A Lexus pulled
into her driveway and I saw the bitch get out of the car. Two boys slid
out then a slim form with subtle curves. Charisma. She lifted her face to
the sun and my heart stuttered in my chest. Christ! I swallowed my food and
nearly choked on the large bite. Shade had mentioned she’d been with
Heather for a decade, which made her around twenty-seven now. Roughly half
my age, but fuck if she wasn’t stunning. She reached into the car and
helped out a little girl I knew had to be her daughter, Nova.
And that’s the
moment I knew I’d do whatever it took to keep those four safe. Charisma,
Nova, and the two boys would never be hurt again. The way she cradled
her daughter against her side, the protective stance she took between Heather
and those boys, told me one thing -- the girl wasn’t hurting anyone.
Unless it was Heather. She had murder in her eyes when she stared at the
woman. Crazy bitch only smirked back at her.
I texted
Shade.
Change of plans.
I’m bringing them all home with me.
Those boys
reminded me of Samurai when he’d been a teen. Small and wiry. And they
were both at least half-Asian. It seemed Heather had a type.
I watched them go
into the house with the She-Devil and shut the door. After I finished my
food, I pulled out of the parking lot and moved over to her home,
stopping my Jeep right behind her fancy car. Reaching into the backseat, I
picked up my cut, as well as the brass knuckles I’d hidden underneath it. I
slid the weapon into my pocket and got out of the vehicle. Pulling on my
cut, I shut the door, locked the car, and went up to ring the bell.
Charisma opened
the door, her eyes going wide when she saw me. She skimmed over my cut,
her gaze locking on the patches denoting my club, name, and rank.
She finished her perusal before lifting her gaze to mine again. I caught
movement in my peripheral. Judging the size and shape, it was her
daughter.
I pulled my keys
from my pocket and tipped my head toward the driveway. “Take your daughter
and get in the Jeep. Lock the doors and wait for me.”
Her eyebrows went
up. She stared, not moving and not speaking. She reached up to tuck her
hair behind her eat and I growled at what I saw. Someone had damaged her
with what looked like acid. I moved slow, not wanting to startle her, and
checked the other side. Son of a bitch. Whoever had hurt her,
had harmed both ears. Which meant… I mouthed the words slowly. “Can you
hear me?”
Her eyes widened
and she shook her head.
“What else did
that bitch do to you?” I asked, mouthing the words slowly again.
Her cheeks flushed
and she dropped her gaze. Shame. Whatever had been done to her, she was
ashamed to tell me. I had a feeling I understood why she was still
here with Heather. The woman used the boys against her, and probably used
her against them. If she’d touched Nova, I’d make her suffer longer.
I tipped her chin
up. “Take my keys. Get your daughter and wait in the Jeep. Lock the doors.
Do you understand?”
She nodded and
reached behind her. I saw Nova’s small fingers wrap around hers and
Charisma took my keys. She hesitated, her gaze searching mine.
“I’ll get the boys
out too.”
Her posture relaxed and she hurried to the Jeep with Nova in tow. Nothing in the reports Shade had found from social services mentioned Charisma being unable to hear. It had to have happened either right before she aged out, or after. For whatever reason, he couldn’t find any updates from the social workers the months leading up to her turning eighteen. Her exit had been little more than a few notes including how wonderful Heather had been to let her stay. I didn’t like being blindsided, but at least she would be safe now. All of them would be.
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