“How was work?”

“Good. I talked to Millie about giving me more hours. She didn’t say no, so I’m hopeful. You?”

“Great. I think I’m starting to get through to the kids.”

I listen to him talk about the kids he’s tutoring as part of a summer program, and admire the passion in his voice. He’s going to be a great teacher someday. He and his sister both took a year off from school – him to teach, and her to party. They are the poster children for twins with opposite personalities.

“I bought you those strawberry and cheese pastries you love.”

He dangles the bag in front of my face and I snatch it from his fingers. I waste no time opening the container and taking a bite of one. I close my eyes and moan as I chew. These things are heavenly.

“What the –?” Chris exclaims.

I turn to Chris and see him being pulled into the alley we were passing.

“Chris!”

I drop the pastries and run back to the alley, only to see him against the wall, a few feet off the ground. The worst part? The hands fisted in his shirt belong to the last person I want to see – Gage.

“Gage! What the hell? Put him down!”

He doesn’t even acknowledge me.

“Did it make you feel like a man? Huh?” Gage growls.

“What are you talking about?”

Gage pulls him forward and slams his back against the wall again.

“Gage, stop it!” I shout.

“Putting your hands on a defenseless girl. Is that what gets you off?”

Holy shit. He thinks it was Chris. I meet Chris’ shocked and confused stare.

“I swear, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Chris says in a panic.

“I’m talking about the bruise on her arm, asshole!”

Chris turns his head toward me and the hurt in his eyes gets me moving. I punch Gage on the arm and push at him until he finally releases Chris. He turns to me and I have to avert my gaze. The rage in his expression is just too much for me.

“Are you okay?” I ask Chris.

“Fine. What’s he talking about, Raven? What bruise?”

“Let’s just go.”

“Not until I know what he’s talking about. And why he knows and I don’t.”

“He saw my arm today in the diner. He’s got this crazy notion that someone’s hurting me, but just like I told him, I walked into a door.”

“Show me.”

I watch the muscles in his jaw work as he clenches his teeth. All the time, I’m still aware of Gage observing us.

“Cut the bullshit innocent act. Just tell me it was him and let me kick his ass,” he seethes.

Chris steps forward and gets into Gage’s face.

“This is none of your business. If she’s hurt, it’s my problem to deal with. She’s my girlfriend.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah, it is.”

“Well, you’ve been doing a bang-up job so far.”

I grab Chris’ arm and try pulling him out of the alley. He shrugs from my grasp and turns his anger on me.

“Show. Me.”

I sigh and pull up the sleeve of my blouse. He reaches out to touch the bruise but I cover it back up.

“Raven, what –?”

“Let’s go. Please.”

“Okay. But we need to talk about this.”

We start to walk away but I turn back and approach Gage. He looks down at me and I see that his anger has turned to concern again.

“I promise, Chris isn’t hurting me. No one is. Just stop.” I fish the hundred dollars out of my pocket and hand it to him. “You left this at the diner. I don’t want to see it or you again.”

CHAPTER 5 ***Gage***

“What’s got you in such a pissy mood?”

I grab the swinging punching bag and glance up at E as he steps into my room. I’m not pissy; I’m livid. It’s taking every ounce of my self-control to not storm over to her house and demand to know what’s going on. She walked into a door. Yeah, right. I’m not only angry, I feel so fucking helpless. I can’t tell the last time I felt helpless. I’ve always had the answers. That’s why my club members respect me so much. I lay into the bag once more.

“Close the door.”

He does as I say and walks over, grabs the bag, and holds it steady. I wipe the sweat from my brow with my forearm and continue to work out my frustrations on the bag.

“Raven?”

I stop mid-punch and look at him. The fucker knows me too well. I sigh and drop my arms.

“You find out what’s going on?” he asks.

“Not really.”

“What does that mean?”

“After you guys left, I confronted her. She got upset and stormed out.”

I sit on the bed and start removing the tape from my hands. He grabs a chair, turns it backwards, and straddles it.

“I take it you followed her.”

“Yeah. Found her crying. Also found a fist-sized bruise on her arm.”

“What?”

“Gave me some bullshit about walking into a door,” I scoff.

“Any ideas on how she got it?”

“I confronted the boyfriend. He seemed as surprised as I was.”

“What do you mean confronted? Chris isn’t lying in a ditch somewhere is he, Reaper?”

“Of course not. I roughed him up a bit, but she was right there.”

That’s when I realize he referred to the boyfriend by name. I narrow my eyes at him.

“You knew about the boyfriend?”

“I figured that wasn’t something you’d be interested in since you were staying away. I guess this changes everything.”

“I’m still staying away.”

Am I? Seeing her this morning brought back everything I’ve been trying to avoid these past weeks. But she’s still underage, and I’m still no good for her.

“I just can’t stand by knowing someone’s putting their hands on her.”

“Right. How are we going to do this?”

“We?”

“Of course. I’ve gotten to know her a bit, your connection notwithstanding. I want in.”

“Okay. We gotta find out who it is. She’s not talking.”

“You wanna put one of the boys on her?” E asks.

“No. I don’t want to spook her. She’s already pissed at me. I’ll figure something out.”

“Okay. Let me know. I’m off to work.”

“Cool.”

He returns the chair to its place and heads out the door. I need a shower. Besides, I do my best thinking in there. Halfway to the bathroom, my phone rings. A part of me wants to let it ring but then again, it’s the burner phone so it might be important. I sigh and pick it up.

“Hello.”

“Gage, it’s Millie.”

“What’s up?”

“Had a talk with Raven after you left.”

“Oh? Did you find out what’s wrong?”

“Not really. She did say she needs money for an apartment, though. Asked for more hours.”

Money? Apartment? What does she need an apartment for? Then again, I can’t blame her. It can’t be easy living with Lonnie. People do strange things when they need money. I hope that bruise has nothing to do with it.

“Give her the hours. And double her pay. Tell her you’re doing it off the books. I’ll cover it. Just don’t let her know I’m involved.”

The line is quiet and I think maybe I’ve lost her.

“Millie?”

“I’m here. It’s just…”

“Just what?”

“You’re a good man, Gage. What’s your interest in the girl? You know she’s –”

“I know, Millie. There’s nothing inappropriate going on.”

“Okay. She’s a good girl and she means a lot to me. Kinda like my own daughter. Not that I’m old enough to be her mother.”

I chuckle and shake my head and Millie giggles on the other end.

“Of course not. More like her sister.”

“You got that right. I’ll talk to you later, baby boy.”

“Bye. And thanks.”

“No. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Bye.”

“Hey, Millie? Send me her number, will you?”

“I’ll text it to you.”

I drop the phone on my bed and trudge to the bathroom. I still haven’t slept, so I’ve been up for the last forty-eight hours. After seeing Raven this morning, there was no way I could sleep. I spent the day at the gym fuming until the end of her shift. I stand under the spray of the shower and remember the feeling that overcame me when the boy said “my girlfriend”. I could have clocked him just for saying the words. Has he been touching her, kissing her? Has he been…? Fuck, no. His dick better not be anywhere near her. His girlfriend? Fuck that. She’s mine.