CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
EVEN KNOWING PEPPER waited on her, Avery took her time showering, washing her hair then applying some makeup. Pepper was so incredibly beautiful that she felt like a dud next to her.
Her plain jeans, flat shoes and sweatshirt couldn’t compare with Pepper’s take-no-prisoners attractive style. Pepper had one of those figures that no matter what she wore, it looked sexy. Today she had on skinny jeans, high boots, and a black, snug-fitting thermal shirt that not only emphasized her curves, it also made her incredible blond hair even more noticeable. Pepper wore makeup like a pro, but looked just as stunning without it.
When she exited the bathroom, Avery found Pepper on the couch, making herself at home. She’d removed her boots and had her feet propped on the table as she flipped through the pages of a book.
Avery would have asked if she wanted anything, but she saw that Pepper had already switched from coffee to cola.
Taking the chair opposite her, Avery curled up, her feet tucked under her, and waited for Pepper’s attention.
“My brother really is pretty amazing.”
“Yes.”
She held up the book on small-business management. “He’s always done stuff like this. Educated himself in whatever way he needed to.” Pepper set the book aside, then drifted her fingers over the cover. “Mostly that meant teaching himself to fight, to steal and how to cheat without getting caught.”
“Necessary traits, I’m sure.”
Pepper grinned with her. “He used those talents to keep us safe, fed and clothed. So yeah, pretty necessary.” She turned pensive, looking around the apartment as if only then noticing the unique architecture. “Whenever Rowdy could keep a legit job, he did. But it wasn’t easy.”
What an understatement. “He did more with what life gave him than any other person I know.”
“He’s so used to it just being us that he’s still adjusting. It was enough that he had to get used to Logan, but then Reese, too, and Alice.”
“And now he has Marcus in his life.”
“Little by little, he’s digging in. Making commitments and getting settled.” Pepper sat forward. “The bar, this apartment. Friends.” She tipped her head at Avery. “You.”
I’m only temporary. But Avery couldn’t bring herself to say that out loud. “You do realize he asked me to stay with him mostly so he could protect me?”
Pepper barked a laugh. “Yeah, right.” She stood to pace, looking around the apartment. “My brother wants to play protector to just about everyone, but he doesn’t go moving in random women to do it.”
Avery would have loved to believe that, but she didn’t want to delude herself. “I’m not all that random. I’m his bartender.”
“Ha! And you think that’s what he cares about, protecting his own interests? You must not know him as well as you think.”
“No, I didn’t mean it like that.” Far as she could tell, Rowdy was never motivated by mercenary selfishness. “I meant that because we work together, we were already friends before we got intimate. I’m not just a woman he’s sleeping with.”
“You have other women working at the bar?”
“Sure.” Ella was the most regular, but others filled in, too, as part-time waitresses.
“Has he ever slept with any of them?” Pepper didn’t give her a chance to answer. “No, he hasn’t. Because my brother is smart enough that he wouldn’t want to muddy the waters. And screwing a woman he works with, when he knew he only wanted sex, would definitely muddy it up.”
Avery hadn’t really thought about it like that. “He hit on me even before he bought the bar.”
“And soon as he got it, he made you the bartender—which sort of ensured you’d keep hanging around—then still came after you, right?”
She nodded.
“I’m guessing he was already hung up on you way back then, otherwise he’d have steered clear of you, or fired you if he couldn’t.” Pepper shrugged. “So don’t underestimate what he wants based only on what he’s said or hasn’t said.”
It occurred to Avery where Pepper’s insight might come from. “Is that how it was with you and Logan?”
“It was worse. Logan used me to get to Rowdy. He arrested my brother, put him in danger....” Holding on to the pole, Pepper turned a lazy circle. “I didn’t think I’d ever be able to forgive him. But I figured out leaving him would be the hardest thing of all. Especially after he got hurt.”
Gently, Avery said, “I’m glad things worked out for you.”
“Yeah, they really did.” She pushed away from the pole and went to Rowdy’s bookcase to peruse the other titles. “Now I want Rowdy to be just as happy as I am.”
Could she make him happy? Avery wanted to, very much.
A knock sounded on the door and the two women glanced at each other.
Pepper lifted a brow. “Expecting anyone?”
“No.” She stood. “Rowdy said the other ladies in the building sometimes pester him.”
Pepper went back to looking at books. “If that’s who it is, tell her to get lost. He’s taken.”
Thinking she just might do that, Avery started for the door.
“But make sure before you open it.”
“Of course.” She went up the short stairs and to the door. Rowdy didn’t have a peephole in the door, so she called out, “Who is it?”
“Avery?” Meyer said. “Your mother insisted I bring her by for a visit.”
Oh, wow. Her mother was here? Thinking that something had happened, that her mother might have gotten bad news during a checkup, Avery turned the locks and swung open the door.
And there stood Meyer. Instead of her mother being at his side, he’d brought Fisher.
The enormity of the ruse hit Avery like a sucker punch. She drew in a breath, surprised, angry—and a little fearful.
Before any one emotion could claim the lead, Meyer pushed his way in—which forced her to back up. In her nervousness she almost fell down the short flight of stairs.
Fisher shot out a hand and caught her arm. He wore a dark scowl and what looked like confusion.
“What the hell is this, Meyer?” He didn’t release Avery when he said it, but he did shove the door shut.
Avery had just enough awareness to notice he didn’t lock it. With any luck, she’d get a break and she could run out—if Pepper could follow. No way would she leave Rowdy’s sister behind. But maybe she could go for help. If she made it to the street—
“Come on, then.” Meyer gestured for them to go down the stairs. “Let’s all get cozy.”
Hand still squeezing her upper arm, Fisher took in Meyer’s expression, then turned to Avery with clear displeasure. “You heard him.” He dragged her along as he went down into Rowdy’s apartment. “So this is where you’ve been staying?”
It occurred to Avery that Pepper was out of sight. Fisher and Meyer were both looking around, but they didn’t see her. Had she ducked behind the bookshelf? Under the bed?
Lord, please don’t let her be as fearless as Rowdy. Never would she forgive herself if anything happened to Rowdy’s sister.
Anxiety left her mouth dry and made her heart race. “What are you doing here?” She’d hoped to sound in charge, confident and courageous when she spoke, but the words came out breathless and shaky.
Bemused, Fisher said, “I have no real idea.”
Though he held her arm too tightly, his thumb brushed over her skin, and that ramped up her fear factor even more. She’d rather Fisher abuse her than get amorous.
“What do you mean, you don’t know? You came here.”
He shrugged. “Meyer told me we were meeting a thug who would discourage your lover. I’m as surprised as you are by his plans.”
“You were balking at the idea of chasing her,” Meyer explained. “I had to take matters into my own hands.”
“This changes nothing.” Fisher held on to Avery when she tried to wrench away. Forcefully, he pressed her into a chair at the kitchen table. “I don’t mind getting a little revenge, but she’s used goods now and no longer appeals to me.”
“Used goods?”
“You’ve been fucking a broken, lowlife brute. Do you have any idea how that repels me?”
“Good!”
“No, Avery, don’t be that way. He’ll change his mind.” Meyer paced to the windows to look out. “Once your bodyguard is gone, Fisher will see again how perfectly suited the two of you are.”
“You’re insane,” Avery whispered. “I’m not going to listen to this.” She started to stand.
Fisher slammed her back down in the chair. “Be quiet.” He stepped behind her, both hands on her shoulders close to her neck. He tightened his hold, keeping her locked in fear. “In this instance, Meyer, I have to wonder if she’s right.”
“She’s wrong!” He jerked around to face them—a gun in his hand.
Ohmigod. Even if she got away from Fisher’s hold, she’d never make it to the door in time to get out, not without being shot. Knowing Pepper was somewhere in the room only amplified her fear. If she was even half as daring as Rowdy, she might try to rush Meyer. And if she did, he very well might kill her.
“Meyer.” Fisher’s tone held a new edge. “Just what are you doing?”
“I’m setting things right. Sonya wants her home, so home she will be. Now, do your bit, damn you.”
From the corner of her eye, Avery saw a shadow move. Pepper. No, no, no.
“My bit?” Fisher asked, thankfully keeping Meyer’s attention.
“You’re an abusive ass, Fisher.” Meyer pulled out a chair opposite them and sat down as casual as you please. He crossed his legs and rested his gun hand on the tabletop—pointed toward them.
Avery had the horrible suspicion that Fisher stood behind her so that she could be his shield. The miserable coward.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Fisher said. But Avery heard the lie in his voice—and so did Meyer.
“I’ve known it for years. The women you’ve paid not to prosecute. The women you’ve hurt.”
Out of sheer surprise, Fisher’s hands loosened. “I don’t know where you heard such lies, but I assure you—”
“Please. Where women are concerned, you’re a masochistic prick.” Meyer shrugged, uncaring. “I’ve convinced Sonya otherwise, of course. I’ve not only played up your good deeds but I’ve painstakingly covered the tracks of your ill repute.”
“Why?” Avery whispered. This man knew that Fisher had tried to rape her. He was saying Fisher had done so to other women. Rage crept in around the hurt and fear. “Why would you do that?”
As if it explained everything, Meyer said, “He comes from a good family. He has the respect of the community, is well looked upon by the press. He produces excellent business results. My colleagues love him. And your mother is fond of him.”
Fisher shook his head, but he didn’t deny any of it. “Damn, Meyer, I don’t know what to say.”
Meyer waved it off. “I have my own investigators, you know. They’ve made sure you haven’t left any messes behind. That fuckup with Avery...it was touch and go, especially where her mother is concerned. But I managed to convince Sonya that you were an innocent pawn and that Avery was just upset over losing her father and her mother marrying me. I was very sincere, very hurt over the slight Avery dealt me with her attitude. I played the loving stepfather to a tee.” He grinned. “I assured her Avery would return home where she belonged after she got the wildness out of her system. But it’s gone on too long, and Sonya has suffered too much. So now you’ll do what needs to be done.”
“That being?”
“Sonya wants her daughter back. As long as you get Avery to toe the line, I have no qualms how you do it.” He looked Avery in the eyes. “Maybe get her pregnant.”
“Go to hell!” She struggled away from Fisher, and he barely caught her, jerking her around with her back to his chest, locking his massive arms around her. “You won’t touch me!” she insisted while fighting him.
Fisher laughed. “I’m touching you now.”
She could feel him growing hard. Revulsion made her stomach pitch and she gagged.
“Don’t,” Fisher said near her ear. “You will regret it if you vomit on me.”
Through locked teeth, Avery said, “You will regret it more, I swear to you, if you do this.”
“A challenge,” Meyer said with anticipation. “Go on, then.”
Fisher stalled. “Here?”
“Yes.” He settled back in his chair. “I believe I’ll watch.”
Fisher gave a disbelieving laugh. “No, I don’t think so, Meyer. Having an audience is not my thing.”
“That’s unfortunate, because I’m finding it might be mine.” Meyer aimed the gun. “And you will do it, or lose everything.”
She could feel Fisher’s breath on her temple, the bellowing of his chest on her back. Instead of outright refusing, he said, “What if her junkyard dog returns?”
“I’ll handle the crude bastard. Don’t worry about that.” Meyer showed his teeth in a sick smile. “He’s as good as gone.”
Terror gave Avery courage. Rowdy could return at any minute, so she knew she needed to do something now, even if it got her shot. In fact, a gunshot would maybe alert others. It’d give Pepper a chance to escape. And it would bring the police, maybe even Logan and Reese.
Rowdy would be safe—and at the moment, that’s what mattered most of all.
* * *
CANNON DETESTED INDECISION. He was out jogging—part of his conditioning—and he’d just so happened to be going past the bar when he noticed the men heading into Rowdy’s apartment building. He recognized one of them as the man who’d visited the bar.
The other guy... He had a bad feeling.
Being that he wore sweatpants and a long-sleeved shirt with running shoes, he didn’t have his wallet or cell phone on him. He couldn’t call Rowdy to verify things were copasetic.
Should he go up to Rowdy’s apartment to check on them, even though it seemed like ridiculous overkill to get bent out of shape over two clean-cut visitors? Rowdy could sure as hell handle himself.
Still...
“Screw it,” Cannon said aloud and, choices limited, jogged toward the family-owned restaurant less than a block away. He’d use their phone to call Rowdy and then he’d decide what to do.
* * *
WITH SEVERAL PURCHASES on the seat beside him, Rowdy drove toward Avery’s apartment. He’d thought to take his time, to use up a few hours while he thought things through.
Instead, he’d rushed, grabbing what he knew he needed, because he missed Avery. He kept thinking of how stoic she’d looked when he mentioned her cutting back at work.
She read him so easily, knowing without him saying it that he wanted her to return to her safe, cushioned life.
Only...he didn’t. Not really. He wanted to keep her close.
He wanted her forever.
Would that be fair to her, though? She said she loved him. Could she really be content as the bartender in a neighborhood joint, living on a budget and married to a man like him?
Marriage.
He swallowed hard, for the first time in his life letting himself consider it—
When his cell rang, he was actually glad to have a new focus. Seeing it was Pepper, he answered with, “What’s up, kiddo?”
Instead of anyone replying, he heard background noise, like that through a speaker. At first the conversation was indistinct, and then he recognized Avery’s voice.
“This isn’t happening, so you can both forget it.”
A man said, “Can’t you shut her up?”
Meyer.
And Fisher’s voice, strained, replied, “I can, but I’m thinking we should go somewhere else.”
“Can you imagine the fuss she’ll kick up if we try to drag her out of here? Besides, how can I get her boyfriend if we’re not here when he arrives?”
A dozen emotions slammed into Rowdy, but overriding everything else was the pounding urgency to protect Avery.
With only a glance in the rearview mirror he made a sharp U-turn, sending the car into a skid before it righted itself back in the direction of his apartment. Brakes squealed, horns blared. He pressed his foot to the accelerator. “I’m on my way,” he whispered, just in case Pepper could hear him.
He turned his phone on speaker and laid it on the seat so that he could use both hands to drive.
His eyes went dry and hot, his throat so tight he couldn’t swallow. Every muscle tensed as he maneuvered the road, speeding up to pass a van, then punching it once he found a clear spot on the road, going well over the speed limit.
He heard Avery gasp, heard her cursing Fisher, calling him some choice names. Meyer demanded that she be quiet.
A slap.
He squeezed the steering wheel; for right now, she was okay, fighting back and more angry than terrified. He had to tell himself that or he’d drive through the front doors of his building.
It took him less than ten minutes that felt like an hour before he saw the building. Slowing, he pulled down an alley before he got too close.
He would park behind the bar and cross over on foot, just in case Meyer or Fisher watched the road. He needed to call...well, maybe not Logan. He was a good cop, but with Pepper involved, would he be able to keep his head?
Reese, then. Except that he’d have to hang up on Pepper to do that. He slammed the car into Park at the back of the bar and, praying he wouldn’t be too late, picked up his cell.
Cannon stepped out of nowhere, covered in sweat, almost like he’d been watching for him.
“I tried to call,” Cannon yelled. “As soon as I saw you, I ran to catch up.” He sucked in a deep breath. “Two men—”
“Keep it down.” Rowdy opened the car door and lifted his cell. “My sister is on the line.” And so that Cannon would understand, he added, “She’s at my place. With Avery. I think she’s hidden. She called so I could hear it all, so I’d know what was going down.”
Cannon clenched his jaw. “The two men?”
“Avery’s stepfather and her bastard ex.” Rowdy opened the glove box and got out a tactical knife in a sheath. He shoved it into the waistband at the small of his back. “Anyone else?”
“I only saw those two go in.” Cannon watched as Rowdy pulled his shirt over the knife. “You have a gun?”
“Yeah.” He left his car and started down the back alleys, going one alley up from the apartment building. “It’s in my apartment.”
“Fuck.” Cannon kept pace beside him. “Now I know why I couldn’t reach you.”
Rowdy put the phone to his ear to listen a moment. Some arguing, but still nothing from Pepper. “Long as I keep the call open, I can gauge the best time to move in.”
“I called your buddy, the cop.”
“Reese?”
“Yeah.”
Rowdy nodded. “If he gets here, let him know what’s going on.”
“Jesus, Rowdy. Shouldn’t you wait?”
“They’re going to rape Avery.”
Cannon shoved a hand through his hair. “Motherfuckers...”
Rowdy looked at the windows of his apartment. The angle would make it tough for anyone to see him now. He peeled off his jacket and tossed it toward Cannon. “Mostly they want to kill me.” He met Cannon’s appalled stare. “When I show up, that’ll buy Avery some time.”
“I’ll go with you.”
“No. You stay here and watch for Reese.” Done discussing it, Rowdy jogged across the street and, praying he’d be in time, he went into the building and up the stairs.
He found the door unlocked and quietly slipped it open enough to slip in when the time was right. Flattened on the wall outside the door, he listened in, and he prepared himself.
One way or another, he would get both women out of there safe. If it meant killing Fisher and Meyer, he was fine with that.
And if it meant dying himself, it was a price he was willing to pay.
Just please, God, let Avery and Pepper be okay.
* * *
AVERY REFUSED TO give Fisher the satisfaction of cowering, or flinching in pain, even when she thought he might break her arm. She just glared her hatred at him, infuriating him.
“You think you’re a little toughie now, is that it?”
“No. I’m still me, Fisher, still a woman who is utterly repulsed by you.”
“Yes, you’re a woman.” He cupped her chin, forced her face up. “And I’m the man who will tame you.”
She gave him a twisted smile. “Poor, pathetic Fisher. I’ve had a real man, and I know the difference. You’re nothing.”
He drew back to slap her again and a noise sounded by Rowdy’s bed.
Meyer said, “Wait.” Leaving the table, gun held out, he moved to investigate.
Hide, Pepper. Avery held her breath. Please, please, hide.
Fisher caught her hair and turned her toward him, jerking her face up close to his. Through stiff lips, he hissed, “He is insane, you stupid bitch.”
“You both are,” Avery told him just as quietly, “if you think you’re going to get away with this.”
“Of course we won’t, so stop trying to goad me so I can figure out how to get us out of here.”
Right. He wanted her to believe he’d help her? Avery knew Fisher was not the heroic type. Meyer wouldn’t let her leave, and she didn’t care if Fisher got out alive. She cared about Pepper, about Rowdy.
Somehow she had to save them both.
Fisher pulled her head back farther, then glanced at Meyer. While he was distracted, she tensed—and brought her knee up hard into his groin.
For a split second, he looked merely stunned that she would do such a thing. Then his eyes widened, his mouth went slack and his hand loosened from her hair.
He wheezed, “Goddamn you, Avery—” and collapsed to his knees.
Avery tried to rush Meyer, but he said, oh-so-calmly, “Do it and I’ll kill her.”
He had his gun trained on Pepper, who had hunkered down on the other side of the bed. Avery froze.
“Come out, then,” Meyer said, gesturing with the gun. “Hurry it up before I lose my patience.”
Avery clenched her hands into fists. “Don’t you dare hurt her, you bastard.”
Pepper curled her lip, flipped her hair back and stood straight and tall as if she hadn’t been hiding from a madman and a pervert. She walked past Meyer with no regard for the gun aimed at her.
Meyer laughed, but the laugh held no real humor. He followed Pepper toward the table. “Who are you?”
“I’m Rowdy’s sister.”
“The devil has a relative? Interesting.” He pulled out a chair for her. “Sit down. Both of you.”
“So you can shoot us?” Pepper narrowed her eyes and walked to the other side of the table. “No, thanks.”
She had her back to the kitchen, facing the bedroom area. The door to leave was to their right.
On the floor blocking the way, Fisher showed signs of life.
Meyer lost his patience. “Get up, Fisher. I’ve had enough of your vacillating. If you can’t play your part then you’re useless to me.”
Fisher struggled up, his hand to his crotch.
“There are too many people here,” Meyer decided as he corralled them in the kitchen. “It’s getting impossible to keep track. So who should go?”
“You,” Pepper said.
Very slowly, trying not to push Meyer into a hasty move, Avery stepped in front of Pepper. She gave her a warning look, and to her surprise, Pepper subsided.
With cool command Avery faced Meyer. “You won’t hurt her,” she stated. She pressed back against Pepper, pushing her farther into the kitchen. If anyone started shooting, she could maybe get behind the fridge, or the stove. Or she could possibly grab a kitchen knife...something, anything, was better than being a standing duck.
“You think not?”
“If you even try,” Avery promised him, “you’ll have to kill me, too, and then what will you tell Mom?”
“That you ran away for good?”
Avery shook her head. “She’s believed a lot from you, Meyer, but she won’t believe that. She knows I love her and she knows I’d never leave her for good, especially not now, while she’s being treated for her cancer.”
“You didn’t care before.”
“I didn’t know she’d been sick. But now I do. She and I have talked. We’ve mended things.” Avery crossed her arms and looked at Fisher, seeing him as the weaker link, as insane as that seemed. If she could just keep them talking, maybe she could think of a way out of this. “Why were you hanging around the bar again?”
“I wasn’t. As I told Meyer, you lost your appeal when you started sleeping around with a bum like Rowdy Yates.”
Avery put a hand back, letting Pepper know not to react. “Rowdy knows it was you, Fish.” Adopting Rowdy’s nickname for him worked; Fisher bunched up in impotent rage. “He’s told his cop friends, and even now, they’re checking up on you. If anything happens to either of us, you’ll be one of the first people they come after.”
“That lowlife ruffian is friends with law officers?” Meyer chortled with credible humor. “I don’t believe that nonsense.”
“It doesn’t matter, anyway,” Fisher insisted. “If you’d fallen back into my lap, Avery, then yes, I would have taken advantage by sleeping with you.”
“You mean raping me?”
He gave her a flat stare. “But do you honestly think I’d marry you after you slept with a bar owner?” Fisher shook his head. “Not likely.”
Fisher might not have noticed Meyer’s anger over that disclosure, but Avery saw it, and worried for an imminent explosion. “Then why were you hanging around?”
“I already told you that I wasn’t.” He scowled at Meyer. “Was it you?”
“Yes, but it no longer matters.” Using the gun, Meyer waved away the importance of the question. “The mayor is my friend. The police commissioner is a friend. I can discredit two low-level detectives without even trying.”
“Maybe not this time.” Again Avery backed Pepper farther into the kitchen. “Rowdy’s sister is married to one of those detectives.”
Fisher blanched.
“He’s a good cop,” Pepper added. “The best.”
Avery nodded. “He will never let it go if anything happens to her.”
“Meyer,” Fisher said, easing closer to him. “Let’s think about this. There’s no reason to make matters worse.” Casually, he came closer still. “I’m sure Avery can be reasonable.”
“Of course,” Avery said.
Fisher was only a few feet from Meyer now. “And the cops,” he suggested, “can probably be bought. Between us, we have more than enough resources to make this...breach in good judgment go away.”
Pepper said nothing, thank God. Neither Reese nor Logan could be bought, but if Fisher convinced Meyer otherwise, maybe he’d let them go.
Meyer narrowed his eyes. “I think it’s better if they all go.”
Fisher looked apoplectic. “You can’t be serious.”
“The girl, the cops.” Meyer shrugged. “If you no longer want her, what does it matter?”
Avery tsked. “That’s an awful lot of deaths adding up. Hard to hide that many bodies.”
“It’d be impossible.” And with that, Fisher lunged for Meyer.
It was ludicrous, given that Fisher was so much bigger, younger, faster, but Meyer had insanity on his side.
He squawked—and managed to shoot Fisher in the leg.
The noise was deafening, almost stopping Avery’s heart. Pepper, damn her, took advantage of the confusion and separated from her.
Fisher went down to the floor with a sharp cry, blood pumping steadily from his leg to form a quick puddle of red gore around him.
Wild-eyed and heaving, Meyer shouted, “Goddamn it! Now look what you made me do.” Straight armed, his hand shaking, he took aim at Avery. It felt like everything inside her shut down in that instant.
Pepper yelled, “No!”
And into the chaos, the front door slammed open.
Rowdy went down the steps in one leap. He looked larger than life, confident and in control.
He stared only at Meyer, his gaze so focused and so lethal that Avery’s knees almost gave out.