Lucky Streak (Lucky 2)

It wouldn’t hurt to do as he asked, she figured. Especially if he left town and she’d never have to see him again. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”

“Good. And while we’re at it, we’ll toast to me findin’ my money another way—and you lettin’ me know when you hear from your old boyfriend. Because trust me, he’ll be turning up again one day.”

Amber raised her brow. Now that she’d made peace with King Bobby, she hoped she’d never hear from Marshall again. But King Bobby didn’t need to know that.

As long as The King was happy, Amber was free.

“Bring on the beer,” she said, relieved. A few more minutes and this nightmare would all be over.

No sooner had they clinked glasses and toasted than a loud, throat-clearing noise sounded in her ear. “What the hell is going on here?” Mike’s voice reached a dull roar.

Amber winced, knowing how bad things must look. “Listen, King Bobby and I—”

Ignoring her, Mike glared at the big man in the booth. “If you’ve so much as whispered a threat in her ear, I promise you’ll answer to me.” And if his words weren’t enough to send tremors of fear shooting through the big cowboy, his stance was.

Legs parted, arms folded across his chest, muscles bulged beneath his black T-shirt and his thighs appeared rock solid even encased in denim.

A quick glance at King Bobby told her he wasn’t impressed, but Amber was. She rose from her seat. “Everything’s fine,” she assured him.

His gaze narrowed. “You promised to stay put.”

“Hey, watch how you talk to the little lady,” King Bobby said.

“That’s rich, coming from the man who’s been stalking her across the country. Which ends now, by the way.”

“Um, Mike?” Amber interrupted, wanting to tell him she and King Bobby had resolved their issues.

“I can handle this,” Mike said to Amber. Then he turned to King Bobby, leaned down and stared into the big man’s face. “Listen up. I have enough information on you, your mistress and your little love nest to keep you and your wife tangled up in divorce court for years to come. And something tells me your other associates won’t want to deal with someone who’s caught up in a scandal. People in your circle prefer to keep a low profile. So if you don’t want to keep your sleazy criminal friends and the life you have now, I suggest you leave my little lady alone.”

Amber couldn’t control the squeal that escaped at his use of the word my. Warm chills flooded her, at odds with her earlier realization that Mike couldn’t possibly understand or forgive her for her past. But she was determined not to walk away from him until she’d bared her soul and heard his response.

Just in case.

King Bobby chuckled. “Y’all are really interestin’, that much I’ll tell ya. Detective, you need to chill. Your little lady and I already traveled this road and reached us an agreement. So why don’t you just join us for a beer?”

“No. Thank. You.” Mike clenched his jaw. “You said your business is finished?” he asked.

King Bobby nodded. “Until she hears from her pal Marshall, right, honey?”

“Right.” She crossed her fingers behind her back.

“And where will you be in the meantime?” Mike asked.

“Where the land is as big as the ribs,” King Bobby proclaimed. “I’m gettin’ the hell out of the Northeast as soon as I can.”

“I’m holding you to that,” Mike said.

“King Bobby’s a man of his word,” the other man said loudly.

Mike treated him to a curt nod, while at the same time clamping his hand around Amber’s forearm. Not hard, but not gently, either.

He was furious, Amber knew.

“In that case,” Mike said, “we’re out of here.”

Knowing better than to argue, Amber let Mike lead her out of the diner for what might be their final showdown.

MARSHALL WAS DAMN PROUD, if he did say so himself. Doing an end run around that idiot King Bobby had been a brilliant move. Instead of the King finding Marshall, Marshall had found the King, and the big Texan had done Marshall’s work for him, leading him right to Amber.