by Lori Foster
Suspicious, Pepper lifted her head to stare at him. Speculative, Rowdy narrowed his eyes.
At this point, they both had reason to doubt him. Logan shook his head. “I understand your reservations, I really do. But whether you accept it or not, there are trustworthy people in the force.” Through the open truck window, he snagged the receiver off the pay phone. “I know, because I’m one of them.”
*
AFTER A FEW QUICK phone calls, they’d gone back to driving. They decided not to stop for food; it made more sense to get settled for the night. Logan had assured her she’d be eating soon.
Pepper didn’t know where he was taking them, and her thoughts were fractured enough that she didn’t bother to ask. As she’d said, if Rowdy trusted him, then he was trustworthy. Period.
At least with this. With security.
But not with anything personal. Not with her heart.
Oh, God, she hated to admit that her heart had gotten involved. She wanted to tell Logan to go to hell. She wanted to hate him.
But instead, his nearness comforted her.
And excited her.
How sick was that?
Even now, after everything that had happened, she was so incredibly aware of him. His shoulder bumped hers. His thigh pressed to hers no matter how many times she tried to scoot away.
Over and over, she took deep breaths to capture his scent.
Tonight, she could have been killed; Logan wasn’t wrong about that. A bomb had exploded over her head. Morton Andrews had possibly died.
But instead of concentrating on that, her thoughts repeatedly went to Logan, to his involvement, to what he’d done to her and how he’d used her, how he’d abused her trust.
She put her head back and closed her eyes, but she couldn’t avoid the truth: she’d abused his trust, too. Sure, they each had their reasons.
Were his any less valid than hers?
He spoke quietly, giving Rowdy directions, making additional plans, discussing things that involved her.
The road got bumpier, and she opened her eyes to look around. The headlights of the truck cut through the obsidian night. Woods lined the sides of the narrow gravel road.
Just to irk Logan, she said, “Planning to dump us somewhere?”
He didn’t take the bait. “We’re going to my brother’s cabin.”
“It’s secure?” Rowdy asked.
“Other than Dash and me, and now you two, no one knows about it.”
“Dash?” Pepper asked.
“Dashiel. My younger brother.” Uneasy, he rubbed the back of his neck. “He owns the construction company where I…”
“Pretended to work?” Resentment welled up again. “Great cover for you, right? Not that it took all that much to con me.” Disgusted, she said, “I made it pretty damned easy.”
Rowdy blew out an uncomfortable breath.
Logan went right past that gibe. “Dash enjoys the physical work, but he also enjoys getting away on occasion.”
They came upon a split in the road, and Logan said, “Turn here.” A minute later, the headlights landed on a large, rustic cottage.
Rowdy put the truck in Park but kept it running as he took in the house. “You say your brother owns the construction company?”
“Yes.”
It hit Pepper, and she turned to him. “Your brother is well-to-do?”
For too long, Logan stared out the passenger window. “Actually, we’re both pretty well set for life.” Finally he faced her. “Family business and all that. We work because we want to, not because we have to.”
More resentment had her puffing up, on the verge of blasting him.
Rowdy shook his head. “Are we going in, or waiting here?”
“Dash and Reese will be here soon. We might as well go in and air it out.” Without comment, he reached past Pepper to remove the truck keys but left the headlights on. Latching on to her arm, he said, “Let’s go.”
Even the firm touch of his hand on her arm affected her. “I don’t need your help.”
“You do, but right now I’m more concerned with discouraging you or Rowdy from leaving me here. So you’re sticking close.”
“Oh, that’s rich!” She didn’t really fight him as he got out, hauling her with him. To do so might instigate a brawl between him and her brother, and the night had been chaotic enough already without any bloodshed. They were each so capable that, once started, a fight could prove damaging—to them both. “You’re accusing us of being dishonest?”
“Not dishonest, just misguided.” He nodded for Rowdy to go ahead of them.
Contrary to her reaction, Rowdy didn’t seem to find anything amiss. Using the headlights to guide him, he stepped carefully over a stone walkway and made his way around to a side door that Logan unlocked.
Logan stepped inside with Pepper held close to his side, then fumbled around at the wall until he located a flashlight.
After he turned it on, he handed it to Rowdy. “Flip the breaker box in the last bedroom.”
“Right.” Rowdy moved the flashlight around the interior.
They’d stepped into a kitchen and dining room, with a modest sitting area at the other end of the house. They ran together in a U-shape, bisected by four doors that Pepper assumed to be bedrooms and hopefully a bath.
Rowdy glanced at her, then said, “Be right back.”
As he disappeared into the darkness, she felt her tension expand.
Alone, with Logan. Almost.
His hand on her arm contracted, his fingers sort of caressing. “Once the lights are on, I’ll open the windows. Let in some fresh air.”
She barely heard him. The urge to turn to him, to lean on him, kept her tightly strung. The knowledge that she no longer had to hide from him teased her senses.
“With all the shade trees,” Logan continued, “it doesn’t get too hot in here, even in the middle of summer.”
Somehow he moved closer so that he stood partially behind her, his warm breath near her ear.
“You’re still shaking.” His arms slowly closed around her, and he eased her back into his chest. He wasn’t that much taller, but he was so much stronger, thick with muscle and so incredibly hot.
His thighs made contact with her rump. His broad chest pressed into her shoulder blades. That indescribable scent of his cocooned her, robbing her of animus. She remembered how he’d touched her this way, taking her from behind, following her instructions, both of them wild with lust—
The sudden intrusion of light had her flinching away. He released her, but one glance at him had her ducking away from his knowing gaze. Logan didn’t follow her, and he said nothing about her retreat, but she had no doubt he’d been thinking the same thing.
She went to patio doors on the longest wall to look out. Rowdy returned and put the flashlight back in its holder on the wall by the front door.
He glanced around with interest at the fishing poles in brackets in the dining area, the wood stove, the well-worn furniture. “This is nice.”
“Thanks.” Logan pulled aside the drapes and opened the patio doors, then two windows. “I don’t get out here as often as I’d like, but whenever I do, it’s peaceful.”
They heard the approach of another car. Rowdy narrowed his gaze, Pepper went still.
Logan touched her arm, saying, “Stay here,” and he went out the door.
Rowdy went to the door and looked out, then came back to Pepper. “You okay?”
Because she didn’t know what to say, she nodded. The last thing her brother needed was more worry.
Still checking out every nook and corner of the house, he said, “I don’t know Logan’s brother, but I’ve met Detective Bareden.”
“Reese.”
“Yeah.” He watched her. “You know him?”
“I met him when you did.” When he’d arrested Rowdy. God, she couldn’t think about that right now. Never in her life had she felt more exposed, or more helpless. “He was also at the station when I tried to see you. He’s…
I don’t know.”
“Yeah, that’s what I think, too.” Glancing over his shoulder toward the front door, Rowdy kept watch for Logan’s return. “There’s something about him.”
“He’s not entirely up front.” That didn’t necessarily mean that Reese was bad, but he was…something.
“No, he’s not. I can’t get a fix on him, so I want you to be extra careful around him.”
They heard Logan speaking quietly and the crunch of feet on leaves and gravel.
“Stick close to Logan, okay?” Now in more of a rush, Rowdy added, “Until I figure him out, avoid Reese as much as you can.”
Stick close to Logan? Surely he didn’t mean—
Logan came in, and right behind him was a man who had to be his brother. Logan was six foot tall, but his brother looked more on par with Rowdy, around six-four. Construction work had left him leanly muscled. Dash’s hair was a little lighter, but he and Logan shared the same dark eyes. Except that Dash’s gaze was more mischievous. He looked at Pepper and grinned like a scoundrel. She had no doubt that Dash would be popular with the women.
He said, “Hi there.”
Before Pepper could reply, Reese pushed in behind him, all but knocking Dash over. “Stop ogling her. She’s been through enough tonight, ya know?”
Not in the least insulted, Dash went to the dining table to set down three big bags of groceries and then came forward with his hand extended. “And you must be Rowdy?”
Her brother accepted the handshake. “Nice place you have.”
“Yeah, it was plenty private till Logan decided he had to take it over. I’ve never even brought a woman here.” He turned to Pepper. “I might have to make him buy me a new place now. What do you think?”
Without censoring her thoughts, she asked, “Can he afford to do that?”
“Shoot, yeah. He didn’t tell you that he’s loaded?”
He sort of had, but…
“Knock it off, Dash.” Logan closed and locked the door. “Make yourself useful and show her a room to use.”
Dash grinned some more. “Any preferences?”
“Let her pick. I don’t care.”
“I’ll give her one next to the bathroom, then.” Dash opened a closet to retrieve fresh bedding, then waited for her to join him.
Rowdy pulled her close first. “I’m going to take off. The sooner I get on this, the sooner we can put it behind us.” She opened her mouth, and he said, “No, don’t argue, kiddo. I know what I’m doing. Just remember what I told you, okay?”
Logan scowled over that. Dash turned away to give them a modicum of privacy. Reese just crossed his arms and leaned back on the table.
“I won’t forget.”
“Yeah, well, this time it’d be great if you remember and follow along.”
Pepper couldn’t help but squeeze her brother tight. “I will, if you promise to come back in one piece.”
“Guaranteed.”
In such a small and open space, with three big men listening in, there could be no such thing as privacy.
At the moment, she didn’t care. “I love you, Rowdy.”
He hugged her right off her feet, stealing her breath for a double beat of time. Then he turned away and headed for the door, saying to Logan, “Walk me out.”
Pepper stood there, staring at the open door, until Reese said, “I brought in the clothes you had in the trunk.”
That drew her from her melancholy thoughts. “So you went through our belongings?” Jerk.
Reese just shrugged. “Looked to me like you were well prepared.”
“Not for a bomb.”
That gave him pause. “No, I guess not.” He handed her overloaded bag to Dash.
If he wanted a “thank you” he was doomed to disappointment.
But he said only, “Go on with Dash. While you settle in your room, I’ll put together some food. You have to be getting hungry.”
Damn it. She could go on disliking him more easily if he’d stop trying to be nice. Grudgingly, she nodded. “Thanks.”
Dash smiled at her. “If your brother is anything like mine, he’s probably unstoppable. Try not to worry too much.”
It’d be easier not to breathe.
Rather than follow Dash into the bedroom he opened, she looked at each door. “Where does Logan usually sleep?”
“The room here in the center. It’s a security thing for him. He can’t turn it off even when he’s sleeping.”
“What about you?”
“I’ll take whatever room you don’t use. Reese will use the couch.”
So Reese was not only sticking around, but he’d be near the front door, ensuring she couldn’t sneak away? Not that she’d planned to anyway, but it bugged her all the same.
“Fine. I’ll take the room closest to Logan.”
Dash bit off a smile. “There’s a bathroom through here. The water heater is miniscule, so if you want a hot shower, you have to make it fast.”
The bedrooms were spacious but sparsely furnished. Twin-size beds, one dresser, one nightstand, one small lamp.
Dash set a couple of plain quilts, sheets and a single pillow on the bed. “Want me to make it up for you?”
“I can do it.” She took the bag from him, gave him a pointed look so that he’d leave, and then shut the door behind him. Dropping down to the bed, she wondered what to do now.
She was hungry, damn Reese. But with the windows now open, she could smell the lake—and that made up her mind for her. Forget the shower. As soon as she got the bed together, she’d freshen herself with a late-night swim.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
REESE STEPPED OUT to the front deck. He had to move around a bit before he finally got reception on his cell. No calls from Alice something-or-other. But she had to wonder why he hadn’t returned yet.
Disgruntled, he punched her number and waited past four rings before she answered in a very sleepy voice.
“Hello?”
“I woke you?” Where the hell was his dog?
“Who is this?”
He heard the uncertainty in her voice, but he didn’t understand it. “It’s Reese.”
Silence.
“You have my dog?”
“Oh. Yes.”
He looked around, but Logan was still with Rowdy, and Dash was inside keeping watch over Pepper Yates. Hoping the fresh, cooler night air off the lake would revive him a little, Reese filled his lungs. “I hate to ask this, but do you think you could keep him overnight?”
“Okay.”
He waited. And waited some more. But she didn’t ask a single question. He cracked first. “I have a situation with work.”
“It’s all right. We’d already gone to bed anyway.”
We? No, he wouldn’t pry. “Is Cash behaving?”
“He snores, but he’s very sweet.”
“Snores? You have him in bed with you?”
A longer pause, and then, “Since he joined me there, I assumed that was where you let him sleep.”
Ah, she’d allowed Cash to stick close. Nice. He did do the same, but then, it was his dog. “I really appreciate this. I should be able to get him sometime in the afternoon.” Or not, depending on how things went with this whole exercise in idiocy. “But let me know if anything comes up, okay?”
“He’s fine. I’m off tomorrow, so it’s not a problem.”
It occurred to Reese that he didn’t know enough about her—like where she worked. But maybe they could set up an arrangement. She appeared to like Cash, and he was gone too damn much to be a really good pet owner. Maybe he could pay her as a pet sitter or something—
“Is there anything else, Detective Bareden?”
“Yeah. Call me Reese.”
More silence.
He gave up. “I’ll let you get back to bed, then. Again, thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” And she hung up.
Frustrating. Confounding. A little annoying…
So then, why was he smiling?
&n
bsp; *
LOGAN WAITED while Rowdy went through the belongings in his trunk. Though he’d had a motel room, he obviously lived out of his car.
Always ready to bolt at a moment’s notice.
Logan made note of the clothes, food, water, first aid and shaving kit, a few weapons with additional ammo…and a stuffed bear?
While Rowdy rearranged things, Logan lifted the tattered bear. A faded red ribbon remained around the brown bear’s neck. One ear hung loose. Certain spots were worn thin.
A sick feeling twisted his heart.
Glancing at him, Rowdy said quietly, “That’s Pepper’s.”
He’d assumed as much. “She’s kept it?”
Rowdy shrugged. “She wanted me to keep it for her.”
In the trunk, ready to go…in case they had to leave.
What if Rowdy had gotten spooked by his presence? What if he’d uprooted Pepper and taken off? Logan could have lost her before he’d even realized how much she meant to him.
With practiced ease, Rowdy dropped the clip in his Glock, checked that it was loaded, then put it in again. “That shabby little bear is the only toy she’s ever had. She used to sleep with it when she was little. Every so often our folks would…overimbibe, and Pepper would hide the bear.”
“Why?”
“She didn’t want them to take it away from her.”
Meaning they did things like that? Most of the stuffing had settled in the bear’s legs and arms. The middle felt empty, almost flat. “You bought it for her?”
Without looking up, Rowdy gave a crooked grin. “Stole it for her, actually. The folks weren’t big on gifts. Hell, if we got socks or underwear, it felt like Christmas.” He paused, put his hands on the open trunk and looked off in the distance.
Logan understood his mood. “She’ll be safe with me.” It was important for Rowdy to know that.
“Hurt her again,” Rowdy said, “and we’re going to have problems.” Finally he straightened. He took the bear and placed it in a corner, behind the ammo, then covered it with the edge of a spare blanket. After handing Logan three prepaid cell phones, he slammed the trunk and went around to the driver’s seat. “Just so you know, I don’t trust your buddy, Reese, so I’ll be boosting a new car. If you’d thought to track me, think again.”
“Understood.” Logan kept him from closing the door. He leaned in. “And just so you know—I’m trusting you to be as honorable as Pepper thinks you are.”
