Cherise Sinclair - Edge of the Enforcer

***

Sitting at her small patio table the next day, Lindsey heard a knock on the duplex’s front door. A salesman? Probably not on a Sunday. Likely Rona and Abby. She didn’t care. Talking wasn’t what she had in mind.

Silence.

Good. She dumped more light rum from the bottle into her glass and studied the color. Paler than it was dark meant more alcohol than Coke. Excellent proportions.

Something rattled, and Lindsey jerked around to see the wooden side gate swing open.

Abby and Rona walked through as if they owned the place.

Jeez. “I thought this state had rules about rentals. Like giving twenty-four hours’ notice before using a key.” She glared at her landlady.

Abby smiled. “Oh, it does. Sadly there aren’t any laws governing the behavior of BFFs. Sorry.”

Shit, that was hard to answer. She scowled at Rona. “What’s your excuse for trespassing?”

“Same one. BFF—only I’m BFF number one since I’m older.” Rona sank down into a chair. “God. Joint Commission was here for the hospital survey. I think my feet are three sizes bigger.”

“Poor baby.” Abby checked the label on the bottle. “Rum sounds good. Have you got more Coke, and are you going to share?”

“Y’all are damn stubborn.” Lindsey considered getting up. Unhappily the door looked awfully far away. “Glasses are in the kitchen.”

Abby grinned. “I know where they are.”

“So you’re here because…” Lindsey prompted.

Abby reappeared with the glasses as Rona answered, “Because we were worried about you.”

“But…” She hadn’t called them, and Zander—deVries—sure wouldn’t. “How…”

“Sir Ethan talked with Xavier last night. Xavier talked with Simon,” Abby said. “Afterward, Simon talked with Zander.”

Uh-oh.

“Zander was…less than polite, I gathered. So Simon shipped him to Montana this morning to work on a security system.” Rona chortled under her breath as she poured a strong drink. “A blizzard is supposed to hit Montana tonight.”

“Serves him right.” Abby mixed herself a drink and topped off Lindsey’s with Coke. “Maybe his penis will freeze off and drop into the snow alongside his testicles.”

Oh God, they were blaming deVries for everything. Guilt pushed the alcohol aside. “He didn’t do anything. I…I was the one who broke up with him.”

“Because of what we’d talked about? Him being a sadist?” Rona asked softly.

Lindsey nodded miserably and gulped more of her drink.

“Sir Ethan said Zander was rude.” Abby set her glass down with a thump.

“Zander was furious with me.” A sob hitched Lindsey’s voice as she remembered his shocked expression. “God, I hurt him so bad. He didn’t w-want to break up. Acted as if it was something we could fix. But it wouldn’t work.” She looked at her friends. “It wouldn’t .”

“A relationship doesn’t change your basic personality,” Rona remarked carefully. “Did he think it would?”

“He only said he could handle it.” Lindsey pulled in a breath. “Except when he was relaxed, his face was all tight. He wasn’t the same. He looked like he was being rubbed raw from the inside out.”

Abby leaned back in her chair. “So he was angry and blasted you verbally.”

“Kind of.” She bit her lip. “First he said I wasn’t willing to put any effort into a relationship. And that—I could see his point. But when he saw Sir Ethan, he made a crack about me not having an empty bed. As if we broke up because I wanted Ethan. I don’t get it.”

“Huh.” Abby glanced at Rona. “Does Zander have a money hang-up or something?”

“Money?” Lindsey asked. “His ex left him for a rich guy. Still, what’s that got to do with Ethan?”

Rona blinked. “Zander was married before? I hadn’t heard that.”

“Yes. And Xavier told me Ethan’s really wealthy,” Abby said. “He doesn’t act like a snob, so most people don’t even know.”

“DeVries thinks I dumped him to get Sir Ethan’s money?” Insult set up an acid burn in her chest. “Did I tell you that was why he was so mean after the first night? He figured I’d divorced my ex and taken him for all he had.” Oh Zander.

She’d bet he didn’t really think that—had spewed something out in the heat of the moment.

“He’s got a skewed idea of women, sounds like,” Rona said. “No wonder he never gets serious. But he treated you differently.”

“I thought he did.” Lindsey frowned and blurted out, “I heard he was using me to make his boyfriend jealous.”

Rona and Abby stared and broke into laughter.

Lindsey glared. “Thanks, y’all.” With an effort, she shoved back from the table, walked into the kitchen—with only an occasional misstep—and fetched her second cure for heartsickness—a plateful of brownies with extra fudge frosting.

“Oh hey, let me help you with that.” Abby rose to take the goodies. “Look at all that chocolate. You really are feeling crappy, aren’t you?” She helped herself to one and moaned.

Rona motioned with a brownie at Lindsey. “Nice attempt at a diversion, sweetie. Now tell us why you’d think Zander has a boyfriend?”

“I’m kinda thinking it’s not my secret. And actually, I don’t believe it.” Last night, she’d decided HurtMe hadn’t been totally honest. Zander had wanted a relationship with her—he hadn’t even had a hissy fit when she’d called it going steady .

Regrettably HurtMe was right about one thing—he could offer Zander more than Lindsey. HurtMe loved pain.

Abby’s gaze had unfocused, and Lindsey could almost hear the professor’s mind buzzing. “Zander wouldn’t have told you that. Someone else did. Maybe someone who wasn’t being totally truthful.”

Lindsey straightened. “I—”

Rona clinked her glass against Abby’s. “You’re such a sociologist. Good call.”

“Hey, I’ve got a degree in psychology, you know. However, I didn’t figure it out until about 4:00 a.m.” Lindsey stared at the table.

Rona laid her hand over Lindsey’s. “That’s because you’re involved with him. We look at our lovers with our hearts, not our minds.”

“However, Lindsey, the man is going to return—if he doesn’t freeze. Maybe you should talk with him. Try to work something out.”

“I was fixin’ to do that, only I think it would hurt us both. Nothing gets past the fact that his need and my tolerance don’t match. And never will.”

The two women stayed silent, visibly upset and feeling for her. Lindsey gave them a twisted smile. They’d come to take care of her despite her attempt to ignore them. So wonderfully caring. As she picked up her drink, her shirtsleeve inched back to reveal the white scar running up her forearm. The one she’d gotten when she’d escaped from Ricks.

As Abby poured more rum into Rona’s glass, Lindsey had to wonder. Would her friends be here if they knew she was wanted by the law?

A second later, she realized they were both looking at her in concern. She blinked hard, realizing…yes, they’d be here. “I love you guys.”

Rona patted her shoulder. “And we love you too. Which is why we’re going to go in, watch some schmaltzy movie, eat popcorn, and talk trash about asshole men.”

When Lindsey burst into tears, Abby just snickered and hauled her out of the chair.

On Saturday, DeVries stalked into Dark Haven in a pisser of a mood. Knowing how much he hated cold weather, Simon had deliberately sent him to install a security system in the iciest fucking part of the country. It had taken an entire week to finish the job. Even the daytime temperatures had been below zero.