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Nick Spencer sighed as he poured out what felt like the millionth Appletini this week. Why did all the hot girls go for this repulsive drink? Why? He blamed ‘The Bachelor’. Damn reality television, making ditzy girls live vicariously through idiots pining for a rose.
The group of supremely drunk women was looking him up and down now, and he pulled himself up to his full and impressive height. Their eyes struggled to focus on him so they could take him in: broad shoulders, chest muscles clearly visible through his staff t-shirt, huge arms and hands. The one woman with long red hair practically licked her lips when their eyes met.
Nick was no fool. He knew exactly where his tips came from, and he winked at her. Even from a few feet away, he saw her pupils dilate, and he knew she was imagining him with his shirt off, approaching her full of bad intentions. Hell, he might even make the fantasy a reality later, if she stuck around to closing time and played her cards right. He had nothing against redheads, though he did prefer blondes… not that that made him a gentleman.
He gave them his charming smile as he set their drinks on the counter. “Here you go, ladies.”
“Thanks,” said the redhead. “Our friend will be over to pay in a sec.”
“Which friend?” he asked.
She gestured vaguely at a woman sitting at a table. “Her. The one in green.”
Nick focused on the woman at the table, and fixed her into his memory: light brown hair, unsexy-as-crap dress. OK. Got it.
As he looked over, he noticed that another woman was trying to get his attention on the other side of the bar. She was leaning over, far enough that her breasts were practically falling out of that silver halter top and onto the counter. That had happened more than once, and more than once on purpose. He’d taken some of the women up on the offer, too.
He kept serving, keeping an eye on the brunette, making sure the group didn’t up and leave before she paid. Time passed, the music got louder, and the crush of dancing bodies tighter.
Nick’s body started to hum as the women’s eyes got hotter, more ravenous. They were getting drunker by the minute now, and he started looking back at them just as boldly, deciding which one of the leggy beauties with not-too-many clothes on he’d go home with tonight. Maybe that one over there, with the smoking body and long blonde hair and vacant eyes, with the barely-there skirt and generous side-boob. She’d be great to fuck, easy to get away from in the morning. She hardly looked like a chick seeking a boyfriend. That suited Nick just fine.
He flashed her his sexiest smile, the one that women responded to every single time and saw her hungry interest. So far, the night was right on course to go the way his nights working at The Cave almost always did: great tips from hot women, his most devastating flirting and come-ons followed up by sex with no strings.
He didn’t know it then, but his night tonight was going to be different. Tonight was going to change everything.
Jake Weston looked at Nick. He was watching Mia and Julie through the window, his face hard and set. Jake knew that expression well: he was sure it had been on his face when Julie had told him about her childhood, and when Vicky’s ex-husband had hurt Julie so badly. He had seen it on Phil’s face in the hospital as he waited for Vicky to come to after a beating that had damn near killed her. It was the look of a man on the verge of losing it.“Can I give you some advice?” Jake asked.Nick’s eyes jerked to his face. “Uh. Sure.”“Things happen to the women in our lives. Bad things, things we have no control over, no matter how much we want to have some control. And when those things happen to them? It makes us furious… like completely fucking enraged. I get that, Nick.”Nick nodded.“But when we get that angry – it makes us unpredictable and volatile and hard. And it scares them, you know. Scares our women. It makes them think twice about being able to talk to us and lean on us. They fee
Three weeks later“I don’t know, Nick.” Mia shook her head. “I’m not sure about this.”He took her hands. “It’s a beautiful spot, Mia. Quiet and peaceful. Jake says that lots of people have found it healing.”“Who’s Jake?”“We went to the same high school, played on the same football team. He was a couple of years ahead of me, but we stayed in touch. He works at a ranch and hotel.”“Where is this place?” she asked reluctantly. "Far away?"“At the foot of the Rockies, about three hours from here. Jake’s girlfriend is the owner and she’s already booked us a cabin for a week.”“I don't know, Nick. This sounds expensive.”“You let me take care of that, babe. OK?”She was silent.“You’ll rest and sleep and get stronger, Mia. Maybe if you get a change of scenery, you’ll even start to write again.” He smiled. “Maybe that literary fiction novel you’ve been thinking about writing for the past four years.” “You think so?”“I hope so.”“And we’ll – we’ll be in separate rooms?”“As long as you w
Katie put on her coat and boots, gathered up her stuff, hoping to God that she had guessed right. Katie was still furious at Nick – she’d cheerfully kick his ass from one side of the apartment to the other, his superior size and strength be damned – and in Katie’s personal experience, men were useless assholes. She, Reena and Maggie had been with Mia through everything: Tom’s arrest and the cops saving all those kids and the investigation. The ladies had fed Mia, gotten her dressed in the morning, made sure she was sleeping for about three hours a night. They'd talked to her, watched movies, helped her do some online clothes shopping.But despite their best efforts and all their love, Katie knew that Mia needed something that only Nick could give her, and that made him important. Essential, even. Mia needed him there with her, needed to hear that he was sorry, needed to be held in his arms. And now here he was, his arms wide open. It amazed Katie to think this after what Nick had sai
Adam shook his head. “OK, look. This isn’t about us, and us fighting isn't going to help the people we care about. In the end, this is about Mia and what she needs. If you think seeing Nick will help, I’ll tell him.”“And you think he’ll come?”“Yeah. He will.” Adam thought about Nick’s face recently, broken and hard and tight. “I know you don’t believe it, but he loves her, Katie. He’ll do whatever he can to make sure she’s OK.”She nodded as relief washed over her. “Can he come tonight around seven?”“I’ll make sure of it.” His voice was a low, sexy growl, and Katie suddenly knew that this man's word was his bond. That Nick was going to be there at seven on the dot. "Leave it with me."****Katie answered Mia’s door, and her eyes widened when she saw Nick standing there. In an instant, she knew that Adam was right to be worried about him. In just a few weeks, Nick had shrunk somehow. He looked physically smaller and emotionally defeated, his confidence and control were gone. He look
When Nick and Adam saw Dr. Innis walk into the waiting room, they leapt to their feet.“How is she?” Nick asked. “Is she awake?”“Sit down, OK?” Sam said. “We’ll talk.”They sat, their faces strained and pale.“What you need to know is she’s fine, and that’s the most important thing. No real damage, believe it or not. Bad bruising, some lacerations, but nothing broken.”“Thank God.” Nick brushed his hair back off his forehead. “Can we see her?”“Well, ummm. I asked her that and she… she said –”Nick leaned back, feeling like he'd been hit in the chest with a ton of bricks. “She said no.”“I’m afraid so.”“She doesn’t want to see me.”“No. She said she doesn’t.” He looked down at his notes. “She asked you to please call Katie to come and be with her.”Nick was quiet, staring at his wrecked hands, covered in blood. Some of it is Mia’s.“I’m sorry, Nick,” Sam said. “Maybe she’ll feel differently about it after a few hours.”“She doesn’t know what she’s saying, man,” Adam said gently. “S
Doctor Sam Innis stared in astonishment at the young woman lying unconscious and beaten on the stretcher, and then at the young man shaking and pale in the waiting room.These two look very familiar.“Is she going to be OK?" the man rasped. "How badly is she hurt?”“I can’t say right now. I need to examine her carefully.” Sam glanced down at the man’s swollen and bloody hands. “And it looks like you need some medical attention, too.”“Huh?” The man’s gray eyes stared down. “No. No, I’m fine. My hands have been worse, believe me. Just take care of Mia.”“Mia?” Sam blinked. “Oh, yes. You two were in here – what? Two months ago? You’re Nick, right?”“Yeah.” The man was shaking worse than before. “Please help her.”“Sit down, man, before you fall down.” The huge man next to Nick pushed him into a chair. Nick subsided without a word of protest and Sam looked down the hall to where Mia had been taken.“I’m Adam.” The giant extended a massive hand to Sam. He shook it, astounded at the man’s







