My throat feels hot, and there’s pressure building behind my eyes as the air becomes thick.
Her hand flies to her mouth. “I’m gonna puke.”
I grab the trashcan behind me, shoving it under her as she lurches forward, and vomits like she’s trying to purge herself of the violation.
I hold her hair back as she throws up every single thing in her stomach, her body trembling violently.
“I got you. Just let it all out, baby.”
“I’m sorry.”
I sit her back, taking the can from her, and grab tissues from my desk drawer. There’s a bottle of water sitting half empty that I snag too.
I’m decimating cities in my mind, burning down whole family lines as I wipe her face with a gentle calm I don’t feel.
I settle my palm over her stomach, feeling our daughter press against my hand. He did this to my wife, to my unborn child, and I’m going to rip his spine out of his body and feed it back to him.
“I’ll have Nitro come sit with you.” My tone is glacial, calculated. I’m not Casey right now, but Preacher—a man with blood already coating my soul.
I’ve killed a lot of people over the years but no death will ever be as satisfying as this asshole.
Lexi grabs my wrist as I stand, her eyes wild and wet. I brace, expecting her to beg me not to go.
But I can’t promise her that. I won’t. That son of a bitch is going to regret touching her.
“Casey… Please… Make it hurt,” she whispers, her throat bobbing.
Fuck, this woman. My amazing, strong wife.
I bend and kiss the top of her head. “I’ll be back soon. I love you.”
“I love you too.”
I pause at the door, instinct urging me to stay. But I have to take care of this. For her.
Nitro and Chopper are waiting outside the room. They push off the wall as I shut the door behind me, brows tight, worry etched into their faces.
“What the fuck happened, Preacher?” Nitro asks.
I shake my head, dropping my hands on my hips. “You find anything out about the guy I asked you to look into?”
He shrugs. “Guy’s so fucking clean it’s unnatural. Never had a parking ticket, no run-ins with the law. I couldn’t find shit.”
“He assaulted her.” Those words taste wrong on my tongue. “The prick’s been touching her for weeks, making her feel uncomfortable.”
Nitro’s jaw gets tight. Chopper’s eyes darken as he stares at the closed door, like he’s trying to give Lexi support through the wood.
“We riding out?” Nitro cracks his knuckles, ready to throw down for one of our own.
My adrenaline soars.
This is what it means to be in a club, to have brothers who have your back. She may not wear a cut, but she’s still ours.
And we ride for what’s ours.
We fight.
“I need you to stay with her,” I say to Nitro. She trusts him, loves him like family. She’ll feel safe with him.
