Lori Foster (17 page)

“I see you’re still being stubborn.”

“Not at all. I’ve made a new life for myself. There’s nothing back there for me.”

“What about your mother?”

Guilt only made her more defensive. “I’ve called Mother. We’ve talked.” Or more like debated, with her mother insisting she should forgive Fisher for any imagined slights. God, it made her furious all over again.

Meyer frowned, not in anger but with concern. “I suppose she hasn’t told you?”

The way he said that slammed the brakes on her agitation. “Told me what?”

“She didn’t want to worry you, but I felt you should know.”

Alarm straightened her spine. “Know
what?
”

“Sonya has breast cancer.”

Fear socked Avery like a physical blow.

“The prognosis is good,” Meyer hurried to say. “She had a surgery to remove a small lump and now she’s going through follow-up treatment. They found it early, so the doctor expects her to make a full recovery.”

“She’s never said a word.” No matter Avery’s efforts, the conversations invariably led to her mother asking her to return, and Avery always refusing.

“We only found out recently.” He readjusted his glasses, saying, “Perhaps if you were at home where you belong—”

Oh, God. The way Rowdy stroked her back helped to remind her that she was a different person now. She would not let Meyer bully her, not even for this. “You really want to go into that now?”

Meyer held up a hand. “No. I’m not here to debate the past. My sole mission is to invite you back home for a visit, if nothing else. I think it would give your mother comfort to see you before her next treatment.”

“When is it?”

“Tuesday.”

Avery put a hand to her head. “That’s only a few days away.”

“The treatments leave her weak, sick. She’s starting to lose her hair.” The corner of Meyer’s mouth lifted. “But you know your mother. She’s turned it into a challenge and is already spearheading a fundraiser to get underprivileged women tested.”

Yes, that sounded like her mom.

Rowdy was silent, but he stayed with her, strong, unwavering. If she wanted the time off, he’d give it to her in a heartbeat. A million questions bombarded her brain. “What type of treatments?”

“Chemo and radiation. She’s concerned about finding an appropriate wig when necessary, but I’ve told her she’ll be adorable, regardless.”

Avery had always considered Meyer’s most redeeming quality to be his undying love for her mother. “I’m so very glad she has you, Meyer.”

“She needs you, as well.” Like a broken record, he again played his favorite refrain. “You should move back home.”

Home, with Fisher? She shook her head. “I’m only a half hour away. I can visit as often as she needs me.”

Meyer paced away from the chair.

Rowdy looked at her, his gaze inquiring, but with her stepfather right there, she couldn’t possibly explain.

Meyer jerked around to face her. “Enough, Avery! It’s time to stop being a selfish girl!”

The sudden verbal attack made Avery flinch.

“Careful,” Rowdy said in warning.

Meyer didn’t pay heed. “We should be having this conversation in private!
You
should be having it with your
mother!”

Rowdy straightened from the desk, and Avery knew she had to do something, and fast. “I work until late at night.”

“Every damn day?” Meyer asked.

“Every day except Sunday.”

“It’s absurd!” He slashed a hand through the air. “The only reason you would work in a place like this is to spite us.”

“You’re wrong.” She cared nothing about spite. “I
like
this place.” Avery took a step ahead of Rowdy. She hated to make the admission in front of him, and at least this way she didn’t have to see his reaction. “I enjoy earning my own money now.”

Meyer ran a hand over the back of his neck. He gestured at Rowdy. “In the same way that you enjoy
him?
”

That was a slight she couldn’t ignore. She shot forward, saying, “Yes, I enjoy him!”

“Then bring him along.”

Uh-oh. Her thoughts scrambled. She needed a tactical retreat—

Rowdy asked, “When?”

Oh, no, no, no. She glared at Meyer. “You can’t drag him into our family squabbles.”

“If he’s your boyfriend, then I’m sure your mother would enjoy meeting him.”

Rowdy actually choked, then choked some more.

Going stiff, Avery refused to look back at him. She didn’t know if it was the term
boyfriend—
a description far too lackluster for a man like Rowdy—or the idea that they might be a couple that had him wheezing for air.

“Back off, Meyer.” She understood his ploy. Her mother would do a comparison to Fisher, and while Avery knew Fisher could never measure up, her stepfather thought Rowdy would be lacking.

Bastard.

“Why don’t you want to bring him?” Meyer asked.

The choking stopped, and instead she felt Rowdy’s gaze boring into the back of her head.

Screw it. She’d just have to pray that Fisher wasn’t around, and if he was, well... She glanced back at Rowdy. Fisher wasn’t an idiot. He wouldn’t openly provoke a man like Rowdy Yates, a man who could easily take him apart despite all his bravado and bullying. She’d be safe with Rowdy along, and Rowdy would be safe—if she handled this correctly.

“I’d love to bring him. Thank you.”

“Does tomorrow morning work for you?”

Wow, so soon. Meyer left her little time to sort things out in her mind, little time to find a good explanation for wanting to bring Rowdy along.

With no choice, she turned to face him.

Something...volcanic showed in Rowdy’s light brown eyes. “It works for me if it works for Avery.”

Wow, he said that like a challenge. Did he believe Meyer’s nonsense, that she was somehow ashamed of him? She turned back to Meyer. “Is eleven too early?”

“That’d be fine.”

Rowdy pushed away from the desk, and more than ever, he looked big, hard and imposing. “I need to know something first.”

Avery all but cringed. She didn’t want Rowdy to start digging into her past, asking questions about the situation that had sent her running. She didn’t want to be exposed for a coward, and she didn’t want to take advantage of Rowdy’s natural tendency to protect.

Those worries were put to rest when Rowdy voiced a whole new set of concerns. “Why didn’t you just call?”

“I didn’t have a number, for one thing.” Meyer cut his gaze over her. “When she ran off, she also switched phones.”

“Not to avoid you or Mom.” She again glanced at Rowdy. “I was part of their family phone plan then, but changed to get my own basic plan with calling only.”

“She’s called her mother, but never me,” Meyer said. “And since Sonya didn’t want to bother Avery with this, I couldn’t very well ask for contact information.”

Rowdy crossed his arms over his chest. “So how did you find her here?”

Oh, my God, Avery hadn’t even thought of that. Rising anger had her facing off with her stepfather. “It was you on the bar phone?”

“What?” Meyer looked between them. “What are you talking about?”

“Did you give me breather phone calls?”
Did you shoot a damn gun just to scare me?
Avery didn’t get far from Rowdy before he drew her back. She was too suspicious to think before speaking, and she asked with accusation, “Have you been watching me?”

Meyer drew up in affront. “Don’t be absurd.”

Far more relaxed that she was, Rowdy asked, “What type of car do you have?”

“I don’t see why that matters, but I drive a BMW.”

Avery didn’t know why it mattered, either, but she appreciated Rowdy’s line of questioning. “So how’d you find me?”

“Oh, please, do you honestly believe your mother would let you leave without knowing where you were? She immediately requested that I hire a private service to track you down.”

“No shit?” Rowdy eyed him up and down. “That sounds costly.”

“Very.”

Avery’s temples started to pound. “Would the private service have called me?”

“I have no idea how they discovered your whereabouts, but I can ask if it’s important.”

Was it? It seemed like a mighty big coincidence for her to get weird calls, and then out of the blue, her stepfather showed up. But she honestly couldn’t see Meyer, or a reputable service, making the weird calls she’d received.

Meyer adjusted his glasses. “Look, all I know is that the people I hired contacted me with this address some months ago. I knew it was a bar, but the name changed or something—”

“That happened when I bought it,” Rowdy told him.

“It’s now named after you?”

Rowdy shrugged. “The name of the place was Avery’s idea.”

“Yes, well, I was dubious about actually finding her here, so I came myself to have it verified.”

“And here I am,” Avery confirmed. “Mission accomplished.”

Fed up and not bothering to hide his irritation, Meyer said, “It’s late and I have a thirty-minute drive to get back home. Why don’t we finish this conversation tomorrow after you’ve reunited with your mother?”

And hopefully there’d be an opportunity for her to get Meyer alone and talk to him without Rowdy listening in. “All right.”

Meyer gave Rowdy a curt glance. “Tomorrow, then.” He headed for the door. “I’ll see myself out.”

The second Meyer was out of sight, Rowdy pinned her with his darkest look.

She started to explain—how, she didn’t know—but Rowdy shook his head. “Let’s lock up here. We can talk at my place.”

And maybe, Avery thought, by then she’d be able to figure out what to tell him.

An hour later, as they prepared for bed, Avery had the fleeting hope that Rowdy had decided not to question her after all.

She was sorely mistaken.

* * *

R
OWDY
HAD
WAITED
for the inquisition, choosing instead to concentrate on getting Avery ready for bed. He didn’t know what was going on, but he could see her fatigue, so he chose to prioritize.

Why had she shanghaied him into visiting her parents with her?

All she had to do was tell her stepfather that he wasn’t her boyfriend—what a stupid term. But instead, she’d acted like she was in love with him.

For Meyer’s benefit? Or did she actually care that much for him? He wasn’t sure.

No one had ever taken him home to meet the folks. Hell, the women he usually screwed cared only about a repeat performance. With Avery, everything was ass backward.

Normally he’d have bowed out if anyone had dared to suggest he tag along for a family reunion. But again, Avery wasn’t every other woman. If she wanted him there, she had to have a reason.

Apparently, whatever the reason might be, she didn’t intend to tell him.

He’d given her plenty of time to bring things up herself. Instead, as she’d eaten a bowl of cold cereal in his kitchen, she’d watched him as if expecting him to jump on her.

He’d done enough interrogations to be a little smoother than that.

With Avery, he planned to use kid gloves.

She’d already washed up in his bathroom and brushed her teeth. Her pajamas were not designed to fire lust, but they did all the same. Especially when she knelt on the bed behind him to change his bandages.

“This already looks better,” she said.

Rowdy felt her delicate fingertips graze his skin. “The stitches itch like a mother.”

“I’m sorry.” She blew softly on his skin after reapplying the ointment. “Does that help?”

It gave him a boner, which was no help at all. “Finish up so we can get some sleep.”

She must’ve taken that to mean they wouldn’t talk, because she moved fast, reapplying the gauze and tape, then scrambling around and crawling under the covers. She had them up to her chin, her red hair spread out on the pillowcase, her blue eyes hopeful when Rowdy turned to face her.

Damn, she looked so...endearing.

And just when in the fuck did he think of women in his bed that way? He didn’t.

Standing, Rowdy stripped off his jeans.

Avery made a sound, but he wouldn’t look at her again until he had his head on straight. “I’ll be done in five minutes,” he said on his way into the john. He brushed his teeth and tried to stop thinking about Avery in such melodramatic ways. He was a man who stayed grounded in reality, and the reality was that he wanted her. Period.

Anything else... Well, he wouldn’t think about it. He’d shove it from his brain so that he could concentrate on more important things.

Like whatever secret Avery was trying so hard to hide from him.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

R
OWDY
TURNED
OUT
the lights, pulled back the covers and stretched out along Avery’s side. With one arm he scooped her in close and slid the other under her head.

She was stiff as a board, her hands still clutching the covers to keep them covering everything but her face. Silly woman.

Nuzzling her ear, he said, “Relax.”

“Did you take a pain pill?”

“I don’t need one. It feels better today.”

Even in the darkness, he knew she looked up at him. “Rowdy Yates, you do not need to be noble with—”

He put his mouth over hers, stifling that absurd suggestion. Noble? Not likely. Nobility was not part of his DNA.

She didn’t loosen up, but Rowdy wouldn’t let it deter him. He continued to kiss her, brushing his mouth over hers until her breathing quickened. Taking advantage of her parted lips, he skimmed his tongue over her bottom lip, and heard the catch in her breath. He kept it light, nibbling, teasing—until finally he licked in, slow, deep, taking the kiss from subtle to full-blown possession. He moved over her so that his chest pinned her down and, God almighty, that felt incredible.

Her hands snaked out from under the covers to tangle in his hair and pull him closer.

Out of self-preservation, he lifted his head. “That’s better.”

“Better than what?” she asked breathlessly.

He trailed his fingers through her silky hair, kissed her once more. “You cowering away from me.”

He started to kiss her yet again, but she planted her hands on his chest and shoved.

Grinning, Rowdy moved to his side. “No more kissing, huh?”

“I was not cowering!”

“Could’ve fooled me.”

She rose up, nose to nose with him. “I’m
tired
, remember? One of us didn’t get any sleep last night.”

“Damn, honey, stop growling like that.” No way could Rowdy take the amusement out of his tone. He was grinning too much for that. “You sound ferocious.”

“Screw you, Rowdy Yates!”

“Eventually.” He caught her before she could shove her way out of the bed, then had to carefully wrestle with her to get her pinned down again without hurting her. “For a weary woman, you have a lot of fight left in you.”

She bucked hard, almost taking him by surprise. He laughed and put a leg over her. “Does this animosity have anything to do with you trying to avoid our talk?”

She went still, then more frantic.

He held her and kissed her forehead. “Settle down.”

“All right,” she huffed, while still straining under him. “But only because I don’t want to hurt your back.”

“Only thinking of me, huh? Good, because I’m tired, too, and if we’re heading out to see your folks in the morning, we both need some rest.”

She turned her face away from his.

Rowdy nuzzled her neck. “What’s going on, Avery?”

“I haven’t been home in a year.”

The same length of time she’d been denying herself? Huh. “Personal reasons?” He was unsure with the whole family dynamic. All he really understood about families was that most were fucked, and few understood real loyalty—the type of loyalty he had with Pepper.

“Very personal,” she whispered.

He cupped her head, brushed his thumbs over her cheeks and tried to wade through the unfamiliar territory. “You dislike your stepfather?”

“Where’d you get that idea?”

Let’s see...because she’d accused him of something, like maybe stalking her via telephone? “You didn’t seem that happy to see him.”

“It took me by surprise, that’s all.” Her fingers toyed with his chest hair, making him a little insane. “And I figured if he was here, something must be wrong.”

Something like...she’d been found? “You were right, I guess, if what he said about your mother is true.”

“It is. He would never make up something like that. He loves her too much.”

So he sounded like a great guy. “Then why did you ask him if he’d been calling?”

“I don’t even know.” She pressed her head back into the pillow and groaned. “It was stupid. I should have realized that Meyer Sinclair would never do anything that undignified.”

“Breather phone calls?” He hoped they were still talking about the same thing.

“Yes. He would never lower himself to anything that ridiculous. It’s not his style.”

“Then the million-dollar question is, who do you think is making the calls? And, no, don’t start retreating again.” He held her face, kissed her hard and fast. “I pay attention, Avery. I remember the first call where the guy asked for you. Then I saw you today on the phone, and I heard what you said to your stepfather. Someone’s been bugging you, right?”

She nodded. “It’s only happened those few times.” And then in a rush, “It could have been a prank. You know, someone who saw my name while he was at the bar drinking and he decided to make a pest of himself.”

“Maybe.” But the fact that she thought it was more made him think it, too. “Do you know anyone who’d want to pester you?”

It took her too long to say, “Not really.”

“Avery.”

“Don’t
Avery
me. No, I don’t know anyone who would be dumb enough to play juvenile prank phone games. It’s just that...I don’t know. It made me nervous.” She added with blame, “Probably because you’ve got me seeing the boogeyman everywhere I look now!”

“How is this my fault?”

“You’re the one who insists my place isn’t safe.”

Damn, she was good at turning things around on him. “It’s no place for a woman to live, and that’s a fact, not a suggestion.”

“Rowdy?”

The way she said his name made it impossible for him to ignore the feel of her small, giving body under his. “Hmm?”

She slowly laced her arms around his neck. “You remember what the doctor said, right?”

Some bullshit about him waiting for sex. “Yeah, she said for you to take care of me.”

Avery laughed, and even that, the husky sound of her humor, made him nearly frenzied with powerful lust.

“She said three days, and you know it. But you’re making it so hard—”

“That’s my line to you, babe.” He nudged his erection against her hip.

She did this funny little half laugh, half groan. “Tomorrow will be the day, right?”

Meaning she’d hold him to his promise to give her tonight to sleep. That plan had seemed better hours ago than it did now.

His turn to groan, and he didn’t bother holding back.

“Rowdy, stop misbehaving. You know it’s for the best.”

He did, but still he said, “The best would be stripping those cute pajama bottoms off you and—”

Her fingers touched his mouth. “Tomorrow, I promise, I won’t wear pajamas.” She ended that with a yawn, reminding him that she hadn’t had much rest in the past twenty-four hours, and it was his fault.

“Go to sleep, honey.” He moved to the side of her, settling himself carefully so that he didn’t put too much pressure on his back, which, despite what he’d told her, was still tender. He drew her up against his body, and after a kiss to her neck, said, “Tomorrow is Saturday, you know.”

“So?”

“So Sunday the bar is closed. I’ll have you tomorrow when we close up the bar—and all day after.”

She shivered. “Honest to God, Rowdy, I can hardly wait, myself.”

He was still smiling when he felt her body wilt into sleep. Without meaning to, his arm tightened around her and he put his nose in her hair, breathing in her now-familiar scent.

It was so damn odd, especially considering he still had wood, but he liked this a lot. Holding her. Just...being with her. There was a certain comfort to having his little bartender so close.

He didn’t yet know who might have called her, or why she’d seemed so defensive with her stepfather. But he’d figure it out. And in the meantime, she’d be with him, safe from harm.

He had nothing to worry about.

Nothing—except the overwhelming possessiveness he felt toward her. Rowdy rested his chin on the top of her head, closed his eyes and, holding her close to his heart, allowed himself to sleep.

* * *

R
OWDY
WAS
FAR
too enigmatic during the drive to her stepfather’s house. Avery had seen him in many moods, but he’d never been this closed off from her. She’d tried to engage him in casual conversation, only to have him give short, succinct answers that didn’t encourage a reply.

“Are you okay?”

He glanced at her. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“I don’t know. You’re so quiet.” Avery admired his strong profile. They’d slept in—an aberration for both of them—and had to rush to get out of the apartment in time. Rowdy had taken a quick shower but wasn’t freshly shaved. He looked ruggedly gorgeous with the whiskers on his lean jaw, his dark blond hair finger combed. “Is your back bothering you?”

“No.”

“It can’t be comfortable sitting in the car that way.” She’d offered to drive, but not only had he refused to use her car, he’d kept the keys to his own well out of her reach. Men. “I wish you had let me drive.”

“I wasn’t sure if we might get followed again, and since I know how to lose a tail, I figured it’d be better if I drove.”

Oh. So it had nothing to do with the man-woman thing? “You could have told me.”

“I just did.”

Exasperation threatened her mellow, well-rested mood. “So were we followed?”

“Haven’t seen me doing any fancy driving, now, have you?”

She supposed that was the best answer she’d get with him in this mood. “I think it’s going to storm.”

He leaned forward to look up at the storm clouds overhead. “Probably.” With a glance her way, he asked, “You have a warmer coat than that?”

They’d each dressed casually, Rowdy in jeans and a black T-shirt that showed off every amazing muscle in his torso, she in jeans and a beige pullover sweater. He’d brought along a flannel shirt; she wore her lightweight jacket.

“I have a regular winter coat, I just hadn’t figured on needing it yet.” For October, it was unseasonably cold with storms rolling in.

“How’s the heat in your apartment? Warm enough?”

Seeing the train of his thoughts, Avery leaned toward him and put a hand on his solid biceps. As always, his obvious strength gave her shivers. “You don’t have to worry about me, Rowdy. I can take care of myself.” His skin was so warm, taut over bulging muscle.

Tonight, after work, they would have sex. It was going to be a very long day, starting with her family reunion.

Under her hand, his arm flexed. “I wasn’t
worrying.”

“Showing concern, then. It’s not necessary. I promise I have enough sense to feed and dress myself, and to stay out of the elements.”

He gave her an inscrutable frown. “Almost there.”

She remembered Alice saying that Rowdy could take a punch, but wasn’t good at accepting compliments. Apparently any and all human emotions seemed like weaknesses to him and ranked right up there with compliments.

She knew why, and it tugged at her heartstrings. Scooting closer, she hugged herself up to his arm and put her head on his shoulder. “Thank you for asking.”

He shifted, put a hand on her thigh and said, “If you do need anything, let me know, okay?”

No, she wouldn’t do that to him. His parents had mistreated him. His sister had needed his protection. Society had abandoned him. And women wanted to use him for sex.

At least in this one small way, she could be different. Instead of Rowdy taking care of her, she wanted to take care of him—for as long as he’d let her. “Thank you for coming with me today. I’m sorry that you got put on the spot.”

His hand caressed her leg. “Not a problem, honey. But before we get there, do you want to tell me why?”

“Why what?”

“Why you wanted me along.”

“Meyer suggested it.”

“And you could have told him I’m not anyone’s
boyfriend.
”

True, but she couldn’t very well tell Rowdy she’d wanted to defend him. If he didn’t like a compliment, he definitely didn’t want her defense.

“Good company?” she offered as her excuse. Given the look he gave her, he didn’t buy that. “It’s true. Don’t get alarmed, Rowdy, but I enjoy being with you. And no, that doesn’t mean I’ll always expect you to—”

“You’re worried about seeing your mom again?”

So he didn’t want to hear her reassurances, either? Fine. She wouldn’t keep telling him; she’d just show him. “No. I mean, it feels a little awkward. I’ve been away for so long and I didn’t leave under the best circumstances.”

“The circumstances being?”

She’d had time to think about this, about how to explain without going into too much detail. “We had a disagreement. Remember, I told you that my folks wanted me to settle down? Well, so did my stepfather. He thought he could hook me up with the perfect guy. Only I didn’t think he was so perfect.” That was all true enough, though it didn’t come close to covering it all. It didn’t tell him how pushy Meyer had been about it, or how abusive Fisher had acted.

It didn’t tell him that no one had believed her, that they’d all believed Fisher’s lies.

“My mother wants to pamper me, and Meyer wants to make her happy, so...they really felt like I should follow some pattern.”

“The pattern being marriage and home and hearth and all that?”

“Pretty much. They saw marriage to the right guy as a lock on a secure future, which for them also equates to happiness.” She slipped her fingers under the sleeve of the T-shirt so she could feel his rock-solid shoulder. She loved touching him, loved the smell of his skin, his incredible warmth. “I wanted to see more of the world.”

“By working in a dive on the wrong side of the tracks?”

She protested that. “It’s not a dive anymore!” Hadn’t been, not since Rowdy took over.

“Still in a shit part of town.” As he turned a corner, he grumbled under his breath, “Your stepfather sure as hell noticed.”

She shrugged. “I like my job.” And she loved...
No. She wouldn’t even think about that.
“You’re a terrific boss, and Ella and Jones feel sort of like family now.”

“And Cannon?”

“I have a feeling he’ll fit right in.” She looked down the street of impressive homes on large lots and a pang of sentiment curled around her heart. “There, at the end. The gray stone two-story.”