CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
NEARLY A WEEK LATER, Rissy stood in the downstairs area of her house talking to Leese as he unloaded boxes of his personal stuff.
At first he’d been really unsure about accepting the offer. It had come from Armie. Cannon approved. And Rissy claimed to love that he was moving in.
Leese again looked around, a little boggled by his good fortune. It wasn’t that long ago that he’d been a total ass to Denver and Cherry. He’d screwed up big-time and Cherry could have gotten hurt. He’d tried to correct mistakes and to get smarter about everything. Work, play, life. He’d taken a huge attitude adjustment, and hopefully he’d redeemed himself.
For sure, he felt like an insider in the pack, accepted by the guys and women alike.
It was ironic that he’d somehow become a confidant to the ladies. The other fighters might have let go of his past, but that, at least, he knew drove them all nuts. And being a guy himself, he loved it. No, he would never overstep, but he enjoyed rubbing it in whenever the opportunity arose.
“I’m so glad you’re here.”
Rissy claimed that now when she had to come by, even if he wasn’t around at the time, the house wouldn’t feel so empty. Knowing someone else—someone she trusted implicitly—would be coming and going made her feel safer.
Made sense to Leese. Anyone watching her house would no longer be able to count on it being empty for long stretches.
“Yeah, me, too,” he told her. Between his job and working out at the rec center, plus the occasional date, his schedule could be pretty random. If anyone had been staking out the house, hoping to catch her alone, they’d now know that he might show up at any time.
“So you like it?”
He flashed her a grin as he stacked his DVDs into a shelf situated by a modest-size TV. “You’re kidding, right? It’s bigger than what I had, in a better part of town, for less rent and it’s closer to the rec center. The furniture is great, the setup is great.” He still had a hard time believing he’d been invited to move in. “What’s not to like?”
Trailing her fingers along the back of the tan corduroy couch, she asked, “Me? I mean, I might end up back upstairs, so I hope that won’t—”
“Rissy.” Leese shook his head, slid the last DVD into place and stood. Something more was going on with her, but he wasn’t sure what. “We’re friends, right?”
“Definitely. Next to Cherry, you might be my best friend.”
Thank God for Cherry then. He’d never hear the end of it if he was her “bestie.” Biting back a smile, he explained, “I like your company. If you’re here it won’t be a hardship for me.”
She licked her lips, thought about expounding on that and apparently couldn’t. “Are you sure you don’t want me to help you unload?”
Given he liked everything done a certain way, he said, “There’s not that much.”
She followed him as he went into the bedroom to unload clothes into the existing dresser. All of the furniture stayed with the living space. It was neutral, functional and in great shape—which suited him just fine.
Again glancing at her, Leese asked, “So how are things with you and Armie?”
He was negligent about it, tossing the question out while putting T-shirts in a drawer.
Instead of answering, she said, “You’re superneat, aren’t you? All your T-shirts folded precisely, the DVDs in some sort of order. And you hung up your jeans.”
“I got used to hanging my jeans because I rarely had much drawer space.” And since he’d grown up wearing worn-out, secondhand clothes, he now made an effort for his stuff to look fresh and wrinkle-free. “It’s not like you to dodge. If you don’t want to talk about Armie, we don’t have to.”
“It’s not that.” She lifted a sports magazine off the top of a box, flipped through the pages and put it back. “I think we’re okay.”
“You think?”
Edging closer, she sat on the side of the bed—probably having no idea how a guy’s mind worked or she wouldn’t do things like that. “You know how Armie was?”
“What do you mean?”
“You know—overindulging.”
Leese laughed. “I’m guessing that hasn’t changed much.”
Her face went red-hot, making her blue eyes look brighter. “That’s what I’m worried about!”
He carried a box to the closet, asking absently, “What?”
Going drama queen on him, she threw out her arms. “He’s used to...variety. To freaking groups.”
Glad that he now had his back to her, Leese grinned. “Yeah, so?”
“Am I enough?” She flopped back, her head on his pillow. “How is one woman going to make him happy?”
After a quick glance, Leese decided to keep his attention off her. Seeing a woman like Merissa all stretched out on his bed had the natural outcome of making him think things. “I’m guessing that depends on the woman.”
“I’m the woman.”
“I haven’t forgotten, but to me, Armie seems more than satisfied.”
“I don’t know, but maybe.” After a beat of silence, she asked, “How can I tell?”
His curiosity sparked, and he looked at her again. Had Armie given her reason to think he needed more? Or was she just being insecure, given Armie’s well of experience? “As up-front as he is, I assume he’d tell you. Armie’s not exactly shy.”
“Brother in the room,” Cannon said, announcing himself as he strode in. “And yeah, Armie’s about as plainspoken as a person can be. If he wanted anything different, he’d have said so.”
Rissy’s face went redder than ever.
Cannon smiled at her. “Now that I’m here, I think we can agree that a topic change is in order.”
“Yes.” Merissa dropped an arm over her eyes. “Definitely.”
Leese noticed that Cannon didn’t seem bothered by finding his sister in a bedroom, on a bed, with a man who wasn’t her boyfriend. But he didn’t know if that was trust for him, for Rissy, or just an acceptance that they were friends and nothing more.
“The place is really something. Thanks again.”
Cannon got comfortable on the other side of the bed. “I’m glad you’re here.”
“That’s what I told him,” Rissy said, finally dropping her arm. “I feel like it’ll be more secure now than just sitting empty.”
“I talked to Logan,” Cannon told her in another topic shift. “They still don’t have any clues about the bank robbery.”
Rissy sat up yoga style beside her brother. “I’m starting to think they never will.”
Would they both always make themselves at home in the rented space? Leese supposed that made sense, given they’d grown up here. He didn’t mind. For the longest time it had felt like he was on his own. It was nice to belong to a group, to be part of an extended family of sorts.
Cannon patted his sister’s knee while speaking to Leese. “Rissy’s shown you how to work the keypad on the security system?”
“She did. This place is like a fortress.” Finishing up, he turned to face them and leaned a hip on the dresser. “Growing up, our idea of security was to put a stick in the sliding doors.”
Cannon smiled. “Whatever works.”
“If you’re done for the day,” Rissy said, “does that mean Armie is on his way home, too?”
“If he’s not already, he should be soon. And Simon is insisting he takes tomorrow as a day of recovery.”
“Meaning?”
“No gym, no workouts.”
Leese whistled. “He’s not going to like that.” Never before had he met anyone with Armie’s metabolism. The guy could literally go all night and not wear out.
“He’ll adjust. Havoc and Simon are determined to see that he does.” Cannon nudged his sister. “Think you can keep him occupied?”
She blushed again.
Shaking his head, Cannon said, “Get your mind out of the gutter, Rissy. That’s not what I meant.”
A knock on the front door drew everyone’s attention, saving her from having to reply.
“I’ll get it.” She slid off the bed but paused to say to Leese, “Just so you know, once you’re all moved in, I won’t just wander in. You really will have your own privacy.” After saying that, she headed up the steps.
Cannon kept her in his line of sight, adding, “You should be comfortable here. But when possible, I’d prefer—”
“That I hook up elsewhere?” Leese asked.
Cannon’s brows pinched down. “I wasn’t going to say that. It’s your place. Use it how you see fit.”
Oh. Leese had been sure he was about to get lectured. Of course, Rissy spent very little time here now anyway.
“I was going to ask that you do a walk around the place every so often. Get familiar with the outside so you can recognize if anyone has been sneaking around, peeking in windows or anything.”
“Sure,” Leese said. “No problem.”
When Rissy raised her voice, they both turned in a rush to go to her and nearly collided in the doorway. Leese lifted his hands in apology, stepped back and let Cannon take the lead.
* * *
MERISSA KNEW THE second that Cannon and Leese stepped up behind her. Mr. Jacobson lost some of his antagonism, and instead of trying to threaten, he cajoled.
She despised him. “Is that it?”
“I’m trying to help,” he ground out.
“Your help isn’t needed.”
“What’s going on?” Cannon stepped up beside her.
As usual, he was calm personified. She rarely saw her brother get riled—but when he did, look out. Merissa gestured at Armie’s father. “He’s telling me that it’s dangerous to be around Armie.”
“Ah.” Cannon folded his arms. “Unless, of course, she talks Armie into giving you some money?”
Mac shrugged. “Wouldn’t hurt. And so you know, I did find out more info. Didn’t know you were here or I’d have asked to talk to you instead.”
“So you wouldn’t have to bother with the little lady,” Merissa sneered.
“Nothing little about you, now is there?” Mac gave her a dead stare. “I’d rather talk with him because he’s more reasonable than you are.”
“You—”
Cannon stepped slightly in front of her. “Tell me about the threats to my sister.”
Mac held out a hand and rubbed his fingers together. “Pay up.”
Remaining calm, Cannon said, “You have about two seconds to start talking.”
Merissa felt Leese’s hands on her shoulders, moving her back.
Mac said, “That’s not our deal!”
“I don’t deal with the likes of you.” He reached for Mac.
Backstepping fast, Mac almost fell off the porch. “Now wait a damned minute!”
“Start talking.”
“Fine. Jesus.” He needlessly straightened his jacket, took off his hat to smooth his oily hair, then replaced it. “Understand, this isn’t coming from me. But I’m told she’s the way to make him suffer.”
“How?”
Merissa appreciated her brother’s commanding presence, but it made her nervous all the same. Mac was the kind of cretin who might carry a gun, or ambush someone when they least expected it.
“I don’t know how,” he argued. “I’d be willing to dig for more details if you’d pay me.”
While they all ignored that, Merissa stepped forward again. “How did you find my house?”
He sneered. “You’re easy to find, honey. Everyone in this damned town knows you and your brother.”
“You expected to find her alone?” Cannon stepped farther out. “Or maybe you thought the house would be empty?”
Mac didn’t have an answer. He scratched at his bristly chin. “What are you accusing me of?”
“Every damn thing I can think of,” Merissa threw out, and she followed her brother. She heard Leese sigh, and he, too, walked out.
Mac eyed him. “I thought you were with my boy?”
“You don’t need to know anything about me,” Merissa said. “Except that I’m amazed Armie’s so wonderful, given who fathered him.”
After sucking at a tooth, Mac grinned. “You two deserve each other.”
Oh God, Merissa hoped so, because she wanted Armie, now and forever.
Cannon said, “Stay here,” and then he followed Mac out to a beat-up sedan. Before Mac could get in the driver’s seat, Cannon caged him in, then went nose to nose with an intense conversation.
“I can’t hear what they’re saying,” Merissa whispered to Leese.
Looping an arm around her shoulders, Leese said, “She’s my sister, come near her again and you’re toast.”
“You can hear them?”
He shook his head. “Don’t have to. I’m sure it’s something along those lines.”
“Probably.” A shiver chased down her spine and she leaned in closer to steal some of Leese’s body heat. “He gives me the creeps.”
“And you gave him hell in return. Not a bad trade-off.”
At the time, she’d been too furious on Armie’s behalf to really think about how his father intimidated her. The man wasn’t just obnoxious or mean—he had an eerie sense of immorality around him that made him feel very, very dangerous.
It was only a few seconds later, with Cannon still involved in his close talk, when Armie pulled up to the curb. He got out with a stiff neck and stiffer shoulders, then slammed his door.
Stalking forward, Armie asked, “What’s going on?”
Cannon stepped back from Mac. “Your dad was just leaving.”
Merissa had never seen Armie so quietly enraged and she worried about what he might do.
Mac must have been just as concerned because he was already behind the wheel. He gunned the engine and peeled out, cutting far too close to Armie as he passed.
And Armie didn’t move out of his way.
Near her ear, Leese whispered, “Tell him everything.” Then he went back inside.
That was the thing about Leese, why he made such a great friend. He was always willing to listen, but went out of his way not to intrude.
Armie still stood there in the street, staring after his father’s car though it could no longer be seen. She looked at Cannon, but instead of going to Armie, he started for the house. When he reached her, Merissa said, “He’s upset.”
“And with good reason, hon. His dad somehow knows where you live, and was ballsy enough to come here.”
She didn’t really live at her house much anymore, but she knew that was beside the point. She was watching Armie, so she saw the second he glanced at her.
Then at his truck.
He was thinking of leaving! “Later,” she said to Cannon as she took off in a jog toward Armie.
Hearing her approach, Armie turned to her, his brows down with both lingering anger and concern.
“What’s wrong?” he asked when she reached him.
Merissa threw herself against him and held on tight.
“What is it, honey?” His hands went up and down her back. “You’re okay?”
“Yes.” She couldn’t pinpoint it, but she knew things were very wrong, and it scared her even more. Tucking her face against Armie’s neck, she breathed in his addictive scent and it helped her collect herself. “I’m sorry.”
“For?”
“Your dad being here. Freaking out on you.” Clutching his shoulders, she pressed him back so she could see his face. “You were thinking about taking off.”
“Going after him,” he agreed. “I probably still should.” Fury reignited in his dark eyes. “He needs to understand—”
“Cannon talked to him.” Taking his hand, Merissa attempted to tug him toward the house, without much success. “Why don’t you see what agreement he and Cannon came to before you—” Leave me “—go.”
“It’s not Cannon’s problem to deal with.”
So sad that he considered his father no more than a problem. “Well, then, there are things I need to tell you. Stuff Mac said while he was here.”
“All right, tell me.”
With her thoughts tumbling one over the other, Merissa bit her lip, considered her options and gave it one stab. “Armie, please, come in with me. Then we’ll talk.”
His gaze moved over her face, first searching her eyes, then lingering on her mouth. He leaned in for a kiss.
Thinking it’d be short and sweet, Merissa accepted without reserve.
Only Armie didn’t keep it easy. Nope. He turned his head, took the kiss deeper, teased with his tongue and easily made her toes curl—and they were in the street!
Breathless, her hands still gripping his shoulders, she pulled back, licked her now-tingling lips and frowned at him. “You’re impossible.”
Still too solemn, he took her hand and now it was him leading her to the house.
“You want to tell me why you did that?”
“I like kissing you, that’s why.”
She knew it was more than that, but what? Resisting his pull, she slowed his pace and said again, “Armie.”
He stopped at the closed front door, dropped his head for only a moment, then pinned her with his dark, incendiary gaze. “Before I left the rec center I got a call. Bray is missing.”
“Oh no.” Knowing how he felt about the boy, she ached for him. Any responsible adult would worry for Bray, but Armie felt personally attached. “I’m sorry.”
“Then I show up here and my asshole father is hanging around and regardless of whatever details you tell me, I know he was here to make trouble.”
Merissa swallowed. What could she say? He was right.
“So I kissed you because I can. Because it’s one of the few things I can still control.” He drew a breath. “And I enjoy kissing you a hell of a lot more than dealing with the rest of this shit. Now is that answer enough?”
For one of the few times in her life, Merissa felt small. “Yes.”
Armie popped his neck. “Then can we get this over with?”
She understood he was angry, frustrated and worried about Bray. For those reasons only, she let him get by with taking it out on her. But she couldn’t be gracious about it.
Stepping around him, she opened the door and held it for him. “I really am sorry to hear that about Bray. I hope he’s okay.”
Armie started to reply, but she went quickly up the steps, then down the hall and to her bedroom. Rather than slam the door, she closed it very quietly. Dropping facedown onto her mattress, she snagged one of her pillows and hugged it to her.
It wasn’t like her to be tearful, but damn, she felt like having a good cry and she couldn’t even say why. It wasn’t Armie’s soured mood; she’d been raised around Cannon and his friends and while they all treated her nicely and with respect, she’d seen her fair share of frustration and aggravation.
She felt achy and too tired and blah.
A deep breath didn’t help much, but she fought off the tears all the same. She refused to be whiny and instead concentrated on ways she might be helpful. Her brother had great reach in the community, so maybe she could help organize the effort to find Bray.
When she thought of the boy out on his own, the tears threatened again. Stop it. He’ll be fine. She had to believe that.
But on top of worrying for Bray, it brought home the resemblance to Armie’s upbringing.
That awful, crude, hateful man was his father.
It was almost too terrible to bear. When she thought of how he’d been raised, and then his outrageous sexcapades as a grown man, she had to wonder: would she ever really reach him? She knew Armie trusted his friends, but would he ever trust a woman romantically?
Would he ever trust her with his heart?
Lately, he’d been amazing. Even though he spent a lot of time prepping for his fight, he remained attentive to her. He was never too tired to talk and laugh with her, to watch over her—or to have sex. Whenever they got together, which pretty much happened every day, if not twice a day, he gave it his all.
His all was pretty darned spectacular.
Her thoughts flickered around, going from one fact to the next. Armie liked her. He treated her with respect. He made time for her. He joked with her.
Flopping onto her back, Merissa groaned, because that seriously described how Armie felt about almost everyone. And as to the sex, well, she couldn’t offer him anything new in that arena. So how special could their relationship be?
Turning back to her side, she again hugged her pillow and wished she knew what Armie was thinking.
But since she was pretty sure they weren’t thinking the same things, maybe she was better off not knowing.