Free Bare It All by Lori Foster Page B

find out what happened to cause her to be that
way.”
    Reese wanted the same. “I’ll handle it.”
    “So will I.” Rowdy tossed aside the weed. “Don’t start huffing,
Reese. It doesn’t suit you. Sarcasm, sharp wit, that’s more your speed.”
    Reese held silent, not a single bit of sharp wit coming to
mind.
    “You know I can find out things you can’t. No, not by grilling
Alice. I won’t do that to her.” When the stiffening breeze blew his hair, Rowdy
shoved it back with both hands. “Hell, if I tried, she’d probably put me through
the inquisition, all while showering me with concern.”
    Interesting. “That’s what she did?”
    “Totally threw me. Not even my sister tries that hard to get in
my head.” He narrowed his eyes at Reese. “She treated me like some damned abused
mutt she wanted to heal.”
    As Reese knew, Rowdy had plenty of demons to deal with. He and
Pepper had not had easy lives. Apparently, Alice saw it, too.
    But was that her only interest in Rowdy?
    “What did you tell her?”
    “I denied everything.” The baring of Rowdy’s teeth didn’t come
close to resembling a smile. “Something’s up with her, and we both know it. My
guess is that you’ve already made plans to check into it, but your legal
channels are limited.”
    “Duly noted.” Sticking to legal channels had almost gotten him
and his friends killed, in his own damned apartment.
    Rowdy eyed him. “Give it a rest, Reese. That wasn’t your fault.
No one blames you.” He stared toward the dog, now digging at a root. “I’m glad
it’s over.”
    But it wasn’t, not yet. One scumbag might’ve died, but others
remained. The tentacles of evil reached far and wide. “You know, I figured you’d
be Lieutenant Peterson’s problem right about now. Yesterday we rounded up parts
of the human trafficking ring, but there are more connections, others to pull
out of hiding.”
    “And you thought I’d be following leads?” He examined a few
raindrops that landed on his forearm. “Now, Reese, would I ignore a direct order
from your lieutenant to stay out of that?”
    Yeah, he absolutely would. Where innocent women were concerned,
few men could stand aside and do nothing. A man like Rowdy? No way would he stay
uninvolved.
    “If you trip up,” Reese said, “Peterson will have your
head.”
    “My head and my balls—at least that’s what she told me.”
    They shared a quick smile before Rowdy sobered again.
    “One advantage to living under the radar is that I made
contacts on the street. And before you say it, yes, I know how to ask around
without drawing too much attention. There won’t be any blowback for Alice.”
    “If she’s not from around here, you won’t find jack shit.”
Rowdy had cultivated many friends in high and low places, but he didn’t have
unlimited boundaries.
    “True enough. The thing is, I’m more concerned with any
remaining threat against her. If she has legitimate reason to worry, I’ll be
able to find out.”
    Reese hated to have another man poking into Alice’s business.
Yet he knew it was true; Rowdy did have connections that might elude the
law.
    And if she was only skittish thanks to a traumatic past? Well,
then, he’d deal with it. “Report to me.”
    “I don’t report to anyone.”
    Temper spiking, Reese stood his ground. “Maybe now is a good
time for you to start.”
    Static collected in the air as Rowdy continued to study Reese,
until finally he flashed a genuine grin. “Yeah, all right. Don’t implode. I just
wanted to test the water.”
    “Keep out of the water.”
    Laughing again, Rowdy clapped him on the shoulder. Hard. “If I
find out anything, I’ll clue you in. You’ll do the same?”
    Damn it, he didn’t want to. But maybe an alliance with Rowdy
would be a good thing. He could think of him as a snitch, utilize his talents in
different ways....
    “We’re on the same side in this, Reese. She’s a hell of an
actress, and she’s putting up a brave front, but