Page 63 of April 5

Ruger looked away, irritated that he'd ask more from him. But he wouldn't be president if he let his guard down.

"Tell me what happened?" he asked.

"I went in to rescue her and got caught. They kept me chained to a pipe in the basement of some fucking house. Once a day, they came in and beat the shit out of me, probably to see if I was still alive." Ruger met his gaze. "She was tied to the same pipe."

Katrina grabbed his thigh. Jagger knew without being told what his MC brother would go through to protect the woman. Every hit. Every kick. Every second of pain Ruger received was a second the woman wouldn't feel the pain.

He would do the same thing if it were Katrina.

"What kind of defense are we looking at?" He cleared his throat. "How many will be coming for you?"

Ruger's gaze steeled, and several seconds later, he gave his answer. "None."

Ruger slipped his hand over Katrina's and kept her from reacting. They both knew that however many men were involved, they were now dead.

It was information he would've preferred to keep from Katrina.

Chapter Thirty

TWO DAYS AFTER KATRINA'S dad returned in bad condition, leaving her fearing for his life, she stood in the hallway of the clubhouse, ready to kill him.

"You've got to be kidding me?" She crossed her arms.

"Baby, she needs another woman to help her with some things." Her dad looked over his shoulder into the bedroom where the woman he'd brought back with him slept. "When I was there, I talked about you. I told her how strong you were and what a fighter you'd become because you had a shit life—"

"No, Mama Sue gave me a good life," she argued.

"I wasn't talking about—it was about what I did to you, damnit." Her dad lowered his voice. "Rachel grew stronger hearing about how you made something of your life. It gave her hope. Now she needs help."

She shook her head in disbelief. "How is she your problem? You saved her life. You paid back your debt. Send her home."

The thought that he was emotionally involved with a woman involved with men who had hurt her dad soured her stomach. She looked away from him, unable to think about someone else in her dad's life.

She hadn't had enough time with him.

"Baby?"

She exhaled. Backed against the wall, she had no way to turn him down.

"I'm not good with other women," she muttered.

Her dad hooked her neck, bringing her closer and making her look at him. "You're good."

With the way her dad arrived and the following aftermath, finding out what happened, nothing had been said about Jagger's punishment. It was too easy to believe her dad would forget. She knew him better than that.

"If I help you with her." Her upper lip quivered. "Forget about the punishment toward Jagger."

"No."

Heartbroken, she couldn't stop the tears from building. She blinked hard, refusing to show him how much his stubbornness hurt her. He was punishing the man she loved. She'd rather be the one punished.

"I'm not going to help you." She swallowed, refusing to look at him and see disappointment.

Cora entered the hallway. Katrina took that opportunity to escape. She walked toward her aunt, grabbed her hand, and pulled her into the main room of the clubhouse.

"Whoa." Cora tugged on her hand. "What's wrong?"

"My dad's an asshole."

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