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The police chief’s voice continued. “Surveillance footage from the apartment complex, however, caught two men of interest outside the woman’s first floor apartment just before the time of the alleged incident—one with a heavy build, maybe two-hundred pounds, approximately six feet tall, with light hair; the other thinner with dark hair, around one-seventy-five, perhaps six-two.”
Something about the blond man looked familiar. The way he moved, his walk. Dog felt sure he’d seen him before.
“The door showed no signs of forced entry, but scratches around the keyhole are consistent with someone picking the lock.”
The screen switched back to the anchor woman. “The Asheville Police Department asks anyone who recognizes the men in the video or has any further information relating to the case to call them immediately at the number 828-555-COPS or 828-555-8677.”
This was nasty business. Dog hoped the police found the fuckers. No one should treat a woman that way. It was one thing if she liked it rough or with multiple men at the same time, another if she didn’t. Dog would love for Cutter to apply his skills to this scum, slice them nice and slow and see how they like being controlled, hurt and humiliated.
Dog stroked his goatee and reran the video of the men in his head. Why did he feel like he knew one of them?
He glanced outside. Charley was still talking on her phone. Her face was no longer animated, but instead looked miserable. What was wrong now?
Dog’s phone played Cutter’s ring tone, and he slid it out of his cut. “Hey. What’s up?”
“I got info for you. Is Charley around?”
“No,” Dog said, after a quick check on her. “She’s outside on the phone. Why?”
“I found out about the brunette at the fight last Saturday night. She’s Final Blow’s sister. Rumor has it Nate paid her a visit. He and another man viciously raped her and let Blow know about it. Blow’s family didn’t report it because they knew Blow would lose his job at the mine. That might have been a good trade-off except their mother lost her job and is close to losing her house. She’s suicidal, and this news could push her over. As it is, Blow’s income is the only thing keeping a roof over her head, so they kept quiet.”
Dog’s jaw tensed and his free hand curled into a fist. “Goddammit. I knew something was off that night. The asshole showed up at Charley’s with one of his crew right before we left for the tire shop. Said he wanted to ‘to meet the lovely woman who’s had so much of my attention.’ Bullshit. He wants to use someone to fuck with me, and now he’s got Charley to do it.”
Cutter let loose an expletive. “That leads to my other piece of news. Poke’s been followin’ Nate, like you wanted. Saw you, her, and him at Charley’s. Right now, Nate’s kicked back and sucking down a beer with one of his asskissers at Lucky’s around the corner from her place. Seems right arrogant to be doing that before a fight.”
Dog’s grip on his phone tightened to the point he was surprised it didn’t shatter. “Shit. That doesn’t make sense unless he thinks he won’t have to fight me. And the only reason he’d think that is if he has something already planned that would take me out.”
The news cast video popped into Dog’s head. Son of a bitch. The man in the video—. “You see the news on the rape in Asheville?”
“No. I’ve been too busy to watch TV.”
“It’s was on here in the tire store. Caught the bastards on video. I would bet my left nut it was Nate and one of his goons. Nate was in the hospital parking lot when Charley and I left. Sent me a text about how fine Charley’s ass was. Places him in Asheville near the time of the incident. And you know he never goes anywhere alone.”
Cutter sighed loud on the line. “I know I’ve said it before but you gotta send her home, man. Break it off and make it hurt.”
“We’ve had this conversation—”
“Hear me out. We could put some brothers on her while you fight, but you heard Krystal. Now that Charley’s his target, he won’t give up. We can’t protect her 24/7 unless she moves into the club. You see her doing that given her reaction earlier? She couldn’t handle Adele on a good day. Imagine if she saw her in action at a party. Tits and ass bare, either sucking off or screwing every brother present. Charley would flip out.”
Dog released a growl because he knew Cutter was right.
“And if she doesn’t move in,” Cutter continued. “she’s a sitting target. You want Nate to get her? Hurt her like he did Krystal?”
Shit, how could Dog have let this happen? She was only in danger because of him, because he’d let his guard down and allowed himself to care. He should’ve left after he’d gotten her purse to the hospital, not stayed and let her fall for him. Let himself fall for her.
Dog felt the truth of what Cutter said sinking in and didn’t like it at all. “No, fuckwad, you know I don’t. Plus, I’d kill him if he did.”
“But she’d still be hurt. Traumatized like Krystal. Krystal still ain’t right, even though it’s six months later and she’s under our protection. She’s not fucking any of the brothers, which we all understand given what happened to her, but she’s not seeinganybody. Barely leaves the clubhouse, and when she does, it’s gotta be with me or Spike.”
Dog had noticed. “Makes sense. You guys were the ones who found her after Nate fucked her up.”
“And I know you remember how fucked up she was. Wouldn’t press charges or let us take him out because she felt like it was her fault or some crazy shit like that. Besides, he gets away with everything ’cause he pays off everyone. He’s worse than us with that. So, you gotta do what you have to do to get Charley out of here and back in Charlotte. I don’t care how you do it but make it hurt. Maybe she’ll be angry enough that she’ll leave Edwards for good.”
Looking out the glass door, all Dog could do was stare at Charley. She had her head in her palm. Something had happened, and it wasn’t good. It was probably work related—maybe that asshole who’d threatened to fire her had actually done it. She needed to go home and sort out her firm—and her life.
Dog’s eyes drifted closed. Pain torqued his heart, twisting it tighter than any wrench ever could. He didn’t know how it happened, but Charley had him. He was hers and she was his. But, fuck, she couldn’t get hurt because of him. That would be so much worse than losing her altogether.
Charley put a hand on the glass door and pulled it open.
