Fighting Dirty

Merissa didn’t want to, but she knew she was being surly and mean and it wasn’t like her. “Steve,” she complained, “there’d be no point.”

“It’d make me feel better. I worry about you.” He paused, then asked, “Are you and the fighter still together?”

Blast him for asking that. “It’s complicated.”

His chuckle grated down her spine. “That’s what women always say when they’re giving a guy too much leeway. He’s either with you, or he isn’t.”

Since she feared he might be right, she said, “Fine. When and where?”

“We can get together? Really?”

The pleasure in his tone didn’t fool her. Steve had never really cared about her. If he wanted her now, it was only to salve his bruised ego over her disinterest. If meeting with him now would accomplish that, if it would get him to accept the truth, then why not? “Coffee, that’s all, so don’t make a big deal of it.”

“Tomorrow after work? I could pick you up.”

No way. “I’ll meet you,” she said. “Where?”

After making arrangements, Merissa hung up and hurried through the rest of her work. She was determined to be out the door very soon. She wanted to get home, soak in the tub for, oh, an hour or so, and then make waffles for dinner.

Waffles usually helped everything.

Unfortunately, she knew she could eat a dozen waffles and it wouldn’t matter. It required Armie himself to mend her broken heart, and he was still avoiding her “for her own good.” Somehow she needed a way around his nobility.

She’d give him one week after his fight, and then she was going after him.

* * *

OUTSIDE THE BANK, on the opposite side of the street, Keno sucked on a chocolate milk shake and considered his plan. Boyd paced beside him, but Keno held still, only his thoughts churning as he went through the details over and over.

“This could backfire,” Boyd said.

The chicken shit. “It’s all arranged.”

“What if we get caught?”

“We won’t.” Finishing the shake with one last long draw, Keno tossed it into a trash can. “We’ll wait until she’s well away from here, on one of those older streets near her house. Then we’ll get her. Piece of cake.”

Boyd scrubbed both hands over his face. “Steve isn’t going to like it.”

“Steve’s a pussy. But he’ll pay.” Already they’d gotten good old Steve for thousands. The idiot had money to burn, an obsession with one tall, thin girl and an ego as big as his mouth. Keno saw no reason not to use the combination to his advantage.

Fretting like an old lady, Boyd asked, “What time is it?”

“We’ve got thirty minutes or so before she wraps it up. Should be dark enough by then.”

“She noticed us last time.”

“Last time, I wanted her to. Remember, Steve was hoping the truth about her dirtbag boyfriend would be enough to send her running—preferably to him. But that hasn’t happened.”

“Can’t say as I blame her. Steve is a douche.”

Keno couldn’t argue that. “This time she won’t have a clue we’re tailing her. Just be ready to go as soon as she walks out.” He smiled as he thought about it.

Finally Steve would get to be the hero, by paying to get her back.

And until then, Keno wouldn’t mind getting his hands on her again—this time without her hulk of a defender around to kick his ass.

* * *

KNOWING THAT JUSTICE, despite his messy faux-hawk hair and cauliflower ears, would charm Bray’s parents, Armie headed out for his truck. He had his keys in hand, the door open, when a familiar voice spoke behind him.

“It’s been a long time.”

He sucked in air so fast he almost strangled himself. Jerking around on high alert, he stared at the woman standing there. Her hair was darker, shorter. She’d put on a few pounds. But not in a million years would he ever forget her.

Lea Baley...all grown up.

Here.

In front of the gym where he trained.

Surprise gave way to anger, and Armie slammed the truck door hard enough to shake the entire vehicle.

He took one step forward, then stopped himself, unsure what he would—should—do.

Lea didn’t smile, but neither did she look afraid. “I suggest you let me explain before you lose your temper.”

“My temper shot to the moon the second you spoke.”

She nodded, then said, “It’s not me.”

That stymied him. “What’s not you?”

“Spreading the rumors. Stirring up old news that, honestly, leaves me ashamed. Probably more than you, I’d like to forget it ever happened.”

Armie sucked in a longer, slower breath. “This is so fucked-up.”

Now she gave a slight smile. “I had planned on never seeing you again.”

He narrowed his eyes. “Would’ve suited me just fine.”

“I know. Just as I know you have to hate me.” She shifted, rearranged her purse strap, locked her hands together. “This is awkward. We both know I lied back then. I was young and dumb and you ignored me and I lashed out. I did the unthinkable. It was an awful thing to do. I wish I could redo the past, but we don’t have that luxury.”

Armie crossed his arms and visually dissected her. She sounded sincere enough, but hell if he’d ever trust her.

Holding out her hand, knuckles up, Lea said, “I’m married now.”

After glancing at the moderate diamond on her ring finger, he asked, “Does the lucky bastard know what a conniving liar you are?”

She rolled in her lips, looked down, then again met his gaze. “Yes, I told him all about you.”

“Bullshit.”

She continued as if he didn’t repeatedly insult her. “We have two daughters. They’re two and four and I pray I’m a better, more responsible mother than I was a daughter.” After tucking her hair behind her ear, she came to stand by him, then leaned on his truck. Voice lower, softer, she said, “Back then, I didn’t see a way out.”

“You could have told the truth.”

“Yes. But after my dad believed the story and ran with it, then your dad agreed and...” She shrugged. “It’s not an excuse, Armie, and it’s still unforgivable. But I felt stuck with my own story. One of us was going to be shamed and I was just plain too cowardly to let it be me.”

Well, hell. It took a lot of guts to make that admission.

“I called you once, years ago.”

“I laughed and hung up on you.” Without hearing why she’d contacted him.

“I remember. And I didn’t blame you.” Her shoulder bumped his. “It doesn’t matter now, but I’d called to apologize.”

Armie had no idea what to say. Never, not once, had he ever figured on this exact scenario. In his mind, Lea would always be the same spoiled, hateful kid he’d known back then.

But he supposed a decade could change a person. “Fine, you’re all contrite and shit. Like you said, it doesn’t matter now, so why are you here?”

“Because I’ve lived my whole life knowing the awfulness of what I’d done to you.” She looked up at him. “It was a lot to bear and I didn’t think I’d ever be able to redeem myself. But now, finally, I can do something to help. I know it won’t change the past, but maybe it’ll change the present and that has to count for something.”