Bare It All

chapter TWENTY-EIGHT

DASH SAID, “THREE minutes, Alice,” cuing her on the time she needed to wait before heading out.

She didn’t look at Pepper or Dash, not wanting them to see her nervousness. Around men so brave, so sure of their own ability, her cowardice seemed horribly amplified.

Abruptly, she went to the kitchen to put away the candy.

“Two minutes,” Dash told her.

Oh, God. Hands shaking, she opened the treat jar and got out two chews for Cash. “Come here, boy.”

Dragging, his head down and his tail tucked, Cash came to her.

“Oh, now, none of that.” She held his furry face and nuzzled against him. “Everything will be fine.”

But Cash didn’t look convinced, and even after she offered him the chews, he wanted only to lean on her.

That broke her heart. The dog was picking up on her mood, and that was so grossly unfair of her. He needed her to be strong.

He needed her to show Reese’s confidence—and, by God, she would.

She straightened and said to Pepper and Dash, her voice no longer uncertain, “One more minute, right?”

Dash gave her a grave nod.

“Great. Then I have time to dig out Cash’s toys.” She smiled at the dog. “What do you say, buddy? Wanna play?”

He tipped his head, studying her with his big brown eyes, his tail giving a tentative thump.

“You do!” she said with enthusiasm. “Well, come on. Let’s find the toys.”

Cash hunkered back on his haunches, his tongue out, his expression excited. When Alice headed into the small living area, Cash beat her to it, sticking his head under the couch and coming out with a squeak toy.

Laughing, Alice took it from him and tossed it down the hall. While Cash raced after it, she found two more toys under the couch, then another under the chair.

Pepper caught on, and, on hands and knees, she helped Alice locate the dog’s many toys.

Dash tossed the squeak toy again and said, “Thirty seconds.”

Her heart squeezed into her throat, but Alice hid it, piling up the toys and calling Cash over. He dove into it, scattering things everywhere.

Laughing, Pepper grabbed up a stuffed cat and played tug of war with the dog.

Dash took Alice’s elbow and helped her to her feet. “Time to go, sweetheart.”

“Okay.” A deep breath helped only marginally. “Please keep him occupied and...and happy.”

Pepper’s eyes were serious, but her tone lighthearted. “Will do. Don’t worry, Alice.” She let Cash have the cat and reached for a knotted rope. Cash immediately lunged to get it, growling playfully.

“Thank you,” Alice whispered. As quietly and unobtrusively as possible, she snatched up her purse and keys and walked out, easing the door shut so that Cash wouldn’t hear.

Unwilling to risk throwing off the plans, she went down the steps and out the front door without hesitation.

As her feet hit the pavement of the parking lot, it occurred to her: If her mood had upset Cash, what had it done to Reese? Never did she want to be a distraction for him.

She put up her chin and headed for her car. With every step her pulse rushed until she almost felt light-headed. When would they try to grab her? Would they run her car off the road? Wait until she parked near the bar? Try to grab her on the way in, or after she was already in the bar?

Imagining any of those scenarios scared her half to death. But she didn’t falter, she didn’t slow down or—

“Hey, Alice. How’ve you been?”

She froze. Oh, no. No, no, no. Slowly, feeling like the victim of a bad joke, Alice turned, and found Nikki and Pam bearing down on her.

* * *

REESE GAVE A soft curse. Even from his position at the other side of the lot, hidden inside a nondescript van, he could see Alice striving for a way out. She looked a little shell-shocked, though she quickly tried to recover. From the looks of it, Nikki and Pam were just returning from a night on the town. Decked out in tight, short dresses and high-heeled sandals, their voices too loud and their strides a little wobbly, they caged her in.

His phone gave a low buzz, and he lifted it to read a message from Rowdy. Boss himself will grab Alice.

Unwilling to question Rowdy’s resourcefulness or let his attention waver from Alice, he sent Rowdy an acknowledgement and then forwarded the message on to Trace.

With that done, Reese scoped the area around the parking lot, but he saw no one other than Nikki, Pam and Alice.

Attempting to rush past the neighbors, Alice tried to dismiss them with a fast wave. It didn’t work.

Nikki said, “Hey, hold up.”

Stay cool, Alice, Reese silently encouraged her. But he could hear the voices carrying on the otherwise quiet night. Nikki was worked up, even pushier and more brazen than usual.

Blocking Alice’s path, Nikki said, “So. You and Reese still doing the nasty?”

Alice opened her mouth, but Pam beat her to it, saying, “Course she is. You don’t think a girl’d give that up, do you?” Pam tried to high-five Alice, but lost her balance and Alice had to practically support her.

“Tell him I’m still willing,” Nikki insisted. “Anytime, anywhere. And I guarantee I can do things for him that you’ve never even heard of.”

“Oh, um...” Alice struggled to right Pam, but she seemed content to lean on Alice. To get rid of her, Alice said, “Okay, sure, I’ll tell him.” Not.

“To hell with that,” Pam insisted. “You need it more than Nik does. I swear, honey, you were about the most stuck-up, prudish woman I’d ever met. Now, since Reese has been givin’ it to you regular, you’re much nicer.”

With a solid shove, Alice managed to peel Pam off her side. “I was never stuck up.”

“Ha!” Nikki leaned into her face and almost fell off her high heels. “You were a bitch.”

“Not true, Nik,” Pam insisted. “She was just miserable, being so alone and all.” And then in a loud aside to Alice, “We shoulda taken you out and gotten you laid sooner. But, you, clever girl, you held out and got the real prize.”

“Reese?” Alice guessed.

“God, yes.” This time Pam fell against Nikki and they both stumbled. “He is so hawt.”

“Yeah,” Nikki said. “So, c’mon, dish. How is he in the sack? A stud, I bet. Right?”

“None of your business,” Alice admonished them both. “You should go in, maybe get some sleep.”

Eyes widening, Nikki asked, “Is he in there?” She bent to take off first one sandal, then the other. “It’s awful late for you to be going out. Did you two fight?”

Pam looked toward the apartment building. “If you two are fighting, maybe we should console him.”

“Stay away from him.”

Reese lifted his brows.

Nikki and Pam both went still.

Into the ensuing silence, Alice said, “Well.” She lifted her chin, hitched her purse strap up her shoulder, and aimed a dead stare at each of the ladies. “Reese is working, and I’m on my way out to see a friend. So please, just call it a night.” As she started away, she said over her shoulder, her voice still firm, “And leave. Reese. Alone.”

Each lady nodded.

Alice turned to continue on her way—and two shadows emerged from the darkness.

Shit. So close to home. They were counting on Reese being well and truly gone. That, or they didn’t consider him a viable threat to their plans.

His phone vibrated softly again. Glancing at it, Reese saw Trace’s message: Be patient.

Already sliding out of the van, his bare feet making not a single sound as he crossed the parking lot, Reese dodged from car to car until he had Alice within reach.

Now, knowing he was close enough to protect her, now he would wait.

* * *

ALICE WAS STILL muttering about Nikki’s and Pam’s audacity when the men came out of nowhere—just as she’d known they would. But knowing it and experiencing it were two very different things. The shadows took shape, became ominous, and then they were right there, leering at her, intimidating with their intent.

From behind her, she heard a third man say, “Ladies,” and the next thing she knew, Nikki and Pam were corralled up by her.

Alcohol dulling her discretion, Pam flirted with the stocky fellow gripping her arm. “My, aren’t you a big one? Not quite as big as Reese, but—”

Alice snapped, “Shut up, Pam!” She would not have Reese’s name bandied about.

The man looked Pam over. “You like them big, honey?”

“Doesn’t every girl?”

Nikki pointed at Alice with impressed glee. “You naughty little slut!” She smiled and missed a step, bumping into Pam, who pitched forward and almost fell. “You’ve been playing the field, haven’t you?”

“Yeah, she has.” The guy nearest Alice showed a toothy smile. “She gets around, don’t you, doll?”

Fearful for Nikki and Pam, and knowing that Reese was probably annoyed with the complication to his plans, Alice tried to defuse the situation. She needed to remove Reese’s admirers from the scene. “I, ah, I was on my way to meet a friend.”

“Right.” The man moved closer until his body touched hers. “Us.”

Pam said, “Keeping all the beefcake for yourself? Greedy, Alice. I can see not sharing Reese—”

“Reese,” Nikki purred, as if savoring the thought of him.

“But no reason to hog these sweeties, too.”

Alice gave a silent prayer that Pam and Nikki would shut up and go in.

They didn’t.

“Never figured you for the orgy type,” Nikki added. She walked her fingers up her captor’s chest.

Because she doesn’t realize she’s been captured. Panic had Alice’s vision closing in. She shook her head to clear it. “I don’t know what’s going on here, but I think—”

“You know exactly what’s happening,” the bruiser interrupted, and he settled his hands on her shoulders.

Alice lurched away but didn’t get far, not with the men forming a solid wall around her.

They laughed at her impotent fear.

Alice dug in. “I’m pretty sure you plan to kidnap me.”

Everyone stopped.

Nikki swayed on her feet, looking around at the men. Alarm finally started to settle in past her buzz. “What’re you talkin’ ’bout?”

“Who wants to kidnap you?” Pam asked.

Alice opened her mouth to speak.

And a fourth man said, “Alice is just teasing. Isn’t that right, Alice?”

Shaking head to toes, Alice watched as the man left the backseat of an SUV. He was younger than the others, probably no more than his mid-twenties. Dark hair and darker eyes...he might have been attractive if he didn’t scare her so badly.

Only the sure knowledge that Reese was close, keeping watch, helped her to remain calm.

The bastard behind her bumped into her again, deliberately nudging her toward the newcomer. She felt like a sacrifice, small and insignificant...just as she had so long ago, before Trace had helped her escape.

Before Reese had come into her life.

Alice tried to keep her shoulders back, her chin up, but it wasn’t easy. “Where’s Cheryl?”

“She’s at my place, waiting for you.” Hand extended, the new man walked right up to her. “You’re Alice, right?”

Not taken in by his handsome face or slick demeanor, Alice ignored his offered greeting. But Pam, clearly reassured, reached out for his hand. “I’m Pam.”

His cold gaze transferred off Alice’s face and instead he caught Pam in his sights. As if pleased, he took her hand in his. “Very nice to meet you.”

Pam smiled dreamily. “This is my friend Nikki.”

Nikki wiggled her fingers in a silly hello.

“Woody Simpson, at your service.”

Alice shuddered. If that was his real name, it could only mean that he didn’t plan on any of them living past the next few hours.

He turned back to Alice. “Do you think your friends would like to join us?”

“No, they would not.” Please, don’t make them.

Woody didn’t blink. “I think they would.”

Nikki and Pam agreed.

He moved closer to Alice, his smile charming, his air cocky. “In fact, I insist.” And with no more than a nod, he instructed the other men to escort Pam and Nikki to the SUV.

Damn, damn, damn. She absolutely could not let Pam and Nikki get in that car. The darkened windows would make it impossible for Reese to see them. Uncertainty would hinder his response; he couldn’t leave their safety to chance when reacting.

What to do, what to do?

The other thugs treated Woody differently, with more reverence. They moved out of his orbit, ready to support him if he needed it but unwilling to get in his way.

Who was he to so easily give direction?

And suddenly Alice knew: Woody Simpson was the boss.

This was the man who had abused Cheryl, the creep who had ordered that awful tattoo on her arm.

The man who had made promises, who’d stolen a young girl’s heart, only to break it so horribly.

He reached out, touching Alice’s cheek, gliding his smooth fingertips along her jaw.

She no longer had a man at her back. If it came to that, she could run. Decision made, Alice demanded, “Stop.”

Suspicious, maybe even a little worried, the men paused with the car door open. Nikki and Pam hesitated.

Surprised at her daring, Woody lifted a brow. “Problem?”

“You’re the one in charge, aren’t you?”

In a gesture that felt more threatening for its gentleness, Woody tucked her hair behind her ear. “I came specifically for you, Alice, did you know that? You fascinate me.”

“Really?” Her heart pounded so hard it felt like she might break a rib, but still Alice smiled. “You had Cheryl tattooed?”

“Yes.”

She leaned into him, surprising him with her compliance as she rested one hand on his shoulder.

Compared to Reese, this man felt insubstantial, nowhere near as big and solid and strong. And that made him far less important.

She braced her other hand on his shoulder, too. He was taller than her, but being used to Reese’s extreme height, she barely noticed. “Everyone else answers to you?”

His gaze warmed with triumph. “They do.”

Looking at his mouth, leaning closer still, Alice parted her lips—and brought her knee up into his groin as hard as she could.

She put everything she had into that blow, all her rage at his brutality, his cruel mistreatment of women. Her aim proved dead-on.

Breath left him in a whoosh, his eyes bulging wide. A disbelieving, “You bitch,” faded into a raw groan of anguish, and he dropped to his knees, his hands holding his crotch.

Cursing with various levels of disbelief, his men jolted into action. Nikki and Pam got roughly shoved aside, Pam landing against the SUV, Nikki falling to the ground.

The ladies looked confused until they saw the guns, and then they started screaming—long, loud and shrill.

Fear got Alice’s feet moving, and she stumbled back, her heart a loud drumbeat in her ears.

And suddenly Reese was there, a big, powerful, protective wall standing between her and the armed savages. He took aim as he issued orders, and unlike the weasels now dropping to their bellies, Reese’s calm voice rang with undeniable command.

Trace and Logan closed in, as well, and in short order, they had disarmed and cuffed the three men.

In her peripheral vision, Alice saw Woody get to his feet. She jerked around and found him staring at her with such hatred that she felt it clear down to her bones. Her mouth opened, but nothing came out.

Eyes narrowed, posture still bowed with pain, Woody reached to the small of his back, drew out a gun and—Reese’s fist connected with his face.

Alice’s jaw loosened at the stunning speed of the strike. It knocked Woody back, and he landed on the ground. The gun discharged, startling a small shriek out of Alice. But seeing Woody’s face, Alice knew he hadn’t fired on purpose. She doubted the man was that coherent, given the look in his eyes.

Reese was already on him, taking away the gun, flipping him over, jamming a knee into the middle of his back and wrenching his arms together to fasten them with cuffs. With rough hands, Reese checked him for other weapons, ignoring Woody’s moans.

Turned to look at her, Reese said, “You’re okay?”

Wow. Fear receded under amazement. Reese handled him like he would a rag doll, expending little to no discernible energy.

She remembered Trace saying that Reese could be ruthless.

Now she knew why. He’d leveled that man with one punch.

She also remembered Reese saying that always, at every moment, he was aware of her.

Biting her bottom lip, she admitted that it must be true, given how quickly he’d reached her.

“Alice?”

Heck, no, she wasn’t okay. Far from it.

She sucked in a breath and nodded.

With laudable ease, Reese hauled Woody none-too-gently to his feet and looked Alice over, head to toes. “Are you sure?”

Still dumbfounded by how easy he’d made it look, she nodded fast, unwilling to distract him from his work. “Yes. I’m fine.”

Tenants spilled out of the apartment building. A black police van pulled up, accompanied by a squad car, lights and sirens blazing. Pam and Nikki huddled together, a steady flow of tears ruining their makeup.

Suddenly feeling weak, Alice slumped down to sit on the walkway.

“Don’t move,” Reese told her.

She wasn’t sure she could.

Watching as he wrenched Woody toward the black van, Alice tried to catch her breath. But only for a second.

Forgetting her agreement not to move, she raced back over before Reese could get Woody into the back of that wagon. “Where is Cheryl?”

Woody looked at her, gave a mean smile and said, “F*ck you, honey.”

His mocking tone and total lack of feeling pushed her over the edge. She didn’t even think about it.

She just kneed him again.

“Ah, God...”

“Alice,” Reese reprimanded. “Damn it.” He held Woody upright with one hand, and Alice back with the other. “Honey, you can’t do that.”

But his mouth twitched.

Alice didn’t think it was funny. She literally heaved in her anger and fear. “Where is she?”

“Bar,” Woody gasped, curled in on himself, trying to protect his most vulnerable body part.

Using the length of his long arm, Reese backed Alice up a few steps and ordered, “Stay there.”

The adrenaline rush faded, leaving her knees knocking and her eyes damp with tears. She nodded her agreement.

Reese handed Woody over to an officer. “Don’t take your eyes off him. Understand me?”

The cop nodded. “Yes, sir.”

Glancing over to confirm that Logan and Trace had things in hand, Reese took Alice’s arm and pulled her several feet away.

Any second now, she’d be bawling like a baby, she just knew it. She could feel the sobs gathering steam, squeezing her throat and making her nose tickle.

She couldn’t look at Reese, couldn’t let him see her weakness.

But he just stood there, waiting, calm, safe, until finally she lifted her gaze to his.

“I love you, Alice.”

Her knees almost gave out.

Reese caught her close, not quite smiling, but looking so warm, so...sincere.

She clutched at his shirt, her heart trying to do flips, her pulse going into overdrive.

Reese kissed her forehead. “I love your compassion and your courage.”

“Courage?”

“In spades.” Ignoring the way she gasped for breath, he kissed her parted lips. “I love your sweet little body, too, and how good we are together in bed.”

“Reese...” She looked around, but in the commotion, no one seemed to be listening to them.

He brought her face back to his. “I especially love your temper. But from now on, please don’t neuter my prisoners.”

What he said seemed so silly, so unbelievable. Except for that one part... “You love me?”

“Every part of you, everything about you.” He searched her face and whispered, “Very much.”

Trace approached. He didn’t look right at them, choosing instead to stare off to the side. “Got a message from Rowdy. Says he has it under control, but Cheryl’s at the bar with Hickson. DeeDee, too.” He glanced at Alice, coughed and looked away again. “I assume you want to go...?”

Reese nodded.

“I can handle it,” Trace said. “And even one-armed, Logan has this under control. If you’d rather—”

“I want to finish it.” Reese tipped up Alice’s chin. “I don’t want you to worry.”

She trembled so badly, it felt like she might rattle her teeth loose. But everything would be okay.

And Reese had said he loved her.

She drew a deep breath and nodded. “Okay.”

“Love that, too,” Reese said with a small smile, even with Trace standing there. “How you pull it together to prioritize.”

“I’ll just go wait over there,” Trace said, but neither Alice nor Reese acknowledged him.

She hadn’t pulled anything together, but apparently she was good at faking it. “Go to the bar.” Alice still clenched his shirt, fighting the urge to crawl up close to him. “Please see to it that Cheryl is okay.”

“I’ll take care of it.”

“I know you will.” Because he was that man, the man who helped others, who did whatever he could. A hero. Hers.

Another second passed. Reese pried her hands from his shirt and kissed her knuckles. “Soon as I find Cheryl, I’ll let you know.”

“Thank you.”

“And Alice?” He took a step away. “When I get done with all this, you and I are going to have a nice long talk.”

Now, why did that worry her? She promised, “I’ll wait up,” and then, head and heart filled with jumbled emotions, Alice watched him go.

It wasn’t until an officer gave her a funny look that she realized she was smiling. Reese loved her.

In the middle of pandemonium, with hysterical neighbors and lights and sirens, Alice figured she just might be the happiest woman alive.