Justice Healed (20 page)

Madison hadn't even told Tanner she loved him yet.  Honestly, she was chicken shit to say it.  She'd be devastated if he didn't say it back.  Secretly she wanted him to say it first.

Presley looked at her watch and grimaced.  "If we don't get out there, the men are going to send in a posse after us."

The three women head
ed into the main room to look for their men.  Madison craned her neck, but the crowd blocked anything more than three feet in front of her.  She sighed and turned to Presley and Christina.

"Maybe we should just stay put and have them find us.  They're taller and can see over the crowd."

Before anyone could respond a large hand clamped onto Madison's shoulder and squeezed hard.  She jumped in her high heels and forced herself to relax.  It was only Tanner messing around, she was sure.  She whirled around, ready to give him a rash for scaring her and instead looked into the face of a stranger.

"Can I help you?"  Madison tried to take a step back but his hand held her firmly, making her distinctly uncomfortable.  She didn't like being manhandled in the least. 

The man grinned, showing off white teeth that reminded her of a shark she'd seen when she was on vacation in Florida.  Luckily it had been on the other side of three foot thick glass.  This one, on the other hand, was breathing down on her and smelled like whisky.

"I love your hair."  He leaned forward and sniffed near her ear and she almost fell off her shoes trying to scramble away.  She liked being smelled by strangers less than she liked being touched.  "It's so long, shiny, and red.  You wanna dance, babe?"

"Uh, no thanks.  I'm here with someone."  She managed to move enough that it dislodged his hand but he simply slid it down and grasped her arm. 

Well, crap.

"I don't see anyone."  The man's head swiveled like a bobble head doll.  "Seems to me you're alone.  Come on.  I won't bite.  Just a dance."

In her years as a doctor, Madison had handled some ornery people.  She lifted her arm so he could see he was holding it and then jerked it hard so his hand fell away.  Pulling herself up to her five feet seven height plus her
three-inch heels, she gave him her best pissed off physician look.

"No."  She put just the right amount of displeasure in her tone.  "Leave me alone.  I'm with someone."

The man's friends started to laugh at him and that's when things started to go down hill.  His face turned purple and his lips curled back.

"Cunt.  You're probably a big dyke anyway." 

Madison was about to tell him off, but Presley stepped up and shoved her finger in front of the man's face, shaking it.  Her face was red with rage, her mouth a thin line. 

"And you're an asshole.  A big one.  Do you kiss your momma with that mouth?"

The jerk's friends laughed some more and Madison distinctly heard the words "ball buster."  Christina pulled Presley back and tried to soothe everyone's exposed nerves. 

"Listen, just leave us alone.  We're only trying to find our men."

"You ain't got no men.  You're three bitches, that's what ya are."  A little spit came out of his mouth, his anger and humiliation spilling off of him.  The situation had escalated quickly and if something wasn't done soon could fly out of control.  Somebody might get seriously hurt.  With Presley in a delicate condition, Madison couldn't let that happen.

Madison took a step in retreat, holding on to Christina and Presley's arms so they were forced to move with her.

"We're turning and walking away.  We don't want to argue with you."

Madison congratulated herself on her voice not wavering.  Her heart was pounding and her adrenaline was racing but she couldn't let it show.  Men like this preyed on any sign of weakness.

The man lunged and grabbed Madison's hair, wrapping his fingers into the long strands so if she moved an inch it was going to hurt like hell.  She yelped as his hand tightened and then another hand, a large and familiar one, was on his arm, squeezing.  The knuckles turned white with the effort and Madison felt the grip on her hair loosen and then fall away. 

She looked up and Tanner was there, his expression a mask of fury.  He hadn't let go of the man's arm, his fingers still tightening until her attacker was almost on his knees.

"Don't you know better than to touch a woman?"  Tanner's voice was cold and deadly.  Madison felt a shiver go up her spine and hoped his icy cold anger was never directed at her.  He wasn't even out of control.  His eyes had turned into black stones, his jaw flexing with tension.

"I
— I—.  Shit, let me go, man.  I was just playing."

The man's voice was thin and desperate.  Tanner let go but didn't retreat, staying eye to eye with the bully.  The man rubbed his arm, his eyes darting from Tanner, to Logan, to Seth, and back again.

"Funny way of playing.  Didn't look fun for anyone but you.  Do you get your kicks out of terrorizing defenseless women?  How about taking on someone your own size?  Let's make it fair."

This time it was the jerk who took a step back
, almost running into his two friends.  His eyes were wide with panic as Tanner, Logan, and Seth made an impressive man-wall between the bullies and Madison, Presley, and Christina.  Their men had stepped in front of them so all the women could see were their muscular backs. 

"Hey, man.  We were just having fun.  That's all.  No harm, no foul.  Ya know
?" 

Madison peered around Tanner in time to see the three men hoof it through the crowd and head straight for the front door.  Tanner, Logan, and Seth turned around in unison.  Tanner pulled Madison close.

"Are you okay, Maddie?  Did he hurt you?"  Tanner's voice was laced with anger and tension, his arms like steel bands around her. 

"I'm okay.  He simply scared us
, that's all.  You got here just in time."  She kept her voice soft, hoping to soothe his obvious worry. 

"No."  Tanner shook his head, a muscle jump
ing above his eye.  "It looked like we got here a few minutes late actually.  If we'd been earlier, he wouldn't have touched you."

She couldn't argue with that logic.  She was just grateful he'd shown up at all.  How he'd seen her in the crowd was a mystery.

Seth tilted Presley's chin up with his hand.

"I'm afraid to ask what you said, wife of mine.  I know your sassy mouth."

Presley smiled.  "I called him an asshole and asked him if he kissed his momma with that mouth."  Her lips tightened in a sign of distaste.  "He called Madison a cunt.  Only women can use that word.  Men aren't allowed to."

Tanner's expression still hadn't relaxed.  His shoulders were set and his jaw was tight.  "Did he really call you that?"

Madison put her hand on his arm, the muscles a tight knot under her palm.  "He did, but it doesn't matter.  I don't care, okay?  I just want us to have some fun tonight."

Logan exhaled and put his arm around Christina.  "You okay, Chrissie?  You look pale, babe."

Christina pressed against Logan's side.  "It was a little scary.  That guy was drunk, I think."

Presley snorted.  "God, I hope he doesn't behave that way without booze.  What a loser."

Tanner straightened, but fury was still written in every line of his body.  "I think we've had enough fun for one night.  How about we start for home?"

No one objected and the three couples gathered their coats from the coat check and went out into the cold evening.  Not one word was spoken between Madison and Tanner as they headed to the SUV parked at the very edge of the parking lot, with Seth and Logan's trucks parked on either side.

A flurry of footsteps behind them had Tanner freezing in place.  He whirled around and pushed Madison so he was standing between her and whoever had followed them.  She stiffened in shock when she realized it was the jerk from earlier and this time he and his two friends had brought in a couple more men for reinforcements. 

The man hit his palm with his fist.  "I don't think we finished our conversation."

Tanner didn't even turn his head.  He pressed his car keys in her hand.  "Maddie, get in the truck with Presley and Christina."

"But
—"

"Now, Maddie." 

Madison's heart accelerated but his tone brooked no refusal.  She looked at the drunk jerk with a sort of pity.  Tanner, Logan, and Seth were going to kick their asses from here to Bozeman and back.

The idiots should have left when their men gave them
a chance.

Tanner had had about enough of this guy's shit.  He was drunk, belligerent, and apparently needed at least four friends to help him fight his battles. 

"Brought some of your friends?  Let's settle this man to man,” Tanner said.

He
had no doubt the three of them could easily take on five drunks, but it was his fucking birthday and he was wearing his good suit.  He looked at Logan out of the corner of his eye, and Seth sidled up so he was shoulder to shoulder with Tanner.  Logan nodded, indicating the women were safely locked in the SUV.  Tanner appreciated Madison's reluctance to leave him, but he needed to know she was out of harm's way.  He wanted to end this with as little fanfare as possible. 

"I'm going to kick your ass," the drunk snarled.  "You embarrassed me in front of my friends
, you motherfucking cocksucker."

Seth grinned.  "Looks like Presley was right.  He's got a nasty mouth on him.  How do you want to do this?"

"Please, oh please, let me have the two guys on the right.  The ones with the confused expressions.  My birthday's coming up."  Logan laughed. 

"I want to take them down with little fuss and no blood or broken bones," Tanner said.  "Should we identify ourselves to these gentlemen?"

Seth took a step forward.  "Before you kick our asses, we think you should know all three of us are officers of the law and trained to kill and maim."

One of the men
with the confused expressions sniffed the air.  "I thought I smelled bacon."  He spat on the ground.  "Shit, I hate cops."

"That went well."  Logan chuckled.  "What do you think they're waiting for?  They're just standing there.  We don't have all damn night here."

Tanner, Seth, and Logan knew better than to make the first move.  They would wait out these yahoos and hope they changed their minds.

"I dunno."  Seth shrugged.  "Maybe we should insult their sister or something.  This is getting old."

The main drunk asswipe stepped forward, his fists up and ready.  "Time to beg like a girl, cop.  Come here and get it."

Tanner didn't move, but he didn't have to.  The jerk charged him and Tanner feinted one way and went the other.  He grabbed the man's arm and bent it behind his back, hooking his leg around the man's ankle.  Tanner pushed him to the icy concrete without trouble.  Since the man had had several too many, Tanner was able to use the drunk's own body weight against him.  He sank to the pavement with only a howl of protest.  With Tanner's knee lodged in the man's lower back, he pulled his cuffs from his back pocket and quickly snapped them on the man's wrists. 

Tanner sprang up to help Seth and Logan but they clearly had the upper hand with the thug's friends.  The two "extra" men had fled and were running across the parking lot as if the hounds of hell were on their heels.  The other more loyal friends both had their arms bent back behind them until they were bent over so far they could lick their knees.

The bully tried to get to his feet but slipped on the ice.  The fight was out of him.  Tanner could see it ebbing and reality setting in.  The bully was finally sobering up and realizing he'd done something incredibly dumb.   

"Now, are you finished?"  Tanner hated violence but this was just fucking stupid.  The man was lucky Tanner wasn't a different kind of cop.  He knew of a few who would have beat the ever loving shit out of this guy.  The man nodded and Seth and Logan loosened their holds on the friends, letting them stand up straight. 

Logan grinned.  "You carry cuffs?"

Seth dug in his back pocket and pulled out a pair, holding them up.  "I was ready as well."

Seth was also carrying a pistol and maybe a knife in those fancy cowboy boots.  Tanner didn't know what Logan was packing, but there was no doubt he was heavily armed
, too.  Tanner himself only had a knife in his boot and a shotgun in the truck. 

Tanner helped the drunk to his feet.  "If I take these off, are you going to behave?"

The drunk ass nodded, his head down.  The man's body language spoke of defeat so Tanner didn't feel any fear as he took off the cuffs.  The guy rubbed his wrists but didn't look up.

"Listen, take this as a lesson learned.  Don't mess with women that don't want to be messed with.  There are too many willing ones in this world to worry about the others.  Do you want me to call you a cab?"

One of the friends shook his head.  "Naw, I haven't been drinking tonight.  I can drive."

Logan sighed and pointed to the man.  "Then you damn well should have known better than this shit.  What if one of us had drawn a fucking gun on you?  What would you have done?"

Red stained the man's face.  "Shit, I don't know.  We were just bored and wanted to stir something up."

Seth shook his head.  "Bored?  They can put that on your fucking tombstone. 
‘Someone shot his ass because he was fucking bored.’"

The
main drunk finally looked up but didn't look Tanner in the eye.  "Can we go now?  Are you going to arrest us?" he asked gruffly.

"Yes and no.  We don't have jurisdiction here.  It's your lucky night."  Tanner stepped back to give the man room and the two friends escorted him across the parking lot. Tanner flexed his shoulder.  "I'm getting too old for this shit.  Next time you ask me if I want to have fun, the answer is hell no."

Seth rubbed his temples.  "I agree.  I could do with less fun.  This was supposed to be my night out and here I am keeping the peace.  As usual."

"Well excuse the hell out of me."  Logan shook his head, but he was smiling.  "I'll never ask you anywhere again."

"Good."  Tanner turned and headed for the truck where the women waited.  "Anyone in the mood for a burger?"

"I could eat," Seth replied with a smile.

Logan picked up his cowboy hat that had fallen off in the shuffle.  "I can always eat.  There's a little dive down the road..."

"Holy shit, I'll pick the place," Tanner said.  "Just follow me."

It was shaping up to be quite a birthday, but Tanner hoped it wasn't done yet.  He had plans for Madison tonight that didn't include any of his friends.

It would be just the two of them.

* * * *

"
Do you want me to rub your shoulder?" Madison asked as they entered Tanner's dark home.  He flipped on the lights and Scout bounded down the stairs to greet them, his paws sliding on the smooth tile.  When the dog realized there were two people to welcome, his tail went into overdrive and he gave them both a thorough sniffing. 

Tanner laughed.  "He thinks every time I leave the house, I go pet other dogs.  He's mighty jealous."

Scout gave Madison's hand a lick and he sat quietly, love in his brown doggy eyes when she scratched behind his soft, furry ears.   

"I think I made a friend for life."  Madison giggled.  "He's not much of a watchdog, though.  I thought he might bark or growl when we came in."

"We came in through the garage, plus I think he recognizes the sound of my truck.  If anyone else tried to come in through the front door or a window, hell, he would have greeted us with one of their limbs in his mouth."

"Good dog, Scout," Madison crooned.  "Very good dog."

"And my shoulder is fine, but I sure as hell am not going to turn down a back rub from you."

"It never occurred to me that you would," Madison answered tartly.  "Besides, it's my fault all of that happened back at the bar."

Tanner helped her off with her coat.  "No, ma'am.  It was that drunk's fault.  He was acting like a stupid asshole.  This wasn't any of your doing."

"I guess I haven't really thanked you for protecting me."  Madison pushed to her feet.

Tanner, Seth, and Logan had shrugged off what happened quickly.  Clearly drunks bent on violence didn't faze the men in the least.  They'd strolled back to their vehicles, cool as you please, and driven to the nearest burger joint where they'd eaten their second dinner of the night while the females looked on, amused but awed at the amount of food these men could pack away.  All three of them had eaten a double cheeseburger with a large order of fries.  Madison had felt her arteries harden as the men had tucked into their meal.

Tanner looked down at her, his expression solemn.  "It's my job to protect you.  One I take very seriously.  Nothing will ever happen to you when I'm around, Maddie.  I will always take care of you."

"It's not really your job."  Even as she said it, warmth was spreading from her heart to the rest of her body.  Other than her father, she'd never had a man with Tanner's protective instincts.  She was a modern woman and shouldn't enjoy the feeling.  But she did. 

Tanner chuckled and walked into the kitchen.  "You sound like it's a burden.  It's a privilege, honey."  He pulled two water bottles from the refrigerator.  "I guess I'm old-fashioned.  Does it piss you off?"

"No."  Madison shook her head.  "I'm ashamed to say I like that about you."

"Why ashamed?"  Tanner frowned, his brows drawn together in a line.

"I'm not supposed to want a man to take care of me.  I'm supposed to be a self-sufficient woman who can do anything that needs done all by herself." 

"Sounds lonely."  Tanner's lips twisted.  "The best part of a relationship is that you're there for each other."

"I've never really been in one."  Madison shrugged.

Tanner handed her a water bottle and smiled.  "News flash.  You're in one now.  How does it feel?"

"Pretty good, actually.  But it could feel better."

"I'm listening."  Tanner's smile was sexy and her heart started beating faster.  There was something about this man that got to her every single time.

"I was thinking we should do something special for your birthday.  Something sexy."  She screwed up her courage.  "Presley said she did a striptease for Seth."

An eyebrow quirked.  "You want me to do a striptease?  I guess I could give it a shot." 

Tanner looked like he was trying not to laugh.  She sighed and rolled her eyes.  "No, I meant me.  I was thinking maybe I should do a striptease for you.  Or something.  It's your birthday."

She sounded so freakin' lame.

"Should?  Do you want to do a striptease for me, honey?  I want you no matter what."

She set the bottle on the kitchen table.  "I'm not Presley, I guess."

Tanner slid his arms around her.  "Thank God.  I love Presley.  She's a wonderful woman and she makes Seth very happy.  However, she would run me into an early grave.  He has his hands full twenty-four seven with her.  I'm happy with you.  In fact, I think you're the sexiest woman I've ever seen.  Hands down."  He set his own water bottle down and walked over to the clock radio on the windowsill.  He switched it on, finding a soft, instrumental song.  "I think I have an idea.  How about we dance together and do a mutual strip?"

"A mutual strip?"  A lump had formed in
Madison’s throat and the blood in her veins was starting to sing.  "I don't think I've ever done that before."

Tanner flicked open the top button on her black wool pencil skirt, his fingers brush
ing the bare skin of her midriff.  She quivered at the feeling of his callused hands. 

"Follow my lead."

His voice was deep and promised pleasure with a touch of sin.  She'd follow him anywhere.

Raising his hands, he shrugged off his suit coat and tossed it on a kitchen chair.  His fingers played with the buttons in his shirt before plucking them open, leaving it gaping.  A white ribbed undershirt peeked out from under the snow
white button-down. 

"Your turn," he said.  A smile played around his lips and his eyes glowed a dark blue.  He was enjoying this by the look of the bulge beneath his zipper.  "Unbutton the sweater, Maddie.  I want to see what's underneath."

He'd already seen everything but it didn't stop her from feeling compelled to follow his command.  Her clumsy fingers unfastened her cardigan and slid it off her shoulders so it fell heedlessly somewhere on the floor.  She'd worn a pink camisole under the sweater but no bra.  Her nipples rubbed against the lace as he inspected what she'd revealed. 

"Your turn." 

The words almost caught in her throat but he seemed to understand.  Tanner pulled the shirt from his waistband and made short work of the buttons.  He shrugged it off and then peeled the undershirt from his body, revealing his hard muscular chest.  Something fluttered in her stomach and her insides seem to turn to molten liquid.  She reached out to touch him but his hands caught her wrist.

"Not yet.  Now you again."

Madison lowered her hands to the zipper on her skirt.  Tanner had already unbuttoned it, so she slowly slid the zipper down until the skirt pooled at her feet.  She stepped out of it and kicked it away.  She should have felt chilly standing there in only a camisole, panties and her garters and stockings.  Instead, she was on fire from the inside out.  She licked her dry lips and his gaze zeroed in on her movement.

"You."  She swallowed hard.  "Next." 

His expression was tense but he reached for the fastening of his pants and popped them open before pushing the zipper down.  The metal teeth sounded loud in the silence and the anticipation made her tremble in her heels.  He shoved them down his thighs and soon they were tossed carelessly across the room.  His erection was bold and proud, tenting his boxers.  She dropped to her knees and reached for his cock.