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Dog growled. “I’m right here, asshole.”
Cutter grinned. “I know. I’m just puttin’ you on notice that there’s someone waitin’ in the wings if you screw up.”
Charley moved close to Dog and stroked his chin. “I’m learning to live without the goatee, but I can’t imagine ever living without the man.”
Dog pulled her into his arms and kissed her. “Good answer.”
She slapped him on the chest, right over his heart. “Now get to work. Tax season starts in just three weeks. I need to be ready.”
Dog shrugged on a jacket, and he and Cutter headed out to Cutter’s truck. Cutter was there to help Dog install Charley’s new sign for her business, which sat in the bed along with a large toolbox and an extension ladder. Cutter lowered the hatch and hopped in. He pulled the hunting knife free of the leather sheath that was always strapped on his hip. A couple of slices with a blade, and the sign was free of its bubble wrap.
The sign was simple, like the practice Charley wanted to have—just her logo, a large C and A linked together in fancy black letters, and in smaller script the words Charlene Abbott, Tax Accountant, on a pink rectangular background. Installation would be easy—the sign hung from a curvy bar that needed to be attached to the brick building.
“You’re done with community service now, right?” Cutter asked as he grabbed a cordless drill and popped open the top of a metal toolbox.
Dog grabbed the mounting rod and unwrapped the plastic. “Yeah. Can’t believe I had to plead guilty to battery, even as a misdemeanor. Prick deserved what he got.”
Cutter lifted out the toolbox’s top tray full of screw drivers. “You remember what Gabriela said—too many witnesses to let you go. Plus, your record. The biggest sham was Nate’s sentence.”
Nate’s ‘sentence.’ What a joke. Even though Dog had pointed the Asheville authorities toward him on the rape, Nate had gotten away with it. All the physical evidence from the victim had just disappeared, like it had never been collected. With no rape kit, no eyewitness since she hadn’t seen who attacked her, and only blurry footage from the apartment complex in Asheville, they’d never arrested him. Blow’s sister wouldn’t come forward—she didn’t want Blow to lose his job—and of course, Krystal wouldn’t agree to press charges. Fucker walked on all of it. Never found his accomplice either. Just vanished like he was never there.
And as far as Charley’s accusations were concerned, he only went down for knocking her out during the fight. Witnesses made it clear, him hitting her was on purpose. As for the other complaint, Nate had said she invited him in and none of the rest of what she’d claimed had happened. He didn’t have any fire extinguisher powder on him, so the DA had ruled it a case of ‘he said, she said’ and hadn’t pressed charges for lack of evidence.
Dog unpacked the screws that attached the rod to the brick. “Yeah. I wonder if he’s finished ‘serving’ Edwards’ finest in blue. Filing and shit. Who gets to do that for community service?”
Cutter slipped a masonry bit out of the box and tightened it in the drill. “Someone who has them in his pocket. We’re going to have to recruit more help within the department. He can’t have more clout than we do.”
Cutter hopped down from the truck bed and caught Dog’s gaze. His face had the lethal look it got whenever he talked about his chosen profession. “But I’m ready any time. Say the word, and I’ll make the fucker pay like he never dreamed.” Cutter ran a finger along his scar. “It would be my pleasure.”
There had never been any doubt it would come to this once Nate walked on all the rapes. The club couldn’t let something like that slide. They had a policy—assholes who abused women and children had to be handled.
It had started with the bastard who’d marked Cutter. Cutter had never really gotten over being attacked as a kid, held down while his face was sliced open, all because he’d pissed off the father of the girl he was dating. But it had helped that the brothers had avenged him against the man who’d done it after Cutter patched into the club. Since then, if the law didn’t do its job, then the club did theirs, led by a man who wielded a blade with the finesse of a surgeon.
Dog clasped Cutter’s shoulder. “We’ll get a plan together. It has to be perfect since he has so many influential friends. Get everyone involved. Luke on the computer. Crank on surveillance. Spike with whatever it is he does to get information. Prez is already on board, just waiting to give the order. Hell, he’s even told Shatter, who thinks it’s a great idea. National Prez has always had a soft spot for Krystal. So, get your dungeon ready.”
Cutter’s responding smile resembled a shark’s. “It’s always ready. Just give me someone to play with.”
Dog rested the ladder against the building, and Cutter guided him to the best placement of the sign. Within thirty minutes it was up, swaying gently in a breeze that was decidedly unwelcome at these temperatures but a signal to all that Charley Abbott was here to stay in Edwards.
Charley must have sensed it was done when the drilling stopped because she came out to the sidewalk. She hadn’t bothered with a coat, so Dog shucked off his and wrapped it around her shoulders. “You shouldn’t be out here in just a blouse and pants. I can’t fuck you if you catch a cold.”
She rolled her eyes and turned to Cutter. “He’s so romantic. You’re looking better all the time.”
Dog popped her hard on the ass. “Hey, I’m right here.”
She laughed. “I know. I’m just reminding you to stay on your Ps and Qs because you have competition.”
He growled and pulled her into his arms. “I’ll show you competition.” He kissed her hard on the mouth and grabbed her ass with both hands. Hoots and cheers erupted down the block.
Charley squirmed out of his arms. Kids down the street were clapping. “Damn it, Dog! You know I need to keep myself above reproach if I want a good reputation around town.” She stroked her hair, like he’d messed it up.
Dog laughed. “Language, Charley. Did you kiss your momma with that mouth?”
“I won’t be kissingyouwith this mouth if you keep laughing. It’s no surprise I’ve picked up bad habits hanging around you guys.”
“And about that. The ‘above reproach’ ship sailed when you took up with me. Right, Cutter?”
A glance Cutter’s direction told Dog he wasn’t listening. His eyes were glued to a dark-haired woman coming out of Break Bread, the bakery a block down the street. She looked familiar, but the distance made it hard to tell if he knew her.
