
You look totally fuckable,
because, hey, she really did.

But he couldn’t be that mocking. Not to Avery.

“You look like a fantasy, honey.”
My fantasy.
He finally admitted the truth, saying, “I’m glad you’re here.”

Before he got any sappier, Rowdy closed the door. Avery Mullins was the whole package.

And for the first time in his life, he was starting to want it all.

CHAPTER NINE

“S
O
.” A
S
IF
she expected her to sprout horns at any second, Pepper kept a sharp eye on Avery. “He kept you?”

Avery choked on her coffee.

Logan rolled his eyes. “She’s not a stray dog, Pepper. I told you—she works for him.”

“She works here, in Rowdy’s new apartment, in Rowdy’s shirt? Overnight?”

Avery’s smile started to feel strained. “It was late when we got back from the hospital.”

Pepper narrowed her eyes. “You say you’re the bartender?”

“Yes.” After dabbing her mouth with a napkin, Avery decided to level with Rowdy’s sister. “Believe me, I’m as amazed as you are that I’m still here. Rowdy said I’m the first woman to see the place.” She waved a hand, as nonchalant as she could manage. “Something about hordes of women hounding him for unrivaled sex if they knew where to find him.”

Logan took a turn at choking.

Pepper wasn’t amused.

“It’s probably not far from the truth.” Avery took another, deeper drink of her coffee. She needed the caffeine kick to survive Pepper’s suspicious nature. What did she think? That Avery would somehow work her wiles on Rowdy? Fat chance. She was pretty sure she didn’t have wiles. “He does draw attention from the ladies. I think he fills every available minute with sex.”

Logan looked around, likely wishing Rowdy would hurry it up.

Pepper sat back in her seat. “So if you know that, if you really understand my brother that well—”

Good grief, even his sister knew it to be true!

“—then should I assume that you also—”

“Make no assumptions. That’s always the safest bet.” If Pepper was even a smidge as protective of Rowdy as he was of her, then Avery knew she’d want to chase away the users. “The cut on his back, while not life-threatening or anything, did require some stitches.” Like a million or so. “Rowdy will deny it, just because he’s that way, but sex is out of the question for right now.”

Logan began to whistle.

Both women ignored him. “And the bandages need to be changed each day.” Avery gave a credible shrug. “Rowdy can’t very well reach his own back, now can he?”

“So you’re just here playing Florence Nightingale?”

Wrinkling her nose, Avery leaned in to whisper, “I’m here because I care about him, but if you tell him that, he’ll probably boot me to the curb. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that he’s an incredible boss, but an even more incredible man.”

“Hmm.” One brow going high, Pepper said, “You’re more honest than I expected.”

“I can’t lie to your brother. I figured fudging the truth with you wouldn’t be any easier.”

Logan laughed. “Be forewarned—they’re more alike than you can imagine.”

“You’re saying she’s incredible?”

“Well...” Caught, Logan took the easy route and agreed. “Yeah. Very much so.”

Avery smiled. “What Rowdy did for Marcus...” It astonished her still, how Rowdy hadn’t hesitated to insinuate himself into a bad situation to try to make Marcus’s life a little easier. “I’ve never seen a man so determined to help someone else. It’s enough that Rowdy is so incredibly good-looking, and so rock solid.”

Logan made a rude sound. When Pepper glared at him, he took a big bite of a doughnut.

“But he’s also a really, really good guy. He likes to hang in the gray areas, and he just loves to fling around his bad boy rep for all the world to see. But for anyone who actually knows him, he’s golden through and through.”

From behind them, Rowdy said, “Jesus, are you writing my eulogy? Did I die and not notice?”

Pepper jumped up. “What took you so long? Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m fine.” His gaze cut to Avery. “She makes an adequate nurse.”

Avery noticed that he wore a loose flannel shirt. He needed the ointment and bandages reapplied, but he wouldn’t want it mentioned in front of Pepper.

“Sit,” she told him. “Logan brought coffee and doughnuts. We saved you a cup.”

Both Logan and Pepper stared at her with wide eyes.

Rowdy sat. “Thanks.” He tasted the coffee and sighed. “Perfect. Just what I needed.” He leaned forward in his seat, but Logan said nothing about it and Pepper was too busy pulling a chair up alongside him to notice.

“Tell me everything,” his sister demanded. “Who is the guy?
Where
is the guy?”

Rowdy took great satisfaction in saying, “Logan has him and his buddy in lockup—out of your reach.”

“Traitor,” Logan mumbled. And then to Pepper, “They’re not going anywhere. And, no, you can’t talk to either of them, so don’t get any harebrained ideas about defending your brother. He can handle his own defense.”

“He’s right, Pepper.” Rowdy rested both forearms on the tabletop. “I need you to stay out of it.”

Surely they weren’t serious? Avery looked at Pepper and realized they were. What did they think she could do?

Pepper clued her in by asking, “Do they have cohorts who might be out for revenge?”

Oh, no. Avery blanched over the possibility. “I hadn’t even thought of that.” Of course they probably did. Those type of bullies hung in packs like wild animals. “What if more men show up?”

Rowdy dismissed any threat. “Don’t worry about it.”

Logan agreed. “We’ve got it covered.”

“How?” It was bad enough that someone was after her. Avery wasn’t sure she could take it if Rowdy got hurt again.

“I can put the word out on the street, get some names, some addresses,” Rowdy said. “The fact that I have a cop for a brother-in-law ought to be good for something.”

Pepper said, “He’s good for all kinds of things.”

“Thank you, sweetheart.” Logan’s grin got him poked by Pepper’s pointy elbow.

“One of the
many things
I’m good at is questioning perps.” Logan picked up another doughnut. “We’ll find out what we need to know.”

Pepper scowled. “Don’t you dare make a deal with that son of a—”

“Pepper.” Logan pulled her out of her chair and into his lap. “That wouldn’t be up to me, but I don’t think they’re high-level enough to warrant it anyway.”

“Tell me about Marcus,” Rowdy said, deftly changing the subject.

“You already know the social worker came to the bar last night. He saw how taken Marcus was with Alice right off. For now, they have temporary custody. There’ll be an emergency court hearing in family court within seventy-two hours. Marcus will get a guardian ad litem. That’s like a kid’s lawyer, a legal voice to act in Marcus’s best interest.”

Avery watched Rowdy. Sadly, she could read his thoughts all too clearly: he didn’t trust that anyone would act in the boy’s best interest because experience had taught him differently.

Logan went on. “I see no reason why the social worker and guardian ad litem wouldn’t recommend the continued placement with Reese and Alice. They usually go with any strong, but safe, attachment that makes the kid feel more secure.” He went quiet, turning his coffee cup, introspective. He hugged his wife closer. “It’s possible Marcus might have information. He’s probably seen things... The court will want him in a safe place, and what’s safer than with a good cop?”

Avery assumed Logan knew about Pepper and Rowdy’s upbringing. And like her, the knowing probably cut him deep.

“Trust doesn’t come easy to abused kids.” Logan met Rowdy’s gaze. “But he trusts Alice. If you visit with him today, you’ll see what I mean.”

“How’s this going to work long-term?” Rowdy shifted. Avery knew he was as uncomfortable with the idea of Marcus’s future as he was with his many stitches. “What if the dad gets out of jail? You guys screw up all the time.”

“Not this time. But even if he did, now that we know about the abuse, the judge will find that continued removal is necessary for Marcus’s protection. In order to get the court back on his side, good old dad would have to work a case plan with social services. That means maintaining housing, getting and staying legitimately employed, and he’d have to complete a substance abuse assessment with counseling, then pass the subsequent drug screens.”

“It’ll never happen.”

“For most, that’s true. For dicks like Darrell? He’ll fail the drug screens if he bothers to show up for them, and no way will he go to counseling—which guarantees Marcus won’t return home.”

Rowdy looked cautiously hopeful.

“With things as they stand—the dad in jail and the mother’s recovery uncertain—the judge can okay the placement, but Reese and Alice will have to do foster-care classes.” He answered Rowdy’s unasked question. “They’re already setting it up. After six months they’ll be able to petition for adoption.”

“Adoption?” Rowdy straightened with astonishment. “They’d do that?”

Logan made a gruff sound. “I’d like to see someone try to take that kid from Alice.” He turned his coffee cup. “Reese isn’t a slouch. He has decent savings. But if the legal end gets costly, well, Pepper and I talked about it and I have that damned trust fund I’m not really using, so we know it’d go to good use.”

Such generosity touched Avery, but Rowdy...he looked sucker punched. Voice faint, he said, “They’ll actually get to keep him.”

Avery loved how he said that, showing he considered Marcus a wonderful gift, not a burden.

“It’s a rough road ahead,” Logan said. “There aren’t any magic shortcuts.”

And finally, Avery saw Rowdy’s charming smile. “I’ll go over this morning and see if I can help get things started.”

* * *

I
T
HADN
’
T
BEEN
easy talking Avery into going back to her place while he visited Marcus. She’d badly wanted to come along, but when he made it sound like a hardship to wait for her to shower and change, she’d relented.

Truthfully, he missed her already. But being here, knowing what Marcus thought and how he felt, left Rowdy raw. He didn’t want Avery to see him like this, his emotions exposed.

Alice... Well, he had a feeling Alice already knew him inside and out. From day one, he hadn’t been able to hide a single thing from her.

As she formally introduced Marcus to Rowdy, Alice kept an arm around the kid. He wore a pugnacious expression of dislike for Rowdy, while almost pushing Alice off balance as he tried to get closer to her. Cash sat on the other side of the boy, whining.

Kneeling down, Rowdy said, “C’mere boy.” And Cash launched at him, licking his face, trying to crowd into his lap. Laughing, Rowdy dropped to his butt to accommodate the dog.

“Will he hurt your back?” Alice fretted.

“He’s fine.” When he got Cash to calm down, Rowdy stroked his neck and scratched his long black ears. “You like dogs, Marcus?”

The boy’s bottom lip quivered, then firmed. “Guess so.”

So much belligerence. “Ever had a pet before?”

He shook his head.

“I never have, either. My parents didn’t allow it, and after they were gone...” He shook his head. “I was never really settled enough to have a pet.”

“He’s settled now, though,” Alice said.

“Whenever I come around, Cash gets so excited that half the time he pees on my shoes.”

Marcus looked horrified by that idea, but Alice just laughed. “Now, Rowdy, you know he hasn’t done that in...a month.”

True, the dog was learning and rarely had accidents anymore. “Seeing me gets him extra wound up for some reason.” Maybe Cash’s adoration would soften Marcus’s attitude toward him. “But I don’t mind too much, do I, buddy?”

Speaking to the dog like that really got him going, and Cash went berserk all over again. He almost knocked Rowdy over.

Marcus stepped behind Alice’s legs.

Rowdy understood. Adults could be unpredictable, seeming open and friendly one moment, obscenely violent the next. He got it.

Laughing, he asked Marcus, “Has he peed on you yet?”

Marcus shook his head.

“Just you wait. I can tell he likes you a lot. Did Alice tell you how Reese got the dog?”

Alice smoothed the boy’s hair. “A few times now,” she said.

“Reese is like that,” Rowdy agreed. “My brother-in-law, Logan, too. They’re cops. You know that, right?”

Staring at his feet, Marcus mumbled, “Yeah.”

That one word held so much suspicion; it felt like a rhino sat on Rowdy’s chest. “They’re good guys, Marcus. Good friends.”

“The best,” Alice agreed.

Marcus didn’t look convinced.

“Reese saved Cash, ya know?” He tickled under the dog’s chin. “And Alice, well, she likes to save everyone, me included.”

Marcus looked up at her.

Alice laughed. “That’s not true, Rowdy, and you know it. You saved yourself long before I ever met you.”

Marcus’s small face pinched with curiosity.

Sitting there on the floor, a dog sprawled over his legs, Alice smiling, Marcus terrified, Rowdy wasn’t sure how to proceed.

Maybe seeing the kid wasn’t such a great idea. What the hell could he say?

The truth? He doubted anyone had ever been square with the kid. Sure, Marcus was only eight or so, but he’d already seen more in his short life than most ever had to suffer.

Remembering his own youth, the uncertainty from not knowing, Rowdy tried to think of a way to reassure him.

Maybe the truth would do what platitudes couldn’t.

He met Marcus’s gaze. “I was a lot like you, except that I have a sister. I did my best to make sure my parents never hurt her.”

Time ticked by in silence. Other than Alice’s hand stroking through the boy’s hair, no one moved.

“Did they anyway?”

That small voice filled Rowdy with blinding hope. “They made her feel bad, hurt her feelings and stuff like that, which is sometimes almost as bad.”

“Yeah.”

“But they didn’t touch her because I protected her. I’m pretty good at that, at protecting people.” He couldn’t look at Alice again, not with her gaze suddenly so tender and compassionate. His throat got tight, his voice scratchy. “You don’t know me well enough yet to believe me, but I promise that I won’t let anyone hurt you, either.”

Suddenly Marcus inched out around Alice. She wiped her eyes and let him go.

Rowdy whispered, “I’m probably not supposed to discuss stuff like that with you.”