"You son of a bitch," Dougie exploded, shoving himself upright-and right into Rowdy's fist. The blow took him out, and Dougie slumped back into his seat, then slid off the booth to the floor.

"Huh," Rowdy said. "He's not only a drug-dealing worm, he has a glass jaw."

Cheryl gasped, curling tighter to the wall.

"But you," Rowdy said, turning his anger on Hickson, "are even worse.

You're a coward who abuses women, a cockroach who needs to be smashed."

Half rising from his seat, Hickson said, "Now wait a goddamn minute-"

Catching Hickson by the back of his neck, Rowdy slammed his face into the thick booth top. Cartilage crunched and blood spilled. With Hickson dazed, he looked at Cheryl. "You okay?"

Frozen, she said nothing, didn't move or breathe or blink.

Rowdy tried to work up a gentle smile.

"You'll be fine, I promise."

No reaction.

"Alice sent me."

She deflated on a whoosh. "Oh, thank God." Big tears filled her eyes.

Behind him, DeeDee tried to slink out.

Rowdy glanced at her over his shoulder, pinning her in place with his gaze.

"Word of warning, honey. Yo u don't wanna make me chase you." In his current mood, seeing the fear in Cheryl's eyes, he just might discount DeeDee's gender.

Hand to her throat, DeeDee paused.

Finally, Reese came in the front door, Trace from the back. Around the bar, several men separated from the crowd; Reese's men, now ready to assist.

Rowdy pulled Hickson out of his seat.

"Here's one,"

he said to Reese, practically tossing the man to him.

"There's another under the booth," he told Trace.

Nodding, Trace started forward.

Rowdy turned his attention to DeeDee.

"It's over."

Realizing she'd been busted, DeeDee back-stepped, at first uncertainly, but then faster and faster, and suddenly she turned to flee.

She plowed right into Avery, and both women went down.

Shit. Rowdy reached them in less than a second and hauled DeeDee to her feet.

One of Reese's buddies took her off his hands. Kneeling by Avery, who looked stunned, he said, "Hey." He pulled her into a sitting position. "You okay?"

She held her head in both hands. "It was a sting?"

"That's right." Rowdy brushed some dirt off her shoulder, then smoothed down her hair.

"You and DeeDee...?"

Despite what he'd told himself, Rowdy relished the opportunity to set her straight. "Just part of the setup."

Instead of relief, she looked...distraught. "So, did you actually buy the bar or not?"

"I bought it."

Now he saw relief-though she quickly hid it behind a frown. Avoiding his gaze, she said, "Good. I was already counting on my raise as bartender."

Coming to his feet along with her, Rowdy grinned. "Then get to it. Since I just fired Dougie, you can start right now."

IT WAS DAMN near dawn when Reese got

home to Alice. He should have been dead on his feet, but instead he felt energized. He'd called Alice as soon as he could, letting her know that Cheryl was shaken up, but unharmed. This time, she was more than willing to talk to the police, to ensure that Hickson and Woody Simpson got what they deserved.

Knowing what awaited him, Reese bounded up the steps and down the hall to the apartment. As he stepped inside, the first rays of sunlight slanted through the patio doors.

Logan had already picked up Pepper.

Dash was crashed in a chair, staring blindly at the TV. But when the door opened, he sat forward and pulled on his shoes.

Just as she'd promised, Alice was awake, waiting for him. Both she and Cash looked bleary-eyed with fatigue, but they immediately rose to give him a proper welcome.

First things first, Reese thought, and he reached for the leash.

Alice stopped him. "Dash just had him out, soon as he knew you were on your way home."

Reese gave his attention to Logan's brother.

"Thank you, Dash. For everything."

Smiling, Dash slapped Reese on the shoulder as he headed for the front door.

"Anytime." He already had his keys in his hand.

"Anxious to get to bed?"

"I'll be heading for a bed," Dash agreed with a yawn. "But not my own, and not to sleep." He bobbed his eyebrows, gave a negligent wave and was gone.

Alice stared at the closed door. "He couldn't be serious."

Reese grinned.

"But he was up all night!"

Reese teased her, saying, "You should know that men consider sex a cure-all for just about everything, even exhaustion."

"Oh." Suddenly she was hugging him, and Reese breathed in the comforting scent unique to Alice. He ran his hands down her narrow back, and, yes, he wanted her.

Always.

But there'd be time for that.

"You have to be hungry," she said.

"Let's eat first."

First, meaning she was amenable to lovemaking? Amazing Alice. How the hell had he gotten so lucky?

She took his hand and led him toward the kitchen. Her long nightgown nearly touched the floor. She had shadows under her eyes and rumpled hair and she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen in his life.

In the kitchen doorway, he pulled her around. "Alice."

"Hmm?" She looked up at him with trust and acceptance and so much more.

He kissed her, then went on kissing her -until Cash whined.

They both turned to see the dog standing by the counter where they kept the dog treats, wearing an expectant expression.

Alice bit her bottom lip. "He acts like all we do is have sex."

"He's intuitive, much like you."

Laughing, Alice gave the dog a treat, then turned to press Reese toward a chair. "Sit while I put on the coffee."

It did feel good to get off his feet. He toed off his shoes under the table, stretched and thought how nice it was to end a long day with Alice.

"Cheryl went back home to her family?"

Reese watched the sway of her hips in that fetish gown as she filled a carafe with water. "She called her mother from the station. There were some tears, but I don't think they were sad tears."

"Excess of emotion," Alice said with a nod. She gave him a shy look. "I do that sometimes, too."

"I don't want you to cry. Ever."

She laughed at that. "Sorry, but sometimes I even cry when I'm happy."

Okay, so he might have to get used to that-since he planned to keep her very happy. "Peterson got a warrant, and she's going through Woody Simpson's offices right now. She's already found tons of evidence." Quietly, because he knew how Alice would react, he told her the rest. "She also found a young lady named Michelle, who was more than willing to detail everything she'd overheard, and everything she'd seen."

Alice went still before turning in a rush. "Is she okay?"

"Peterson thinks she'll be fine."

Certainly, she'd be better now than she would have been if Alice hadn't intuitively recognized that Cheryl needed help. She'd started the ball rolling on breaking a huge case of drug trafficking, kidnapping and more. "And thanks to her, we'll be able to shut down deals already in the works and ferret out buyers and distributors who'd been involved with Woody."

Alice briefly closed her eyes, but when she opened them again, she asked, "And Rowdy? How did things work out for him?"

Reese told her about the petite redheaded waitress who had occupied much of Rowdy's attention. "I have a feeling he'll be facing new challenges very soon."

Grinning, Alice said, "I'm glad." As she turned to fill the coffee cups, she asked, "What about Trace? Is he gone again already?"

It occurred to Reese that it no longer bothered him for Alice to mention the elusive wraith. "I doubt we'll see much of him after this, but I got the feeling he'd be doing some behind-the-scenes recon for the lieutenant, helping her to nail down evidence against any remaining corruption."

As if Trace's whereabouts didn't concern her all that much, Alice set the coffee on the table. "What would you like to eat?"

He smiled at her, and she blushed.

That made him laugh outright. He caught her hand and pulled her over and into his lap. "You know, if it weren't for you, both Cheryl and Michelle, and probably a lot of other women, would still be in a great deal of trouble."

"You give me too much credit." Her gaze intent on his throat, she slipped her hands under his shirt. "I'm just glad that you were able to sort it all out."

Already aroused heat filled her big brown eyes. Damn, but he loved her.

Reese traced a finger over her lips.

"Looks like I'll have mandatory days off again."

"Oh?" She nuzzled into his throat, her breath gentle and warm.

He shuddered. "I was thinking we could spend that time looking at houses."

Her head came up. "You were serious about that?"

"Cash needs room to run." He tangled a hand in her silky brown hair. "And since I'm staying with you now, we need a bigger place."

She caught her breath.