Page 66 of Return of the Bad Girl (Rock Canyon, Idaho 4)

“You trying to say you care about me, Caroline?” She tried to look away, but he wouldn’t let her. “Answer me.”

“I think you’re an idiot who’s going to get hurt if he keeps getting involved in my problems,” she snapped.

“Hey,” he said, releasing her as she struggled. “I’m a big boy. I can handle it.”

“I don’t need you to fight my battles for me,” she said, pushing him all the way back. “I was handling my own shit just fine before you came along, so don’t think you’re going to come in here on a white horse and save me. Is that your plan? To make me indebted to you?”

Gabe tightened his fists, his muscles aching with rage. “Forgive me, princess. I promise, it’s the last time I get involved in your drama.”

“Good. That’s all I want!”

Without saying anything else, he grabbed his jacket and slammed out the door. Fuck her. If she didn’t know the difference between someone stepping up because he cared and someone trying to get something from her, then she was more damaged than he was.

Taking off down the street on foot, he headed toward Chase’s tattoo parlor with his mind racing. What the hell was going on with her? Something had happened to her, and that bastard Kyle was involved in it. Was he blackmailing her? Did she owe him money or something? It seemed unlikely, but what else could it be?

Maybe he was a lawyer. Had he helped her cover up a crime or just gotten her charges dropped? Had the charges been buried in exchange for . . . what?

Maybe you’ve just been watching too many procedural cop dramas.

As he opened up the door to Jagged Rock Tattoo Parlor, he saw Chase inside, sitting down with Eric, the bartender.

“Hey, man, sorry to interrupt.”

“Naw, we were just shooting the shit,” Chase said. “Eric, have you met Gabe? We grew up together.”

“Not officially,” Eric said, holding out his hand. “You’re the guy living with Caroline Willis, right?”

Gabe didn’t correct him that they weren’t living together, still remembering the too-familiar way Eric had kissed Caroline. “Yeah.”

“She’s a good kid,” Eric said, squeezing Gabe’s hand hard enough to be painful.

“She’s not a kid,” Gabe said, returning the grip.

The silence stretched as the two men sized each other up, and it was Chase who finally broke the tension. “Whoa, are you two about to throw down or kiss?”

Both of them swung around to face Chase, yelling, “What the fuck are you talking about?”

Chase laughed. “You both looked intense. I was just trying to lighten the mood.”

Eric was the first to speak. “I’m just looking out for her.”

“Well, good luck with that, because she doesn’t need that from anyone, according to her,” Gabe said bitterly.

Eric seemed to be fighting a smile. “Yeah, why do you think she got the nickname Trouble?”

The tension eased out of Gabe’s shoulders. “So, you two never . . .”

“Hell no. Like I said, sweet kid, but have you met her daddy?” Eric shook his head as he let out a whistle. “Let’s just say, even if I had been interested, working for her daddy dissuaded me from any future plans.”

Gabe walked over to one of the tattoo chairs and sat. “Tell me about him.”

GABE RETURNED TO the apartment two hours later and, thanks to his new bartender friend, knew a lot more about Caroline’s father than when he’d walked in. Eric had had a lot to say about the former Rock Canyon mayor, Edward Willis, and the way he treated his three daughters—and none of it was good. After hearing about what a control freak her father was—when he wasn’t tearing the girls down for every infraction, that is—he could understand why Caroline had a hard time accepting help. It seemed like everything her father had given them had come with a stipulation.

Flopping down on the couch, he turned on the TV, but before he’d even made it through the beginning credits of Turner and Hooch, he was asleep.

Suddenly, he sat bolt upright. At first, he wasn’t sure what had woken him, but then he heard Caroline screaming. Jumping up from the couch, his heart hammered in his ears as he burst through her door. He flipped on the light, ready to grab her attacker, but there was no one there—just Caroline thrashing on the bed, still asleep.

Relief swept through him. He’d thought there was someone attacking her, but she was just having a nightmare.