Page 76 of Tempting as Sin

And a woman who’d been hit in the face. He made the tea, and he put sugar in it.

He needed to ring Martin. More importantly, though, he needed to ring his agent. He considered making the calls in here, but if today was any example, Lily’d had enough of being kept out of things. He went back into the living room and handed her a mug. She was still on the couch holding her phone, sitting back now and looking tired, her ice pack abandoned beside her, in her pretty pink dress with the ties at the side.

A woman any man would have felt lucky to hold, proud to protect. A woman who’d been hurt instead.

Dial it down.Transforming into The Beast wasn’t always easy. Transforming back was even harder.

“Bailey’s grandma said she wasn’t home,” Lily told him. “She thought she was with me. She said that if she isn’t, she’s probably at the beach. When she can’t evenswim.‘Or roaming around somewhere,’ she said.”

“Which is probably true.”

“I guess.” She still looked troubled. “It bothers me that she left. I can’t do anything about it now, though, I guess. I asked Ruby to have Bailey call me, but who knows. She was coughing a lot. How aware is she, even? I don’t know.” She looked at his ice pack and asked in alarm, “What happened? Did Antonio hurt you?”

“Do me a favor,” Rafe said, and got her to crack a smile. He sat beside her, picked up her ice pack, and pressed it gently to her eye. “Bruised my knuckles on his ugly face, that’s all. That’s why I hit him in the gut on the second go. It was softer. Drink your tea.”

“If you broke anything,” she said, “he’ll sue. He loves his face. It’s his favorite thing. He also loves to sue. Hit first, he always said.”

“I didn’t break anything,” he said. “I went easy. He could be spewing his guts out from that belly shot, but other than that? Nothing but a bruise. But it’ll be worse than yours, no worries.”

“You really do know how to fight,” she said.

He had to smile. “I really do. What do you think happens when you’re an Army kid, your dad gets a new posting, and you’re in a new school once again? Not to mention if youdohave a pretty face. Where do you think Jace got all that toughness, anyway?”

“No. Where didyouget it?” She leaned over and pressed her lips to his cheek, and his arm went around her. “Thank you,” she said. “Really. You protected me. Thank you for that.”

He sobered up fast. “Of course I did. You hate that your peaceful place is gone. I hate it, too. I’m sorry I brought it.”

“You didn’t bring it. Twenty bucks says Antonio brought it. Call your agent.”

“It can wait.”

“No,” she said. “Do it first. Then talk to me.”

He did. Alan picked up right away and said, “I’ve been trying to get you for two days.”

“You’ve got me now,” Rafe said. “Tell me why there’s an army of reporters in Montana.”

“Did you have to pick Antonio Carrera’s wife?” Alan asked.

“Ex-wife. Yeah. I did. Also, I hit him.”

Alan exhaled. “Oh, boy. How bad?”

“Notthatbad. But on camera. If it bleeds, it leads, right? He could be bleeding a bit. It was after he hither,I’ll just mention.”

“You’re kidding. He hit his ex? On camera?”

“Her name is Lily Hollander, and yeah, he did.”

Another exhale. “What about the police?”

Oh.“Hang on.” Rafe asked Lily, “Do you want to press charges?”

“No,” she said immediately. “Not unless Antonio does. I want himgone.I want it over. It’s happened before. I’m not going to change him. I don’t care. I just want it never to happen again.”

Rafe asked Alan, “Did you get all that?”

“Yeah,” his agent said. “I’ll call Carrera’s agent and see what I can find out. Talk about your problem clients. Not you. Him. You’re a piece of cake in comparison.”