Unwilling to accept that, Heath leveled his most intimidating glare on her. "You've gotten awfully lippy."

Both men looked at her, Heath with anger, Cannon with support. "I'm fed up, Heath. How else can I say it? We're done and there's nothing else to talk about."

"You sure you want to take that tone?" He ignored Cannon and focused only at her. "After everything?"

When Cannon tightened, she put a hand on him to let him know she could handle it. Sure, she was shaking. Mortified. Nervous. But she would not let Heath cow her. "I'll take whatever tone is necessary for you to understand."

Heath started to take a step closer and Cannon moved into his path. "No."

Around him, Heath said, "I know you better than anyone else. I know you better than he ever could. You might want to remember that."

Her lips felt stiff, her eyes burning. "You couldn't be more wrong."

"Yeah, right." His mocking gaze went to Cannon. "She tell you all about her hang-ups?"

"That's none of your business," Yvette said.

"Far as I can tell," Cannon added, "she's perfect."

Heath went red faced with rage-a rage he aimed at Yvette. "So you're f.u.c.king him?"

She flinched at his raised voice. If she looked, would everyone in the place be staring at them?

"Whoa." Cannon moved her behind him. "That's enough."

"f.u.c.k you, too!"

As she'd seen him do before, Heath went from zero to eighty in the blink of an eye.

"Here's the thing," Cannon said, still calm with a quiet authority that unnerved Heath more than a shouting match ever could. "You're not going to talk to her alone. Not today, not ever. If you want to talk to her at all, it'll be when you're calm, and I'll be there. Even then, it's only if Yvette agrees. Right now, she doesn't."

"She never does!"

"With the way you're acting, can you blame her?" He let that sink in, then added, "I know you don't want to upset any of the other nice people who are here, many of them kids."

As if only then remembering the public locale, Heath's gaze scanned the room.

"We don't want anyone calling the cops, right? So how about you go cool down and think about things?"

Heath bunched and unbunched, but by some miracle he held himself in check.

"Where are you staying?" Cannon asked. "Nearby? Close enough that we can get together later and talk?"

Understanding why he asked, Yvette stayed quiet.

Suspicion increased Heath's color. "We?"

"You and me."

He looked beyond Cannon to where Yvette stood, arms crossed, her face hot.

Cannon stepped into his line of vision. "Look at me, Heath. Not her."

"I'm at the Colonial."

"I know where it is," Cannon said. "I've stayed there myself before when I visit town."

"You don't live here?"

"Not full-time." Cannon started edging him toward the front door. "You have a card or anything? I'll give you a call and we can arrange a time to sit down and settle this. What do you think?"

With p.r.o.nounced longing, Heath looked back, trying to see her, but Cannon kept his attention with his hand on his shoulder. "Breakfast, maybe? Or lunch?"

Outmaneuvered, Heath nodded. "Sure, that'd be fine." He dug a card from his wallet and handed it over, but then planted his feet at the door. "Understand, though, I will talk with her." He looked back at Yvette again. "I gave you time. I tried to be understanding. You've dodged me long enough."

And with that, he slammed out.

Frozen to the spot, Yvette admired how well Cannon had handled that. Unlike her, he hadn't gotten distraught. He hadn't gotten physical either, as Armie had wanted to do.

Maybe it was Cannon's extreme ability that kept him from needing to react. He could handle whatever Heath did and knew it, so why get riled up about it?

When Cannon stayed at the door, making sure Heath actually drove away, she ducked around the corner and headed for the break room. With every step she felt eyes on her, everyone watching, everyone speculating.

Again.

Keeping her head up and her gaze straight ahead, she tried not to race away. Cannon deserved so much more than the trouble she brought him. He deserved more than a spectacle.

d.a.m.n it, she was working on it. No way would she let Heath ruin her progress.

doing his best to hide his rage, Cannon watched Heath go to his car, noted the make and model, the plates, and waited until the b.a.s.t.a.r.d disappeared around the corner.

He turned and wasn't at all surprised to see Yvette gone and Armie there.

"She's in the break room," Armie said low. "She walked off like the queen, but she's upset. Makes me want to choke that b.a.s.t.a.r.d."

"Yeah, I know, but I'll handle it," Cannon said.

"Anything I can do?"

"Call the Colonial and ask for Heath Nordan. See if you can leave a message for him. I want to make sure that's where he's at."

"Sure thing." Armie kept pace beside him. "I'm betting he's the one who d.i.c.ked with your tires."

"If it isn't, then I have more than one problem, don't I?" He left Armie at the reception desk to make the call and headed toward the break room.

Stack cut him off. "She okay?"

"She will be." After he rea.s.sured her-which he planned to do right now.

Denver blocked his way. "You need anything?"

He shook his head. "Got it covered, thanks."

Miles and Brand crowded in, too. Cannon almost laughed. Yvette had an entire army at her disposal, whether she realized it or not.

"Just keep an eye out," Cannon told them, already knowing they would. They did it for the entire neighborhood.

They'd sure as h.e.l.l be extra vigilant for one of their own.

And she was. Yvette might not realize it yet, but she'd been accepted into the inner circle, even if that hadn't been her intention.

He found her seated at the table, spine straight, shoulders back, pose as proud as she could make it.

For a few seconds he just stood there looking at her, taking in her features, that long hair, the trim body. In so many ways, more than just the physical, she turned him on.

She hadn't bothered with a drink. Her hands rested, calm and still, on the tabletop, but he saw the pulse beating in her throat, the way she breathed too deeply.

Now that he'd met Heath, he better understood why she thought she had a problem. In a dozen different ways, as soon as humanly possible, he'd show her-again- that she didn't.

Not with him.

"Hey."

At his soft voice, she looked up. Their gazes held. "He's gone?"

"Yeah." Cannon came on in, but he didn't sit. Instead he pulled her up and out of her chair and into his arms.

She resisted. "You asked where he was staying so you could check up on him, didn't you?"

He nodded.

"You won't actually meet with him, will you?"

"I doubt he'll agree to it, but if he does, sure." With one finger, he traced her mouth. "What better way to make things clear to him."

She ducked her head. "We need to talk."

"Okay." He loosened his arms, and when she tipped her face up, he took her mouth, kissing her with all the possessive protectiveness churning inside him.

At first she went still, but when she finally gave in, sinking against him, he held her face and gentled the kiss, then put his forehead to hers.

All the anger he'd held at bay sounded in his tone now. "I wanted to kill him. You know that, right?"

Eyes closed, she swallowed and gave a small nod.

"But I would never deliberately embarra.s.s you. You need to know that, too."

"Thank you." She started to turn away, but he caught her waist and sat her on the table, then flattened his hands at either side of her hips.

"Understand, Yvette. The second I saw you, I knew what you were feeling."

Her green eyes stared into his. "Shame?"

That made him frown. "Worry."

"I was feeling both, actually."

"You hid it well. I'm proud of you."

Now she frowned.

"You can confide in me. Lean on me. You know that, right?"

"I know." Her smile flicked with sadness. "But I don't want to be that person anymore."

"The person who needs me?" Because, d.a.m.n it, he wanted her to be that and more.

"The girl who burdens you."

He let out a sigh. "Now you're just trying to p.i.s.s me off." Before she could be offended by that, he kissed her again.

She put a hand to his jaw, gentled him and his anger. "Everyone out there was looking."

"They knew what was going on, yes. That's on Heath, not you."

"I don't want them all thinking I'm pathetic."

He shook his head. She'd been hurt so badly, and no matter how she covered it up, how determined she was to soldier on, the wounds hadn't yet healed. "Don't be silly, okay? No one here is judging you. In fact, any woman in your position would get the same consideration and concern from the guys."

Getting her gumption back, she pushed off the table. "I don't want it."

"Really?" He caught her hand and held it. "Fine. You go tell a bunch of fighters that they don't need to notice when some a.s.shole comes in ha.s.sling a woman half his size. Go ahead. See the reaction you get."

This time real humor teased her mouth. "Stop it." She dropped against him with a groan. "You know I'm not going back out there yet."

He rubbed her back to soothe her. "In about two minutes you are, because we'll be heading out." This was his world, his family. He wanted her comfortable in it, under any circ.u.mstances. He wanted his family to be her family.

"You're still working with the kids," she pointed out. "And you haven't yet showered."

Given the way she cuddled into him, she didn't mind that he was a little sweaty. "Armie's finishing up with the kids and I can shower at home. In fact, I was thinking maybe-"

Armie cleared his throat.

They both turned to the doorway.

Beside Armie was a big guy who topped even Cannon by a few inches. His nose had been broken multiple times, his right ear thickened from too many hits. Both his goatee and his Mohawk needed a good trim.

Yvette eased back, but Cannon put an arm around her, keeping her at his side. "Justice. What's up?" He leaned forward for a handshake.