“No, I’m rarely happy.” He slung both bags over his shoulder. “Youready?”
“Where are you takingme?”
“Myplace.”
She snickered. “I don’t think so. I can stay with mymom.”
“I’m not driving to Old Town in thissnowstorm.”
“I can move into Colton’sguesthouse.”
“Not tonight.” He stepped toward her door and glanced back. “Pretend like we’re inlove.”
“I’m not thattalented.”
Her smart mouth made him chuckle. “The longer you stall, the icier the roadsget.”
Before heading downstairs, she grabbed her toiletries from the bathroom. As they picked their way around the bodies on the stairs, he eyed the dining room table. The lines were gone. Sizing up the group, he placed a protective hand around her shoulder. “We’re outtahere.”
Ben rose from the arm of the sofa, his hazy stare locked on Alexandra. “What’s the rush? Party with me, baby. P-a-a-a-r-t-a-a-a-y.” He held out hishand.
Crockett eyed Ben.Six two or three, two fifty. Burly. Probably stoned, drunk and high on coke.I’ve gotthis.
“Not tonight,” Alexandra said. “I want some alone-time with…myfiancé.”
Ben cocked his hands on his hips and stepped too damned close to Alexandra.Jesus, he stinks.Crockett pulled her flush against him, preparing to shield her with hisbody.
“Stay.” Ben’s eyes grew beady. No smile, harsh tone.He’s turningaggressive.
No one seemed interested in Ben, save for one average-sized guy smoking a joint on the sofa. Crockett could manage two, though he’d no idea what drugs they’d taken or how combative this crowd could get. He couldn’t turn his back on Ben, so he stepped backwards hoping Alexandra would walk toward the door. She did, but Ben moved around them with more speed than Crockettexpected.
Whack!Benslapped his hand against the front door, causing everyone tojump.
“Step away,” Crockettsaid.
“Get the fuck out of here, but she stays. Me and her are gonna have somefun.”
Crockett squared his shoulders, prepared to either throw the duffel bags off or use one of them if Ben pulled a knife. “Get out of ourway.”
“Or what? You gonna make me, pretty boy? Fuck you. This is my place. You do as Isay.”
“Ben,” Mandy said. “They don’t want to stay,honey.”
“Shut up. If I say the bitch stays, she stays.” Ben’s fist flew toward Crockett’s face, but Crockett blockedit.
Both duffel bags hit the floor. Crockett grabbed Ben’s wrist and twisted until Ben buckled onto the hardwood. Crockett jammed his boot into Ben’s shoulder while applying pressure to Ben’s twisted wrist. Trapped beneath the weight of Crockett’s boot, Ben laid there, face down, his arm wrenched in theair.
“Motherfucker, that hurts,” Ben said. “You’re a fuckwad, you knowthat?”
Alexandra flung open the front door and hurried onto thestoop.
With his boot shoved into Ben’s back, Crockett growled, “I don’t give a fuck what you want.” He released his grip on Ben, shouldered the bags, then left, slamming the door shut behindhim.
Grasping Alexandra’s arm, he guided her down the snow-covered path and opened the passenger door. Before climbing in, she stared into his eyes. He’d seen that fiery lookbefore.
“Are you okay?” he asked, taking the garment and cosmetic bags fromher.
“Yes.You?”
