AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Protect her from what?” Rage tilted his head, his eyes narrowing.
“You know. From everything.” He shrugged. “She just had a baby. I’m sure she needs her rest. I mean, how restful could a place like this be? All these strange men around, not to mention the women.” Dustin’s lips twitched. “Lots of women…” He quirked a grin at Rage. “Looked like they’ll let anyone fuck ‘em. You get some of that, bro?”
Rage growled, letting his arms drop to his sides, his fists clenched tightly. Sting gave him the side-eye. “You know,” Sting said, calmly taking up the conversation. “In our club, men don’t cheat. They don’t even look at other women if they’ve taken an old lady. You’ve repeatedly called Pepper your fiancée. In my world, that means you consider her your old lady.”
“Yeah, she’s mine,” Dustin said, lifting his chin, oblivious to Sting’s meaning. “But we have one of those open relationship things. She can fuck whoever she wants, and so can I.”
I had to struggle not to say a word. I knew tears dripped down my face, and there was really nothing I could do about it. I didn’t love Dustin, a fact I hadn’t truly realized until I embraced my feelings for Rage. What I’d tried to feel for Dustin wasn’t even a pale comparison to what I felt for Rage. My love for Rage was as strong and bright as it was for Cassie, just in a different way. I’d give my life for either of them without hesitation. While I knew Rage would do the same for me and Cassie, I knew without a doubt Dustin would not. But to hear him dismiss our relationship so casually, to say we both felt that way when I’d been faithful to him and defended him… I’d been willing to sacrifice myself to protect him!
Sting shook his head. “Don’t work that way here, boy.”
“Yeah?” Dustin narrowed his eyes, and I knew he was getting ready to say something he would regret. God help me, I was looking forward to the consequences of his mouth. “Good thing we don’t live here, ain’t it?”
Brick, who’d been standing off to the side, lunged forward and backhanded Dustin across the cheek so hard his chair turned over. Dustin let out a strangled scream before rolling over to his knees. The room was deathly quiet save for Dustin’s groans and curses.
“What the fuck?” He pushed himself to his feet, his eyes wild as he looked around him. “I’ll sue you motherfuckers!”
“You’ll pick your chair up and sit the fuck down,” Sting said in a quiet voice. “Consider that the penalty for disrespecting your woman.”
“I didn’t disrespect her! I’m statin’ a fact! She sleeps around. So do I!”
Again, Brick backhanded him. This time, he also brought his fist down on his face after he was down. Blood spurted from Dustin’s nose, and he let out a pained cry, rolling around on the floor, not even trying to get up this time.
Sting sighed, nodding to Brick. The large man hauled Dustin to his feet while another man righted the chair for Brick to shove Dustin into.
“Fucker!” Dustin spat at Brick, then immediately groaned in pain. “Mother fuck!”
“We don’t tolerate disrespect here.” Roman picked up the thread of the conversation. “Especially not of our women. Now. Sit down. We have more to sort through.”
“Fuck this shit,” Dustin muttered. “I’m outta here.” He stood, only to have Brick shove him back down.
“You’ll stay here until we’re done,” Brick growled.
“Tell me about your time at Brooks and Hadley,” Sting continued like there had never been an interruption. “Specifically, I want to know about the money you stole. Who did you do it for?”
“I didn’t steal nothin’.”
“Not even up for discussion, Mr. Weston,” Sting said. “We know, because we know who turned you in. Suffice it to say, your bosses picked the wrong company to try and swindle.”
“First of all,” Dustin said, rubbing the back of his wrist across his nose, “I didn’t do anything. I was framed. Second, I know exactly who lied on me.” He flinched when Brick moved beside him. “But I forgive her!” he said hastily. “I need to talk to her!”
“I’ll say it again.” Rage stepped back into the conversation. “Tell me what you need to say, and I’ll relay the message.”
“No. I tell her myself. And I want to see my kid.”
“Do you even know if she had a boy or a girl?” Rage frowned at him, clenching and unclenching his fists. The muscles and veins in his arms bulged in a show of strength.
Dustin stiffened and he glared at Rage. “Don’t matter. Still my kid.”
“Fine. I get you were in jail. But when you called her to come get you, you knew she’d already had the child. Did you once ask her how she was? For that matter, you were with her during her entire pregnancy. Did you not go with her to the doctor once? Or ask her if she was having a boy or a girl?”
