feet.”
“No way,” Justice said, taking a seat behind Armie.
Armie looked back and forth between them. “Sure, join me. Make yourselves comfortable.”
Vanity patted his arm in a pitying way. “We don’t stand on formality, not when we see a friend moping.”
“I’m not moping,” he denied. God, he was so moping.
Justice laughed. “I’ve watched five different women hit on you. All fuckable—excuse me, Vanity—and you made excuses to all of them.”
“No offense taken,” Vanity said, and then to Armie, “Seriously? Are you off the market?”
She looked way too pleased by that notion.
Stack laughed. “That’s even more ridiculous than my gibe about him having cold feet.”
A brunette approached the bar and Armie swallowed a groan. Of course he remembered her, but he pretended he didn’t.
Because he was a dick like that.
“Armie?” Ignoring the others, she trailed a finger up his arm and over his shoulder. “I’m free tonight.”
“Yeah?” Armie looked at Justice. “So is he. You two should hook up.”
Justice straightened. “Gospel truth, ma’am.”
The brunette’s eyes narrowed. “I was talking to you, Armie.”
“And I handed you off. Take it or leave it.”
Vanity slugged him.
Stack coughed.
Justice just looked hopeful.
The brunette asked expectantly, “Will you join us?”
“No!” Justice said quickly. “He won’t.”
Armie looked at the lady’s pout, Vanity’s disapproving expression, Justice’s appalled frown, and he had to laugh. “If you’ll all excuse me?”
Paying no attention to questions, he threw some bills on the bar and took off. Halfway toward the door, Miles called out to him.
Armie kept going.
Two women tried to waylay him, but he pretended not to notice. Once outside, he sucked in the cold evening air, but it did nothing to clear his head. And suddenly, without looking behind him, he knew Cannon was there. “Shit.”
Cannon laughed. “You’re okay to drive?”
Working to clear all emotion from his face, Armie turned to his friend. “Can’t get drunk on nasty lemon water, now can I?”
“Is that what you wanted to do? Get drunk?”
No, he wanted to drag Merissa to bed and keep her there until his blood no longer burned and lurid thoughts of her cleared out of his brain. He popped his neck, shook his head and said, “I don’t know.”
“It’s not the fight.” Folding his arms, Cannon leaned back on the outside wall of Rowdy’s bar. “I know you too well to think you’re concerned about Carter.”
“I’ll either win the fight or not. I’m prepared.” Armie shrugged, showing his indifference. He never thought in terms of winning or losing. Just winning. And to that end he did what he needed to do to ensure success.
“Everyone assumes there’s added pressure because you’ll be in the SBC now. But again,” Cannon stated, “I know you better than that.”
“A fight is a fight,” Armie confirmed. “The size of the crowd—”
“Or the size of the paycheck?”
“—doesn’t matter to me.”
“I know.” Cannon lifted a brow. “So you want to tell me what’s eating at you?”
A bad case of desperate lust for your little sister. Not something he’d ever share. Rather than deny the problem, Armie shook his head. “I’ll deal with it.”
“By avoiding sex?”
He jutted his chin. “Who says I am?”
Cannon didn’t blink. “Man, I know you. Better than anyone. You thought I wouldn’t notice when you went cold turkey?”
That so shocked Armie that he took a step back. He couldn’t think of a single thing to say. If he tried to blame it on fight preparation, Cannon would just laugh at him again. “I don’t suppose you’d butt out?”
“Sure. If that’s what you really want.” Cannon straightened away from the wall. “But if you want to talk, if you need anything—”
“I know.” Once, a lifetime ago, Cannon had been the only person to back him. Against all odds and ugly accusations, he’d stood with Armie and never, not once, showed a single shadow of doubt. Uncomfortable with the idea of ever again being that needy, Armie flexed his shoulders and said, “Thanks, but it’s fine.”
“I know that.” Cannon squeezed his shoulder. “You just need to start believing it.”
Armie glared at his friend as he went back into the bar. He didn’t need that melodramatic crap heaped on him. Breathing hard, he looked around at the moon-washed blacktop, the frost-covered bus bench, then up at the inky, star-studded sky.
What was Merissa doing right now? Was she with another man—as he’d suggested?
It’s what he wanted, what would be best—for her—but at the same time... Jesus, it tortured him.
After the life he’d led, the background he’d overcome and the physical ability he’d gained, he wasn’t afraid of anything or anyone, except Merissa Colter’s effect on him. That scared him all right. Bone-deep, heart-sucking fear.
He glanced back, and through the big front window of the bar he saw his friends. Merissa’s friends. Only she wasn’t there—because of him.
It was past time he stopped being a coward so instead he’d face the fear. Tomorrow morning, he’d face her.
And somehow he’d make it all right.
* * *
MOST PEOPLE THOUGHT bank managers worked a perfect nine-to-five job. Ha! As Merissa looked from the impatient customers still in line to her harassed tellers and the clock, she knew it’d be another late day. What should have been five minutes more would likely turn into at least half an hour.
The phone rang, and as she went to answer it the front door opened again. Along with a gust of cold air, two male customers stepped in, bundled up in heavy winter coats and stocking hats, with thick knit scarves around their throats.
Right behind them was...Armie.
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