by Lori Foster
“Really?” she murmured. “How convenient—for you.”
“Jealous?” He hoped so, but said, “Don’t be. My family visits sometimes, and I like to accommodate them.”
“I am not jealous. What you do with other women doesn’t—”
“Look around, make yourself at home. I’ll be back with a change of clothes in a minute.” He touched her cheek, and then forced himself to walk away. Having May so close to a bed, even while hostile, wreaked havoc on his touted control. But no way in hell would he blow it now by coming on too strong.
———
Head spinning, May sat on the edge of the queen-size bed made up with a lavish cream satin and chenille spread. The room Jude expected her to use was bigger than her whole apartment. The closet was as big as her bedroom.
It intimidated her and reinforced the differences in their lives.
The call to her parents would be less than pleasant, and Denny had already left, so she called Ashley first. She could only guess what Ashley might do if Denny knocked on the apartment door without warning.
She answered on the first ring, saying, “Hey, toots. How’s it going?”
“Hi, Ash. There’s been a change of plans.”
“An agreeable change?”
“Yes.” Sort of. “Jude wants you and Tim to come here until we figure out what to do.”
“Gee, that’s real nice of him, but I don’t think I can drag Tim out the door by myself. He’s awake now, and whining worse than an injured pup.”
“Jude sent Denny, a friend of his, to pick you both up.” She quickly described Denny so that Ashley wouldn’t be alarmed when meeting him.
“You make him sound like a real character.”
“He is that. Denny seems to think he can take on dragons or bullies or whatever, and still ensure your safety. But be careful, okay? I got you into this, and I’d never forgive myself if you got hurt.”
“Hey, careful is my middle name.”
A tap sounded on the open door, and May looked up to see Jude in the doorway, clothes in his arms. His warm gaze skimmed over her, then across the bed, and came back to lock on her face with unmistakable intimacy.
Very aware of her positioning, May stood and signaled Jude to come in. “No, Ash, your middle name is insanity, but I love you, anyway.”
“Not to be a drag, but should I point out that you’re the one who went off to visit a movie star at the crack of dawn wearing my clothes? That makes you way more insane than me any day.”
Actually, it made her desperate, but why split hairs? “Yeah, well, he’s here now. Um, waiting for me.” And looking far too appealing for her frame of mind. “So I should go. I just didn’t want Denny to scare you.”
“I don’t scare easy.” Ashley’s voice dropped to a hush. “Where are you?”
Feeling more conspicuous by the moment, May turned her back on Jude and matched Ashley’s low tone. “At his house.”
“Yeah, I know. But in what room?”
“Ash…”
“Ha! You don’t have to say a thing. I can already tell it’s a bedroom just by that scandalized whisper of yours. Good for you, hon. Give him a big ol’ sloppy one from me, okay? See you soon!”
Left with a dead phone, May smiled at Jude, put the phone in her purse, tossed the purse on the bed, and then…just felt awkward. “She’ll be ready when Denny gets there.”
“Good.” Jude came into the room and set his load on a massive dresser topped by an ornate mirror. “I brought you a T-shirt and drawstring shorts. They should be more comfortable.”
Shorts. Great. She cleared her throat. “Thank you. I’m fine for now.”
Jude surveyed her a moment, then let out a sigh. “Speaking of shorts…”
“Were we?” Because she didn’t want to. She hadn’t worn shorts since she was ten.
“Yeah. You see, we have a few more stipulations to cover, and it’d be better to get them out of the way now, while we’re here alone.” He kept glancing at her legs. “In case you want to yell again.”
Both insulted and embarrassed, May lifted her chin. “I don’t yell that much. In fact, I almost never do.”
“Huh. Can’t prove it by me.”
Jaw clenched, she said, “You have my word that I won’t lose my temper—that is, as long as you’re not trying to make another deal with me.” It still made her furious that he’d thought she’d sleep with him for Tim’s sake.
Jude didn’t reassure her. “Then take a breath, honey, because it’s another deal, and this one is nonnegotiable.”
Holding her head, May said, “Oh God.”
Jude gestured toward a chair situated beside the doors to the balcony. “Take a seat.”
After a sleepless night, she gratefully accepted any excuse to get off her feet. “This sounds serious.”
“Yeah.” He stood in front of her, hands clasped behind his back, expression stern. “First of all, I’ll find out from your brother where he was supposed to take the fifty thousand. Then I’ll deliver it.”
Awful scenarios blasted through May’s mind, leaving her shaken. Someone wanted Jude dead, and that made him the least appropriate person to meet with the men who’d attacked her brother. “Absolutely not.”
“If your brother is as bad off as you say, then he can’t go. And I sure as hell won’t let you go, so don’t even start arguing.”
May stiffened. “If I wanted to go, I’d go. You can’t allow me or disallow me one way or the other.” Jude’s expression darkened until she added, “But as it is, you’ll get no disagreements from me. I freely admit to being a coward. The idea of facing off with someone like that gives me the willies.”
“You’re not a coward,” he argued. “You’re sensible. It’s one of the things I love most about you.”
That “L” word shocked May silly. Her eyes widened, and she almost slid out of the chair, her bones felt so limp. Jude kept talking, but whatever he said, she missed. Her heart beat too loud for her to hear.
Luckily, Jude paid her reaction no mind. Hands behind his back, he stood at the balcony doors, staring out at nothing in particular.
Sounding pensive, he said, “Someone has to deliver the payoff. I won’t ask Denny to go. He’s like a live wire waiting to tear someone apart, especially if he thinks that person means to harm me. You might not know it about him, but he was one of the most respected trainers in the SBC. That brings a lot of confidence and—”
The pieces suddenly fell together. “Denny Zip,” May repeated. “He goes by DZ when he’s training.”
“That’s right. You’ve heard of him?”
She leaned forward in her chair. “Do you mean to tell me that the Denny who works for you is also DZ, the one the camps are all named after now?”
Jude lifted his brows. “You’re familiar with the DZ camps?”
“I’ve watched all the SBC fights.” And she owned all the fights on DVD that featured Jude. “I know that training from a DZ camp carries a lot of clout. I know anyone who was trained personally by DZ is almost revered.”
“True.”
“Oh, wow. He trained you, didn’t he?”
“Yeah.” Wearing a quirky smile, Jude asked, “You’re a fan of the SBC?”
She was a fan of Jude Jamison, but he didn’t need to know that. “It’s sort of grown on me.”
“How many competitions have you seen?”
All of them available for rent. “Enough to know the competitors and understand some of the different fighting techniques and the different submissions. I know you’re both the middleweight and light heavyweight champion.”
“Only because I dropped out after the movie career got wings. There’ve been a lot of tough contenders since then.”
May snorted. “Who? That young guy they call Havoc? He has a glass jaw. Even Frost took him, and anyone can see that Frost is too slow for you. And Miltman, the egomaniac, doesn’t have your ground skills.”
A look of delight spread over Jude’s face. “M
iltman might be an egomaniac, but he has the right to challenge me. I just don’t feel like accommodating him.”
“He hasn’t earned the right to challenge you! Let him fight at your level before he thinks he can come in and take a belt.”
“Miss Price, you never cease to amaze me.” Jude rubbed his chin. “So maybe this fascination of yours with the SBC is where you learned such a mean right jab.”
If she lived to be ninety, she would still feel guilty for hitting him. “No. That was pure reaction.”
Humor faded beneath understanding. “Because I compared you to your brother.”
What could she say? It was the worst of insults.
“It’s not easy to hit a target, you know. Lots of people swing without ever making contact.”
“I’m not proud of it, Jude.”
“You should be. Few trained fighters have ever managed to get me on the chin. And no other woman has slugged me.”
“Oh God.” She covered her face. “Let’s drop it, okay? It won’t happen again.”
“But I sort of liked all that fire.” He leaned down, putting himself eye level with her and grinning like Satan. “I always knew you weren’t as reserved as you let on.”
Peeking through her fingers, May said, “I plan to be very reserved from now on.”
“And here I was,” he said, his voice low and sensual, “hoping to grapple a little.” He straightened again. “But back to business. Since your brother isn’t reliable, I’m not about to let a woman go, and I can’t send Denny, that leaves me to deliver the money.”
“We could hire someone—”
“Another reason for me to go is that it’ll give me a chance to see if Elton is involved. I know most of his cronies. I know how to ask the right questions.” His eyes glittered. “And I know how to get answers.”
“Meaning you intend to get physical?” She had faith in his abilities, but not if someone shot him in the back.
“That’s right. And there might be repercussions, so if it takes a day or a week or longer, I want you here with me until I know the problem is resolved. That’s part of the deal.”
The idea of Jude putting himself in that type of danger was bad enough, but the added possibility of a long visit in his home left her reeling.
Then the rest of what he said sank in. “Part of the deal?”
“Yeah.” Jude stared down at her, smiled, and said in apology, “There’s more.”
Chapter 8
Jude hated to keep pushing May. She not only looked exhausted, but very out of her element. And that made him want to keep her around for more than just the obvious reasons. Never before had he felt so emotionally protective of a woman. The need to make her life easier, combined with the gut-churning desire to have her in his bed, made for a potent mix.
He wanted to tell her to lie down, to sleep, and that he’d take care of everything. Unfortunately, he knew May would never let someone, let alone a man, take over her life. He had to be honest with her and hope for the best.
“First, this is your brother’s debt, not yours, and he’ll damn well work it off.”
“I agree it’s his debt. And believe me, I’d love to see him be held accountable. It’s just…” May removed her glasses to rub her tired eyes. “Knowing what’s right and getting Tim to do it are two different things.”
Jude could see the lack of sleep catching up to her. She’d probably run herself ragged in preparation of the gallery art show, so she would have been weary even before her brother got stomped. She needed sleep.
But then, so did he.
The idea of curling up with her appealed in a big way.
“I’ve never liked the way Tim treats you, but until now, it wasn’t my business.”
“You don’t understand how it was when we grew up.” Like a shield, she replaced her glasses before looking him in the eyes. “My parents are… different.”
“Different how?”
“Not like yours.”
“My parents are great, but we’ve had our bumps in the road, too.”
“Bumps?”
He shrugged. “Everyone has problems with their family, May.”
Her smile held no humor. “Yeah, that’s what people tell me, that mine is no different. Until they meet my folks.” After a heavy sigh, she looked out at his yard. “My mom and dad have always babied Tim beyond all reason. As his sister, I’ve never really understood.”
Because they didn’t afford her the same pampering? Jude knew that some parents picked a favorite. He didn’t approve, but he’d seen it happen.
“For as long as I can remember, anything he wanted,” May continued, “they thought he had to have, and they went out of their way to give it to him. If he screws up, they make excuses so he doesn’t have to own up to his mistakes. He never has to learn. They… feel sorry for him, which is really bizarre. He’s a handsome young man, healthy and intelligent. But they’ve almost crippled him with their attitudes.”
“They’re enablers.”
“Yes.”
Gently, Jude said, “But then, so are you.”
Rather than deny it, May lowered her head. “I’ve tried to be different, but I guess I fell into the same rut. My parents expect me to treat Tim the same way they do, and sometimes it’s easier to just go along with them.”
“It doesn’t take a genius to see that you feel responsible for Tim. But you aren’t his mother, so there’s only so much you can do.”
As if admitting a grave sin, she whispered, “Sometimes I really resent him.”
“You’d have to be a saint not to.”
One side of her mouth lifted in a slight smile. “Thanks. But my parents would disagree with you.”
It wouldn’t be easy to like her folks. Already, Jude wanted to cut them out of her life. “Obviously, their perspective on the situation is skewed. I’m sure they think they’re doing the right thing, but their way hasn’t been working. In fact, it’s almost gotten Tim killed, right?”
Given the present circumstances, she couldn’t deny it. “Yes.”
“So now you’ll let me give it a try.” And God willing, he’d make a difference.
Her hands twisted in her lap. “How can I say yes when you’re talking about putting yourself in danger?”
With a smile, Jude crouched down in front of her and took her fretful hands. “Look at it this way—what have you got to lose?”
Warm fingers curled around his with surprising strength. “You.”
Her soft voice caused his heart to miss a beat. He hated to admit it, but in so many ways, May had the power to do what a bogus criminal charge hadn’t; she could destroy him.
And that scared him.
Dumb, he told himself. He wasn’t a kid to fall headfirst into gentle brown eyes, a big heart, and a stacked bod. He’d had women, some that he’d liked a lot, some that he’d lusted after. But never before May had he suffered such an awful excess of sensation. It plagued his mind, heart, and body all at the same time.
Trying to regroup, to shield himself, Jude choked out a laugh. “Don’t bury me yet. I’ll be fine.”
She didn’t look convinced, but Jude let that pass for now. He pushed back to his feet and smiled down at her. “There’s no reason to worry about your brother, either. I’m not going to abuse him, I promise. But I will hold him responsible. I have some ideas on how he can repay the money, ways that’ll keep him out of trouble, but with good men to keep him in line.”
“He has to work at the car dealership.”
“He’ll show up for work, but with supervision.” Pleased with his plans so far, Jude explained, “He’ll hire a man I trust, someone who’ll report to me. If Tim tries to sneak off to gamble or drink, I’ll know about it. Until he repays me the fifty grand, I own him.”
With a groan, May slumped back in the chair. “My parents aren’t going to like this. Tim’s supervision of the dealership is the one thing they’re adamant about, even though Tim’s made it clear that he hates it.”
“Why is that, you think?”
“I have no idea. My dad still hangs out there a lot, and my mom butts in constantly. Yet they want him as a figurehead. They left him little choice in running it, even though they haven’t turned it over completely to him.”
“You’re older,” Jude pointed out. “Why didn’t you get it?”
“I’m female.”
“A noticeable fact. So?”
“Well, for my parents, that excludes me. My mother’s famous sentiment is that she’s not leaving anything to ‘a damned son-in-law.’ My dad says if I want a dealership, I should marry a man with one.” She slanted a look at Jude. “I told them both that I wanted nothing to do with cars.”
Anger burned inside Jude. Sure, all parents favored a kid at various times, depending on the different stages children went through while growing up, their personal interests, and how much trouble they got into. But parents should love their kids equally, and they should at least make a pretense of being fair. “It’s a wonder Tim hasn’t lost it yet.”
“It’s been a close thing a few times. But in that, Tim’s not much different from my folks. They aren’t into saving money, so they pretty much live off what they have. It’d take one small catastrophe, like a major health issue or something, and they’d all be broke.”
No, Jude thought, unable to keep his gaze off May for long, they’d look to her to save them. “Have you put away for a rainy day?”
“Since it rains a lot around here, yeah.”
Jude grinned with her. “It’s always amazed me when a celebrity goes bankrupt. Do you know how much money they squander on absurd luxuries? Took me forever to get used to it, and I admit, I spend my fair share now, too. But I also have a magic touch when it comes to investments. I make more than I spend by a long shot.”
May peered at him uncertainly. “I wasn’t asking…”
But for whatever reason, he wanted her to know. “When you boil it all down, I’m the same person I was before the movies. I’d still rather make money than waste it, so with my input, the dealership will gain value. Your parents won’t have any reason to complain.”
