Lia Hanson slipped a fingernail under the back of her blonde wig and scratched at her scalp as she headed out on the service floor with a handful of napkins from the supply room. Not even two hours into her day and it was already itching. She hated wearing the thing, but for some reason a bit of make-believe made it easier to strut around like a two-dollar whore while telling a creep of a man he was “so naughty,” as she giggled at his raunchy jokes and innuendoes. She laid the napkins on a side station and then let her eyes wander the expansive, dimly lit room.

Exquisite Private Club was already filling up, and it wasn’t even four in the afternoon. In normal service establishments, the hours between three and six were slow. A strip club, however, was far from a normal service establishment. For Lia, and her fellow employees at Exquisite, that magical time of day was a moneymaker. It stood to reason that a nine-to-five man—blue collar or white, didn’t matter—could end his day early, indulge in some well-earned personal pleasure time, and still make it home for dinner with his oblivious wife. Since money was the number-one reason a woman worked at such a place, they all appreciated these deceitful Johns just fine.

Today was Wednesday, half-price lap-dance day, and Lia’s favorite. She wasn’t giving any. Not her level of expertise. But the discount drew a crowd and that meant more men to drink watered-down whiskey along with plenty of other opportunities to con them. And she didn’t feel guilty about seeing it that way, because most everyone who came to a place like this knew the game. The girls were hustlers, their affections as false as many of their breasts. The patrons of Exquisite knew that. They didn’t care, because it was all a fantasy. One that gave them what they wanted. And although it would surprise most people who assumed all a man wanted out of a strip club was to see a naked woman, the truth was more complicated than that. Ask any stripper and she would tell you that what brought the money out of their pockets was making the men feel desired.

Lia agreed with that, but she had her own style of parting men from their money. For one, she stuck to serving. She’d considered stripping, many times. That was where the big bucks were. But the thought of standing naked in front of strangers was frightening enough. Having to dance and be sexy at the same time? Out of the question.

And she did okay as a server. In fact, she was the best. To the point that it annoyed most of the other women, including some of the dancers. The best part? She’d never even flashed a nipple. That didn’t mean she wasn’t showing way too much skin. But she knew her success wasn’t really about her body. Well, not completely. It was more about the persona she adopted when the blonde wig went on. Her coworkers nicknamed her Sugar Bitch, which Lia thought was humorously accurate.

Funny thing was, her signature persona of sweet and flirty, mixed with ball-busting bitch, had come naturally. The result of a confused young woman trying to win over customers for money, but then turning on them when they got too friendly. For whatever crazy reason, the men seemed to love it. Maybe they liked the idea that she was hard to get, which would be one hundred percent true. Or maybe they thought it was a hint into her personality in bed, naughty and nice. Not even Lia knew the answer to that, but she suspected if she ever found out, it would turn out to be a false assumption.

“Hey, doll.”

Back to work. Turning, she plastered on a saucy smile as her customer held up his nearly empty beer bottle.

“I got you, babe,” she said with a wink.

Heading to the bar, she tried not to feel bitter, because after many years, her days at this gig were so numbered. She’d set the goal a year ago, and she was sticking to it. In December, she would graduate from Kansas State University with a degree in Business Marketing and a minor in Leadership. At almost twenty-eight she was a little past ripe for a college student—and for a strip club employee. But she’d persevered through both male-interest-driven worlds because she had goals in life. The main one was making sure her younger brother Caleb had a roof over his head and food in his mouth. Once she graduated she’d ditch the wig and turn it in for a power suit. But until then . . .

“Lia,” her boss Becker growled from behind the bar. His eyes roamed over her breasts. “You gonna serve up some T&A or what?”

She rolled her eyes, but went ahead and undid one more button on her top. Could she really be offended at his comment when T&A was her job?

“I need a light bottle.” She leaned on the bar, pushing her breasts out and shooting a smile as an older man pulled up the stool next to her and sat down.

She had seen him come in and immediately lay his eyes on Katy on stage, but that was no problem. Lia was good at working hard to get her share of the bills no doubt stuffed in his wallet for the occasion.

“Hey, sweetie. You should go grab a table up close.” Her voice was light and cheery and she nodded to her section while simultaneously angling her upper body in his direction. “I can bring you a cold one.”

The man’s weathered skin made her think he might be a farmer. There were a lot of those around here out in western Kansas. He was wearing a wedding ring—no surprise—probably went to church once a week, and likely had several adorable grandchildren.

“You can bring me whatever you’re willing to give.” His raspy voice hinted at a decades-old nicotine habit, and his obvious perusal of Lia’s cleavage didn’t faze her.

“Well.” Lia cocked her head to the side coyly. “That’s tempting, but I’m going to guess that a cold beer is the only thing you deserve from me just yet.”

His eyes went wide for a fraction of a moment before sliding into creases as he grinned. She returned the expression. “Coors?” She guessed, as it was the farmer favorite around here.

“Coors will do it,” he said, slipping her a ten. He stood up from the bar stool, no doubt to head toward the stage for a close-up view. “Keep the change.”

And so it began.

When she turned back to Beck, he was shaking his head.

“Just think how much you could get out of that geezer if you were on stage.”

Lia sighed. “Don’t start. I’m not in the mood, and I do just fine.”

In the past few weeks Beck had been on her case harder than ever to dance. He’d lost a couple of girls to a newer club a county over. While the idea of more money held serious appeal, Lia stuck to her timeline. Why entertain the thought when she had an exit strategy?

“You’re crazy for not trying, Lia. You could leave with a grand a night. Easy.”

She glared at her boss. “Just give me the Coors.”

After delivering the drinks and making another round, Lia felt her phone buzzing in her pocket. She glanced around the room. Becker had a hard-and-fast rule that they don’t have personal devices on their person, but she didn’t care. In fact, several of the girls who had children refused to follow the rule, and considering Caleb was not an adult and was under her care, he counted as her child. However, she couldn’t pull the phone out and answer it in plain sight so she sneaked into the hallway and then pulled it out. She grimaced when she saw she’d just missed a call from Caleb. Before she could return it, her voice mail chimed. Putting it to her ear, she listened to his message.

“Please don’t freak out, Lia.” She immediately began to freak out, her heart instantly racing. “I got in a bit of a fight. I’m okay . . . a little beat up. I’m at Resolute Gym. That one on the corner in Aggieville. Uhh, the owner made me call you. It’s a long story, I know you’re gonna be mad . . . but . . . can you maybe come here? I’m so sorry.”

He disconnected.

“Shit,” she whispered. What the hell had happened? Caleb was not a fighter. And what was he doing at a gym? Feeling nauseous, she immediately turned around, headed to the dressing room, grabbed her bag, and walked back toward the bar. She’d likely miss out on a couple hundred dollars this evening, but there was nothing to be done. She had to go.

“The hell are you doin’?” Becker asked, his face squinted in annoyance.

“I gotta go, Beck. It’s my brother. He’s been in a fight.”

“How’s that my problem?” he asked in protest. When she ignored him, he sighed, shaking his head in obvious irritation. “Who the hell is gonna cover these tables until Shayla gets here?”

“You, maybe?”

He looked affronted. “I’m not a goddamn server and these men don’t come here for a dude to hand them their beer.”

“I don’t really care what they come here for right now. I’m not even officially scheduled until four. You’ve just gotten used to me showing up early. Guess you need to stop letting the day shift go so soon.”

His head jerked back. “That was your idea!”

Lia sighed. She had started talking him into that months ago, because she liked making the extra money. Sometimes Sonya the day-shift server stuck around, but many days, like today, she took advantage and skated out early to pick her kids up from daycare. “You’re right, and I’m sorry. Don’t stop doing that, but unfortunately today I have to skip out.”

“This is bullshit, Lia.” He snarled, slapping his towel down on the wooden bar.

“Sorry, Beck. You know I wouldn’t leave you high and dry if it wasn’t an emergency.” She glanced at him, hoping he’d show her a little understanding.

Instead he just cursed under his breath and then leveled her with a hard glare. “Friday night you can scrub the urinals. Or dance. Take your pick.”

Her eyes narrowed. She wanted to tell him where he could shove those urinals, but she wasn’t in the position to push her luck. Sure, she didn’t think he’d ever let her go, but sometimes Beck was hotheaded enough to cut off his nose to spite his face. She couldn’t afford to be his nose. Not until she graduated. “I’ll bring my scrub brush.”

Lia headed for the front door, her eyes darting around for either Tim or Elliott to walk her to her car. The girls here knew better than to leave the premises alone. Ever. Even in the light of day. Too many customers with a hard-core crush. A few took the game to heart.

Finally, she caught sight of Elliott across the room near stage one. The minute their eyes met he looked concerned and quickly moved toward the front. Without a word, he pushed the door open and led her into the sun.

“Everything okay, Lia?” He said quietly, his voice full of concern as he followed her to the black Honda at the corner of the lot.

Lia liked Elliott. He was a clean-cut guy. Handsome and built for the role of bouncer. His family owned acreage about an hour south, and she knew he stood to inherit his father’s farmland. He was a good guy, and she’d had the feeling a time or two that he’d wanted to ask her out. And while she’d toyed with the idea of liking him as more than a friend, she knew that she’d never say yes if he asked. She wanted nothing to do with a man who was willing to darken the doors of Exquisite. Even as an employee. She knew it was beyond hypocritical, but she couldn’t help it. The place symbolized seedy, embarrassing things for her, and if it wasn’t for the money she’d never return.

“Apparently, my little brother was in a fight. He says he’s okay . . . but I don’t know.” Lia opened the driver’s side door of her car.

“Shit. I’m sorry. Maybe I should drive you.”

She wasn’t terribly shocked that he offered, but her already racing heart skipped. Why did a man’s genuine interest always unsettle her? “Oh no, I couldn’t have you leave work. Beck would freak out.”

“Beck can go to hell. You’re more important.”

Lia’s head jerked up, their eyes meeting. Did he really feel that way?

Elliott was sweet, and good-looking. Sometimes when she was alone, she imagined his handsome face and strong arms. It was so tempting to let him get close. Allow him to be the one who showed her what she was missing, because she was certain that intimacy with Elliott would be gentle and safe. But as appealing as that sounded, she couldn’t bring herself to use him in that way.

Lia tried to shoot him a reassuring smile, but figured it looked more strained than convincing. “Thank you, Elliott. But I’m okay. I promise. I’ll see you Friday?”

Her refusal seemed to snap the spell between them. He nodded. “Yeah. I’ll be here.”

As she went to put one leg into her car, she felt the blonde wig gently slide off her scalp. Turning, she found Elliott holding it. Her hand instinctively went to her head, shaking out some of her own brunette locks. She recalled another time when Elliott had seen her take it off after closing. He’d mentioned how much he liked her natural hair.

“Better not wear this to see your brother.” He held the wig out to her.

“Good thinking.” She took it from his hand before quickly leaning up on her toes and planting a small kiss on his jaw. “You’re a good guy, E.”

His brow furrowed, and she guessed those weren’t the words he was looking for. He was too kind to mention it. “Text me and let me know how he is.”

“I will.” She probably wouldn’t but she could hardly admit it.

Once she was on Interstate 70 she reached over and stuffed the wig in to her bag and then fumbled with her phone to try Caleb once more. She cursed when it went to voice mail. Why hadn’t he gone to a hospital? Did the fight happen at the gym? She had so many questions and it pissed her off that he didn’t answer. She tried once more.

“Hello?”

“Caleb! What’s going on?” Her voice was frantic.

Her brother sighed. “I’m okay, Lia. I just . . . some shit went down today.”

“What do you mean ‘some shit’? I don’t understand. Do you need to see a doctor?”

“Tyler said I’ll be okay. He had a doctor friend look me over. But he insisted I get a hold of you.”

“Who is Tyler? I’m so confused.”

“He’s the owner at the gym. Listen, can we talk about it when you get here?”

She scoffed. “I guess so. But tell me this. Did you hurt anyone?”

“I wish I did.”

That stunned her. Caleb was always so mild mannered. Wouldn’t hurt a fly unless it was in a video game. “Caleb . . .” she whispered. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

They disconnected, and she tried to focus on driving. Exquisite was on the west side of Junction City, about two miles off the interstate. It was prime location for a strip club because truckers drove by all day, and it was close—yet just far enough away—from Fort Riley to pull in soldiers looking for a little R&R. The best part for Lia was that it was also far enough from Manhattan that no one she knew—save her best friend Abbie—was aware she worked there.

Forty-five minutes later, and amazed she hadn’t been pulled over, she was driving through Aggieville—the commercial area near the campus of Kansas State full of bars, boutique shops, restaurants, and more bars, that drew in the local college crowd. She headed down Moro Street and took the first parking spot she found. Once out of her car, Lia realized she’d never changed from her short skirt and sleeveless top. Tugging her skirt hem down as best as she could, she dug through her trunk for one of her favorite flannels, and thankfully found a pair of old flip-flops to trade out for her high-heeled boots. Once she was more presentable, she raced down the sidewalk, dodging parked cars, tripping over a curb, and clutching her bag to her side.

Resolute was on a corner, and while she worked at a coffee shop—Liquid Wisdom—down the street, she’d never been inside. Young women trying to make ends meet did not go to the gym. Flinging open the front door, she was met with cool air, and the stench of sweat. Her nose wrinkled.

“Hi there!” a cheery feminine voice said.

Lia glanced over to find a cute blonde standing behind the reception desk. After hiking her bag up on her shoulder, Lia stepped up to the counter. She wasn’t even sure what to say so she just went for the basics. “Hi, my brother Caleb is here?”

“Oh yeah. He’s in Ty’s office. Poor thing.” The blonde’s lip pouted. “Just head through the gym and it’s the door on the left just past the drinking fountains.”

“Thank you,” Lia said. She exited the lobby area and made her way into the main gym. It wasn’t packed, but at least a dozen patrons were scattered about the room using various weight and cardio machines. The whir of activity and the clanking of metal filled the air. It had been years since Lia had been in a place like this, and suddenly she felt self-conscious, especially since all the mirrored walls reflected her unmuscular thighs and hot-mess of an outfit.

She tugged at her tiny skirt and rushed through the room. When she got to the drinking fountains she slowed down. This Tyler person’s office appeared to be open, so she stepped around the corner, and her heart skipped.

“Oh, Caleb,” she whispered. Dropping her heavy bag on the floor, Lia walked slowly up to the sofa where her little brother reclined battered and bruised.

“Sorry you had to leave work,” he said quietly.

“Don’t apologize for that,” she said, sitting on the edge of the sofa beside him. His left eye was black and blue and a small wound on his cheekbone was held together with a butterfly bandage. She quickly glanced around to find they were alone. Only a messy desk, another chair, and a small refrigerator adorned the office. She looked back at her brother.

“We need to take you to the Emergency Room.”

“No, it’s not necessary. I told you, Tyler’s friend already was here working out and he looked me over. Really nice of him since we probably couldn’t afford the ER.”

“I’d find a way if we needed to,” she said, slightly affronted at his lack of faith in her ability to care for him. They struggled, but they were far from destitute. “So what happened? Why are you here, and who did this to you?”

She gingerly ran a finger over his hairline, checking him for wounds. It appeared the worst part was the shiner and split cheek. Averting her gaze, she tried to focus on his eyes, which wasn’t much easier, considering the left one was swollen to a slit. When he didn’t answer, she pressed.

“Caleb?”

“Just some assholes.”

The edge to his words surprised her. “Well, that doesn’t answer my other questions. What are we doing in this gym? Did you fight here?”

With a sigh, he draped an arm over his face, wincing when it made contact with his bruises.

Lia blew out a breath and looked over the rest of his body. There was blood on his right arm and she wasn’t sure where it had come from. Possibly his face. Or was it someone else’s blood? No obvious signs of broken bones stood out to her, but his clothes were dirty and he just overall looked like hell.

“Caleb, don’t ignore me. I left work to pick you up in this strange place. I deserve answers. Who did this, and I need more than ‘some assholes.’”

Caleb shook his head, his arm still covering his eyes. “I don’t want to talk about who did it, Lia. Let’s just go home.”

Her head jerked back, fury overtaking her previous sympathy. “Are you kidding me? What is going on with you?”

“I got jumped, isn’t that obvious?”

“Clearly! I’m not blind. But who did it? You don’t have any enemies.” Did he? She’d tried so hard to keep him safe and sheltered for the past year. They’d moved to an apartment she had trouble paying for just so he could live in a decent part of town. She kept strict rules in the house, made sure he did his homework, had a consistent curfew that he never broke since he rarely left home. They’d coexisted so effortlessly because Caleb had always been a perfect teenager. Or so she’d thought. Was she being naïve?

His arm shot out, slapping against the back of the sofa as he leveled his angry glare on her. “How would you know if I have enemies? I never even see you.”

Lia sat up straight, her lips snapping shut. She hesitated before finally responding. “That . . . wow. I guess that’s a fair statement. But you know, working two jobs and going to school full time is not my idea of living my best life, Caleb. I do it for us. For you. I thought we were on the same page here. Do I need to quit a job to keep you out of trouble?”

Caleb turned his head to stare at the back of the sofa, his face full of irritation. Yeah well, the feeling was mutual, and the thing that pissed her off was that he was mad at her, when all she’d done was try to do the right thing. Standing up, Lia adjusted her skirt. She suddenly wanted to pace, to scream, to wring her hands. Instead she held herself together and tried to keep her voice even.

“Let’s start from the beginning. I need to know what is going on. Because Caleb . . . I thought I could trust you.”

“This is not my fault,” he growled, which surprised her. He pushed himself up off the cushion, holding his weight with his hands as he adjusted his body. Caleb was always so chill and laid back. Almost to a fault. This entire scenario was so unlike him, and her comment had clearly set him on edge.

“So why don’t you fill me in.”

Caleb shook his head, scooting his butt back on the cushion. “Shit happens. Okay?”

“No, it isn’t okay. And why are you acting like this? Maybe you have a concussion. I need to know who did this and why.”

“So, you can do what, Lia? You won’t be there to protect me if it happens again!” His chin up tilted up, his face full of masculine teenage defiance. She’d never seen this side of him before. This . . . inner rage.

“Why would this happen again?” she asked, shocked and confused.

“Don’t worry. Next time he’ll know how to fight,” a deep voice said behind her.

Lia jerked around and froze. Caleb muttered something unintelligible from the couch as she took in the incredibly handsome, yet intimidating man filling the doorway. He leaned against the doorframe, arms casually crossed against his wide chest and tattoos peeking out from his T-shirt just below a thick bronzy collarbone. His short-clipped dark hair made him look too severe, but she guessed that was his intention. Awareness sizzled through every nerve in her body.

“Are you Tyler?” She was grateful her words had come out strong and steady instead of nervous, which was what she was feeling in this beast of a man’s presence.

“I am. Tyler Cavallo. I own this gym.” He put out a hand, and Lia hesitated before finally shaking it. She hadn’t yet decided if they were friends or foes but her instincts were telling her to be on alert. His hand was warm against hers and when he released, she quickly yanked it back into her body, crossing her arms under her breasts.

“What happened here?” she asked.

He raised one eyebrow. “Nothing happened here. Caleb walked to the gym after getting jumped. He won’t tell me where it happened or who did it.”

Lia jerked around to face her brother. “Why not?”

“Because it doesn’t matter, Lia.”

She had a lot to say in response to that, but Tyler spoke before she could.

“A client of mine was here when Caleb came in. He’s a doctor and I asked him to look Caleb over as a favor.”

“Thank you,” she muttered. “I’m afraid he could still have a concussion.”

Tyler nodded. “He does, but he’ll be fine.” He turned to Caleb. “Rest and fluids for a couple of weeks, then we can get back to work and help you prepare to defend yourself if this happens again.”

“You have to be kidding,” Lia said to Tyler as he made his way to his desk chair and sat down. “How about we prevent next time from happening. And by we, I mean me, because while I appreciate you helping him today, I don’t know why Caleb came here, or how you know him, but he’s not coming back.”

Tyler hesitated, glanced at Caleb and then leveled his gaze back on her. It was unsettling how thoroughly his blue eyes took her in. “Ma’am, Caleb has been coming here since April. There’s no reason for him to stop now.”

“What?” And did he just “ma’am” her? She turned around to glare at her brother. “How have you been paying for this?”

Caleb opened his mouth to speak, but Tyler cut him off. “It’s free.”

Lia put a hand on her hip, her eyes narrowing on the man behind the desk. The last thing she was interested in was encouraging her brother to be violent. Or a freeloader. “Nothing is free. Do you really think I’m going to walk in here, see my little brother battered and bruised, and then agree to let him fight even more with some . . . some . . . random tattooed He-Man who I don’t know from Adam?”

“Please understand that I’m not trying to cause a problem here. I just want to help Caleb.”

“Help him do what? Become a thug?”

Tyler stared at her for a second, his jaw going rigid, and she instantly regretted her choice of words. She knew nothing about this man, so it was unfair to judge, but he really had a lot of nerve. And the complete wrong approach. Caleb had grown up with violence, it was in his DNA, and Lia had every intention of helping it lay dormant inside him. This man in front of her was everything they didn’t need in their life. She could not believe her brother had been coming here right under her nose. What else had he been up to?

After taking a deep breath, Tyler went on, turning his gaze to her brother. “Caleb, you can’t assume this won’t happen a third time.”

Lia jerked around, gasping. The shit show just got better and better. “Third time? Oh my God! Caleb, is that true? Why are you keeping secrets from me? And how do you know this man?” She jerked her gaze back to Tyler. “Do you know the guys who did this to him? Were you there? Are you in a gang? Is that what this is about?”

Tyler’s lips parted as if he didn’t know how to respond. Behind her Caleb spoke up.

“He actually used to be in a gang, which is why he feels this way about self-defense, Lia. Maybe he knows more about being a teenage guy than you do.”

When Lia turned back to Tyler, he was shooting Caleb an annoyed glance. She started to process what her brother had just revealed about that man in front of her.

“You used to be in a gang,” she said, her voice expressionless, her words a statement.

“That was a long, long time ago. Not anymore.”

Lia choked out a laugh. She had officially entered the twilight zone. “‘Not anymore.’ Right. So, you’re going to stand there, with your big muscles, and your scary tattoos, and tell me you’re not in a gang . . . anymore, and I’m supposed to trust you with the most important human in my life? I’m not sure you understand how this first-impression thing is supposed to work.”

Tyler shook his head as if something was humorous, and stood up from his chair. He pushed his hands into his pockets. “Listen, let’s just agree that we both got off on the wrong foot.”

“‘Both’?” she scoffed. “What are you judging me on?”

“Maybe the fact that you allow the most important human in your life to constantly be alone? That he’s been coming here for months and you had no idea. I probably see him more often, know more about what goes on in his life than you do. When he needed help, he came to me. I’d say that’s solid grounds for judgment.”

Embarrassment and shame burned through Lia’s chest. She sucked in a breath through her nose, words escaping her. Damn it, she was not going to cry.

Was. Not. Going. To. Cry.

And the only thing that would stop her was turning the emotion into fury. Easy enough, she had plenty to go around.

“How dare you, you assuming, self-righteous dick. You don’t know jack shit about our life. What we’ve been through, what we’ve sacrificed.”

The asshole standing behind his desk had the forthrightness to at least look apologetic. “You’re right. I don’t know about you, but you also don’t know about me. I did have a troubled childhood. Part of the reason why I allow teenage boys to come here and train for free. My way of giving back.”

Lia’s head tilted to the side. She was nearly vibrating with anger. “Well, isn’t that precious.” She lifted an arm toward her brother. “Look at how well your influence is working on my brother.”

He leaned his hands on his desk, muscles in his biceps straining. “You are choosing to miss the point here, Lia.” He stared at her, and being admonished by this asshole was so humiliating, especially when she knew there was some truth to his words. She wanted to slap him. Instead she just stared back as he went on with his bullshit. “You can be pissed off all you want, but the fact remains the same. Caleb is being targeted, so he has to learn to defend himself.”

“Caleb, go to the car,” Lia said.

“But—”

“Please!” Things were about to get real between her and the handsome do-gooder. Plus, she needed a minute to collect her thoughts. With a sigh, Caleb pulled himself up off the sofa. He hissed out a breath at the pain as he moved, reminding her of what he’d gone through today. It made her heart ache to imagine how afraid he must have been, all the while she was peddling cash from loser perverts.

She’d get to the bottom of what happened, but first she needed to give the man in front of her a piece of her mind. All her life she’d known to be wary of men. They weren’t to be easily trusted, if at all. No reason to change her tactics now, because not even a handsome face and could sway Lia Hanson.

* * *

This was going epically wrong.

Tyler watched as Caleb collected his things off the floor and then focused back on the woman standing opposite him across the desk. Damn she was pretty. And hotheaded. Both were unexpected, and here he’d been so certain what kind of woman this absentee sister would turn out to be. Mainly irresponsible and uncaring.

So much for assumptions.

Lia quietly helped Caleb with his backpack and ran a hand over his shoulder. She was gentle with him. Loving and compassionate. And her obvious fear since coming into the building was evident. Tyler had been across the gym when he’d seen the beautiful woman in a short skirt and ratty flannel rush through the room like her life depended on it. Watched the way her shoulders had sagged when she laid eyes on her brother.

Tyler had been surprised, but pleased that Caleb had felt comfortable enough coming to him for help after getting jumped. The young man had always been quiet at the gym. Came in, did his workout, and that was about it. Tyler had convinced him to do a few self-defense sessions, but it hadn’t ever turned into anything more. And he never really socialized much with the other kids. But he’d seemed to be a good listener, followed Tyler’s advice, and thanked him when he left. Every single time. That kind of maturity and manners were rare in young men these days.

As Caleb made his way to the door, Tyler stepped around the desk and laid a hand on the kid’s back. “Hey, man. I mean it about taking it easy. And maybe no video games for a few days. Give your brain a chance to heal. Feel me?”

Caleb nodded and threw a worried glance over at his sister who watched them with pursed lips. He obviously didn’t want to leave them alone. Interesting. And Tyler couldn’t help wondering who he was worried about, her or him. Caleb had to know his sister was safe with him, but there was no telling about his fate.

As soon as Caleb was gone, Tyler turned to face Lia. Now that there was no longer a desk separating them, she took a step back. Instinctively, he glanced down at her legs, taking in her sparkly flip-flops and hot pink toenails.

She was strikingly beautiful. The kind that of face that belonged on magazines, in music videos, and in the bra section of the Sears catalog. Now that really dated him, but those ladies used to keep him very entertained as a kid.

And yet, as perfect as her made-up face was, everything else about her was a hot mess—as his receptionist liked to say. Her dark hair was in a crushed ponytail—some pieces sticking out, others plastered to her neck. Her flannel was ancient and big enough for two of her, and her sexy-as-hell legs were on full display under her surprisingly short skirt.

“You done?” Her irritated voice pulled his wandering gaze up to her eyes, which were narrowed in on the fact that he’d been checking her out.

Busted.

“I like your pink toes,” he said, desperately trying to save face.

“Uh-huh. I bet you do.” She crossed her arms, her facial expression totally calling his foul.

Up close with her eyes spitting fire at him, he could see she wore a lot of eye makeup. The kind girls would put on when they went out on a weekend night, and something about the smoky, bold look felt off to him, like the flannel and the short skirt. It was pretty, but a bit too much for his taste. He was tempted to wipe it off her. Along with her scowl.

“Let’s just get this over with. I want to be very clear with you. You are to stay away from my brother. I don’t want him coming in here, and I don’t want you contacting him.”

Respecting her desire for distance, but wanting to make his own point clear, Tyler took a small step forward. Her eyes widened a bit, but she held strong and didn’t move an inch. He caught her scent this close, fruity, like when you walked past one of those lotion stores in the mall.

“I’m not Caleb’s enemy, Lia.” He liked saying her name, and he noticed her frown deepened when he used it. She was icy, this one.

“You might not be his, but you’re mine, now.” Unlocking her arms, she stuck out a finger, nearly touching his chest. It was tempting to step closer. He didn’t. “I’m not going to encourage violence of any kind. It doesn’t even make sense.”

“Why is he being targeted?” Tyler asked, taking control of the conversation. He wasn’t proposing that Caleb become a hit man or anything. Just that the teen knew how to protect himself. “Someone needs to figure out what’s going on.”

Her hands flew up in frustration. “Do a couple fights have to mean he’s a target? Don’t boys sometimes get into tussles or something? He can just avoid them.”

Tyler shook his head. “That’s not how it works. Boys like these are assholes. If they want to harass someone, they’ll find a way. This is the second time, so he is being targeted. We need to find out why.”

“I need to find out why. You need to mind your own damn business.”

Frustrating woman. He blew out a breath. “Calm down, I know you’re upset. And I get it, I shouldn’t have come in there talking about fighting the way I did. I don’t want Caleb to fight any more than you do. But there’s nothing wrong with a man being able to defend himself. I know that split open cheeks and concussions are not what you want for him, but if he doesn’t learn to fight back it might be even worse the next time.”

Lia turned away, her eyes glistening. Damn it. He’d really been looking forward to finally giving this woman an earful, but now he just wanted to comfort her. A lock of hair slipped from her messy bun, into her eye, and before he thought better of it, Tyler reached up with one finger and slid it over. She instantly jerked back.

“Don’t touch me.”

“I’m sorry. That was . . . forgive me.” He hadn’t any right to touch her, and he knew he deserved her response. “I’m sorry our conversation turned out this way.”

Her eyes softened, and for a moment he thought they might come to a truce.

“Thank you for what you’ve done. Taking care of Caleb today, and letting him come here for free. But . . . I will not allow him to fight. He’s my brother and my responsibility, and I’ll make sure he’s safe. I don’t want your help.”

He had a lot to say about all of that, but his train of thought was completely derailed as he watched her turn around and awkwardly bend straight down to grab her monster of a bag while trying not to give him an eyeful of her panties. That skirt was nearly illegal. And amazing.

Tyler bit his lip, holding back a laugh. Standing straight, she glanced over her shoulder—and yep, totally caught his smirk if her scowl was any indication.

“Thanks for stopping in, Lia,” he said.

She left without another word and Tyler walked back around to his desk chair. Holy shit, he felt like he’d been through the ringer. But also, strangely elated. Even though the discussion had not gone the way he’d imagined, and he didn’t like her being upset, he’d enjoyed meeting Lia. She was feisty, that’s for sure. And although she thought she’d had the last word on the matter, Tyler didn’t give up so easily.