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They both nodded and followed him into the club’s business office just off the main room. Dog shut the door behind them.
“You tell Krystal what’s up?” Dog asked Cutter.
Cutter shook his head. “Wanted her to hear it from you. Didn’t want to miss any of the details. They might be important.”
Krystal’s face tightened into a frown. “What’s this about? I’ll help if I can. You know that.”
“I just hate to open old wounds.”
Her body stilled. “This is about Nate.”
“Yeah.”
Her shoulders curled forward, and she crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m not surprised. He has a lot on the line tonight. What’s he done?”
“I think he’s targeting Charley.”
Krystal hung her head and took a deep breath. “Shit. She doesn’t deserve that, no matter what she said. She’s so new with you. How’d he find out about her?”
Acid roiled in Dog’s gut.“Must have been following me. He saw her almost the same time I did. In the Round’s parking lot.”
“Sounds like him. I watched him stalk fight opponents when we were together. I thought it showed determination and cunning back then. Didn’t see what a sick motherfucker he was till….”
Her chin dropped to her chest. Dog hated doing this to her. Nate had broken her when he’d beaten the shit out of her. And raped her, Dog guessed, though she’d never said. She was doing better after six months but bringing it up would set her back. Fuck Nate. No chance in hell this was happening to Charley.
Cutter put his arm around her. “You know we got you. He ain’t gonna get near you again.”
She gave him a weak smile. “I know. I trust you guys. But he doesn’t stop, doesn’t let up till he gets what he wants.” She turned to Dog. “If he’s got Charley in his sights, she’s in real danger.”
“I’ve warned her,” Dog said. “But I didn’t tell her about you. I wouldn’t do that.”
Her expression relaxed. “Thank you. If what he did to me got out, it’d put me back in his sites again. I can’t risk it.”
“You know it wasn’t your fault,” Dog said, knowing she felt the opposite was true.
“No?” Krystal replied, her voice shaky. “I stayed with him after the first time he hit me. That by itself gave him permission.”
“Fuck no!” Cutter grabbed her shoulders and made her face him. “Only a weak man hits a woman. That sonofabitch is responsible for what happened to you. Don’t you take that on.”
Dog knew it was too late for that. She’d taken it on a long time ago. That was why it haunted her.
“I want to believe that, but I should’ve gotten away. Not listened to his shit. He kept telling me no one else would want me, or take care of me, and I couldn’t get by on my own. And I believed him.” She dropped her head into her hands. “God, I was so stupid.”
Dog shook his head. “You weren’t then, and you aren’t now. But I’ll keep your secret. Just help me figure out his next move so I can stop him.”
Dog gave Krystal the low down on what had happened with Nate.
Krystal shuddered, but Cutter shrugged. “Fight’s over tonight. We keep Charley here till it’s done, and she’s fine.”
Krystal wrapped her arms around her middle. “It’s not that simple. Once Nate wants a woman, he doesn’t stop. Even after I left, he stayed on me. The more I ran, the harder he followed. If he’s decided he wants Charley, and that text he sent you in the hospital parking lot makes it sound like he does, she’s got to be protected.”
“I’ve been careful,” Dog said. “He doesn’t know her name, or where she lives. Taking her car to get the tire changed though, so there’s a risk. We need to put a prospect on him.”
Cutter frowned. “You gotta send her back to Charlotte and make her stay away from Edwards. Give her a reason to stay away.”
“What do you mean?”
“Break it off and make it hurt.”
