Total pages in book: 39
Estimated words: 36216 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 181(@200wpm)___ 145(@250wpm)___ 121(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36216 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 181(@200wpm)___ 145(@250wpm)___ 121(@300wpm)
“I’m sure she’ll corroborate your claims.”
“Of course. But you’re not questioning her alone. No one goes near her without me being there.”
“I’m hurt you don’t trust me, Atlas.” I wanted to wipe that fucking smile off Dutch’s face. He was a bastard sent straight from hell, and I wanted with everything in me to send him back there.
“I don’t trust anybody with what’s mine.”
“Fine. Take your little pet and go to your cabin. I’ll be watching you, Atlas. This is a serious breach of security, and I won’t have this deal compromised.”
“I’ve been here for months, Dutch. Have I compromised security yet? In fact, didn’t I find more than one trusted member of your club who’d been conspiring to do you in?” Some of it had been made up, but there had been enough of the real thing going on all I had to do was catch a recording or three at opportune times, and there’d been more than one killing.
He scowled at me, looking away. Yeah. Those betrayals had really gotten under his skin. Were still festering. It was how I’d been able to keep the man off-balance.
“You did. And I expect you to keep listenin’ for that. We have a rat in our midst, and I mean to find him.”
“Then leave me and my woman alone so I can do what you hired me for, you bastard.”
Dutch bared his teeth at me but waved his hand, effectively dismissing me. I stormed out the door and to the closet where I’d left Bellarose. When I opened it, she was nowhere in sight, and I nearly came unglued. Then I heard her little whimper and saw her shoes peeking out from behind some buckets stacked near the back of the closet.
“It’s me, Rose,” I murmured. “You’re safe. Come on out.”
She peeked around the side and scrambled to her feet. She held a broom in her hand and, at my pointed look, hastily set it aside. I lifted my chin at her, trying to let her know she’d done good. Not only had she taken precautions to protect herself as best she could, but she’d obeyed me the second she’d realized it was me who’d come for her and not Dutch’s goons.
I took her hand and led her out of the clubhouse. The catcalls came again as we hurried through the common room, but I didn’t stop or acknowledge any of the guys. There was a cracking sound of flesh meeting flesh, and I glanced in the direction it’d come from. One of the girls had been slapped and collapsed onto the floor. With several laughs all around, the three guys around her picked her up and bent her over the pool table. She was obviously dazed, not able to fend for herself. I swore under my breath.
“They’re going to rape her. Oh, God…” I barely heard Bellarose as I continued on.
“Yeah. I know.”
“Can’t you stop it?”
There was nothing more I wanted to do than stop it, but I wasn’t certain I could. Not and keep Bellarose safe. Glancing at her, I tightened my grip on her hand and diverted my path.
“Lay off, Sledge!” I snapped. “Only a pussy has to rape a woman.”
“Bitch refused to suck my cock. That’s the whole reason she’s fuckin’ here!”
“Maybe if you’d bathe every once in a while, she wouldn’t refuse.” I now stood toe to toe with Sledge. The man was big, but I was bigger, meaner, and better trained. Sledge had gone up against me more than once and hadn’t gotten the outcome he’d been hoping for.
He took a swing at me, but I ducked and followed it with a full-bodied swing to his balls, never letting go of Rose’s hand. That was a show of strength on my part, to let everyone in the area know I could back up everything I threatened. Sledge wasn’t even able to cry out. His mouth opened in a silent scream, his eyes wide with shock and pain as he clutched his privates and sank to his knees.
“I warned you about trying to fight me. You’ll never come out on top, and I’ll always crush your balls.” I raised my voice. “Any man who tries to force a woman from now on will feel my wrath. Plenty of willing women here without this horseshit.” That wouldn’t stop them for long, but it might work for a while. Didn’t make me any friends, but I could live with that.
“But the women know why they’re here. They agree to it when they get in!” someone whined, but I was done with this. “Then tell Bozz, and he’ll kick her out of the compound. She changes her mind and says no, she doesn’t get to stay, but you still don’t get to fuck her. Simple.”
There was grumbling around the room, but I could tell they were going to do as I said. At least for now. If only it were as easy with Dutch’s private “collection.” There was at least one woman in real trouble and another one about to revoke her consent. They were two of the women I needed to get out of this hell hole. So much was riding on my shoulders. I didn’t need anything else. Running into Rose when I did was both a blessing and a curse. I could keep her safe, but how much would it cost? Yet, if I hadn’t taken her as my woman, she would have been at the mercy of this bunch. And what I’d done for the woman who’d crumpled beside the pool table would have been all I could have done for Rose. That thought, more than anything, turned my stomach like nothing had since I was a boy.