Garth wanted to get more details. How well had Mitch known Dana in high school? Did they have a history?

“I can handle her,” Garth said. “Don’t worry about it.”

Conversation shifted to their next move. Cruz was working with some of his ATF friends. Mitch had been talking to the FBI.

“That’s going to take too long,” Garth grumbled. “I’m still going after him financially. That’s faster. Once he’s backed into a corner, he’ll do something stupid. Then we’ll get him.”

“You have to be careful,” Mitch warned. “I’ve known Jed all my life. Back him into a corner and there’s no telling how he’ll react. He could hurt someone.”

“Which is why we want the women protected,” Nick said. “I’m with Garth. Taking everything he’s worked for is quick and legal. We’re in control.”

Garth appreciated Nick’s support. Not just because he believed in his plan but because it could be a sign that Nick was willing to if not forgive, then at least give Garth another opportunity to make up for what he’d done.

The men discussed various options for a few more minutes, then Cruz and Mitch left. Nick stayed behind.

“What else did Jed say?” Nick asked.

“He threatened me. I’ve got the conversation recorded.”

Nick nodded. “He’s dangerous, mostly because he’s too arrogant to believe he can be caught or he can lose. That’ll make him unpredictable.”

“Agreed. We’ll plan for what we can and take the rest as it comes.”

Nick finished his beer and set the bottle on the table. “Izzy thinks you’re coming along just fine. A few more weeks and you’ll be domesticated. That true?”

“Izzy’s determined.”

“Must be a family trait.”

“Maybe.” Garth still had trouble thinking of the Titan sisters as family. He knew he was related to them, but that was different. There was more distance when one spoke of “relations” than family.

“I’m sorry,” Garth told him. “About everything.”

Nick’s gaze was steady. “I believe you. Izzy is convinced this is all going to work out. Is she right?”

“Maybe. I’m not sure of what it means to have them in my life.”

“They’re going to help you figure that out.”

Garth chuckled. “Whether I want them to or not.”

Nick grinned. “You gotta love ’em.” He picked up his empty beer bottle. “Want another one?”

“Sure.”

DANA ARRIVED AT GARTH’S place at ten Saturday morning. She’d already taken her truck in for an estimate and had winced at the high price of the repairs. Not that she had a choice. Her insurance would cover most of it, but there was still the deductible, not to mention the pain and suffering of her truck. Damn Jed and whoever was working for him.

She parked her rental-a nondescript pale gold sedan-and hoped Garth would offer to take his car. She didn’t plan to tell him what had happened. Not yet, anyway. Maybe it had been a one-time thing. Maybe Jed was stupid enough to think she would be too scared to continue investigating him.

As she walked toward his condo building, she fought down some fairly serious guilt. In the spirit of everyone working together, they deserved to know what had happened. But she believed that everyone, including Garth, would overreact. The last thing she wanted was her friends worrying about her. She was a big girl-she could take care of herself.

The elevator rose swiftly to the top floor. She crossed to his door and braced herself for the impact of seeing him. Chemistry, she thought as she knocked. Nothing but great sex and chemistry. Garth was little more than a new ice cream flavor. After a few more tastes, she would get tired of him. At least that was the plan.

“Right on time,” he said as he opened the door.

All the bracing in the world didn’t stop her stomach from doing a little hula at the sight of him in jeans and a Texas A &M sweatshirt. The worn boots were a nice masculine touch that made her feel all gooey inside.

“I believe in being prompt,” she said, pushing past him, then wishing she hadn’t as they touched. She took a deep breath. “So what’s the plan?”

“First we talk.”

“Because you’re turning into a girl?”

“Nice,” he said, leading the way into the living room. “Very nice. Jed paid me a visit yesterday. He’s miffed because I bought his racehorse farm.”

She stood in the center of the room and raised her eyebrows. “I’m thinking ‘miffed’ doesn’t completely describe his mood.”

“Probably not. He threatened me-all of us, really. Last night I met with the guys. We’re worried about everyone staying safe.”

She assumed “the guys” meant Cruz, Mitch and Nick and that “everyone” meant the women.

“Did you come up with a plan?” she asked.

“That’s what I want to talk about.”

She patted her purse, which was more small backpack than fashion statement. “I’m armed, so you don’t have to worry about me.”

“I’m not the only one who’s worried, Dana. This is serious. I want you to move in with me. Temporarily. Until Jed is under control.”

Move in with him? Was he serious? She opened her mouth to yell her displeasure, then saw by the look on his face that he was expecting that.

“What do you think you can do that I can’t do myself?” she asked instead. “I’m the trained professional in the room.”

“Safety in numbers.”

“Or a really convenient booty call.”

He actually looked amused. “I don’t have to trick you into my bed.”

Maybe not, but she would like to pretend he did.

“This is a whole egotistical male thing, isn’t it?” she snapped. “You’re going to go all macho and protect the poor helpless women. Worry about Lexi and Skye and Izzy, but I’m fine. I can more than take care of myself.”

“No one questions that,” he said reasonably. “But you should consider there are other people involved. Lexi’s pregnant. Do you think it’s good for her to worry about you? What about Skye? Isn’t she already dealing with enough?”

“Guilt won’t work on me,” she told him.

“It’s not guilt. It’s the truth. We all want to know you’re okay.”

“Even you?” she asked before she could stop herself, then wished desperately she could call back the words. Why did she set herself up? Why? Was it a brain injury she couldn’t remember? Being just plain stupid?

“Even me.”

“Oh.”

She didn’t know what to do with the information so she ignored it. A part of her thought maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to stay with Garth for a while. At least she would have backup. But agreeing felt a little too much like giving up. She’d fought hard to be strong and independent. But at the first sign of trouble, was she going to go running for a big man to solve the problem?

“No,” she said. “I can’t move in here.”

Garth looked more resigned than surprised. “I won’t fight you on it, but I want you to promise me that if anything happens, you’ll pack your bags and stay here until Jed is in jail.”

Would Jed come after her again or had that one stunt been enough? Only time would tell.

“As of right now, if Jed in any way attacks me, I’ll come live here with you. You have my word.”

“Good. Want to go visit Kathy with me? I usually stop by and see her on Saturdays.”

“Sure.”

He moved toward her and put his hands on her waist, then lightly kissed her. “What are the odds of you letting me drive?”

She thought of the rental car parked on the street. “Better than you’d expect.”

“Going soft on me?”

Keeping secrets, she thought, but instead said, “Making you feel like you’re in charge.”

“Meaning I’m not?”

She laughed. “Oh, please.”

GARTH PARKED BY THE Starbucks in Titanville. When they’d picked up their order, they walked toward the pet store.

“When did you buy the business for Kathy?” Dana asked.

“About ten years ago. She didn’t like staying home all the time and there weren’t a lot of places that would hire her. She tried volunteering, but she had trouble there, too. She’d always loved animals, even when I was a kid, so this seemed like a good fit.”

She sipped her latte, wondering how many other sons would have taken the trouble. “Were you even in high school when she had her surgery?”

“Barely. One of the social workers at the hospital went out of her way to help. She got the word out about the surgery and our bills. The town held a few fund-raisers. A bank set up an account where people could donate. For a while, no one was sure she would even survive the surgery. Once she was conscious, I figured out pretty fast that most of her had been lost.”

Talk about terrifying, she thought. All that responsibility, all at once. How had he done it?

“Did you have help?” she asked. “Other family?”

“No family. A few neighbors came in to do what they could. Jed had already thrown me out once. I wasn’t going back to him.”

“He wouldn’t have bothered,” she said, aching for the teenager forced to grow up too fast.

“We were lucky in some ways,” he said. “Her recovery was easy-she needed a little physical therapy, but nothing too intense. It was her brain that had been damaged. My first plan was to quit school and get a job. My school counselor talked me into staying in school. She pointed out I would make a lot more money in the long-term, if I went to college.”

How had he known how to survive? Just the basics, like buying groceries, paying bills, cooking? Not to mention caring for a suddenly mentally disabled parent.

“What about social services?” she asked. “They didn’t try to take you away from her?”

“No. I don’t think anyone was willing to report what had happened. They all felt bad. She got disability payments,” he continued. “That covered the bills, but not her care. She couldn’t stay by herself. I worked after school for a while, but that meant more time I needed to pay someone to be with her, so I got a night job as a janitor. I worked while she slept.”