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He kisses the back of my head. “Good night, baby.”
“Good night.” I close my eyes and smile.
Maybe there’s a chance for us after all.
Chapter Sixteen
Hank
Snoop hands me an address. “This is where you tracked him down?”
“Yeah, man, it’s definitely Austin.” He hands me two pictures. I’d recognize that prick anywhere. My blood boils when I remember how bruised and battered Brooke was after he hurt her.
That fuck is going to be sorry that he ever touched her. “I appreciate this.”
“No problem, man. I always liked Brooke. She didn’t deserve what he did. I hope you teach him a lesson.” Snoop hands me the rest of his information.
Derrick’s waiting outside for me in his truck. I climb into the passenger seat. “I got it.” I hold up the folder.
“Should we have brought back up?” he says as we pull onto the road.
“Fuck no. That guy is a woman beating pussy.” We head toward the edge of town. There is a motel that he’s been staying at. One of those places that you only pay cash and can rent the room by the hour.
Of course, how is the dickhead making money? He quit his job at the brokerage firm and his bank account is empty. Hell, his parents are probably paying his way. His dad, from the research Snoop did, is a woman-beating prick too.
I’m thankful that Brooke got away from him when she did. It makes me sick to think what could’ve happened to her, even more so with my baby in her belly. Fuck, our baby. We’re getting the second chance I’ve always hoped for.
She and Tripp are buddies, and every night they work on his letters. He’s thrived under her love and care. We still haven’t told anyone about the baby yet. Brooke goes to the doctor next week and they’ll do an ultrasound. Maybe once we know that everything is okay, we’ll tell.
“Hank? Hank!” Derrick looks at me and then back at the road. “You look really fucking happy about the beat down we’re about to hand out.”
Before I can stop myself, I blurt out, “Brooke is pregnant. We’re having a baby.” I shake my head. “I’m getting my second chance with her.”
He pulls over and throws the truck in park. “That’s great, brother. I mean it. Does Tripp know yet?”
I shake my head. “She has an OB appointment next week. We were going to wait until after that to tell him.”
“Probably a good idea. Are you sure you want to do this now? I’ll do it myself. Brooke’s like a sister to me.” Derrick taps the steering wheel.
I know he’d do it, but this is something I need to do and that’s what I tell him. “I can’t let you do that. Let’s take this dickheaddown.”
He nods and then pulls back onto the road. We’re both silent as we make our way toward the motel. Every bruise, every cut on Brooke’s body runs through my head on a constant loop.
My anger builds, and I’m ready to teach Austin a lesson. We’re a block away when Austin parks his truck and we both grab our guns, sticking them in the back of our jeans.
The sun is starting to set, so it’s getting nice and dark. We hop out and walk down the street to the motel. This part of town is a little bit quieter, but no one will look twice at us walking down the road.
We split up. Derrick heads around the back, and I move around the front. Lucky for us, his room is farthest from the office. I reach Austin’s door and pull out my lock-picking kit.
This place is cheap, and it takes me about five seconds to get the door open and find the room empty. Grabbing the mattress, I lift it and look under it. I’m not sure what I was expecting to find, but I drop it and move across the room to the closet.
Flinging it open, I find clothes and when I push them out of the way. I freeze because on the wall are pictures of Brooke. Some she’s obviously naked but covered by a blanket. My blood boils and I grab them all, ripping them from the wall.
I carry them into the bathroom and find Derrick hoisting himself inside. “Where is he?”
“Not here. Maybe he caught wind of us coming and took off.” I hold up the pictures. “Found these. He’s not done with her.”
He takes them from me, quickly scanning them, and curses under his breath. “He’s not going to hurt her. You have my word, brother.”
