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“I understand that now. I was never going to help him.” Tears streamed down her face. “I didn’t want to lie to you, but I didn’t want to put a strain on your relationship with Cassie. She’s already growing tired of him. Your plan is working, and I figured Josh would be out of our lives soon.”
“I still don’t know why he put his hands on you.”
“He said you would be done with me soon, and then I would end up back on the street. Vulnerable to men like Caleb. I shouldn’t have listened, but he kept calling me stupid. It made me remember all those mean kids at school and the teachers who looked down on me and wouldn’t help.” She sobbed.
“You have to calm down and let me handle this.” It tore me up to see her upset, but my rage for that piece of shit hitting her outweighed any other emotion I had at this moment.“You said you hit him.”
“I couldn’t take it anymore. He said I wasn’t good enough for you. He called you a crime lord, and then when he said I couldn’t read, I snapped. I punched him in the nose and made it bleed.”
“He retaliated.” I gritted my teeth and looked at Luke. “We have to take care of this now.”
“I’ll get his address and get the guys.”
“I’ll meet you at the car in a few minutes.”
“No!” Emmie cried out as Luke left the room. “This is why I didn’t want to tell you.” I don’t want you to hurt anyone, or worse. for me.”
“You made a mistake by lying to me, and I’m going to address that later.” Josh had done a number on her, scaring her enough to lie to me. I wasn’t pleased with her decision, but I would sort that out after. “I have to deal with Josh.”
“Jude.” She took my hand. “Think of what could happen between you and Cassie if you go after him. I don’t want that for you and your daughter.”
“Do you think that my daughter should be with a man who would hit a woman?”
“Of course not, but he knew things about you. About me.”
“Like what?” I asked.
“He wants to work in your club because he said he could get ahead. He knew that you saved me from someone. How would he know that?”
Josh must have known who I was before he met Cassandra. I’ll figure all of this out.” I brought her close to me. “Keep icing that lip. I’ll be back later.”
“I don’t want you to go.”
“I’ll be fine.” It wasn’t me she needed to worry about. “I’ll handle this.”
“Please, Jude.” She closed her eyes. “I have a bad feeling about this.”
“No one touches you, hurts you, or intimidates you to get to me.” I took her face between my hands. “I told you I would never let anyone hurt you, but you did get hurt. In my house, and by someone who I knew should not have been here.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Send a message.” I gently kissed her injured lip. “No one comes after what’s mine, and you are most definitely mine.”
* * *
Two hours later,I returned home with swollen knuckles and a sore jaw, but my message had been received. No one comes after me and mine.
“Jude.” Emmie ran into my arms when I came into my bedroom. “I was so worried about you.”
“I’m fine.”
“Your face.” She touched my bruised jaw. “It looks like it hurts.”
“I had to let him get one punch in to keep it fair.” I smirked. “But one was all he got.” Josh took his beating like a man; I’d give him that. “He won’t be bothering you anymore.”
“Did he say why he was here?”
“I won’t discuss this with you.” I touched her lip. “Did you keep the ice on there?”
