Fury of Desire

full knowledge, and regardless of the nagging guilt, couldn’t deny she’d killed a man to save her life, but mostly to protect her sister. J.?J.’s ex-boyfriend hadn’t been bluffing. He’d meant every word. Would’ve made good on his threat. Forced her to watch as he put a gun to Tania’s head and pulled the trigger before turning the revolver in her direction. Two dead for the price of one, except…

She hadn’t let it happen. Had countered before he’d gotten his act together.

All of which landed her here… injured and alone in Swedish Medical with Griggs and an angry nurse facing off across her hospital bed. Yet as Ashford dug in, glaring at the weasel, J.?J. couldn’t help but be grateful. No one other than Tania ever championed her. It felt good to find a friend, even one as fleeting as a temporary caregiver. The gesture rated as sweet. Brave as well, considering the mean streak Griggs carried around like a club.

“It’s all right, Nurse Ashford,” she murmured, hoping to diffuse the situation. Angering Griggs wasn’t a good idea. Keeping his pride intact amounted to the safer solution. “The cuffs don’t bother me.”

A lie. Boldly said and beautifully delivered. But honestly, she didn’t want the nurse getting into trouble. Not on her account.

Eyeballing her, Ashford pursed her lips. She paused, indecision written all over her face, then—

“Prison protocol, ma’am,” he said, brushing off the unspoken protest.

“I didn’t catch your name, Officer…?”

“Griggs, ma’am.”

“Well, Officer Griggs, find the key and un-protocol her.” A determined look on her face, Ashford stared at him from the opposite side of the bed. J.?J.’s gaze ping-ponged, jumping from Griggs to her would-be savior and back again. Oh boy. Not good. The nurse was itching for a fight, one that would get them both bruised in the end. “I need to check and redress her injuries. I can’t do that with the handcuffs in place.”

Blond brows collided over his narrowed eyes.

“You can lock her back up after I’m done, but for now…” The nurse pointed her finger at him in warning.

J.?J. swallowed a huff of laughter. God love the woman, she epitomized tough. Toss in stubborn. Add single-minded to the mix and… yup. It was a whole new ball game. One that left the weasel out in left field, trying to catch a line drive without a proper mitt on his hand. She could feel the sting coming. Could practically see him backpedaling in the metaphorical sense, and as the nurse shook her finger at him one more time and turned toward the table next to the bed, J.?J. said a silent “thank you.” The weasel might be a first-rate bully, but Ashford topped him, bringing kick-ass to life in a contest of wills.

Excellent for J.?J. Not so great for Griggs.

The delay gave her what she needed… time. An extra ten, maybe fifteen, minutes to come up with a game plan. Griggs might be an asshole, but he wasn’t stupid. He’d figure out a way to get what he wanted and exploit her sister. So, first things first. She must protect Tania by warning her. Tell her to stay away until the shift change and Griggs went home for the night.

“You hang in there, J.?J.” Reaching out, Ashford patted the back of her free hand before turning to grab a plastic cup off the bedside table. “I’ll get some water for your sore throat and be right back. After that, I’ll get you sorted out, okay?”

One eye on Griggs, J.?J. nodded. “Thanks.”

“No sweat, kiddo.” Ample hips swaying, Ashford strode toward the bathroom door. Her hand jostled the cup. The straw rattled, pirouetting around the plastic rim as she glanced over her shoulder. Her gaze locked on Griggs, she arched a manicured brow. “Officer? I don’t hear any keys rattling. The cuffs, if you please.”

Ashford crossed the threshold into the bathroom. A tap got cranked, and the rush of water drifted through the quiet.

“Pain-in-the-ass woman.” Murder in his eyes, Griggs flicked at a button on his belt. The case that held his cuffs flipped open. “Stupid nigger needs to be put in her place.”

The slur drew J.?J. tight. Her fingers flexed in the sheet. The racist Podunk. She wanted to hit him for insulting Ashford. Just once. Okay, maybe twice. It would feel so good to crank her fist back and let it fly. A knuckle sandwich would smarten him up. Well, at least that was her running theory. Too bad she never got to test it. Punching a guard ranked as stupid, perhaps even suicidal. And yet, the dream lived on, circling inside her head, bringing a certain amount of satisfaction as she imagined him out cold on the floor.

Minus his two front teeth.

“What are you staring at, Injin?” His lip curled as he sneered at her.

J.?J. reined in a sigh, hiding her reaction. Nothing new about that… or the magnitude of his bigotry. He’d taught her well over the last five years. Reacting with outrage didn’t work. It simply stoked his fire, feeding him the power to hurt her. A card-carrying member of Haters R Us, Griggs never missed a chance to disparage her heritage. Or insult the Cherokee blood in her veins. It made her less human in his opinion. Disgusting? Absolutely. Rage worthy? No question. Sad in this day and age when skin color shouldn’t matter? Without a doubt. But that didn’t stop Griggs from spouting his racist views whenever he thought no one else could hear.

The fact she was half white—with blue eyes and light skin—didn’t matter to him. A half-breed equaled dirty, less than… unworthy of his notice. Too bad the same couldn’t be said for Tania. Griggs dismissal of her sister would’ve solved a lot of problems, ’cause… yeah. Had she and her sister shared the same father, Griggs would never have given Tania a second look.

Never mind become obsessed with her.

“Fucking redskin.” His low tone set off a buzzing inside her head as Griggs planted his hands on the bed-rail. The bar shifted under his weight, jarring the handcuffs. As the steel shackle tugged at J.?J.’s wrist, the panic she’d been trying to hold at bay punched through. She shuffled sideways, inchworming beneath the cotton sheet, desperate to maintain separation. It didn’t work. He invaded her space, bringing the stench of cologne with him. The muscles along her abdomen clenched in protest. Pain skittered up her side, tightening its grip on her rib cage, pulling at the stitches. “You think you’re home free or something? Just because that coon nurse has taken a liking to you?”

J.?J. drew in a choppy breath. The guy was beyond sick. A real candidate for the nearest mental institution. “I want my phone call.”

“Jesus.” With a huff, he pushed away from his perch. As he straightened, rehooking his thumbs in his belt, he shook his head. “You just don’t get it do you, Injin?”

Fear circled, taking an ugly turn. “I have a right to call my lawyer.”

“Bullshit. You have what I give you, nothing more. So listen up, Injin… and listen good.” A nasty gleam in his eyes, his mouth curved, the smile half-smug, half-snarl. Pressure snaked around her torso. As it tightened around her, she breathed in shallow bursts, struggling to keep her expression neutral. The second she let go, gave in, and showed fear was the instant he won. And foolish or not, J.?J. refused to hand him a clean victory. “You try anything. Make a call. Warn your sister. Talk shit about me to the warden or anybody else, and you won’t make it out of here alive. It’s that simple. So go ahead, Injin. Cry foul. Test me, but only if you wanna die. Otherwise, keep your fucking yap shut.”

“You won’t get away with it,” she said, faking confidence she didn’t feel.

“I already have. And your sister? She’s—”

“Smarter than you.”

“It’s not about being smart. It’s about her keeping me happy. And guess what? The happier I am, the longer you live.” One corner of his mouth tipped up. “What do you think Tania’s gonna do when she sees you here like this, Solares? Hmm, you want to know what I think?” He paused, satisfaction lighting his eyes as he let her stew a moment. “I think she’ll do whatever I say. Spread her legs… invite me in… blow me whenever I want just to keep you safe.”

“You touch one hair on her head, and so help me God, I’ll—”

“What?” He flicked at the cuffs chaining her to the bed. “Come on, Injin… tell me.”

“You sick bastard.”

He laughed. “About time you caught on.”

Door hinges creaked across the room. Dragging her gaze away from the asshole tormenting her, J.?J. glanced toward the bathroom. Ashford stood between the jambs, fitting a lid to the top of the plastic mug.

“Got those cuffs off yet, Officer?”