“Necessary traits, I’m sure.”
Pepper grinned with her. “He used those talents to keep us safe, fed and clothed. So yeah, pretty necessary.” She turned pensive, looking around the apartment as if only then noticing the unique architecture. “Whenever Rowdy could keep a legit job, he did. But it wasn’t easy.”
What an understatement. “He did more with what life gave him than any other person I know.”
“He’s so used to it just being us that he’s still adjusting. It was enough that he had to get used to Logan, but then Reese, too, and Alice.”
“And now he has Marcus in his life.”
“Little by little, he’s digging in. Making commitments and getting settled.” Pepper sat forward. “The bar, this apartment. Friends.” She tipped her head at Avery. “You.”
I’m only temporary. But Avery couldn’t bring herself to say that out loud. “You do realize he asked me to stay with him mostly so he could protect me?”
Pepper barked a laugh. “Yeah, right.” She stood to pace, looking around the apartment. “My brother wants to play protector to just about everyone, but he doesn’t go moving in random women to do it.”
Avery would have loved to believe that, but she didn’t want to delude herself. “I’m not all that random. I’m his bartender.”
“Ha! And you think that’s what he cares about, protecting his own interests? You must not know him as well as you think.”
“No, I didn’t mean it like that.” Far as she could tell, Rowdy was never motivated by mercenary selfishness. “I meant that because we work together, we were already friends before we got intimate. I’m not just a woman he’s sleeping with.”
“You have other women working at the bar?”
“Sure.” Ella was the most regular, but others filled in, too, as part-time waitresses.
“Has he ever slept with any of them?” Pepper didn’t give her a chance to answer. “No, he hasn’t. Because my brother is smart enough that he wouldn’t want to muddy the waters. And screwing a woman he works with, when he knew he only wanted sex, would definitely muddy it up.”
Avery hadn’t really thought about it like that. “He hit on me even before he bought the bar.”
“And soon as he got it, he made you the bartender—which sort of ensured you’d keep hanging around—then still came after you, right?”
She nodded.
“I’m guessing he was already hung up on you way back then, otherwise he’d have steered clear of you, or fired you if he couldn’t.” Pepper shrugged. “So don’t underestimate what he wants based only on what he’s said or hasn’t said.”
It occurred to Avery where Pepper’s insight might come from. “Is that how it was with you and Logan?”
“It was worse. Logan used me to get to Rowdy. He arrested my brother, put him in danger....” Holding on to the pole, Pepper turned a lazy circle. “I didn’t think I’d ever be able to forgive him. But I figured out leaving him would be the hardest thing of all. Especially after he got hurt.”
Gently, Avery said, “I’m glad things worked out for you.”
“Yeah, they really did.” She pushed away from the pole and went to Rowdy’s bookcase to peruse the other titles. “Now I want Rowdy to be just as happy as I am.”
Could she make him happy? Avery wanted to, very much.
A knock sounded on the door and the two women glanced at each other.
Pepper lifted a brow. “Expecting anyone?”
“No.” She stood. “Rowdy said the other ladies in the building sometimes pester him.”
Pepper went back to looking at books. “If that’s who it is, tell her to get lost. He’s taken.”
Thinking she just might do that, Avery started for the door.
“But make sure before you open it.”
“Of course.” She went up the short stairs and to the door. Rowdy didn’t have a peephole in the door, so she called out, “Who is it?”
“Avery?” Meyer said. “Your mother insisted I bring her by for a visit.”
Oh, wow. Her mother was here? Thinking that something had happened, that her mother might have gotten bad news during a checkup, Avery turned the locks and swung open the door.
And there stood Meyer. Instead of her mother being at his side, he’d brought Fisher.
The enormity of the ruse hit Avery like a sucker punch. She drew in a breath, surprised, angry—and a little fearful.
Before any one emotion could claim the lead, Meyer pushed his way in—which forced her to back up. In her nervousness she almost fell down the short flight of stairs.
Fisher shot out a hand and caught her arm. He wore a dark scowl and what looked like confusion.
“What the hell is this, Meyer?” He didn’t release Avery when he said it, but he did shove the door shut.
Avery had just enough awareness to notice he didn’t lock it. With any luck, she’d get a break and she could run out—if Pepper could follow. No way would she leave Rowdy’s sister behind. But maybe she could go for help. If she made it to the street—
“Come on, then.” Meyer gestured for them to go down the stairs. “Let’s all get cozy.”
Hand still squeezing her upper arm, Fisher took in Meyer’s expression, then turned to Avery with clear displeasure. “You heard him.” He dragged her along as he went down into Rowdy’s apartment. “So this is where you’ve been staying?”