The Last Detail by Melissa Schroeder Page B

twist to the gut. He didn’t know at the moment which bothered him more. The fact that his old lover was interested in his new one, or that Jared wasn’t interested in him.
    “And now you’re here.”
    He nodded as he pressed the button for cafecocoa. He took a sip before he said, “I knew when she didn’t check in there was something wrong. Lou is always dependable, always follows the rules.”
    “You have rules?”
    Jared chuckled and the sound of it grated on Sam’s nerves at the same time it aroused him. From the moment they had met years ago, there had been an uncontrollable attraction on both their parts. It had been hard to keep their hands off each other. Now he was standing here, fifteen years older, even more attractive than before. And fuck, he still had a growing lust for the woman who worked for Jared. This definitely threw a wrench in his day.
    Sam reined in his emotions as he tried to project a cool façade. He wasn’t comfortable about his feelings for Lou at the moment. She was like an addiction he couldn’t seem to keep from tasting. Hell, he had known her less than forty-eight hours and he’d spent most of that as her captive. The woman that caused him to break more rules than he should and the man he had never forgotten under the same roof? Sam was sure he’d pissed someone off in Hades to have this happen.
    “Is she okay? I heard there was a report of gunfire in the twentieth sector.”
    Yep, Jared was more than just a little involved with Lou. He could hear the edge of possession in Jared’s voice. Again, he didn’t know which part of the equation bothered him more.
    “Sam?”
    He shook his head trying to ignore the emotions twisting in his gut. “She’s fine. She got hit.”
    “Lou was shot? Why the hell didn’t you tell me?” Jared asked. His voice had risen to a pitch that had Sam’s brows arching. Not the cool competitor that he remembered from school. “Where is she?”
    “I’m fine, Jared.”
    They both looked over at her at the same time. Jared started to her. She was gorgeous. She was wearing some kind of big shirt, probably one of Jared’s, and nothing else. Her hair was a rumbled mess and she looked just like what she was. A woman who had been ravished.
    Jared stopped, his whole body going rigid with anger. He whipped around and came rushing at Sam. “You fucking bastard, I’ll kill you.”

Chapter Six
    Lou watched in horror as the man she had come to respect, who always kept his temper under control, tackled Sam. The brutal attack took Sam by surprise and he stumbled back against the cabinets. In the next instant, Sam gained his balance and started fighting back. Jared hit him square on the nose and Sam answered with a punch to the gut.
    By the time she gained her senses, blood was dripping from Sam’s nose.
    “Stop it.”
    They ignored her as the fists continued to fly. Irritated and embarrassed, Lou did the only thing she could do. She grabbed the weapon Jared had apparently set on the counter when he arrived, and cocked it.
    “Stop or I will shoot you both.”
    They both looked over at her, breathing heavily, anger pouring off them in waves so strong she was amazed it didn’t knock her over. Sam’s nose was definitely broken and Jared was going to have a black eye.
    “Step away.” They didn’t follow her directions right away, so she gripped the weapon with both hands and took aim. “I’m not joking around. Do it.”
    With a disgusted snarl, Jared threw Sam against the cabinets and then stepped away. Sam moved to tackle him again, but Lou said, “I’m not kidding, Sam. I’ll shoot you where you stand.”
    His glare was her answer, but he did as she ordered. She slowly released the breath she had been holding.
    “Now what the hell is this about?”
    Neither of them answered her.
    “I don’t have time to deal with both of you acting like little boys out of control.”
    “I need to talk to you alone,” Jared said. She studied Jared, then glanced at