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“I think,” the Asian man said, “that it would be best to cover her anyway, whether she wants to believe she’s important to The Judge or not.” He paused. “Because it doesn’t matter if you do or don’t want to believe you’re important to him. He’s got an image to uphold, and that means that if you’re hurt, he still has to play the part. That part being ripping us new assholes and tearing us to shreds.”
“Agreed,” the sexy black man said. “Yao is right. I propose around-the-clock surveillance at her place for the next week at least, or she stays with Rector.”
Who the hell was Rector?
“She can’t stay with me,” Justice said. “I only have a one-bedroom cabin out in the woods with no couch. Also, I’m not sure what I’d do with her for the days that I’m working.”
“Actually,” Yao said. “That just might work. She stays with you, but she makes herself very visible around town. I want y’all to show your faces. If Marcus knows that he has the entirety of KPD at your back…”
“Making it look like y’all are a couple.” Tellings nodded in understanding. “And when you’re working, she can stay here. I’m sure I can find something for her to do.”
“What part of one-bedroom cabin did you not understand?” I asked bluntly. “I’m not sleeping on the floor.”
Been there, done that. Had the t-shirt.
I was not fond of sleeping on the floor. Not at all.
When I’d moved out of my father’s house, I barely had two pennies to rub together.
I’d literally had enough money for first and last month’s rent, food for the first week, and that was it. Honestly, I was lucky that utilities had been paid with the rent, otherwise I wouldn’t have made it.
But I had made it. I’d made it by sleeping on the floor of my apartment for six months while I saved up enough money to buy a mattress. I made it, and I was not going back there again.
Not now, not ever.
“Round the clock surveillance will put a strain on police resources,” Luke said, eyes coming straight to me. “It’s either Justice or you go home to your father where we know you’ll be safe.”
I snorted. “My father won’t want me there.”
And before I could tell him why, Luke had his phone out and was dialing someone.
I was unsurprised when my father answered.
Even more unsurprised when, after Luke explained the entire situation, he started spouting nasty words.
“…She needs to stay away from my home,” The Judge began. “She dug her grave, she can lie in it.”
Justice stiffened at my side.
“Sir,” Luke started.
“No,” The Judge continued. “She can’t come here. In fact, I’m glad that you called. It’ll be the perfect reason for Jimmy to quit his uncouth job on that godforsaken street. Even better that you were able to get her off of it. Now I can take care of that shit hole myself without worrying that she’ll try to save it.”
I stiffened then.
“Don’t you fucking dare,” I growled.
I knew what he was about to do, and I didn’t agree with it at all.
“Stratton will sell,” The Judge said. “You might want to start looking for alternate places to work that are a little more becoming to the station that you hold as my daughter.”
I snorted.
“I would think that if you wanted me to ‘become my station’ that you would actually care about me and my safety,” I gritted out. “Don’t do this.”
“It’s already done,” The Judge said. “And just remember, you brought this on yourself.”
Before he could hang up like I knew he intended to do, I said one last thing.
“I will literally become a stripper if it pisses you off,” I told him. “You think that me working as a welder is bad? I can make it worse.”
The Judge laughed. “Nobody would hire you.”
The confidence in his voice made me believe him.
Everyone did his bidding—at least he thought they did, anyway. It wouldn’t surprise me if he was right.
He’d probably sit down and talk to every single strip club within a fifty-mile radius and threaten their businesses if they hired me.
One of the big reasons that I’d worked for Stratton at all was because I knew that it pissed him off. And Stratton was a one of a kind man that couldn’t be scared into anything.
A thought hit me then, and I quickly offered up my proposal.
“I’ll stay away if you let Marta help with Jimmy,” I said.
The Judge opened his mouth and was already replying in the negative when I said, “Jimmy’s going to be pissed. He won’t stay away from me.”
“You’ll ignore his calls?” The Judge asked flatly.
“Yes.”
“You’ll not call. Not Text. Not come by for a visit? You’ll go the opposite direction if you see him in town?” he pushed.
It burned something down deep to agree, but I did so anyway.
