Grinning, Justice drew him away from Yvette and into a giant bear hug. "Good to see you, Saint." He clapped Cannon hard on the back.

After suffering the embrace, Cannon stepped back and flexed his shoulders. "d.a.m.n, man, no reason to break my spine." He drew Yvette forward. "Honey, this is Justice."

She held out her small hand. "A fighter, I take it."

"Aw, bet the ears gave it away, huh?" As he'd done with Cannon, he ignored her hand and hauled her in for a much gentler hug, then kept her pinned to his side with his ma.s.sive arm over her shoulders. "This is a new addition, ain't it, Saint? Every one better'n the last." He squeezed her. "Don't know how you do it, but I approve, I approve."

Yvette just laughed as she freed herself. "Nice to meet you."

Armie leaned in the door frame. "Justice has some news to share."

"Yeah?" Cannon indicated the chairs. "Want to sit?"

"Actually, I'd rather check out your joint here, if you don't mind."

"Make yourself at home."

Armie choked, but Cannon had no idea why.

With another face-splitting grin, Justice said, "Your boy there is strangling himself, so I may as well tell you."

"I'm listening."

"I'm dropping a weight cla.s.s. Already got s.h.i.t set up with the boss, so next go around-" he pointed a finger back and forth between their chests "-will be you and me. Winner gets a t.i.tle shot. What do you think about that?"

It took Cannon by surprise. Not that he'd be fighting for the t.i.tle. He'd been expecting that.

But h.e.l.l, Justice had lost only one fight as a heavyweight, though the man he'd lost to had been one h.e.l.l of a barrier to the championship, so it made sense to shift gears. "I think you chose a harder path, because we both know I'll take you apart."

"Ho!" Justice laughed out loud at that, making Armie flatten his mouth. "So f.u.c.king c.o.c.ky."

"Language," Cannon cautioned without any heat.

He doffed an imaginary hat. "Apologies, ma'am."

Yvette didn't understand. She looked between them. "You'll be fighting each other?"

"So he says." Cannon knew bl.u.s.ter when he saw it, and Justice might want to look as though he thought it'd be an easy win, but he wasn't a dummy. He'd have his work cut out for him. "How set is it?" he asked Justice.

"Carved in stone. Matchmaker approved. Probably three or four months off, though. You should be getting a call today." Sotto voce, he said in an aside to Yvette, "Hope you don't expect him to stay this pretty, 'cause I plan to mess him up a little."

Tipping her head, she sent her long hair spilling over her shoulder. "You're awfully big. How much will you have to lose?"

"Forty pounds, give or a take a few."

She tipped her head the other way, studying Justice. "Are you as fast as Cannon?"

Justice tugged on one ear. "Probably."

Her slow smile claimed "bulls.h.i.t," even though Yvette would never say it. "You look like a striker. How's your ground game?"

"Pretty good-"

"Not great, huh?" She made a sound of regret.

Justice's grin went crooked as he slanted a look at Cannon. "d.a.m.n, Saint. I like her."

"Meaning he knows his ground game sucks," Cannon said with good-natured ribbing.

"I'm workin' on it. I'm workin' on it." He turned back to Armie. "So, Quick, since you look like the guard dog-"

"Quick?" Yvette raised her brows. "Is that your fight name, Armie?"

The way his ears went red had both Cannon and Justice guffawing.

"It is," Justice confided, "but not because of his quick knockouts."

Cannon gave her a one-armed hug. "It's mostly a joke-"

"Completely a joke," Armie protested. "And it's f.u.c.king getting old."

"-carried over from his youth when he was a little too quick on the draw with the ladies."

"One lady, d.a.m.n it." Armie threw up his arms. "And I made it up to her later!"

Confused, Yvette looked at each man in turn. "I don't understand."

That only made Justice laugh so hard that he fell against the wall.

Adoring her more by the minute, Cannon leaned down to her ear. "He got off a little too fast-as in, he came before things really even got started."

"Oh."

Armie stared at her. "It was back in high school, for G.o.d's sake."

"Ah, Quick, some things are never forgotten." After wiping his eyes, Justice grinned at him. "So am I still welcome to check out the place?"

"Stay as long as you'd like." Armie made a show of indifference. "If Cannon can put up with you, I suppose I can, too."

"There ya go." He turned to Cannon. "Come show me around, Saint."

"I'll do it," Armie said, already knowing Cannon wanted to stay with Yvette.

"Thanks." And then to Justice, Cannon added, "I'll be along soon."

"Got some smoochin' to do, huh? I get it. Can't say as I blame you."

Armie walked off, so Justice hurried to follow along. "Slow down, dawg. Oh, wait, I forgot. You're the speedy one."

What Armie said in return wasn't fit for human ears.

As they disappeared, Cannon realized he was still grinning. Being home always seemed right, but never more so than now, with Yvette here.

"You do enjoy fighting, don't you?"

He pulled her in for a taste, mouth to mouth, tongue making a fast foray. When around her, he couldn't resist. "Love it." But not as much as he loved... No, he couldn't start thinking about her that way. Not yet. Way too d.a.m.n soon to be rushing her like that. "I also love a challenge."

But, d.a.m.n it, Yvette was the biggest challenge he'd ever faced. A challenge to his control, his peace of mind. His heart.

Armie poked his head back in. "I gave the big ape over to Stack. Wanted to tell you, I made that call and it checks out."

"Perfect, thanks." Before he could leave again, Cannon said, "Armie?"

"Yeah?"

"Justice is okay. Invite him to hang around and make use of the place, okay?"

"Sure." Armie started off again. "I was already planning to give him a proper welcome."

Cannon laughed, and when Yvette looked at him in confusion, he said, "Armie's going to offer to spar with him."

"That's nuts. Armie's what? Six feet?"

"And one-eighty-five. I know. Big disparity in size. But believe me, he can handle himself. Might as well break Justice in right."

Looking grateful for something else to focus on, Yvette asked, "If Armie's that good, why doesn't he fight for the SBC?"

"He has his reasons, but lack of talent isn't one of them." Cannon leaned a hip on the table. "So. Know what I think we should do?"

"Go home so you can shower?"

The way she said that, her warm gaze skipping down his body, he knew she hoped to get intimate again. And he was all for that idea. But first... "We need to go see the lieutenant."

CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

lieutenant margaret peterson-riske was as stunning as Yvette remembered. A dynamo who exuded confidence, control and femininity. Dash, her very adoring husband, seemed every bit attentive as she remembered, even this many years later.

After Cannon called her, Margaret had insisted they stop by and so here they were, in her home, with her precious little daughter, Bethany, climbing up Cannon and squealing his name.

Cannon scooped up the toddler and held her at eye level. "Hey, b.u.t.ton. Did you miss me?"

She squealed again and smooched his cheek, making Yvette smile.

"Bethany," Margaret said, "this is Cannon's friend Yvette."

"'Vette," Bethany said, eyeing her warily.

Cannon held her close to his chest and smoothed her dark curly hair-hair just like her mother's, though she had her father's dark eyes.

"Hi, Bethany," Yvette said.

When the little girl just scowled at her, Cannon said, "Come on, b.u.t.ton. Be nice."

Instead the little girl hid her face in Cannon's neck while reaching out a hand to Yvette.

Charmed, Yvette took it. "You're very pretty."

"Like Mama," Bethany said.

"Exactly," Dash said. "She listens when it suits her. Again, like her mama."

Margaret slanted him a look. "Hush, Daddy."

Laughing, Cannon kissed the top of Bethany's head.

"It's time for your bath, honey. You can visit with Cannon later."

Because she loved her baths even more than Cannon, Bethany went willingly, more or less launching herself from Cannon's arms into her father's. "I want bubbles. And my boat, and SpongeBob, and Barbie, and..."

They disappeared down the hall with Bethany still listing toys. SpongeBob and Barbie-quite the mixed couple.

Margaret seated them at the kitchen table, offered drinks, then got down to business.

Cannon had told her a little about Heath on the phone. It bothered Yvette than she hadn't been the one to make the call, but he knew the lieutenant better than she did.

Still hoping to deal with Heath without causing a lot of fanfare, she was hesitant to get the police involved. But he had been out of control today, and she knew it. That meant he could be a threat to Cannon or the rec center, not just her.

So they'd compromised, and were talking with Margaret outside the station.

But unfortunately, that only meant they'd invaded her free time. Yvette detested the drama. "I'm very sorry to bother you with this, especially at home."

"Nonsense. Cannon has great instincts. If he's concerned, then I'm glad you contacted me." She sat at the table opposite them. "I've thought of you often. It's nice to see you again."

"And you." She sounded genuine enough, so Yvette tried to relax. "Your daughter is precious."

"Yes, she is." Her happiness came through in a serene smile. "Dash is hilarious with her. And the men! As you just saw, she adores Cannon, but also Reese and Logan." She leaned forward. "And, oh, my G.o.d, Rowdy. It's a riot how he melts for her."

Yvette couldn't imagine the detectives, much less the big bada.s.s Rowdy, playing with a tiny little girl. Of course, it seemed natural enough for Cannon to cuddle her.

"She shies away from women," Cannon said. "But she expects every guy she meets to bend to her will."

"And they do," Margaret told her. "Even Reese's son, Marcus. She treats him like a revered big brother and he falls for it."

Cannon had told her about Marcus being adopted by the detective and his wife after his abusive father went to jail and his mother died from an overdose. Thinking about it now left her in a melancholy mood. She had no business being so weak when a child like Marcus could be so strong.