Page 11 of Dark As Coal

I could tell by her voice alone that she was scared, “Adeline, you need to get here. Now. Oh. Shit.”

At her words, I asked, “What?”

“He just grabbed Lizette by the throat and threw her against the wall.” I gasped.

I looked at Mr. Grant, and smiled a shaky smile, “I’m so sorry, but I’ve got to go.”

Then to Gabby, I said, “I’m leaving now. Tell Asher.”

“Okay. Be careful. But please, hurry.” I nodded even though she couldn’t see me, then I stood up and started getting my things.

Hurriedly, I said, “Olivia is great, I know I have your email on file, so I’ll send you a few more things. Thank you for coming in.”

Then I looked at Mindy and said, “Can you please take care of Eli’s parents? I’ve got to go.”

She nodded quickly, “Yes, sweetie, I got them. Go.”

The drive normally took me half an hour, but I made it there in twenty minutes.

I didn’t even remember pulling into the parking lot, nor throwing my car in park and killing the engine.

I was out of my car and opening the front doors of the clubhouse and the sight before me had me gasping.

Dishes were strewn everywhere. Food lay in piles on the floor, a few pieces were sliding down the walls.

Tables overturned.

Drinks spilled.

Pieces of wood that had previously made chairs were scattered.

Hearing whimpers, I looked in the direction and felt my hand come up to cover my mouth.

Lizette’s throat was red, and Gabby was helping her hold an ice pack to it.

“We need to put him fucking down,” Trigger grumbled as he tried to get to Coal but caught an uppercut to his face.

“Fucking keep him in the corner until Adeline gets here,” Asher growled out as he, too, tried to use his body to keep Coal pinned.

“Maybe I can...” Angelyn started to say.

Asher was quick to cut her off, “Fuck no. Do you want to get thrown like Lizette did, or worse? Just stay the hell back.”

I was thanking the stars in the sky that I had my ankle booties on because the crunch of glass would have ripped apart the other shoes I usually paired with this dress.

Softly, I called out, “Asher?”

Knowing he had ears like a freaking hawk, I knew he could hear me over all the yelling and growling.

His head whipped in my direction, and I saw his face go from hard to soft, “Darlin’, appreciate you getting here. I wouldn’t have called you, but it’s bad.”

I nodded, as I made my way closer to him, then asked, “What happened?”

Asher ran his hand through his hair and jutted his chin in the direction of some woman I had never seen before.

She was pretty, no doubt about it, and I would kill to be able to pull off that bright red color of hair like she could.

Just as I was thinking that Asher’s voice brought me back to the here and now, “She thought he was good-looking, and wanted to show her interest in him, so she ran her hand along the back of his neck.” He didn’t need to say anything more.

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