Page 73 of Protected By the Billionaire Ex-SEAL

“No, there’s no need. I’ll check it myself.”

I thank him again, then hang up. It’s crazy because I can just call someone in Nashville, but my mind refuses the idea and I’m already planning the trip in my head. I leave my bedroom in that confused state and find Raven on the couch scrolling through her phone.

When she looks up, she examines my face.

“Let me guess. You got an emergency call and it needs your attention?”

“Yeah.”

“Then go.”

Her easy answer surprises me. “But…”

She holds up a hand and stands up to hug me. I hug her back, then look down when she speaks in a firm tone.

“You wouldn’t look that bothered if it wasn’t important. I know you. You want justice to prevail, and if it’s something as fucked up as a possible sex trafficking group, then you won’t let it go. Is it like that again?”

“Not sex trafficking, but it’s important, too.”

She smiles. “Then I’m either going with you or I’m staying with Honey Lee. I’m not going to be alone this time. You choose.”

I hesitate. I want to tell her so badly that her ex just got arrested, but I need to be sure—and I need to go there and look the bastard in the eye, not just hear the news from someone. I need to know the details of his arrest and how long it’s going to last—every single information that will not disappoint Raven when I finally have my answers.

And the only way I can do all that is if I go to Nashville myself.

Leaving Raven behind again feels like the scariest thing in the world, especially since the last time I left her and found her still plagues my mind from time to time. But she’s being brave now, and I can’t take that away from her.

So I nod.

“Okay. You’re staying with Honey Lee. Just a night or two. And days. And you can’t ever leave her sight.”

She smiles again, blissfully unaware. “Are you kidding me? It’ll be like a slumber party. She’s been begging me to spend the night there and this is the perfect opportunity.”

I can’t help but chuckle at her words, then can’t help but kiss her. She kisses me back, already excited to tell Honey Lee. I’ll be sure to call her later and talk to Honey Lee and Aaron about always keeping an eye on her.

If it’s bad news, then Raven won’t know a thing and won’t get her hopes dashed. But if it’s good news?

I get to investigate it first-hand before I deliver that sweet piece of justice into her hands.

* * *

I’m driving there at night. Getting sleep first would have been the logical step since we had a long travel day, but I’m too wired up to sleep, and Honey Lee and Aaron don’t mind when I drop Raven off on the way. During my drive, my thoughts are swirling, leaving me no reprieve until I finally get to Nashville and head straight to the police station.

When I get there, it takes some time to navigate identification and get their sheriff to come to talk to me, as he’s new and I haven’t built a relationship with him yet. There’s a lot of grumbling about how I interrupted his time off, but I explain the situation when he takes me aside, appealing to his good side. To my relief, that fares well as he finally takes me to where the cells are.

And that’s where I find Sam, locked behind bars and sleeping soundly on the bed.

I don’t disturb his sleep. I watch him instead, my anger bubbling up automatically as the memories of the assault are still fresh in my mind. Then I step back and talk to the sheriff in private while he divulges exactly what Sam has done.

“He escorted a woman out of the bar and started manhandling her, but two other women witnessed it and tried to help. He messed them up, then ran right into some trouble with a local gang near the bar. Ended up fighting with two of them.”

“Drunk?”

“Not just drunk. High as a kite, too.” The sheriff grimaces. “We found him carrying an illegal firearm and the knife he used when fighting the two men. He was also in possession of drugs.”

I shake my head, but I can’t say I’m in disbelief over the trouble he got himself into.

“Have the charges been filed?

---