Lacey pulled at the back of Jack’s tux, trying to get him away from Michael. It was like trying to get a grip on an elephant.

Michael threw up a knee, barely missing Jack’s groin. Jack stumbled backward and tripped Lacey. She felt a dress seam split at her hip.

Jack kept his feet and dived forward with a shoulder, caught Michael squarely in the chest and took them both down.

“Michael!” Lacey gasped. Her hair fell out of its clip and swung into her eyes. She yanked it out of the way and checked her dress for any exposed body parts. The ripped side seam revealed six inches of her hip and waist but nothing too intimate.

A crowd gathered around the men, swarming forward like a shark scenting blood. Glittering women shrieked or stared in horror, their mouths forming a stunned “O” shape. Some of the men glanced at one another, looking for a suggestion of whom to side with. Others just grinned and enjoyed the show.

Lacey grabbed two fresh drinks from a stunned waiter and dumped the contents on the scrambling men’s heads. Neither flinched. Strong hands gripped her shoulders and set her aside. She stared at her father’s back as he latched onto Jack’s coat, yanked him off balance, and threw him backward where a couple of men grabbed both his arms. James Campbell planted a firm foot on Michael’s chest, pinning him to the floor.

“That’s enough!” her father roared. Two hotel security guards shoved their way through the crowd and came to a halt. Seeing everything under control for a second, they glanced at each other, then looked expectantly to the man with one foot on Michael’s chest.

Lacey drew in a deep breath and stepped forward, glaring from one dripping man to the next. Jack caught her eye, raised a brow and licked a thin stream of alcohol from the side of his mouth. He didn’t look one bit embarrassed. Jack shrugged, trying to free his arms, but the two men holding him gripped tighter. With disgust, Lacey noticed the men wore twin expressions of enthusiasm, relishing their small role in the brawl.

She turned to glower at Michael and noticed his gaze was locked on the tear at her hip. She checked to confirm everything was still rated PG and waved a hand for her father to let him up. Michael pushed up into a sitting position, and his split lip dripped blood mixed with booze onto his white shirt. Lacey snagged a cocktail napkin and dabbed at the blood on his face.

“You are being crazy. This is way out of line. Why in the world are you deliberately pushing his buttons like that? You know he’s not a killer. Is this about the other night? Please tell me this isn’t some sort of getting back at him. You’re bigger than that, Michael.”

“Leave it.” Michael pushed her ministrations away and moved smoothly to his feet. Giving Jack a stony stare, he turned to the hotel security guard, who was speaking on his radio. “Are the police coming?” At the guard’s nod, Michael cast back a smoking glance at Jack. “Good. I’m pressing charges.”

Lacey didn’t speak the whole way home. She knew Michael hadn’t thrown the first physical punch, but he’d definitely hurled the first verbal one. Her brain was still spinning.

Michael turned his Land Rover onto her street and she stiffened. If he thought he was coming in to her house to talk or apologize, she was going to set him straight. He was going home. She couldn’t handle any more testosterone tonight. She watched his headlights play over the other cars parked along her street and steeled her spine for a confrontation.

How dare they fight like boys! Men sometimes acted like idiots but tonight took the cake. She made a frustrated noise of indignation, and Michael turned his head to eye her questioningly.

He had to know she was furious. He better be scared, she seethed. She was ready to let him have it. Jack too, but he wasn’t here, so Michael was going to catch the brunt of her wrath.

He parked in her driveway and turned off the ignition. They both sat in silence.

“Lace…” He started hesitantly.

“Don’t say a word,” she snapped. “I watched two adult men act like little spoiled brats tonight. My hair is a mess and my new, very expensive dress is ripped.” She touched an earlobe. “And somewhere I’ve lost a two-and-a-half-carat diamond stud.” She was just getting warmed up. “I know this wasn’t all your fault, Michael, but you’re here and he’s sitting in a jail cell somewhere. If I wasn’t so damned tired, and needing to get my stuff packed to stay at Dad’s, I’d march down there and yell at him too. I thought you were trying to help me. I can’t be alone with that killer running around. How can you act like this?”

He had the grace to look ashamed. “I’m sorry, Lace. That guy brings out the worst in me. You know I’d never leave you alone. When I left the other night, he was still in your house and I knew he wouldn’t let you out of his sight.” He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “I recognize something in him. It’s the same thing I feel. I guess you’d call it overprotectiveness. On one hand I hate that he feels that way about you, but on the other hand I respect it enough to leave town and feel certain you’ll be safe with him around.”

All the wind deflated out of her sails. “Then why did you insinuate that he had a hand in Amy’s death? That was horrible of you.”

“I just wanted to see his reaction.”

“Well, he definitely reacted. That wasn’t your smartest moment, Michael. Why did you press charges? He can’t be around when you’re gone if he’s in jail.”

“Why are you so damn logical?” he muttered. “I’ll drop the charges and get him out.”