Page 63 of Crimson Heart

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“Have you found anything yet?” Jude asked.

Austin looked at his brother, who was pacing in the office. Their parents’ arrival had put them in a bind. They didn’t have much time left to find sufficient dirt on Steve Leon that would convince their father to break the mating contract with the Leon pack and release Charlotte from this unwanted match.

“We’re combing through everything. We have a few leads, but nothing concrete yet.”

“What leads?”

“A sexual assault charge against Steve. But it was dropped pretty quickly. The only reason why we know about it is because the woman who accused Steve had posted something on social media that she later deleted, but another woman had screenshotted it and reposted it on Nextdoor, warning other women in the area.”

“Do we know why the charges were dropped?”

He shook his head. “No. If I had to guess: Steve threatened her and her family, or they have somebody in the police department who made it go away. Wouldn’t be the first time. I mean, look at the Gallaghers. William had a pretty cozy relationship with the Marin County Sheriff’s Department.”

“Do you know who that woman is who made the allegations?”

“I know who reposted it. I’ve left a message for her. She should know who the woman is.”

“Was that the only sexual assault charge against Steve?” Jude asked.

“So far, yes.” He knew it wasn’t much, and it boiled down to a he-said/she-said. “I have a print-out of the Nextdoor post. Do you think it’s worth showing to Dad?”

Jude sighed. “He’ll dismiss it just like he dismissed Danielle’s words. I wish he wasn’t so stubborn.”

He could only agree. Danielle’s story had made him afraid for his sister.

“Maybe we can work on Mom, see if we can get her on our side,” Austin suggested. “She can’t possibly want her daughter to be at the mercy of a violent man.”

“We can try. But I don’t have much hope for that. Mom and Dad have always been in lockstep with each other.”

“What other choice do we have? Short of hiding Charlotte somewhere where neither our parents nor the Leon pack can find her…” He shrugged.

Jude sighed, when the door opened. Austin whipped his head to the door and watched as Charlotte entered and closed the door quickly behind her. She cast both of them a cautious look.

“Hey, sis,” Austin said in a quiet voice and met her halfway.

He pulled her into his arms, and she pressed her head to his chest, hugging him tightly. He inhaled, taking in her scent. Instantly, he realized that a different scent clung to her: it was Byron’s. Even though he wasn’t pleased that Byron had touched her again after the reprimand from the previous night, he didn’t have the heart to chide Charlotte for it. Instead, he released her.

“Charlotte,” Jude said, “how are you feeling?”

She shrugged. “I thought that after what Danielle told Mom and Dad, they would understand…”

“They will have to,” Jude replied. “Austin and I are on your side. We’re doing everything we can to find proof that Steve is violent.”

“We have a lead already,” Austin added.

Charlotte’s facial expression changed to one of hope. “About the accident?”

He and Jude shook their heads.

“What accident?” Jude asked.

“Byron has one of his bounty hunters digging up skeletons in Steve’s closet.”

“Byron?” Jude asked, his forehead furrowing.

Austin cast him a quick shake of his head. This wasn’t the time to scold her for having been with Byron.