by Lori Foster
Less alone in the world.
Not that she’d start to depend on Cade. Hell no. The man was far too secretive about every single thing.
“So.” She idly rubbed an area of her leg not covered by ice. “What happened at Misfits? Was that your brother’s plan, to cause pandemonium? I saw him, you know, before I got taken to that back room.”
“Actually, that was all my doing, with only a short warning to my brother.” He leaned forward over her injured leg to readjust the ice, then explained, “The other night when you left my bar to draw out Smith—who is actually Thacker, by the way—I listened in, so I knew he’d propositioned you.”
What? No way. “I didn’t see you.”
With a shrug, he explained, “Neither did he, because I went out the office window and hung in the shadows. I knew right away you’d be walking into a trap, so I set up a hasty plan.”
“You could have told me.”
“So you could tell me to butt out? Not a chance.”
Yeah, she probably would have. Far too often, pride overrode common sense. “I knew his name wasn’t Smith.”
“I figured.”
So at least he credited her with some sense. “Were you in Misfits, too?”
“Outside, watching through a window. I knew what that bastard was likely expecting, and whether you were agreeable or not, I wasn’t about to let you go through with it.”
“Let me?” she asked quietly, with a fair amount of menace.
“Figure of speech, but accurate. I had the ability to stop it, so I did. Are you really going to protest now? Would you have handled it better on your own?”
Handle it? Ha. She’d been stuck with no way out, and he’d basically saved her. Unable to meet his direct gaze, she looked down, feeling cornered.
Damn it, she wasn’t good at gratitude, at even recognizing it when she felt it, but she knew that had to be the emotion sitting heavy on her chest. “So...surly is generally my default mood, ya know?”
Instead of being insulted, he gave a small laugh. “I’ve noticed.”
Peeking up at him, seeing the actual smile on his mouth had a strange effect on Sterling. They sat close, alone together in her apartment, and she wasn’t exactly immune to his personal brand of attention. “Anyway,” she said, reining in her unruly thoughts, “yeah, I appreciate the help you gave.”
Trying to see her face, Cade tipped his head. “No problem.”
For him, it hadn’t been. In the darkness of the bar, she hadn’t been able to see the ass kicker versus the ones getting their asses kicked, but somehow she knew Cade was the first. She remembered the silence from him, how he hadn’t even breathed heavily while taking apart everyone in the room—except her and...
Adela! Sterling jerked her head up. “The woman who was in that room with me? Do you know what happened to her? Is she okay?”
With a small, regretful shake of his head, Cade said, “No idea, sorry.”
Deflated, she decided it was past time for some truths. “Okay, enough. You were there with your brother. I was there. We don’t trust each other—I get that. But I seriously need to know what happened.”
Cade gave her a silent scrutiny.
Desperation wavered in her voice. “Please?”
It took him too damn long to nod, and he still didn’t give in completely. “I’ll share a truth, then you share. Deal?”
Dirty pool! She had reason for needing to know, but what reason could he have for not wanting to tell her?
Unaffected by her scowl, he said, “Take it or leave it, Star.”
Ha! He knew she wouldn’t refuse. “Fine. But you tell me what happened to Adela first.”
“I can’t. I told you that. But,” he said before she could interrupt, “we nabbed Thacker—that is, Smith—and his buddy Jay, the two bozos who showed up at my bar. My brother also found several women locked in different rooms.”
Her heart dropped hard. She grabbed his wrist. “You got them out?”
His gaze went to her hand, making her acutely aware of what she’d done. His wrist was so thick her fingers couldn’t encircle it. Hot, rock-solid and dusted with soft hair—now that he’d drawn her attention to it, her palm tingled...and that tingle seemed to travel up her arm and on to places better forgotten.
“Sorry.” She hastily withdrew.
“You can touch me anytime you want.”
Such a thrilling offer! “I don’t—”
He cut off her protest. “Those women are safe now, but we couldn’t locate you, the other woman or...” He paused.
“Mattox?”
Cade’s brows shot up. “He actually introduced himself?”
She understood his surprise. Mattox tended to keep a low profile, leaving it to his lackeys to do his dirty work, except for when it came to procuring women. Then the slimy bastard insisted on taking part.
Even more telling, though, was the fact that Cade obviously knew Mattox, or knew of him. So, she’d nailed it: being a sexy bartender wasn’t his main vocation. Plus she now knew he had military experience. What, exactly, were he and his brother up to?
She wasn’t sure how to answer him without giving away her own secrets. After considering it, she said, “No introductions were necessary.”
“You already knew Mattox?”
“Yup.” Knew him, despised him, badly wanted to see him suffer. “You did, too, right?”
He bypassed that to ask, “How? You’d met him before?”
“No, you don’t. One question at a time. So tell me. What exactly was your plan at Misfits?”
“Keep you safe, period,” he replied without hesitation. “Your turn.”
“Bull! You already knew the place and the players, so don’t try to tell me—”
“I’ve been aware of Misfits and what they do for a while. But I was there last night because that’s where you went. Otherwise, I would have continued to...” He fell silent.
“Surveil?” she offered helpfully. “Investigate?” Damn it, what exactly was his role in all this?
One steely shoulder lifted.
Not good enough. Throwing caution to the wind, she looked him over. “So this is what you do? You find and expose human-trafficking rings?”
Nothing, not even a blink.
“And then what?” Were they actually on the same mission? That’d be cool. More and more, she liked Cade. She mostly trusted him. It’d be great to have her own personal badass around when she needed him, and the man was certainly easy on the eyes. Win-win.
“It’s my turn to ask questions.” He rubbed her foot through the blanket.
Almost stopping her heart.
Yeah, a foot rub was definitely not in her repertoire of experiences. Had to admit, though, it felt downright heavenly.
“So tell me, Star—”
“Sterling.”
He gave a brief nod of acknowledgment. “What were you hoping to accomplish with that stunt?”
She supposed someone had to make the first move, right? Might as well be her. If she gave a little, surely he’d do the same, and maybe they could clear out the secrets between them.
Normally, she’d never consider such a thing. The less people knew her and what drove her, the safer she felt. But of all the men in all the world, she actually liked Cade—especially now that she realized they had a common goal: to bust up sex trafficking, free the women captured and punish the ones responsible.
With that decision made, she pondered where to start. “I hadn’t figured on Thacker showing up at the bar.” It was her haven...probably not anymore. “He never had before, at least not that I know of?”
Since she posed it as a question, Cade confirmed it for her. “It was his first time in.”
Sterling nodded. “I’ve been aware of him for a while.”
“How?”
“Mmm... I
’ve talked with a few women who knew him. Yeah, vague, I know, but that’s all you’re getting on that.” Unless he shared a few nuggets, too. This had to be an even exchange. “I kept wondering how I was going to get to him—”
“Jesus.” Raking a hand over his short hair, Cade sat back and frowned.
There went her foot rub. Bummer.
“Then I saw him at the bar. Poof, he was within my reach. I saw it as an opportunity I couldn’t resist.”
“An opportunity for what? To get mauled? Raped? Sold?”
Having her worst fears thrown at her brought back her scowl. “Sheesh, what a downer. Have a little faith, why don’t you?”
“Star,” he warned.
“Sterling,” she automatically corrected. When she’d started her new, empowered life, she’d changed everything—locale, appearance and nickname. “I thought I’d get a feel for Misfits, see how they ran it, you know? Getting in without an invite isn’t easy, so this was the only way.”
“No, it wasn’t.”
Right. Evidently he’d already been in there. His brother, too. They saw Misfits for what it was. Not that either of them had bothered to tell her that, even though they knew she’d planned to go.
Seeing yet another opportunity, Sterling rethought her argument. Since Cade seemed determined to keep her safe, she could use that to her advantage. It wasn’t like she wanted to tackle Mattox and his perverted pals on her own. That path led to failure, as she’d already discovered.
But with Cade’s help? His brother’s assistance?
She just might be able to get somewhere.
Smiling with her new intent, she stared into Cade’s stunning blue eyes and suggested, “If you would share with me, we could coordinate.” His entire expression hardened. If she hadn’t already decided not to fear him, that look alone would have set off her alarm bells. Funny that she somehow knew Cade was different.
Now she had to convince him that she was different, too.
CHAPTER FIVE
GAUGING HIS REACTION, Sterling prompted, “You could do that, right? Get in, same as your brother?”
Voice dropping to a quiet but firm whisper, he warned, “This is not a game you should be playing.”
“Says you. I feel differently.” For the last few years, it was the only game she played, and she called it revenge, atonement, even satisfaction.
“You still haven’t told me why.”
Was that worry—for her—putting that particular dire expression on his face? Interesting. “Why doesn’t matter. You see—”
“It matters a lot.”
“Anyway,” she said, stressing the word to make it clear she didn’t appreciate his interruption. “If all had gone well, I might’ve ended a few monsters and freed a few women.”
Incredulous, he stared at her as if she’d grown two heads. “Things did not go well.”
A reminder she didn’t need. Trying to sound cavalier, she returned, “No, but you saved the day.”
Too quick for her to stop him, he flipped the ice packs and blanket aside. Indicating the deepening bruises on her leg, he said, “You call this saving the day?” Catching her wrist, he lifted her hand with the two fingers taped together. “Does this look like I’m some kind of hero?”
Whoa. That was a lot of anger, but oddly, it didn’t concern her since he seemed to be angry on her behalf.
Given that Adela wasn’t free and Mattox wasn’t dead, Sterling considered her efforts a big old failure—and maybe, because she’d gotten injured, Cade felt the same.
Did he already feel responsible for her, just as she felt responsible for Adela? That possibility warmed her, but it also set off alarm bells. She’d been on her own too long to let anyone, especially a guy with secrets as big as her own, sidle in and take over.
Hopefully she hid her mixed reactions under sarcasm. “I’m here, alive, not mauled or raped or sold, so yeah. All in all, your diversion saved...well, at least me.” She drew a breath. “That’s something, right?”
Shoving to his feet, Cade paced the small area of her living room. Hers wasn’t a tiny apartment, but with him prowling around it felt minuscule, as if his size and presence had shrunk the space. Looking at him was easy. All that fluid strength, tightly contained but ready when he needed it. She envied him that physical power.
He stopped to face her. “I do not want you hurt.”
It fascinated Sterling, witnessing his protective instinct. Not something she was used to. “That makes two of us.”
And actually, she didn’t want him hurt, either, but she had a feeling he wouldn’t appreciate her concern quite so much. “You said your brother got hold of Thacker and the other dude, and some women. What’d he do with them?”
He relented enough to explain, “The women were transported to a secure shelter. They’ll get whatever help they need.”
Nice. It’s what she would have done, too. “And the scumbags?”
The look he sent her said it all.
Sterling whistled. “They’re dead?”
He answered her question with one of his own. “Isn’t that what you intended?”
“Yeah, but somehow I think you might have contacts that I don’t.”
“I have a lot of things you don’t.”
Was that supposed to be an insult? She laughed. “No kidding. Want me to name a few? How about big biceps and bigger fists? Muscled legs and granite shoulders. I’m tall, but you’ve got me on height, strength and ability.” His irritation amused her. “My legs aren’t short, but I know they’re not as strong as yours. And while I’m not a weakling, I’m not on a par with you, either. Ability? I mean, I try. I have a lot of determination. But I’m self-taught, so I’m sure I don’t have the same skill set you have.”
“This is...” He turned away again, the set of his shoulders showing his tension as he paced. “I’m not sure how to handle you.”
Handle her? She snorted. “You can’t, so don’t tax yourself. But can I make a suggestion? Try answering my questions and let’s see if we find some common ground.”
“We can’t. Not on this.”
Rolling her eyes, Sterling asked her questions anyway. “What shelter did you take them to? And how were you surveilling Misfits?”
He shook his head.
“All right, try these on for size.” He had to tell her something, or their conversation was at an end. “How’d you know where I live? And where’d you learn to fight?”
Stubbornly silent, Cade rubbed his jaw, his gaze piercing as he stared at her. “It’s almost morning. You should get some sleep.”
Jerk. Extreme disappointment sharpened her anger. He didn’t want to team up? Fine. She’d managed on her own so far. She didn’t need him.
She didn’t need anyone.
“Yeah, I am tired.” She faked a widemouthed yawn. “Go on, run back to wherever you came from. Maybe I’ll see you at the bar again sometime.” She was just irked enough to add, “Or maybe not.”
Cade went still, his nostrils flaring. Tone dark and deadly, he asked, “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means I don’t like you much anymore.”
His eye twitched. “I didn’t know liking had anything to do with it.” Dangerously on edge, he stalked closer to her, braced one broad hand on the back of the couch, the other on the arm, and leaned down close. “You always stop at the bar after a haul.”
Even showing signs of anger, his nearness fired her engines. Too bad she was out of commission. “So we’re sticking with me as a trucker and you as a bartender? Fine by me.” With mock innocence, she said, “I don’t have deliveries for at least a week. Good thing, since I’m not sure I could manage it until my leg heals.”
“Your leg is going to need more than a week, and if you’re not a trucker—”
“Oh, but I am. Just like you’re a barten
der.” Her sugary smile snapped him upright again.
“You know I am. You see me there often enough.”
Sterling sighed. God, he was impossible. Also sexy and fit, and so blasted competent, how could she stay resistant? “You’ve seen me driving my rig. Done and done. All is as it seems.”
Anger seemed to emanate off him in waves.
Oh, poor baby. Was she getting to him? More like driving him nuts, but whatever. “Did you like me better when I mostly ignored you? Well, too bad. You’re the one who forced this...whatever it is. Odd friendship.”
His gaze drilled into hers. “Sexual attraction.”
Was he trying to shock her? Not happening. Since there was no point in ignoring him anymore, she grinned. “That, too.”
His eyes narrowed. “Mutual respect.”
Unwilling to give up too much ground, she looked away. “Possibly.” She definitely respected his ability, but she didn’t think he returned the favor.
“It’s a beneficial relationship.”
“How so?” Curious now, she took her own turn glaring daggers. “How do you benefit? Because I haven’t agreed to anything.”
“You will.”
Anger stirred. “Are you talking sex?”
“I’m talking shared confidences.”
“I’m the only one sharing!”
Acknowledging that with a nod, he straightened. “I need to clear a few things.” He picked up her displaced ice packs and carried them back to the kitchen but continued to talk. “I don’t have autonomy, so it’s better if I don’t act alone.”
Now, that was a tidbit she could dig into. Her heart started pumping double time, and she carefully turned so her legs were off the side of the couch.
Hurt. Like. Hell.
But once he left, she’d have to get herself to the bathroom and bed, so she may as well start now. The longer she sat, the harder she knew it’d be.
She clenched her teeth and concentrated on bending her knee. Fire burned up her thigh. How was she supposed to stand or walk?
Needing a distraction and fast, she asked, “So you work with your brother?” Did he need to consult him before confiding in her?
She could hear him in the kitchen, emptying the ice packs in the sink, the clinking of ice cubes as he refilled them. The man was entirely too at ease in her apartment, but then, she imagined he took control everywhere he went.