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Adele shook him off. “Not in the mood,” she snarled, and disappeared down the hallway.
Hardly conscious of the action, Charley stabbed her fists on her hips and faced off with Dog.
“Oh, shit. Here it comes,” Cutter mumbled.
Charley didn’t spare him a glance, but Dog cut her off before she could begin.
“Charley, you’ve got this wrong. She’s under club protection and gets a salary for her efforts around the clubhouse.”
“Efforts! You mean sex!”
He shook his head. “She does more than that, but if she chooses to give back in that way, it’s her choice. Nobody’s forcing her. She didn’t have anywhere to go when her old man kicked her out. She’d been hanging around the clubhouse for a while, and everyone liked her. Seemed natural to offer her a job.”
Another woman, maybe a decade older than Adele, entered the room from the hallway carrying a laundry basket, a confused look on her face, but that didn’t slow Charley down. “You’ve got women living here, trading sex for protection! Trading sex for a roof over their heads! No woman grows up wanting that, Dog.Ever. Why are you justifying their choices and making it okay?”
Dog’s face contorted into a look that probably chilled men’s souls, and he balled his fists. “You gonna feed ‘em? Make sure they’re safe? Because, sweetheart, if you aren’t, you’re a fucking hypocrite to judge how they make that happen for themselves. Not everyone comes from a castle, princess. Some of us had to work hard for what we’ve got.”
Suddenly, Charley couldn’t draw a breath. Dog knew the sacrifices she’d made and what had happened to her as a result. Tears welled in her eyes, but she refused to give him that satisfaction. “I—I want to go to my cottage. I think I’ve seen enough of yourfamily.”
Chapter Fifteen
Shit. What a clusterfuck. Dog had known the clubhouse might be too much for Charley, but he’d figured a Saturday morning would be a pretty tame introduction. He hadn’t factored Adele into the mix.
But anger rumbled through him, choppy and rough like a poorly tuned Harley, and he closed the distance to Charley. He couldn’t let this insult go by without repercussions—not in front of his brothers. If they had anything at all, she had to accept her place with him and his club.
Dog narrowed his eyes. “I’ll be happy to take you back,” he said, each word abrupt and harsh. “Soon as I finish what I came here for. Now sit your ass down and cool off while I do.”
Crank’s disembodied voice called out. “Come sit over here. I’ll help you pass the time.”
Charley’s eyes widened. “Dog—"
Dog wanted to kill Crank. “Shut the fuck up, asshole. She’s mine and you won’t touch her.”
Crank rose from the couch. He was shirtless, his jeans were unbuttoned, and he was clearly sporting a boner. “Guess I’m gonna have to take care of this myself after all.”
Charley’s gaze followed him as he disappeared down the hall to the bedrooms. Dog cupped her chin in his hand, dragging her attention back to him. His voice was still rough. “You’re safe here. You haven’t made any friends today, but no one will touch you out of respect for me. So, sit down. I won’t be long.”
Her face hardened. “I won’t sit on those couches. There’s no telling what people have done on them.”
Dog’s eyes drifted closed, and he drew in a slow breath. “Then sit at the bar.”
With a hand on her back, he guided her toward Cutter. Krystal, their House Mama, stood with him.
Cutter’s face held a wide grin, which made Dog want to choke him. Cutter swept his hand toward a stool. “Take a load off, Charley. I’ll get you a beer to help you relax.”
Charley perched on the edge of the stool, her back straight as a stripper pole. “It’s too early to drink.”
Cutter laughed. “It’s five o’clock somewhere.”
Charley rolled her eyes. “I’ve never understood that phrase.”
“It means—”
Charley cut Cutter off with a wave of her hand. “I know what it means, but it isn’t five o’clock here. I’m fine.”
Dog doubted that, but he needed to move on.
“Cutter, Krystal. Need a word.”
