“Well, since Raven is a minor, you won’t mind me sticking around.”

“Of course not.”

Throughout the entire exchange so far, his expression has not changed. Not even a twitch. He has one hell of a poker face because I can’t tell what he’s thinking. He nods to Millie then turns back to me.

“What did you talk about?”

I look to Millie in mock confusion and back to Renley. “What’s this about? I know it’s not illegal to talk to people.”

“It isn’t…but I know it was him those bikers were after. And I believe you were with him.”

“Why would I have been with him?”

“You were seen leaving Chiquita’s together.”

“We went out back, talked, and then went our separate ways.”

Finally, I get an expression from him. He raises an eyebrow.

“Really now?”

“Yes…really.”

“You’re protecting him. I don’t know why or who you think he is, but let me enlighten you.”

He opens a file folder I hadn’t even noticed before and pulls out some pictures. He lays one on the counter and I look down at it. It’s a gorgeous girl with the most intense green eyes I’ve ever seen. Glossy brown hair, and lips women pay a fortune for.

“What the hell are you doing, Renley?”

Millie’s voice drags my attention away from the picture. She looks like she’s about to rip the man’s head off, but he ignores her.

“That’s Janet Presley,” Renley says, pointing to the picture.

I try not to react to the name, but I think he caught wind of the fact that I’ve heard it before.

“Well…before Hunter got to her.”

He slaps down four other photos and I gasp in shock. Each one is of Janet but documenting different injuries. The one of her face shows her eyes black and blue and swollen shut. As a matter of fact, her whole face is swollen and covered in cuts and bruises, her lips split. There are choke marks around her neck. The others show her arm in a cast and horrible bruises on her ribs and stomach.

“Is she…did she die?”

“No, as far as I know, but she was raped and beaten within an inch of her life. She fingered Hunter once she woke up, but she didn’t have to. We had evidence, his semen inside her. A few days later, evidence goes missing, she recants her story, and disappears from the hospital.”

“That’s enough, Renley,” Millie states with finality.

The wind chimes sound again and Gage steps in, murder in his eyes. Renley grabs his hat but doesn’t pack up the pictures until he’s sure Gage has seen them. He lays a business card on the table before he leaves.

“Call me.”

The two men glare at each other as Renley walks out. I can’t move. I can’t think. It can’t be true. Gage would never do that…would he? He’s not that kind of man. Or is he? That night he was so angry about my clothes comes rushing back. The way he’d slammed his palm into the wall…did he really want to hit me instead? And then when he spanked me at the club…was he just holding back? And rape? This must be what Chris and Chrissy tried to warn me about. With all the drama, I forgot to ask Gage about it. Oh, God. What have I gotten myself into?

“Raven.”

His voice sounds far away. I slowly raise my gaze to his, my body trembling in shock and fear.

“Take her around back. Use my office,” Millie tells him.

He takes my hand and pulls me along behind him, locking the door once we’re in Millie’s office. I stand in the corner, hugging myself tightly. He reaches for me and I pull away, tears welling in my eyes.

“Babe?”

“Is it true? Did you…did you do that to that girl?”

“No! Of course not. Do you really think…?”

He sighs heavily and pulls out a chair, motioning for me to sit. I do so tentatively, watching his every move closely. He crouches before me, taking my hand in his.

“Janet was a friend of Ellen’s. She moved away after high school but came back about two years ago. We messed around for a while, but what she neglected to tell anyone was that she was running from an abusive ex.”

I stare into his eyes to try and catch any sign I can that he’s lying. He returns my stare with eyes colored with hurt but not deceit.

“The guy found her. Went ballistic when he learned about me and attacked her. He threatened to kill her if she didn’t say it was me. I got her to change her story and, using some transportation channels I have access to, I got her away safely…set her up somewhere else.”

“So, she’s alive?”

“Yes…and happy. She’s the old lady of another charter’s president. Last I heard, she was having a baby.”

“And the semen?”

“Dude got it from a used condom I left at her place that night.”

I can’t believe I doubted him. He’s not a rapist. We’ve been in so many situations where he could have easily hurt me and he hasn’t. But now I understand why Renley has it in for him. What he must have gone through…

“Gage –”

“I should have told you before.”

“What about the boyfriend?”

“He was taken care of. She’s Rambo’s problem now, not mine. You believe me, don’t you?”

“Yes. I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have doubted you.”

He pulls out his phone, punches in a number, and places it at his ear.

“Rambo…yeah, everything’s good. Look, I need a favor…it’s going to sound strange…I need a picture of your old lady…yeah…something like that.”

I listen to the one-sided conversation, admiring him even more for wanting to prove that he’s telling the truth. A message comes in a minute after he hangs up. He turns the screen toward me and I see Janet smiling, her palm resting on a very pregnant belly.

“I’m sorry,” I repeat. I feel like such a dumbass.

“It’s okay. You have nothing to be sorry for.”

“It’s just –”

“I’m not into raping or beating women –”

“Just the occasional spanking?”

He doesn’t even crack a smile.

“I would never hurt you, Raven, and I won’t let anyone else hurt you, either.”

He straightens and moves over to the desk, leaning on it. I drop my gaze to the floor, thinking of Lonnie.

“You can’t guarantee that.”

“Of course I can. Once everybody around here knows you’re mine, my name alone will protect you.”

“Why? Why would anyone care about who you’re fucking?”

He tilts his head to the side and his eyes pierce my soul.

“It’s become way more than that, Raven…and you know it.”

***Gage***

There. I said it. Now let’s see what she does with it.

She takes a deep breath, expelling it through her mouth, then walks over to me. Like she always does, she slides her hands under my cut and around my waist, hugging me tightly.

“I know.”

“Look at me, doll.”

I run my fingers through her hair as she raises those gorgeous eyes toward me.

“You need to go into this with eyes wide open. Being with me won’t be easy. You want to know something, you ask me.”

“Okay. No secrets, Gage. I meant it when I said you can tell me anything.”

“I can’t. There are things I need to keep from you for your own safety.”

She releases me and takes a step back, giving me a stern look.

“No. I’m not some delicate flower you need to protect. If we’re going to do this, I need to know you’re not hiding anything from me…especially if it’s messing with your head. I want to help, even if it’s just listening.”

“I can’t promise anything, but I’ll try.”

She folds her arms under her breasts and narrows her eyes.

“Do you want me?”

“You know I do.”

“Then you won’t try. You’ll do it.”

In her eyes, I see a strength I haven’t seen—or maybe just never noticed—before. A strength that makes me feel like she can take whatever I throw her way. A strength that makes me think I can lean on her if I ever feel like I can’t stand on my own.

“Doll –”

A knock on the door interrupts me and she opens it. Millie steps in with a questioning look.

“Everything okay?”