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“He’s saved your ass more than once. And that fucking employee of yours kidnapping Dominic…” He cursed. “Did you know your cousin called me and asked if I had anything to do with it?”
“I was there. But how did you know my employee was the one who did it?” I did my best to prevent anyone from knowing that. The only people who did were in that room with us. Val, Junior, Peyton, Dominic, Greer, Corbin who was the doctor I brought in. I knew he wouldn’t breathe a word. And then there was Dexen, who came in on the tail end of that nightmare. Pieces were clicking into place. “What did Dexen do?” I stepped forward, my boots thundering across the black marble.
Malik stepped in front of me before I could get in my dad’s face. I’d gotten into it with Malik previously and knew from experience he was as tough as steel. That didn’t mean I couldn’t hold my own against him. I’d learned to fight out of necessity. Learned to beat the shit out of those who stepped to me in challenge.
I peered around Malik, who was a few inches taller than me. “How do you know about what happened in my shop?” My dad had spies everywhere, but that night… We covered our tracks.
“Who do you think cleaned up the mess, Son?”
I could feel the blood draining from my face. “Dexen,” I whispered. The moment his name left my lips, I knew it was my dad or Malik who took care of Alan. “How many others?”
There were two I knew Dexen killed himself. The first time, it was a man on my dad’s payroll. One of his hired guns. He was supposed to be watching my back after a hit came in from one of my dad’s rivals. Instead of protecting me, he tried to rape me. He didn’t. Dexen showed up in time and slit his fucking throat when the guy was on top of me, trying to force my jeans down. I’d fought with the guy and ended up getting clocked in the head with his gun, making the room spin. Dexen killed him because he loved me and wanted me safe, but as I lay there covered in another man’s blood, I made Dexen swear he’d never do it again. I didn’t want the life my dad led. I wanted to be free of murder, even if I wasn’t the one doing it.
The second time, I was in a convenience store around the corner from my shop. Dexen and I were picking up snacks for a night in. He never complained about my apartment or made me stay at his home, which was much nicer. He just wanted to be with me.
A man pulled a gun on the cashier. Dexen drew his own weapon and went to help but as he was putting the gun to the robber’s head, his accomplice put a knife to my throat. I felt the blade pierce my skin, the blood trickling warmly over my flesh.
Dexen didn’t hesitate. He moved his arm holding the gun, shooting the man who held me in the head, then shot and killed the man robbing the clerk. It happened in seconds. The robber didn’t even get a chance to try to shoot Dexen.
Dexen could have put his gun down. Could have appealed to the robbers so they’d let me and the clerk go, as long as they got the money. But he didn’t. He killed them both. The cops showed up and with the clerk and me as witnesses, plus the security feed, Dexen was hailed a hero by them. It even made the news, but I was left out of the story, which I preferred. My old man would have had a meltdown if it was broadcasted that I couldn’t take care of myself. My relationship with Dexen wasn’t picked up by the media. I didn’t think Junior even knew I’d been dating Dexen.
Dexen wasn’t a hero to me then. I saw a murderer. A life I wanted nothing to do with. A broken promise. Years had passed since then. Years of me missing a man I shouldn’t.
I wasn’t an angel. I carried my own gun. Had others stashed in my home. They were for self-defense or defending those with me. A necessity after being shot at repeatedly, after being born to a man who went to bed with a gun beneath his pillow. I never killed anyone though. I didn’t shoot with the intent to murder. There was a difference between protecting myself and killing someone I didn’t necessarily have to.
“A few,” my dad said, dragging my focus to the present. “He did it to protect you.”
Anger laced my words. “You let him kill in your city?”
“Dexen can kill whoever he likes as long as it’s in the name of saving my only child.”
“Jesus, do you hear how fucked up this is? You want me to be with a murderer. I get how it seems normal to you, but that’s not what I want or need.”
“He wouldn’t kill someone who didn’t deserve it. When your life is at stake, Dexen will do what needs to be done.”
8
DEXEN
A noise from the hallway drew my gaze to it. More like the sound of a body being slammed against the door. My office was soundproofed. I normally didn’t hear anything going on in the club, but if you threw a person against the door, apparently, I’d hear that.
Reaching into my top left desk drawer, I pulled out my gun, palming it. It was already loaded. I pulled the slide back to put a bullet in the chamber. My office was secure, but I could never be too cautious. I went to the door, leaning my side against it as I slowly opened it. At least, that had been the plan. When the door was no longer secured, it flew open, pushing me toward the wall. Two bodies spilled in. One I recognized instantly by the shock of red hair.
Simon wrestled with a man, fists flying. I pointed my gun, but they were moving so fast, if I tried to shoot, I could hurt Simon.
Tattoos caught my eye. Up and down the other person’s arms. Dirty boots, jeans smeared with grease.
“What the fuck, JJ?” I yelled. I put the safety on the gun and placed it on my desk so I could use both my hands to pry Simon and JJ apart.
Hal, one of my other guards, rushed in, helping me move them. I grabbed JJ under his arms, hauling him back while Hal did the same to Simon. I collapsed onto the floor, my ass landing on plush carpet, JJ’s back to my chest, his breaths heaving in and out. His knuckles were bloody on his right hand, dripping over his fingers, as he struggled to be set free.
I raked my fingers along his scalp, sure to rub my blunt nails across his skin. It was something that used to soothe him when we were together. He stilled then melted against me, his body giving up the fight.
Glancing up, I saw Simon’s eye was quickly swelling and his bottom lip was split. “Hal, please take him to get cleaned up.”
“You going to be okay?”
“Yeah, I’m good.” Hal had been with me a long time. He knew who JJ was.
