The threat hung in the air like smoke.Roscoe’s eyes flicked to Nadine, then back to Antonio, and I saw the exact moment he realized he’d made a serious fucking mistake.
As the police vehicles pulled away, leaving tire marks on our gravel and the acrid smell of their exhaust, I helped Nadine to her feet.She swayed slightly, and I immediately wrapped my arm around her waist to steady her.“Easy, honey.Take your time.”
“I’m okay,” she said, but her voice shook and she was trembling in my arms.
“No, you’re not.”I kept my voice gentle but firm as I lifted her into my arms, cradling her against my chest.“You’ve been tased.Twice.Your muscles are going to be spasming for hours.”
She didn’t argue, which told me just how bad she was feeling.Instead, she looped her arms around my neck and pressed her face against my shoulder.
Antonio approached us, his expression unreadable as he studied Nadine.“Dr.Raven,” he acknowledged with a slight nod.“We’ve not met.I’m Tonio Miles.”I thought he’d expect me to shake his hand or some shit when I’d just picked my woman, the woman who’d just been tased twice, probably because that swine, Roscoe, was a fucking bully and he picked who he saw as the weakest link in our group to make an example of.Instead, Tonio proceeded down the path ahead of us and opened the door to the nearest warehouse, where my clinic was.The man wasn’t lying when he’d told Roscoe he owned the property.It was in the club’s name, but all this was possible because of Knuckles’ connection to this man.Tonio knew where everything in the compound was.
“Thanks,” I muttered as I carried Nadine to the gurney in the corner and set her down gently.After looking into Nadine’s eyes, seeing for myself she was in pain and scared, but not physically hurt too terribly, I turned back to Tonio and stuck out my hand.“I owe you one.”
Tonio took my hand but waved off the debt.“No.Your club works for me.I take care of my own.That includes your families.”
“In any event, thanks for the save.”
“I wasn’t as on top of things as I should have been, and I wasn’t aware the situation had escalated so quickly.”His gaze shifted to Nadine who lifted her head to look at him.“Miss Brentner.I apologize for your mistreatment.”
“Not your fault,” she murmured, her voice strained.“Thank you for stopping things from going any further.”
Antonio’s eyes hardened again.“Be that as it may, Chief Roscoe will understand the error of his ways.”
The door opened and Knuckles stormed in, his face a thundercloud of barely contained rage.“This is fucking unacceptable, Tonio,” Knuckles growled, pacing the small space.“Tasing a woman who wasn’t even resisting is bad enough, but that asshole did it specifically to hurt us.What the fuck?”
“I’ll take care of it, Knuckles.”
“You fuckin’ better.Me and the boys are fair game.I get that.But they willnothurt our families.That will cause a war, and right quick.”
“I understand, Knuckles.I said I’d take care of it.”Tonio’s gaze hardened.“Leave it there.”
Knuckles took a menacing step toward Tonio, not backing down an inch.“Tell me to fuckin’ leave it there when they come after one of your family.”
“Are you referring to Miss Brentner or Dr.Raven?”
“Me?”I looked from Knuckles to Tonio and back.“What are they coming after me for?”
“Not you specifically,” Tonio said, straightening his cuffs.“I had to do some fast work when Knuckles told me about the danger to Miss Brentner.Since this power grab caught me by surprise, I failed to properly hide my interest in you, Dr.Raven.The wrong people inside the prison got word and informed someone, who informed someone else, who informed Chief Roscoe.In short, our esteemed new police chief thought to use Dr.Raven’s parole provisions as an excuse to raid the place and gauge the strength of my muscle.”He nodded approvingly at Knuckles.“Pissed at me or not, brother, I approve of the way your men handled themselves.They gave nothing away and complied beautifully with the police so there was no excuse to take anyone in.”
“Can’t promise it will go that easy again.And I’m not your Goddamned brother, Tonio.”
Tonio shrugged.“Half-brother.”
“No one threatens our women and lives, Tonio.Take care of him, or by Christ, I will.”
Chapter Eleven
Nadine
When everyone left, Pain shut and locked the door to the clinic.He didn’t immediately turn back to me, but rested one hand on the frame before thumping his head against the door he’d just closed.
“Pain?”
He took a breath before turning to pin me with his piercing gaze.The fear and anguish I saw in his eyes made my heart stutter.I’d never seen him look so devastated.
“I thought I was going to lose you,” he said, his voice raw.“When that bastard tased you a second time…”
I tried to sit up, wincing as my muscles protested.“I’m okay.Really.”
