Chapter 3
CHAPTER
THREE
Julie
I feel woozy. Blood never bothered me, but seeing the man in front of me covered in it, I wonder if it’s because I’ve never truly seen so much of it at once.
He reaches out, and I flinch. He wipes his knife on the man now lying dead at his feet. Then he puts it away.
“It’s okay. You’re safe. I won’t hurt you,” he promises me.
I don’t know if I can trust him, but I’m finding it hard to breathe. I don’t know what to do.
He steps closer, moving slowly. When he is close enough, I let my head fall into his chest, his hands coming up to hold me.
“I don’t feel good,” I tell him right before I turn to the side and throw up.
He holds back my hair with one hand while holding me to his side with the other. Once I’ve puked my guts out, I wince seeing the vomit on his boots.
“I’m sorry.”
He chuckles. “Angel, I’m covered in blood. You think your puke bothers me?”
He has a point, but the reminder only makes the world spin more.
“I think I might faint,” I warn him.
He holds me to his chest. “It’s okay. I’ll take care of you. Don’t worry.”
The gentle way he holds me is contradictory to the way he murdered two men right in front of me. I should be scared, but I feel relieved.
What if I had called the cops? My dad would have come for sure. Then these men would have made bail. I don’t doubt that. Would they have come back and finished the job?
Even worse, what if they hired Henry to represent them? They would come into the office to see him.
I shake my head. Henry wouldn’t take the case. Not with me being a conflict of interest. Still, my mind spirals.
“Angel, look at me.”
His deep tone pulls me from my thoughts as I meet his eyes.
I’m surprised that I can see the flecks of gold in the alley lights. He almost looks like a superhero.
“Are you hurt? Do you need a doctor?” He cups my cheek, keeping my head up when it wants to fall to his chest again.
“I’m not hurt.”
At least I don’t think I am. I can barely feel my own body. I feel like my blood is pumping so hard through it that it’s numb.
It’s the adrenaline. I’ve heard of this feeling but never truly felt it myself. It’s scary how little I feel in this moment.
“Who did you come with? I can go get them.”
I clutch his vest and shake my head, “No. I don’t want to go in there, and I don’t want you to leave. Please. Don’t leave me.”
He sighs. “All right. You need to let them know where you are. Do you have a phone?”
“If I tell her, she will come out here. Then I will need to explain all of this. I…” I hesitate to continue.
“What? Speak your mind.”
I look up into his eyes and speak the truth, “I would need to call the cops if she comes, and I know I should. It’s the right thing to do, but then you will go to jail, and even though I could get you the best lawyer in the area, I don’t want you to be punished for saving me. Is that wrong?”
He leans down, pressing his forehead to mine. “You’re worried about me?”
I nod. “You wouldn’t have…” I struggle to say the word “murder,” so I skim over it. “Did what you did if I wasn’t stupid and stepped outside by myself. I think this is one secret we can keep.”
“I won’t stop you if you want to call the cops.
I killed them because they wouldn’t have stopped.
They would have taken from you then snuffed your life out.
Even if I let them go and called the cops, they would have sought you out to eliminate the witness.
If they hadn’t, they would have found another vulnerable girl.
One that wouldn’t have me there to watch over them. ”
“So really, you’re my angel then.”
He snorts. “I’m no angel, baby. Far from it.”
I nod. “Even Lucifer was an angel at one point.”
He lets the words sit in the air as he stares at me.
“What?” I finally ask.
He shakes his head. “Your phone?”
I go to look away from him, but he keeps his forehead on mine.
“Don’t look. Tell me.”
I bite my lip. “I don’t know. I think I dropped my purse and phone when they pulled me down here.”
He nods. “I’m going to get it. Stay here. Don’t look at them. Understand?”
“You won’t leave me?”
I hate how weak I sound.
“Look at me. Stare at me. I won’t disappear.”
I nod as he pulls out a flashlight. I have no idea who carries one, but apparently he does. He looks down the alley. I keep my eyes on him, watching as he finds my purse and then my phone and brings them back to me.
“Here are your things. Did you drive here?”
I shake my head. “I took a rideshare.”
He tsks his tongue. “Those aren’t safe either, Angel. How about I take you home?”
I nod without hesitation. For whatever reason, I feel safe with this man. It could be the way he killed for me without hesitation, but I’m not willing to psychoanalyze it right now.
“Let me get us a ride. It’s too cold to put you on my bike.”
It dawns on me what his vest means. As he pulls his phone out, I stare at the logo on the vest.
Kings of Anarchy.
It’s the same one as the one Liz’s boyfriend wears. Only this man in front of me wears it better. I don’t even know his name.
“It’ll be a minute. Here, cuddle closer. I know I’m covered in blood, but at least you won’t be cold. I wish I hadn’t left my jacket on my bike.”
He says the last part almost to himself. I do as he asks, cuddling in closer to him, stealing his body heat.
When headlights pull down the alley, I tense.
“Shh. It’s okay. He’s here for us.”
He pulls me from the wall and leads me to the truck as a man walks around the front of the truck.
“I hope you know what you’re doing,” he warns the man with me.
“I do. Get my bike back safely,” he growls at the man.
“Only you would ride your bike in this weather. I’ll cover for you. I expect an explanation for all of this when you get back.”
My savior helps me into the truck, shutting the door and locking me in with the heat that’s on full blast.
I stare at the men as they talk for a moment before the new man pulls out a phone. The one I am slowly realizing I might be trauma-bonded to comes and gets in the driver’s seat.
“All right, Angel. Where do you live?”
Yak
Yooper isn’t happy, but as much illegal shit as we do, two murders is nothing. Especially when it was for a good cause.
He is hesitant to trust the pretty blonde in the passenger seat, but I gave her the option to call the cops. I would have gladly taken that collar. Instead, she offered to keep it a secret.
It doesn’t mean she won’t change her mind, but even if she does, I can’t regret what I did.
Those men were going to hurt her. I know we do some shady shit, but I will never stand by and let a woman get hurt in my presence. Not the way they planned to hurt her.
My hands clench on the steering wheel as I make my way toward her house. When her phone pings, I look over at her.
“It’s my friend. She wants to know where I went,” she says quietly. “I don’t know what to tell her.”
“Tell her you didn’t feel well and went home,” I tell her.
She frowns. “She will come check on me.”
She thinks a moment before she types out a response.
“What did you tell her?” I ask, curiosity overriding her privacy.
“The truth. Well, a version of it.”
I clear my throat. “Should I be prepared for the cops to come find me?”
“What?” she asks.
I stay silent as I glance over as her eyes widen.
“No. No, I didn’t tell her that truth. I told her that her boyfriend’s friend is a creep and I wasn’t feeling it, so I left so they could have a good time without me.”
“What’s his name? I’ll take care of that too,” I joke with her.
She pales, making me wish I kept my mouth shut.
“Cliff isn’t worth it. He’s an asshole, but not the kind you need to worry about. I won’t see him again. This boyfriend of hers won’t last long enough for her to guilt me into going out with them again.”
I don’t say anything, letting the silence take over.
When we pull up to her house, I help her out of the truck and walk her to the door. She hesitates after she opens the door.
“What’s wrong?” I ask.
She looks up at me, tears in her eyes. “What if someone is in there?”
I hate that those men stole the safety she once felt from her.
Pulling her inside the door, I shut it behind me. Then I pull my gun and my flashlight out. “Stay here.”
She swallows hard but nods. Then I make my way through her house, clearing it one room at a time. As I do, I check every window, making sure they are locked tight. No one will be getting to this woman tonight.
In her bedroom, I jump when a tabby cat stretches from her perch on the bed. Damn cat almost got shot, but I’m glad I have better reflexes than that. This girl doesn’t need to see her cat killed. Ignoring the cat, I finish my sweep.
When I make it back to the front room, she is exactly where I left her, but she looks dead on her feet.
“It’s clear. Let’s get you a shower, then get you tucked into bed,” I say gently.
When I get close enough, she collapses in my arms. I pick her up bridal style and carry her into the bathroom I cleared minutes before. Sitting her on the counter, I push my way between her thighs before cupping her cheeks. “You need to shower.”
She nods, the tears still falling. I hate how she looks so scared. Especially with the dried blood on her face and in her hair.
Leaving her on the counter, I move to turn on the shower. Once it’s warm enough, I turn to her. “I’ll go get you some clothes. Those will need to be burned.”
She nods. “Can you…”
“What is it, Angel? Whatever you want, I’ll give it to you.”
My words reassure her, “I don’t want to be alone. Will you sit in here while I shower?”
Fuck. I hate that she’s so scared she doesn’t even want to be alone.
I knew it would happen, though. Especially as the shock wears off.
It’s why I killed those men. She might have thought she could live with knowing they were out there, but I know she wouldn’t have slept easy.
She would have always wondered where they were. She deserved better than that.
“I’ll stay right here. I’ll be your guardian angel like you said. You shower, and then we will tuck you into bed nice and safe.”
“You’ll stay while I sleep?” she asks, panic in her eyes.
I hadn’t planned on it, but I won’t refuse this woman anything. Not when she looks so vulnerable.
“I will.”
Relief fills her as she hops off the counter. I hold my hand out as she sways a little. Then she starts to strip, so I avert my eyes. Only the mirror is in front of me, so I still see her as she strips naked. I try not to look, but my eyes flick that way.
I tell myself it’s to ensure she’s not hurt, but the truth is, I’m drawn to her. Probably because of her being a damsel, but nothing will come of it. I’ll leave before she wakes and never see her again.
As she showers, I make myself useful, looking through her medicine cabinet for anything for the pain she is going to feel from her assault.
As I look through the pills, I’m surprised to find the same sleeping pills Aspen, my best friend Wolf from Mountain River’s old lady, used to take when she struggled to sleep after her attack.
I glance over my shoulder at the naked woman. I want to know why she has these, but it’s none of my business.
I don’t need the attachment.
I shake out one and use the glass next to the sink to fill it with water. Once she is done and wrapped in a towel, I hand her the pill.
“What is it?” she asks.
“Your sleeping pill. You’ll need it.”
She nods, swallowing it with a swig of water before she makes her way to the bedroom. I watch as she pulls out clothes, turning my back to her until she tells me she is dressed.
I help her get into bed, tucking her in.
“You’ll stay? You promise?” she asks, the sleeping pill already pulling her under.
Or maybe it’s the crash from everything that happened.
“I will. Rest now.”
“Wait. What is your name?” she asks.
“It’s best you don’t know, Angel,” I whisper, brushing her hair away from her face.
“I won’t tell anyone,” she mumbles, her eyes falling shut.
“I know you won’t.”
Then for some fucked-up reason, I press a kiss to her forehead.