He’d just reached the door when he heard a quiet scraping sound.

His brows shot up. Someone was trying to pick his lock! So not a visitor, after all. But then…why hadn’t Dare or Trace told him?

The lock clicked, so whoever wanted in had some skills.

Moving beside the door, he waited—relaxed, ready, even anxious—and as the doorknob turned, he jerked it open and yanked the “visitor” inside.

Of course, he saw right away that it was Arizona.

But she didn’t see that it was him.

He dodged a fist, a kick, an elbow.

Damn it. He didn’t want to hurt her. “Arizona!”

She paused in midswing, drawing up short of punching his crotch.

Jackson stared at her. Then exploded. “Are you out of your freaking mind?” What if it had been darker, or his reflexes weren’t as good? What if he hadn’t realized it was her? He might have struck her, and she was so fundamentally female that a shot from him would have put her out of commission—maybe for good.

She breathed hard. By small degrees, surprise left her face, replaced with a blinding smile.

He saw her intent and thought, Oh, hell, seconds before she launched herself into his arms with a squealing, “Jackson!”

She didn’t just hug him. No, not Arizona. She threw her legs around his waist, her arms around his neck and all but smothered his face in her boobs as she hugged him with all her strength.

His damned reflexes had him catching her by the ass so she wouldn’t fall.

“I didn’t know you were here.” She kissed him all over.

“Arizona—” Aware of Alani, silent and watchful in the background, he tried to pry her away. “What are you doing here?”

She allowed him to set her back on her feet. Hands on her hips, she flipped back her long dark hair…and her smile slipped. “I didn’t know you were here, Jackson.” And then with growing accusation, “Why the hell are you forever switching cars?”

She looked frazzled and a little scared, when nothing ever scared her. “You know why.”

Disgruntled, she crossed her arms. “Well, it makes it really tough to know when you’re lurking around.”

“Lurking in my own apartment?”

“I thought we were meeting at the warehouse!”

Just as annoyed, he leaned into her space. “But you came here instead and now all my plans are screwed.” Uh-oh. He hadn’t quite meant to say that just then. He looked up and found Alani staring at him with surprise, amusement, and if he didn’t miss his guess, tenderness.

What the hell was there to be tender about?

Arizona followed his gaze, and her jaw dropped. “You have got to be kidding me.”

He did a quick and unnecessary introduction, then cautioned, “Be nice, Arizona. I mean it.”

“Right. Got it. Nice.” She nodded toward Alani. “So you’re here, instead of there, because God forbid Girlfriend gets anywhere near the fire?”

Jackson bent down to blast her with his ire. “The same would go for you if you’d ever listen!”

She sniffed. “You weren’t supposed to be here.”

“Then why did you come here?”

“I wanted to be alone.”

And just like that, his anger, his attitude and his heart all softened. Gruff, he insisted, “You’re not alone. Not anymore.”

“Yeah, I know. I get that.” Almost as an afterthought, she added, “Thanks.”

Jackson’s eyes narrowed.

“But the thing is…” After glancing at Alani, she huffed in exasperation. “I think some dude might’ve followed me here.”

Jackson’s back went straight. Impossible. Neither Dare nor Trace had spotted a tail on her, or they’d have already let him know.

Almost as he thought it, the phone made a sound, and he knew, he just knew, what the message would be. He glanced at the cell and wanted to groan.

Another intruder, creeping in from the side of the complex.

“Get in the kitchen with Alani.” He started toward the door.

“Yeah…not happening.”

No. No, no, no. Brought up short by her stubbornness, he slowly turned to face her. “Arizona,” he warned in a forceful growl. Her presence here at his apartment had not been part of the overall plan. He had to reconfigure with Dare and Trace, and the more he wrestled with her overblown bravado, the less control he had.

“I wouldn’t have brought trouble to your door!” Arizona insisted. “But I thought you were elsewhere, and that you’d go straight to the warehouse. I thought I’d have time to clean up this mess by myself. I still can—”

Unwilling to waste more time, Jackson lifted her by her upper arms, ignored her protests as he carried her forward, and plopped her back down in the kitchen beside a very silent and wide-eyed Alani. “Stay.”

“Jackson,” Alani protested. “Really.”

When he turned away, Arizona caught the back of his shirt. “Wait, damn it!”

He didn’t have time for this. “It’s all right, Arizona. Be quiet.” And then to Alani, “Keep her in here.”

“Ha!” Arizona shot Alani a dirty look.

Alani asked, “How exactly do you expect me to do that?”

Women. He sighed, gave an eye roll and ordered, “Stay in the kitchen. Both of you.” He pointed at Arizona. “I mean it. Take one step out of here and I’ll—”