“The phone at my ass started ringing, I leaned forward and pulled it out. “Don’t answer that,” Noah ordered.“Fuck you,” I shot back, saw the display said “Luke calling” and flipped it open.“Yo.”“Babe,” Luke replied.“I’ve been kidnapped again,” I informed him.“I know. I’m following.”

“My futon was a fancy one with armrests and everything. It was a pain in the ass to get open because it weighed a ton. I figured I’d make the bed when Luke got back. He’d probably be able to pull it out by glaring at it.”

“She nodded, grabbed her purse out of the drawer and skedaddled, walking like she was on a catwalk, one foot in front of the other, her ass swaying under the skirt of her expensive, tailored suit.Bitch. I thought again, watching her go.“No comparison,” Luke said after the door closed behind Dawn and I turned to him.“Excuse me?”“Dawn’s a man eater. You’re not. No comparison,” Luke answered and I didn’t know how to take that.“Is that good?”The half-smile came back.“Most men prefer to do the eating.”Holy fucking cow.”

“I pulled out my cell, flipped it opened and said Hank’s name into the phone. It rang twice. “You okay?” he asked in greeting. “My life began when I met you,” I told him. There was a beat of silence. Then, I heard him say, “Sunshine –”

“Babe, look at me.”“Kiss my ass,” I replied.”

“Did you pay for the repairs on my Range Rover?” I asked him.“Yeah.”“Why?”“Why not?” he answered.I felt my hold on my temper slip. “Luke, it’s my car.”“Ava, you’re my woman.”I ignored the melty feeling that gave me too. “So?”“So you’re my woman, I take care of you.”“Luke – ““This isn’t up for discussion.”“It sure as hell is!”“I’m thinkin’, as payback for the hickey, I want you in that pink teddy thing tonight.”Was he for real?“Luke!”“Later.”Disconnect.Argh!”

“What are you gonna do?” I whispered.“I’m gonna do whatever I have to do to protect Luke while he does whatever the fuck he wants to do.”