As I stand next to our bed, watching my wife sleep, I think about Collin. His hands on her soft skin. Pulling her into him. The fact that he thinks he can do it in the first place is a problem.
The second problem is that he’s telling her about my past with Whitney. I was too busy being the Lords’ bitch to protect her. That won’t happen with Lake. Ryat thinks her father will come after Lake, and he might. This time I’ll be ready.
She’ll never understand why I married her, and I honestly don’t give a shit. I’ll do whatever I need to do to prove my point. Laikyn Grace Crawford is mine. And I’ll prove it to the fucking world. If I have to carve my name all over her flawless skin, I will.
* * *
I entermy office with my hand in Lake’s. She hasn’t spoken one word to me since last night. I didn’t expect her to, though. She was already mad, and I just pissed her off more. Then she broke down and was embarrassed. She woke up this morning, fixed breakfast, and then crawled back into bed, avoiding me. I won’t be ashamed or remorseful for what I did to her last night. It’s the first of many. I know she liked it and got off on it.
“Sorry to keep you waiting, Collin,” I say and look at Lake. “Have a seat, little darling.”
She falls down onto the couch and winces. I refrain from smiling at her discomfort. That’s why I did it the way I did. To remind her that I was there last night, balls deep in her untouched ass.
The door opens again, and Colton enters, followed by Alex, Finn, and Jenks. Letting the door close behind them, they each stay against the far back wall.
“What the fuck is this?” Collin notices and jumps to his feet.
“I have to admit,” I say, falling into my seat, and he turns to face me. “I lied to you.”
His eyes narrow on me. “What the fuck do you want?”
“Please forgive me, but I was a little busy last night when I called you.” Lake gasps, knowing what I’m referring to, but I ignore her. “You ever had that kind of sex that just makes you do irrational shit?” I wonder.
Colton and Alex both grunt in understanding.
“I’m leaving.” He goes to head for the door, but Finn jumps in front of it, blocking his only exit.
“I want to show you something,” I say, picking up the envelope Ryat had brought me. “I was at the house of Lords the other night when Colton informed me you were here to see the surveillance footage.”
“I’m a cop, that’s my job,” he snaps.
“Yes, but as you see, her body had already been found, days prior to that.” My eyes slide to Lake, and she doesn’t look surprised at what I just said.Interesting.
He squares his shoulders, readjusting himself in his seat. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“No?” I arch a brow and toss the manila envelope onto his lap. “Have a look.”
He opens it up, and his body stiffens.
“But she’s not the first woman this has happened to, is she?” I dig, wondering just how much he knows.
He ignores my question, or he just didn’t hear it all. “Where did you get this?”
“Doesn’t matter.” I shrug. “What matters is I do have a video to show you.” I pick up the remote and turn on the seventy-inch TV on the back wall and hit play. It’s last night inside the club. “That’s you, with your hands on my wife.”
He jumps to his feet once again, the folder and pictures falling to the floor. He runs to the door but Alex steps out, grabs his hair and pulls him back to the center of the room while Finn grabs a chair. Alex shoves him into it and Colton takes the handcuffs from his back pocket, quickly cuffing his hands behind his back, threading the cuffs between the vertical wooden bars to secure him to it.
“You’re finished!” he screams, thrashing in the chair. “You can kiss the club and your wife goodbye.”
I walk around my desk, stepping into him, and lean back against the edge, letting him run his mouth.
“The Lords will kill you if you touch me,” he warns.
“You think they give a fuck about you?” I ask, and the guys laugh. “You know how many people I’ve killed? Most were Lords.” I snort. “They don’t care about you anymore than they care about me. For every ten that are killed, there are fifty more about to take their place.” If I was killed right now, they’d bring someone else in to run Blackout. I guarantee they’ve already got a list. And they’d just continue to go down the line. That part doesn’t bother me. It’s the fact that my wife will be handed to another Lord. That another man would get to touch what’s mine, fuck what’s mine, hurt what’s mine. That is something that I will not allow to happen.
“Remove his clothes,” I order.
His screams fill the room as Finn and Jenks undo his pants and yank them down his legs while he tries to kick them unsuccessfully. Alex and Colton rip his shirt open, exposing his chest to the room.
