no more than curious now and relieved that Tyce’s temper was again under control. She wouldn’t want him to suffer for something he’d done to protect her.
“ I found out exactly where you came from. I told him about the trailer park, Lisa, told him you were the daughter of a drunken slut.”
She laughed and shook her head. “So did I, you pompous freak. That first afternoon when I saw how much he liked me. I never tried to hide where I came from and that was one of the things your father liked about me. My honesty.”
Franklin glared at her. “That’s not true.”
Tyce moved toward him again but Franklin quickly stepped back out of reach. Lisa moved in and took Franklin ’s hand in both of hers. She patted it gently as she leaned in close. “It is true. Do you know what else is true?”
“ What?” he asked softly, clearly taken by surprise at her touch and nearness.
She raised her hand then cupped it next to her mouth and his ear and whispered to him.
He jerked his hand away from hers. “No! That’s such a fucking waste,” Franklin snarled. “I’m telling my lawyer.”
“ The paperwork’s already done,” she said, stifling an urge to laugh. “Your father approved and set everything up before he died. He knew if he left the cars to you it would never happen.”
She stepped back and crossed her arms, gave him a dismissive glance from head to toe. “You know, Franklin, I don’t see the tiniest resemblance between Harris and you. He had integrity and honor, worked hard all his life and faced his battles head on while you, you’re–”
“ I will not be spoken to this way!” he cried, trying to sound imperious but only succeeding in a whine.
“ It seems to me you’ve made a lot of wrong assumptions about your stepmother here, Franklin.” Tyce’s voice cut like glass. “One of them being that she’s above physical violence. I’m going to do you a favor and give you a chance to run before she kicks your ass.”
Lisa lost it at Tyce ’s boldface lie and burst out laughing at the look that came over Franklin’s face.
“ Whatever it was she whispered to you, you’d better believe it, because Lisa Brady Delaney does what she says she’s going to do. She got out of that trailer park on her own long before meeting your father. And you wonder why he married her? Look beyond the beauty, Delaney. She’s got integrity, strength, and endurance and I don’t know how the hell she put up with you all this time.”
He snarled at the cowering man, while Lisa did her best to control her laughter. But when Tyce stamped his foot and made Franklin jump in fear, she broke out into peals again.
“Now get!” Tyce said.
Franklin pushed past them both and scurried across the courtyard and climbed into his car. The engine roared and the rear tires squealed as he made good his escape.
“What the hell did you whisper to him?” Tyce demanded with a chuckle.
“ My secret,” she said, trembling from the adrenaline rush. Now that it was over, shock set in and she had to lean against the workbench to stay on her feet. She hated screaming scenes.
He noticed her reaction and swept her into a hug. Rubbing her arms he soothed and crooned to her. “It’s okay, Lisa. Take it easy. He’s gone. You’re right. He can’t hurt you.”
She nodded, but didn ’t speak. The tension had been so high and she’d been trapped by it. If Tyce had lost control, she might have too. Nothing frightened her more.
Eleven
Pride & Joy
Tyce wiped his hands on his rag and patted the fender on the old Ford. She was a spectacular ride, a highway cruiser with elegant lines, strong fins , and a full backseat that made a man think about hot women and hotter sex.
He ’d bet she’d seen a lot of action on that cool two-toned upholstery.
Lisa opened the kitchen door and turned to him with a smile and wave.
As she approached, he took stock. Weak smile, lifted chin, suspiciously moist eyes. She’d tied her
“ I found out exactly where you came from. I told him about the trailer park, Lisa, told him you were the daughter of a drunken slut.”
She laughed and shook her head. “So did I, you pompous freak. That first afternoon when I saw how much he liked me. I never tried to hide where I came from and that was one of the things your father liked about me. My honesty.”
Franklin glared at her. “That’s not true.”
Tyce moved toward him again but Franklin quickly stepped back out of reach. Lisa moved in and took Franklin ’s hand in both of hers. She patted it gently as she leaned in close. “It is true. Do you know what else is true?”
“ What?” he asked softly, clearly taken by surprise at her touch and nearness.
She raised her hand then cupped it next to her mouth and his ear and whispered to him.
He jerked his hand away from hers. “No! That’s such a fucking waste,” Franklin snarled. “I’m telling my lawyer.”
“ The paperwork’s already done,” she said, stifling an urge to laugh. “Your father approved and set everything up before he died. He knew if he left the cars to you it would never happen.”
She stepped back and crossed her arms, gave him a dismissive glance from head to toe. “You know, Franklin, I don’t see the tiniest resemblance between Harris and you. He had integrity and honor, worked hard all his life and faced his battles head on while you, you’re–”
“ I will not be spoken to this way!” he cried, trying to sound imperious but only succeeding in a whine.
“ It seems to me you’ve made a lot of wrong assumptions about your stepmother here, Franklin.” Tyce’s voice cut like glass. “One of them being that she’s above physical violence. I’m going to do you a favor and give you a chance to run before she kicks your ass.”
Lisa lost it at Tyce ’s boldface lie and burst out laughing at the look that came over Franklin’s face.
“ Whatever it was she whispered to you, you’d better believe it, because Lisa Brady Delaney does what she says she’s going to do. She got out of that trailer park on her own long before meeting your father. And you wonder why he married her? Look beyond the beauty, Delaney. She’s got integrity, strength, and endurance and I don’t know how the hell she put up with you all this time.”
He snarled at the cowering man, while Lisa did her best to control her laughter. But when Tyce stamped his foot and made Franklin jump in fear, she broke out into peals again.
“Now get!” Tyce said.
Franklin pushed past them both and scurried across the courtyard and climbed into his car. The engine roared and the rear tires squealed as he made good his escape.
“What the hell did you whisper to him?” Tyce demanded with a chuckle.
“ My secret,” she said, trembling from the adrenaline rush. Now that it was over, shock set in and she had to lean against the workbench to stay on her feet. She hated screaming scenes.
He noticed her reaction and swept her into a hug. Rubbing her arms he soothed and crooned to her. “It’s okay, Lisa. Take it easy. He’s gone. You’re right. He can’t hurt you.”
She nodded, but didn ’t speak. The tension had been so high and she’d been trapped by it. If Tyce had lost control, she might have too. Nothing frightened her more.
Eleven
Pride & Joy
Tyce wiped his hands on his rag and patted the fender on the old Ford. She was a spectacular ride, a highway cruiser with elegant lines, strong fins , and a full backseat that made a man think about hot women and hotter sex.
He ’d bet she’d seen a lot of action on that cool two-toned upholstery.
Lisa opened the kitchen door and turned to him with a smile and wave.
As she approached, he took stock. Weak smile, lifted chin, suspiciously moist eyes. She’d tied her
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