give her another ride in my Hummer,” Sledge said with a feral grin.
Tessa stomach turned at the double entendre. Kelly flinched and leaned as far away from the locked door as she could. When Sledge stepped closer to the car, right into Tessa’s personal space, her chin went up.
It’s like dealing with a vicious dog, she told herself. Show no fear and convince the animal that you’re meaner than he is. He was big, but not as tall as her brother, so she refused to let him intimidate her with his size.
“Step away from the car, or I’ll have you arrested by 9:00 A.M. tomorrow on rape charges,” Tessa said. “Think how that will play on the Sunday evening news. To say nothing of the Monday morning business shows, who will be talking about the diving stock prices of the companies whose products you’re endorsing.”
Even in the dim light she could see Aiken’s face turn hard and bright red. “You’ve got nothing on me, you silly bitch.”
Tessa crossed her own arms and leaned against the car with a bravado she did not feel. “I’ve got enough information in my files to haul you in anytime I want to question you further. Once that happens, it will only be a matter of time and digging before we come up with enough dirt to bury your sorry redneck ass.”
Sledge stepped closer and towered over her. “Yeah? Files have a nasty habit of getting misplaced, you know?”
Tessa caught her breath, more at the physical threat than the verbal one. Sledge turned his attention to Kelly, banging his fist on the window. “Girl, get your ass out of there right now. We’re going to have a talk.”
Kelly said nothing, just looked out at Tessa with huge, pleading eyes.
“Did you hear me? Get into my truck now ,” Sledge repeated.
“Don’t move, Kelly,” Tessa countered.
“What the hell is going on here?” The masculine voice echoed in the quiet parking lot. Tessa had never been so glad to see her brother—ever.
Kevin Jacobi approached the car and stopped, hands planted on his hips. He knew enough about body language to understand that Tessa was scared to death of the man towering over her.
Tessa watched Sledge look over at the new arrival. She knew he was seeing well over six feet of honed muscles and bristling young attitude. What he didn’t realize was that Kevin was ranked at the national level in both football and wrestling, giving him the raw power and skills needed to take on a man of Sledge’s size. On top of that, Kevin had done years of close-quarters self-defense training with his father, ensuring that he could hold his own in a street brawl as well as on a wrestling mat. Tessa could have kissed him at that moment.
Sledge turned toward the car again, dismissing Kevin. “Go on home, boy. This is a private matter that don’t concern you.”
“You’re the one who needs to shove off, boy,” Kevin drawled.
“Yeah, who’s gonna make me?” Sledge asked, spreading his arms wide and looking around.
Kevin approached them, handing Tessa the red sweaterthat he’d run out to return to Kelly. He then pushed his sister behind him and went nose to nose with Sledge, crowding him into taking a few steps away from the car.
“The ladies don’t like you. I suggest you leave,” Kevin said quietly.
“Fuck off.” Sledge shoved at Kevin with his hands, but wasn’t able to budge him. He was a couple inches shorter than the teenager, but confident and arrogant enough to think that he could take him anyway.
Kevin came back with a body slam, crashing into the older man’s chest with his own. While Sledge was off-balance, Kevin reached out with a foot and whisked his feet out from under him. The professional quarterback hit the ground hard enough to drive the breath out of his lungs.
As Kevin dove onto the ground to continue the brawl, Tessa began looking around for something to use as a weapon. Kelly shouted and held something through a small opening in the window.
“Here’s your cell phone, Tessa. I
Tessa stomach turned at the double entendre. Kelly flinched and leaned as far away from the locked door as she could. When Sledge stepped closer to the car, right into Tessa’s personal space, her chin went up.
It’s like dealing with a vicious dog, she told herself. Show no fear and convince the animal that you’re meaner than he is. He was big, but not as tall as her brother, so she refused to let him intimidate her with his size.
“Step away from the car, or I’ll have you arrested by 9:00 A.M. tomorrow on rape charges,” Tessa said. “Think how that will play on the Sunday evening news. To say nothing of the Monday morning business shows, who will be talking about the diving stock prices of the companies whose products you’re endorsing.”
Even in the dim light she could see Aiken’s face turn hard and bright red. “You’ve got nothing on me, you silly bitch.”
Tessa crossed her own arms and leaned against the car with a bravado she did not feel. “I’ve got enough information in my files to haul you in anytime I want to question you further. Once that happens, it will only be a matter of time and digging before we come up with enough dirt to bury your sorry redneck ass.”
Sledge stepped closer and towered over her. “Yeah? Files have a nasty habit of getting misplaced, you know?”
Tessa caught her breath, more at the physical threat than the verbal one. Sledge turned his attention to Kelly, banging his fist on the window. “Girl, get your ass out of there right now. We’re going to have a talk.”
Kelly said nothing, just looked out at Tessa with huge, pleading eyes.
“Did you hear me? Get into my truck now ,” Sledge repeated.
“Don’t move, Kelly,” Tessa countered.
“What the hell is going on here?” The masculine voice echoed in the quiet parking lot. Tessa had never been so glad to see her brother—ever.
Kevin Jacobi approached the car and stopped, hands planted on his hips. He knew enough about body language to understand that Tessa was scared to death of the man towering over her.
Tessa watched Sledge look over at the new arrival. She knew he was seeing well over six feet of honed muscles and bristling young attitude. What he didn’t realize was that Kevin was ranked at the national level in both football and wrestling, giving him the raw power and skills needed to take on a man of Sledge’s size. On top of that, Kevin had done years of close-quarters self-defense training with his father, ensuring that he could hold his own in a street brawl as well as on a wrestling mat. Tessa could have kissed him at that moment.
Sledge turned toward the car again, dismissing Kevin. “Go on home, boy. This is a private matter that don’t concern you.”
“You’re the one who needs to shove off, boy,” Kevin drawled.
“Yeah, who’s gonna make me?” Sledge asked, spreading his arms wide and looking around.
Kevin approached them, handing Tessa the red sweaterthat he’d run out to return to Kelly. He then pushed his sister behind him and went nose to nose with Sledge, crowding him into taking a few steps away from the car.
“The ladies don’t like you. I suggest you leave,” Kevin said quietly.
“Fuck off.” Sledge shoved at Kevin with his hands, but wasn’t able to budge him. He was a couple inches shorter than the teenager, but confident and arrogant enough to think that he could take him anyway.
Kevin came back with a body slam, crashing into the older man’s chest with his own. While Sledge was off-balance, Kevin reached out with a foot and whisked his feet out from under him. The professional quarterback hit the ground hard enough to drive the breath out of his lungs.
As Kevin dove onto the ground to continue the brawl, Tessa began looking around for something to use as a weapon. Kelly shouted and held something through a small opening in the window.
“Here’s your cell phone, Tessa. I
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