Page 22 of Judge’s Redemption

That almost earns me a smile. She sits in the chair beside the bed, and I kneel in front of her. The marks on her wrist have darkened.

I wrap some ice I grabbed from the bar on the way up here in a clean cloth and hold it gently against her skin. Her knees bracket me, bare skin inches from my mouth, and the memory of the salon returns with enough force to tighten my hand around the cloth.

She feels it. Her breathing changes, but I keep my eyes on her wrist. Fear and adrenaline aren't consent. Neither is being trapped in my room because a criminal wants to use her against me.

“Where are you sleeping?” she asks.

“Floor.”

“There's a couch in the common room.”

“I'm not leaving you and Evie alone.”

“You trust the armed men outside?”

“With the compound. Not enough to put a wall between me and you tonight.”

A knock sounds. Kane waits outside the room. “Church.” His gaze drops to Shay's wrist and turns hard. “We found the car.”

I stand, put the cold cloth into her hand, and settle my cut over my shoulders. The man kneeling in front of her disappears. The vice president walks into church.

Kane lays out the assignments. Cash has the vehicle description. Gray and Tank rotate protection around the salon and preschool. Two brothers watch Shay's rental. Nobody enters or leaves the compound without being checked. Griz's gaze moves briefly toward the hallway leading to my room. “Full lockdown?”

“Until Mercer is handled,” Kane answers.

Griz gives a low grunt and sits back. Chains taps one finger against the table, then stills it without speaking. The moment passes.

Kane looks at me. “We end it clean.”

“We end it completely.” His nod is all the agreement we need.

When I return to my room, the lights are low. Shay sits against the headboard. Evie sleeps curled against her side, one small hand resting on the empty part of the bed.

I take off my cut and boots, then lower myself to the floor.

“Judge,” Shay whispers.

I look up and she studies me for a long moment, then lifts the edge of the blanket.

It isn't forgiveness or a promise. It's a choice. I climb onto the far side of the bed and lie above the covers, leaving space between us.

Sometime after midnight, Evie shifts away from Shay and curls against my chest. My arm closes around her before I'm fully awake. Across the pillow, Shay watches me hold our daughter.

Then Cash knocks once quietly and opens the door far enough to speak. “We found Mercer's second car.”

I ease Evie onto the pillow and rise. Shay's gaze follows me as I pull on my cut. She sees both men. The one who held ice against her bruised wrist and the one who will make sure nobody marks her skin again.

CHAPTER 5

SHAY

The Kingdom Come compound wakes before the sun is properly up.

Engines turn over somewhere beyond Judge's window. Boots cross across the gravel. A door slams, followed by a low curse and Tank's deeper voice telling somebody to fix whatever they've broken before Kane sees it.

This isn't a family home pretending to be a motorcycle club. Men sleep here with guns close to hand. Cuts hang over chairs. The gates stay locked, and every brother who passes Judge's door knows exactly why Evie and I are inside it.

Judge is already gone from the bed. He'd been lying on top of the covers when I fell asleep, one arm around Evie and his body angled toward the door. At some point during the night, Cash brought news, and Judge disappeared into the part of his life that moves while ordinary people are sleeping.