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Adele was Nate’s ex? Dog had said Adele had had no place to go when her boyfriend had kicked her out. Certainly, Nate couldn’t be that cruel.
Dog moved closer to Nate, almost nose to nose. “None of your fucking business.”
Nate didn’t flinch. “That’s what I thought.” He leaned around Dog. “You can do better, Charley. Hope to see you tonight. It would be a pleasure.”
Charley wouldn’t be going, even if Dog invited her. Violence was repugnant to her.
Dog pulled an arm back, fist clenched, but Charley grabbed it before he could take a swing at Nate. “Dog, no!”
Dog jerked his arm from her hands but didn’t try again.
Nate looked disappointed, like a punch was what he’d intended. “Ah, ah, ah, hot head. You know the rules. Any scuffle before a match is automatic forfeit. Can’t do that to the fans now, can we?”
“Get the fuck out of here,” Dog hissed.
Nate grinned. “Okay. For now. I’ll see you later, Charley.”
Violence avoided, Charley was relieved when Nate retreated to the vehicle and climbed in. The driver pulled out and sped away.
Dog clenched both fists. “Son of a bitch!” He paced the short length of the driveway, running his hand through his long locks. “Son of abitch!”
Charley had never seen Dog like this, muscles bulging, face screwed tight in a scowl. Such a contrast to the kind man who’d stayed with her in the hospital and made her feel safe.
A realization erupted in Charley’s mind and burst past her lips. “Is the fight why you’ve been so uptight around Nate? Every time he’s around, you become so angry. And fighting, Dog? Really? It’s barbaric.”
Dog’s legs locked, and he pinned her with an icy glare. “You judgin’ me now, woman? Fighting is how I earn money for the club, help my brothers feed their kids. That a good enough reason for you? But then, you wouldn’t know anything about that kind of sacrifice.”
Anger clawed its way into Charley’s throat. “I beg your pardon, but I do know sacrifice. I work my tail off to keep my firm’s doors open so my employees can eat. They’remyfamily!”
He took two steps toward her. “Good thing you got all that education, so you can do it from a cushy desk. You have no idea about my world, what it’s like to be white trash. People assumin’ all kinds of shit about us.”
The term ‘white trash’ made Charley’s gut twist. “Is that why you dislike Nate? Because of how he dresses and behaves?”
A muscle in Dog’s cheek twitched, giving Charley an indication of how much emotion he was suppressing. “You need to listen to me. Stay away from that asswipe.”
“Why?” She huffed. “He’s seems perfectly nice to me.”
Dog’s expression turned black. “Oh, is that how it is? All a man needs to get in good with you is be clean cut and wear expensive clothes? Guess my brothers don’t qualify. Me either.”
Charley gasped. “That’s not fair! I just meant he doesn’t seem like a problem. He’s was polite—”
Dog grabbed her arms. “Stay away from him, hear me? I don’t want you near him. He’s fucking dangerous. He beat up…” He dropped her arms and swiped his fingers through his hair. “Fuck!”
“Who did he beat up?” Charley’s words came out hushed. “One of your brothers?”
Dog snorted. “Hell, no. He knows better. He’d pay in ways he’s only seen in his nightmares. But I can’t tell you who. I promised I’d keep the secret.”
“Is this secret why you are fighting in the first place?”
Dog scrubbed his hand over his face before he spoke. “You remember Jessie? She needs an expensive treatment Luke and Sophie can’t afford. She’s been waiting months for it. Fightin’ Nate’ll bring in the money she needs.”
Charley shook her head. “Certainly, there are other ways to raise money. And doesn’t Luke have a job and insurance?”
“He manages our pawn shop, works for the club, and has insurance through that. But Luke isn’t Jessie’s real father. He’s going to marry Sophie and adopt Jessie if her biological father will sign the papers.
“We’ve tried other ways to raise money, but it’s never enough. Her bills keep mounting, no matter how much they pay on them. Hospital says nothing other than emergency care from now on till he pays them off.”
Charley’s heart melted at Dog’s generosity, and her anger faded away. He was risking himself, so a brother could care for a child.
