Page 18 of Pretty Poison

“Thanks,” Asher said.

Betty realized someone new had joined the mix and barked ferociously, charging toward the threat to her mom. Rocky pivoted in his seat in time to see Asher squat down and extend his open arms to the charging beast. Betty, the little slut, launched herself at Asher, who caught the dog midair. His husband cradled the dog securely against his chest as he stood up and carried her onto the deck.

“And who do we have here?” Asher asked when he reached the table.

Marla’s chair scraped across the wood as she vacated it in a hurry. She sashayed to Asher and extended her hand. “This is Betty, and I’m Betty’s mama, but you can call me Marla. Miss Marla, if you’re nasty.”

“I’m Asher or Mr. Asher Dunleavy, ifyou’renasty.”

Marla tipped her head back and laughed throatily. “I’ve heard of you.”

Asher quirked a brow. “You have?”

“Mmmmhmmmm,” Marla purred as she wrapped a hand around Asher’s bicep. “Seems to me that some of the details were left out of the telling, though. Child, you’re one big motherfucker. Look at these guns.”

Asher flexed his arm, making Marla squeal in delight. “Ford, why didn’t you tell your beautiful friend about my bigguns.”

“I didn’t tell her anything about you,” Rocky said.Fucking Felix.

Asher’s smile faltered. “Of course you didn’t.”

Marla held out her arms for Betty, and Asher carefully transferred the wiggling dog to her mama. “I don’t think you’re entirely blameless here, Big Guns. I’ve known Pretty Boy for nearly a year, and we’re just now meeting. Do better by my boy.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Marla’s loyalty soothed the panic rising inside Rocky but didn’t squelch it.

She smiled at Rocky. “Walk a lady out, won’t you?”

“You’re leaving so soon? I didn’t get a chance to tell you about my shitty day.” Marla’s presence was a much-needed buffer. Without it, he’d…Rocky wasn’t sure what the hell he was going to say or do.

“I have people to see and places to go, and I need to get Amos’s Cadillac back before he wakes up from his nap and sees it missing.” She faced Asher once again. “It was lovely meeting you. I hope to see you again real soon.”

“The pleasure is all mine, ma’am,” Asher said.

Marla looped her arm through Rocky’s, and together, they walked back inside the house. As soon as he shut the sliding glass door, she leaned into him and said, “I think the pleasure is about to be all yours. Lord, I bet he’s going to pound you like a cube steak. You’ll be just as tender afterward too.”

“Marla!”

“Listen to you, sounding like a virgin on their wedding day.”

Rocky laughed. “No one saves themselves for marriage anymore. Are you on a regency romance kick again?”

“Perhaps.” Marla batted her fake eyelashes at him. “At least tell Mama one thing.”

“Maybe,” Rocky replied noncommittally, earning atskand a playful slap on the arm.

“How’d the two of you meet?”

“Felix didn’t tell you that?”

“Only because his smart ass didn’t know,” she quipped.

Rocky grinned, despite his annoyance and frustration. No matter what happened, he’d never regret the night his eyes had landed on Asher Dunleavy for the first time. “A nineteen-year-old woman met a guy online and ran off with him. Her parents had been able to trace her as far as Vegas before her trail went cold. They hired me, and I found her within twenty-four hours.”

“Alive?” Marla asked nervously.

“Yes, but her new boyfriend was the worst kind of human being. I’m pretty sure he peddled everything from stolen laptops to humans. I had no doubt my client’s daughter would disappear for good once he grew tired of her.”