by Marie Harte
He frowned. “You know, I could have done without hearing that.”
“Yeah, but you know you like Simon wanting your brother. A relationship should be all in, right? Love and respect. And great sex.”
He grimaced. “Please, Jordan. I just ate. I really don’t want to think of my brother and some guy.”
“Not just some guy—Simon.” She gave him a considering look. “You know, he’s really hot. Your brother has good taste.”
“Okay, you’re done. Go home.” Hector watched her get in the car, but before he shut the door, he smirked at her. “Or are you going somewhere else? Maybe to Cash’s house to tuck him in for the night? You know, he was frothing at the mouth earlier, knowing we were going out.”
“He’s just protective of me because I work for him.”
“Yeah? Because he’s not making sure Heidi’s okay all the time. And what about me? I work for him. I don’t see him having a hissy because I went out last week with the guys. And he doesn’t care if I flirt with other people.”
“I don’t flirt.”
“No, you don’t. With anyone. Do you even have a life?”
“I have a teenage boy living with me. What does that tell you?”
He winced. “Ah. Right. How’s your brother doing?” Bingo. Subject changed.
She’d talked to Hector a little bit about her brother’s struggles. But Cash had been the person she’d immediately wanted to help her with Rafi. Because he’d work on her brother until the kid came around. Or tried to knife him. Either way, Cash’s persistence and ability to get the job done were skills she respected.
Realizing Hector was waiting for her to answer, she said, “Rafi’s okay. He just needs time and some space. I remember being fifteen, and it wasn’t all that fun for me.”
“Yeah. Everyone putting pressure on you to grow up then yelling at you for being too grown and not listening to the adults talking.” Hector snorted. “And then there are the smells, the acne, the never-ending hunger because you can’t stop growing.”
“Puberty is not for the weak,” she agreed. “So, that kiss we just shared. What’s it worth? And don’t lie to me. I know the people I work with.” No doubt bets had been placed on the night’s outcome.
He grinned. “Funny Rob and Smith each owe me ten bucks.”
“Gimme a piece of that action, and I’ll swear you gave me tongue.”
He laughed. “Sure. Just don’t tell Cash, or he’ll eviscerate me.”
“He will not.”
“Jordan, open your eyes. He’s possessive. He growls around you like a freakin’ dog.” She did her best not to laugh. “He looks at your ass when you’re not looking.” Pause. “Same as you look at his when you think no one is watching.” Oh, hell.
“Hector!”
“Hey, don’t shoot the messenger. Or should I say witness?”
“Oh, shush.” She ignored his laughter, hoping he was the only one who’d picked up on her attraction, and waved out the window as she drove away, pleasantly tired.
Not two miles from her house, her phone rang. Since she didn’t have fancy Bluetooth in her car and didn’t want to be pulled over for talking on her cell while driving, she waited until she arrived at her apartment building and parked before returning the call. Someone picked up.
“Hello? Who is this?” she asked, not recognizing the number.
“It’s me. Cash.”
The man simply would not give her a break. Either in reality or her fantasies, he kept appearing. The fatigue she’d been feeling after the date disappeared in a blink. “What’s up?”
“I need a favor.”
“How big?”
“Huge. I need you to come pick me up. I supposedly can’t drive.” In the background she heard someone say, You can’t, idiot. “And you can’t tell Reid.”
“Family drama. Color me intrigued. So what do I get out of the deal?”
He sighed. “How about an ‘I told you so’?”
“Done.”
* * *
When Cash saw Jordan, alone, not with Hector, he relaxed. Thank God he hadn’t interrupted anything. Or had he?
She pulled up in her crappy little car and got out, bustling to his side, her eyes narrowed on the ice pack he held against his aching head. “What the hell did you do?”
Next to him, Gavin Donnigan, his friend, his trainer, and a fellow Marine, laughed. “She called it.” Gavin gave her a bright-white smile, and only the knowledge the guy was totally in love with his girlfriend saved him from being shoved on his ass for standing too close to Jordan.
“Hi.” Gavin held out a hand to her. “I’m Gavin. Best damn trainer Jameson’s Gym has.”
“I don’t know if I’d say best,” Cash commented and was ignored.
“With those arms, I’ll bet. I’m Jordan.” Jordan smiled—at another man while Cash sat injured in front of her.
He glared.
She glared back at him then smiled again at stupid Donnigan. “So what happened?”
Before he could answer, the instigator of all the trouble walked out and joined them. “I’ll tell you what happened. Cash Griffith is my hero! He saved me from some troublemakers in the parking lot.”
“They weren’t just some troublemakers, Elliot,” Cash spoke quietly, doing his best not to aggravate his growing headache. One of the combatants had nailed him in the side of the head with a barbell and rang his clock. “Some assholes who were kicked out of the gym a while ago for being dicks—”
“And not the good kind. The bigoted, violent kind,” Elliot said with a wink at Cash. “But you tell the story, my hero.”
Cash flushed and ignored Elliot in look-at-me mode. He’d befriended the guy a few weeks ago, understanding his popularity since he’d clearly charmed Cash—who disliked most people. Elliot had a sincerity under the glossy charm of good looks and innuendo, and for some reason Cash liked the guy’s quirky sense of humor. Seeing Elliot the center of a gang beatdown hadn’t sat well at all.
Unfortunately, Jordan’s wide grin told him she’d caught Elliot’s flirting. God, he’d never hear the end of this.
“So, anyway, I was leaving when I saw three guys jump Elliot—and not in a good way,” he said before Elliot could expand on that. Elliot grinned and winced, and the bruises on his face aggravated the shit out of Cash, that he’d almost been too late to prevent serious injury. “Yeah, three on one, and all three of those pussies are as big as me.”
Gavin nodded to Jordan. “Ahem. Language.”
“Little Army’s heard it all before.” Cash raised a brow at her. “Right, Jordan?”
“You call me ‘Little Army’ again, and I’ll shove that bruised head up your ass,” she muttered.
“Oh, I like her.” Gavin chuckled.
“Me too.” Elliot smiled. “Jordan, I’m Elliot Liberato, owner of Sofa’s Bakery. Come in and get cookies and coffee on the house anytime.”
“You’re on.” She shook Elliot’s hand, studying him closely. “I’ve seen you before.”
“Probably on TV. We do a big Halloween at the bakery each year, and last year The Stranger did a huge story on us.”
Jordan brightened. “Oh, yeah. Sofa’s. My brother loves your croissants. And I think I saw a rerun of Best Ofs on TV the other day, and you were on the Halloween special.”
“Yep. That’s all me,” Elliot said with no hint of modesty.
“All us, you mean. He doesn’t run that place by himself,” Gavin added. “His sisters are partners. I’m telling Sadie you’re taking all the credit again. You’re in so much trouble.”
Cash cleared his throat. “I’m so glad you’re all getting along. But you know, I wouldn’t mind free coffee and cookies, Elliot. Hello. Icepack? Head? Concussion? I saved your life!”
“I don’t know that I’d call it saving a life,” Gavin in
terjected.
“My face is my life. Thanks, Cash. But I thought that was a given. You’re welcome in the shop anytime for my freebies.” He waggled his brows.
Gavin chuckled. Jordan grinned, and Cash groaned. “You’re not helping my headache, Elliot.”
Jordan took charge. “Okay, so the hero saved the day, somehow got his head bashed in—”
“The little guy had a hand weight,” Cash growled. “I made him drop it, and sadly it sailed through Mac’s car window.”
“Mac?” Jordan asked.
“The gym’s owner,” Gavin answered. “Who is not going to be happy about this at all. I might have to sit on him so he doesn’t give Brashear more bruises to cover the ones Cash already gave him.”
“And by little guy,” Elliot said drily, “Cash means the one who weighed two-forty. I probably could have handled one but not all three. I really do appreciate it, Cash.”
Cash stood and clutched the ice pack to his head. “I think it’s a stretch to say you could have handled any of those pricks, but you keep thinking that. And it was no problem. I haven’t had a fight in a while. I think I was due.”
“A while? It’s been a few weeks since I personally saw you brawl,” Gavin said, and not under his breath. When Jordan shot him a curious look, he told her, “A long story. I’m the one who told Cash he couldn’t leave unless he had someone to look out for him. I wouldn’t be surprised if he has a concussion, but he refuses to go to the hospital and get checked out.”
“It’s not a concussion.”
“How would you know?” Jordan asked.
Gavin sighed. “Look, Cash. Go home. Get some rest. Mac will go after these guys—legally—for damage done to his car. And Elliot’s pressing charges too. You’ll need to make a statement to the cops.”
“Hell. It was just a fight. We don’t need cops and lawyers.”
“I’m making a statement?” At Gavin’s nod, Elliot sighed. “You’re right. I am. They deserve it. I just didn’t want the hassle. But if they targeted me because I’m gay, that’s got to stop.”
“I think they went after you because of your smart mouth,” Cash said.
“And because they’re homophobes—I know these guys,” Gavin added. “They weren’t happy when Mac kicked them out or when you basically told them to kiss your ass on their way out the door.”
Elliot frowned. “Oh yeah. I did, didn’t I?”
Cash would have rolled his eyes if it wouldn’t have made his headache even worse.
Gavin said in a dry tone, “Yeah, you did. You also made an easy target out here by yourself in the back parking lot. So it was probably a combination of them hating you, hating Mac, and hating gays. So, yes, you need to put the screws to them.”
“Okay.”
Cash was done standing around talking. He had a splitting headache and wanted to go…not home, because Reid would be there and somehow turn this into Cash needing help again. The reason he’d told Gavin to call Jordan in the first place.
The side of his head throbbed, just above his ear, and the ice pack started to warm. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he let it out and opened his eyes, he saw Jordan watching him with a frown.
“Can we go now?”
She nodded. “Come with me.” She told the others goodbye. Cash left with a grunt in their direction after grabbing his duffel bag.
In her tiny car, he extended the seat back as far as it would go and leaned the uninjured side of his head against the headrest, tossing the duffel in the back.
After a few minutes, Jordan spoke, sounding amused. “Should I be flattered you called me?”
“I’m not sensing any sympathy, Jordan.”
“Fighting again? How often do you get banged up?”
“Come on. I took one to the head trying to save a guy. I could have internal bleeding. This could be my last night alive.” He saw her concern and went in for the kill. “Show me some skin, sugar lips. Let me see those beautiful breasts once more before I die.”
“Yep. Taking you to the hospital.” She started to turn the car around.
He grabbed her arm to steady her. “I was kidding.”
“I’m not. Cash, you could be really hurt.”
He hated hospitals. Considering the last time he’d been in one had been four weeks ago, watching his mother take her last breath, he had no desire to go back. “I’m sore but fine. I know what a concussion feels like.”
“Do you?” The stubborn woman made him recite his phone number, address, and the alphabet. Then she had him recite the alphabet backward.
“…E, D, C, B, A. I’m done. And if you try making me walk a straight line or straighten out my arm then bring it in to touch my nose, I’ll hurt you,” he growled, though they both knew he didn’t mean it.
“Well, your faculties, such as they are, seem to be intact.” Then she asked him the question he’d been hoping she’d put off as she pulled into her apartment parking lot. “Now why can’t you go home to Reid?”
He groaned. “Can we talk about this later? My head hurts.”
“Nice try. Get out.”
There was no getting around this woman. He followed her inside and saw Rafi lying on the couch watching TV. At the sight of Cash, he froze, then hurried to sit up straight.
“Relax, Rafael,” Cash drawled. “I’m not here to shake you down. I’ll wait until the commandant is done interrogating me before screwing with you.”
The kid sneered. “Very funny.” Rafi looked him over and whistled. “What happened to you? Try to roll a kid for her lunch money and fail?”
“He is so your brother,” Cash said and sat next to Rafi.
Instead of scurrying from the couch to get as far away from him as possible, the boy looked him over with the same scrutiny Jordan had. “Is that blood?”
Cash frowned. “Shh.” Jordan had gone to get him a towel. “I thought it had dried.”
“You should go to the hospital.”
“What are you, her parrot?”
“I’m just sayin’.”
“Saying what?” Jordan asked as she returned with a towel and ice in a baggie.
“He should go to the hospital.”
“I’m fine.” Cash’s head hurt, but other than that he felt okay. And yeah, he knew it was stupid. But if he was going to bleed out and die from internal injuries, he’d rather do it here than in some antiseptic death trap.
Jordan sighed. “You’re not being smart about this. If I had my head caved in by a dumbbell, you’d tell me to get help.”
“Yeah, but you’re little.”
Her mouth flattened. “Try again.”
“I mean, he didn’t hit me that hard.”
“He’s bleed—”
Cash talked over her brother. “It hurts, but I’ve been hit plenty of times before.”
“That I can believe,” her brother muttered.
“And I know what a real head wound feels like.”
Jordan just stared at him. “It’s official. You’re a moron.”
“Hey!” Too loud. “I mean, hey. I’m hurt, not stupid.”
“Seriously? I don’t know what I was thinking listening to you.” Her eyes widened when she saw the blood he’d been trying to hide. “No, no, no. Cash, get in the fucking car.”
He’d never heard her sound so…mean. And he was in no mood to argue, so he grumbled as he got to his feet and followed her out to her vehicle.
Rafi had come with them, but she turned and stopped him. “Rafi, please stay here. I’ll be back when I can.”
“I’m good. If you’re not back before school tomorrow, I’ll get myself up and going.” The boy nodded at Cash. “He looks like walking death. Go on. I’m good.”
“I’m fine, I said,” Cash grumbled, but no one seemed to be listening to him.
S
he looked torn, and Cash felt like a heel for making her leave her brother alone. It wasn’t that late yet, but Jordan had a life. One that didn’t have to be constantly fucked up by Cash if he could help it.
He swallowed his pride, needing his brother after all. “Hell. Jordan, just take me home, okay? I swear I’ll get medical help. Reid can take me.”
She stared at him, and he didn’t know what she saw. But she seemed to make a decision. He just hoped she wasn’t considering putting him down, like a dog.
When he suggested she might, she swore at him and helped him into the car then walked her brother back to the apartment complex. Once behind the wheel, she drove him…not toward his house but to an emergency clinic.
“What are you doing?”
“Shut up. You have insurance, yeah?”
He shrugged. “Probably in my wallet.”
“Get it.”
He reached back, slowly, for his gym bag and grabbed it. She took it from him then helped him out of the car at the clinic.
“You’ve done this before.”
“I was an MP in the Army, so yeah. Lots of drunk and disorderlies.” She grinned at him. “You’re certainly disorderly.”
He stopped them at the doorway to the clinic, alarmed at how nice it felt to be cared for. “Seriously, you don’t have to do this. I don’t want to take you away from Rafi.” He swallowed, the knot of feeling for this woman growing. “Thanks for getting me here.”
She pointed at the door. “Oh, we’re not done. Let’s go.”
“I’ll get help. I’m here, I might as well.”
“How will you get home?”
“I’ll call a cab.”
“I’m already here with you. Come on.” She pushed them through the door and wormed her way under his arm, by his side, as if her small frame helped him balance.
He leaned on her all the same, not too much but to validate the connection. And damn but she fit like she belonged there. “I, um, I didn’t take you away from your date with Hector, did I?”
“It was already over. And it wasn’t a date.” She chuckled. “Though I did make a few bucks on it.”