Bare It All (29 page)

Alice took immediate exception to that. “I was never timid.”
Moving forward a step, her thumb to her chest, she said, “
I’m
the one who—”

Reese said, “Alice, no.”

She glanced back at Rowdy and Dash, both brimming with
curiosity, and pinched her lips together.

“When was the last time you saw her?”

Trace’s brows went up. “She hasn’t told you?”

Worried, Alice shook her head. “Only as much as I had to.”

Trace took that in, then made a decision. “Let’s get through
this, and then we can talk. I’ll tell you anything you need to know.”

“Yeah.” Reese nodded. “You will. But for now, tell me why
you’re here. What do you think we have to get through?”

At the same time, Trace sat forward. “You have a problem.”

“Several, in fact.” Reese lowered the gun, but even when he
reached out to Alice, he didn’t take his gaze off the intruder.

Full of trust, maybe even relief, Alice put her hand in his and
moved to his side.

“So, seriously,” Dash said, without Rowdy’s suspicion. “Who are
you? Some type of Rambo?”

Scrutinizing first Dash and then, more thoroughly, Rowdy, Trace
held silent.

Understanding his dilemma, Reese assured him, “They’re
trustworthy.”

“You sure about that?”

As thorough as Trace appeared to be, he’d surely already done
his own background checks. If he was worried about Rowdy, he needn’t be. “One
thousand percent.”

Rowdy couldn’t quite hide his discomfort with that much
faith.

Mouth tipping in a barely there smile, Trace said, “Your more
colorful friend seems to have doubts.”

Reese didn’t have to look to know who Trace meant. “He’s still
coming to grips with it himself. But I’d trust him with my life.” He pulled
Alice closer. “Or hers.”

“All right then.” He slid his enigmatic gaze to Reese. “Tell
him whatever you like.”

Alice’s hand squeezed his—a silent request that he not expose
Trace more than necessary.

Shit. Returning the gun to his holster, Reese flagged Rowdy and
Dash forward. “We might as well sit down.”

Dash wasted no time in grabbing a seat. “So, what is it? Hired
mercenary? Military elite?”

Keeping the explanation short, sweet and to the point, Reese
said, “He helped Alice escape after she was taken by a human trafficker.”

Dash went still and silent. “No shit?”

Trace smiled. “More like Alice helped me when I made moves to
shut down the whole sick enterprise. She’s incredibly resilient, and she has
more courage than most, along with a phenomenal amount of initiative.”

As if the praise flustered her, Alice went bright red. “You
know that’s not true.”

“I don’t lie,” Trace said. “And I don’t exaggerate.”

“Oh, well...thank you.”

Warm with pride, feeling incredibly possessive, Reese kissed
her temple.

“Supposedly, no one ever gets to see you.” Rowdy crossed his
arms over his chest. “So, what are you doing here now?”

Reese answered before Trace could. “We were followed
today.”

Lifting a brow, Trace showed his surprise. “You knew?”

“I’m not incompetent.”

Brows now furrowed, Trace said, “Obviously not.”

“Who followed us?” Rowdy shifted his gaze from Trace to Reese.
“From where?”

“A woman. She was at the scene.” Reese sat on the arm of the
chair and patted his thigh. Cash immediately came to him. Alice stood behind
him, her hands on his shoulders, silently supportive. “She followed us to the
station, and though I didn’t see her after we left, I’m assuming she might’ve
followed us here, too?”

“Who is she?”

“Your date for the night.” Trace sat forward, forearms on his
thighs, hands loosely laced together. “It’s more than probable that someone
plans to come in and grab Alice while you’re distracted at the bar.”

That drew Rowdy back. “So, I’m not the mark?”

“Hard to tell. I wouldn’t discount any danger toward you. But I
think it’s more likely they’re after her.”

“Because she saw Hickson. She’s a witness.” Accepting the reach
of Trace’s influence, Reese went cold inside.

Trace gave an affirmative nod.

Because he hadn’t been privy to all the details Alice had
shared, Rowdy grew more suspicious. “You know all this, how?”

Trace looked at Reese, and Reese sighed in annoyance. “I was
snooping into Trace’s background—something he shut down real quick using
impressive contacts—but I assume that made him curious about me.”

“Given your connection to Alice, I was already curious. But,
yes, I did a little more digging at that point.”

“You’ve kept up with her?” Reese asked.

“She knows I’ve been watchful.” Tipping his head, Trace studied
Alice. “She had the means to reach me if it ever became necessary. But I haven’t
intruded. Alice wanted it that way.”

“It wasn’t necessary,” Alice said, waving off his words. “You’d
done enough.”

“Enough being...?” All sorts of scenarios went through Reese’s
head.

“I cleared her of any involvement with the trafficker.”

“She
wasn’t
involved.”

“I’m glad you understand that. But cops do like to dig around
and draw their own conclusions.”

Reese sawed his teeth together over that—because it was true.
Without Trace’s help, Alice might have undergone extensive interrogation and
endless interviews.

“I got her the weapons of her choice, and the CCPs to go with
them.”

Dash whispered to Rowdy, and Rowdy replied not quite as softly,
“Conceal and carry permits.”

“Ahh.”

Hands holding tight to his shoulders, Alice said, “He helped me
get back to living my life.”

“That was all you, Alice. Like I said, you’re resilient.”

It struck Reese then: he owed Trace, probably more than he
could ever repay. The man had kept Alice safe, but at the same time, he’d
honored her wishes, giving her the room she needed so she could stay her
beautiful, wonderful self. That couldn’t have been easy.

All this time, he’d resented him—the secrecy, the amount of
power...Alice’s gratitude toward him and her loyalty to him.

But it was exactly those things that had enabled Trace to
protect her. If it hadn’t been for him...

Reese swallowed hard, unable to let his mind go there. He loved
her, damn it. More than he’d even known was possible.

Hell of a time for epiphanies.

He met Trace’s gaze. “It’s inadequate, but thank you.”

Trace nodded. “My pleasure.”

“I’m on it now.” Reese was here, in Alice’s life, and he’d
never let anything happen to her. “Just so you know.”

“That’s how I figured it.”

Astute, as well as badass. That didn’t surprise Reese.

“What are you talking about?” Confused, uncertain, Alice chewed
her bottom lip, looking from one man to the other. “I don’t understand. You’re
on what?”

“You.” Rowdy smiled at her. “They’re talking about you.”

She shook her head, still not getting it.

Reese didn’t want anyone to make a declaration for him, so he
said, “We’re figuring out how to keep you out of this mess.”

Skeptical, Alice toyed with the ends of her hair, twisting and
curling it around her fingers. “The thing is, you can’t keep me out of it.
Cheryl called
me.
She’ll want to meet with
me.
”

“That’s not going to happen,” Reese said.

Showing a hint of her courage, Alice cut him off. “You know
Cheryl is in trouble, that Hickson or some other cretin is forcing her to
contact me. Why would they go to all that trouble if they know where I
live?”

Trace indicated the apartment. “It’s not as easy as you might
think to break into an occupied building and drag out a screaming woman. And,
Alice, you would scream. Right?”

She nodded. “I wouldn’t go without a fight.”

Oh, God. Reese wanted to rebel against that idea. A fight meant
she could die in the process of being taken. But knowing Alice as he did now,
she’d likely prefer that to being held captive again.

“Once I was gone,” Reese said, “you’d get a desperate call from
Cheryl.” His muscles clenched, his heart punched hard. “If you’d taken one step
out of the apartment—”

“I wouldn’t let her do that,” Dash said.

And Alice swatted at him. “I’m not stupid!”

Dash barely managed to dodge her.

Settling back against Reese, she muttered, “You wouldn’t need
to stop me, because I wouldn’t do anything foolish.”

Reese gave her the full force of his attention. “Define
foolish.” He felt irate all over again at how she’d followed Cheryl in the first
place.

As if she knew his every thought, Alice said softly, “That was
before I promised you that I wouldn’t keep any more secrets.”

Okay, so maybe that had changed things between them. But could
she really resist running to the aid of a woman she thought was being
threatened?

Giving up his relaxed posture, Trace leveled a look at Reese.
“You can be ruthless.”

A statement, not a question. Reese said only, “Yes.”

Alice started. “You can?”

“Hell, yeah.” Dash laughed. “Logan hasn’t told you?”

“Told me what?”

Not in the mood for nonsense, Reese shook his head. “Knock it
off, Dash.”

Alice said, “No, I want to hear this.”

“Reese is a regular champion of the underdog.” Dash did little
to hide his smile. “According to Logan, if Reese thinks someone’s being treated
unfairly, he jumps in with both feet and to hell with the consequences. Not
saying he does stuff illegally, just that he doesn’t slow down to weigh the
danger.”

“Jesus,” Reese growled. “I’m a cop, it’s what we do.”

“You saved Cash.” Alice leaned against him. “That had nothing
to do with being a cop.”

“That had to do with being a human being.” And not once had
Reese regretted that decision, not even when Cash had eaten a shoe or marked the
entire apartment as his territory.

In fact, given how Alice had bonded with the dog, he was more
grateful than ever that he’d been the one to find Cash that day.

Unable to keep his hands off her, and feeling more possessive
than any contemporary man should, Reese brought Alice around to his lap.

Wearing a comical look of surprise, stiff instead of relaxed,
she perched on his thigh.

Trace took in the two of them with understanding.
“Unfortunately, the situation is that the station still has a few bad cops
running loose. Your lieutenant is doing a great job, but she’s one person, and
she can’t do it alone.”

“Meaning what?” Reese asked.

“I’m going to lend her a hand with that. I have better
resources for exposing the frauds. Soon, I’ll present her with a file of names
and evidence.” Trace didn’t wait for any objections. “In the meantime, I’d like
to help out with Alice, too.”

Well, Reese thought, he had wanted the National Guard. But
maybe one ultra-elite, super secretive wraith would do. “What do you
suggest?”

As soon as he gave the implied agreement, Alice turned to him
with joy. She smiled as if they weren’t in the middle of a complete and total
cluster fuck. “You trust him?” she asked.

Reese cupped her cheek, and gave her a solid truth. “I trust
you.”

“And
you,
” Trace said to Alice,
“trust me.” He nodded at Rowdy and Dash. “Apparently them, as well.”

“Oh, and Logan,” she said quickly, while still gifting Reese
with that pretty smile. “They’re all wonderful.”

Trace did his own smiling. “I’m glad.”

And damn it, now Reese even felt like smiling.

“It’s more complicated than just dealing drugs, and, like it or
not, Alice is in it up to her neck.” All business now, Trace pushed to his feet.
“Protest it all you want, but facts are facts. I can handle it—”

His arms going tight around Alice, Reese stood, too. “Hell,
no.”

Without missing a beat, Trace said, “Or you can handle it.” His
gaze never wavered. “That is, if you think you’re up to it.”

“I’m up.”

Amused by that, Trace glanced at Alice before fixing his golden
gaze back on Reese. “Of course, you did get yourself handcuffed to a bed.”

Grinding his molars together, Reese eased Alice to the side and
took a more aggressive stance. Trace would not push him aside, not in this.

Not with Alice.

Then Trace added, “Something similar once happened to me.
Except my pants were down and a depraved bitch planned to molest me.”

Dash whispered, “No shit?”

Rowdy sat forward. “So, what did you do?”

Lifting a brow in question, Trace said, “Do?”

“About having your pants around your ankles.”

As if that were a fond memory, he smiled. “A woman saved me.
Thanks to her, I was able to regain the upper hand.” He looked at Reese. “She’s
now my wife.”

Reese had a disturbing idea of where this little dance down
memory lane might be going. “Is there a point to this story?”

“You need to let Alice help.”

Doing his best to hide all emotion, Reese said simply but
unequivocally, “No.”

Trace ignored the denial. “This needs to be wrapped up. All of
it.”

“You think I needed you to tell me that?”

“No, but apparently you need me to tell you that Alice has to
be there.”

“Not happening.”

“I can ensure her safety.”

“No.”

Undaunted, Trace said more firmly, “Alice has to be available
to meet Cheryl. That’s the only way you’ll get everyone.” His voice gentled.
“And you already know it.”

Alice cupped Reese’s face, her smile reassuring, her gaze
imploring. “I can do this, Reese. I promise.”

Reese knew he had little choice, but that didn’t mean he liked
it. He pulled her into his chest, crushed her close and muttered, “Fuck.”

“Believe me,” Trace said, “I understand and I sympathize. If
there was any other way...”

“I know.” Reese slowly blew out a breath and reached for
distant control. “Okay.”