REESE GAVE A soft curse. Even from his

position at the other side of the lot, hidden inside a nondescript van, he could see Alice striving for a way out.

She looked a little shell-shocked, though she quickly tried to recover. From the looks of it, Nikki and Pam were just returning from a night on the town.

Decked out in tight, short dresses and high-heeled sandals, their voices too loud and their strides a little wobbly, they caged her in.

His phone gave a low buzz, and he lifted it to read a message from Rowdy.

Boss himself will grab Alice.

Unwilling to question Rowdy's resourcefulness or let his attention waver from Alice, he sent Rowdy an acknowledgement and then forwarded the message on to Trace.

With that done, Reese scoped the area around the parking lot, but he saw no one other than Nikki, Pam and Alice.

Attempting to rush past the neighbors, Alice tried to dismiss them with a fast wave. It didn't work.

Nikki said, "Hey, hold up."

Stay cool, Alice, Reese silently encouraged her. But he could hear the voices carrying on the otherwise quiet night. Nikki was worked up, even pushier and more brazen than usual.

Blocking Alice's path, Nikki said, "So. You and Reese still doing the nasty?"

Alice opened her mouth, but Pam beat her to it, saying, "Course she is. You don't think a girl'd give that up, do you?" Pam tried to high-five Alice, but lost her balance and Alice had to practically support her.

"Tell him I'm still willing," Nikki insisted. "Anytime, anywhere. And I guarantee I can do things for him that you've never even heard of."

"Oh, um..." Alice struggled to right Pam, but she seemed content to lean on Alice. To get rid of her, Alice said, "Okay, sure, I'll tell him." Not.

"To hell with that," Pam insisted.

"You need it more than Nik does. I swear, honey, you were about the most stuck-up, prudish woman I'd ever met.

Now, since Reese has been givin' it to you regular, you're much nicer."

With a solid shove, Alice managed to peel Pam off her side. "I was never stuck up."

"Ha!" Nikki leaned into her face and almost fell off her high heels. "You were a bitch."

"Not true, Nik," Pam insisted. "She was just miserable, being so alone and all." And then in a loud aside to Alice, "We shoulda taken you out and gotten you laid sooner. But, you, clever girl, you held out and got the real prize."

"Reese?" Alice guessed.

"God, yes. " This time Pam fell against Nikki and they both stumbled. "He is so hawt. "

"Yeah," Nikki said. "So, c'mon, dish.

How is he in the sack? A stud, I bet.

Right?"

"None of your business," Alice admonished them both. "You should go in, maybe get some sleep."

Eyes widening, Nikki asked, "Is he in there?" She bent to take off first one sandal, then the other. "It's awful late for you to be going out. Did you two fight?"

Pam looked toward the apartment building. "If you two are fighting, maybe we should console him."

"Stay away from him."

Reese lifted his brows.

Nikki and Pam both went still.

Into the ensuing silence, Alice said, "Well." She lifted her chin, hitched her purse strap up her shoulder, and aimed a dead stare at each of the ladies. "Reese is working, and I'm on my way out to see a friend. So please, just call it a night." As she started away, she said over her shoulder, her voice still firm, "And leave. Reese. Alone. "

Each lady nodded.

Alice turned to continue on her way- and two shadows emerged from the darkness.

Shit. So close to home. They were counting on Reese being well and truly gone. That, or they didn't consider him a viable threat to their plans.

His phone vibrated softly again.

Glancing at it, Reese saw Trace's message: Be patient.

Already sliding out of the van, his bare feet making not a single sound as he crossed the parking lot, Reese dodged from car to car until he had Alice within reach.

Now, knowing he was close enough to protect her, now he would wait.

ALICE WAS STILL muttering about Nikki's

and Pam's audacity when the men came out of nowhere-just as she'd known they would. But knowing it and experiencing it were two very different things. The shadows took shape, became ominous, and then they were right there, leering at her, intimidating with their intent.

From behind her, she heard a third man say, "Ladies," and the next thing she knew, Nikki and Pam were corralled up by her.

Alcohol dulling her discretion, Pam flirted with the stocky fellow gripping her arm. "My, aren't you a big one? Not quite as big as Reese, but-"

Alice snapped, "Shut up, Pam!" She would not have Reese's name bandied about.

The man looked Pam over. "You like them big, honey?"

"Doesn't every girl?"

Nikki pointed at Alice with impressed glee. "You naughty little slut!" She smiled and missed a step, bumping into Pam, who pitched forward and almost fell. "You've been playing the field, haven't you?"

"Yeah, she has." The guy nearest Alice showed a toothy smile. "She gets around, don't you, doll?"

Fearful for Nikki and Pam, and knowing that Reese was probably annoyed with the complication to his plans, Alice tried to defuse the situation.

She needed to remove Reese's admirers from the scene. "I, ah, I was on my way to meet a friend."

"Right." The man moved closer until his body touched hers. "Us."

Pam said, "Keeping all the beefcake for yourself? Greedy, Alice. I can see not sharing Reese-"

"Reese," Nikki purred, as if savoring the thought of him.

"But no reason to hog these sweeties, too."

Alice gave a silent prayer that Pam and Nikki would shut up and go in.

They didn't.

"Never figured you for the orgy type,"

Nikki added. She walked her fingers up her captor's chest.

Because she doesn't realize she's been captured. Panic had Alice's vision closing in. She shook her head to clear it. "I don't know what's going on here, but I think-"

"You know exactly what's happening,"

the bruiser interrupted, and he settled his hands on her shoulders.

Alice lurched away but didn't get far, not with the men forming a solid wall around her.

They laughed at her impotent fear.

Alice dug in. "I'm pretty sure you plan to kidnap me."

Everyone stopped.

Nikki swayed on her feet, looking around at the men. Alarm finally started to settle in past her buzz. "What're you talkin' 'bout?"

"Who wants to kidnap you?" Pam asked.

Alice opened her mouth to speak.

And a fourth man said, "Alice is just teasing. Isn't that right, Alice?"

Shaking head to toes, Alice watched as the man left the backseat of an SUV. He was younger than the others, probably no more than his mid-twenties. Dark hair and darker eyes...he might have been attractive if he didn't scare her so badly.

Only the sure knowledge that Reese was close, keeping watch, helped her to remain calm.

The bastard behind her bumped into her again, deliberately nudging her toward the newcomer. She felt like a sacrifice, small and insignificant...just as she had so long ago, before Trace had helped her escape.

Before Reese had come into her life.

Alice tried to keep her shoulders back, her chin up, but it wasn't easy. "Where's Cheryl?"

"She's at my place, waiting for you."

Hand extended, the new man walked right up to her. "You're Alice, right?"

Not taken in by his handsome face or slick demeanor, Alice ignored his offered greeting. But Pam, clearly reassured, reached out for his hand. "I'm Pam."

His cold gaze transferred off Alice's face and instead he caught Pam in his sights. As if pleased, he took her hand in his. "Very nice to meet you."

Pam smiled dreamily. "This is my friend Nikki."

Nikki wiggled her fingers in a silly hello.

"Woody Simpson, at your service."

Alice shuddered. If that was his real name, it could only mean that he didn't plan on any of them living past the next few hours.

He turned back to Alice. "Do you think your friends would like to join us?"

"No, they would not." Please, don't make them.

Woody didn't blink. "I think they would."

Nikki and Pam agreed.

He moved closer to Alice, his smile charming, his air cocky. "In fact, I insist." And with no more than a nod, he instructed the other men to escort Pam and Nikki to the SUV.

Damn, damn, damn. She absolutely could not let Pam and Nikki get in that car. The darkened windows would make i t impossible for Reese to see them.

Uncertainty would hinder his response; he couldn't leave their safety to chance when reacting.