Page 111 of Dozer

And then I heard her laugh, and I wanted to bury her, too, until she stopped laughing, stopped smiling, and it was my fault.

“I’m sorry, Pippa. I’m sorry my jealousy has hurt you. I can’t keep hurting you.” I combed her bangs from her face. “I can’t watch you, can’t watch another man touch you and not want to kill him.”

I thought of Romeo, and my gut clenched. I couldn’t stand aside while he kissed, groped, and then fucked my girl. But I didn’t want to think about shutting him out. We both loved Romeo.

I growled and curled my hands into fists with the need to fight, fight my insecurity, fight my jealousy, fight the fucked up thoughts in my head.

Her hands cupped my face. “I don’t need anyone else.”

“Pippa and Dozer, are you out here?” Hana’s voice grew closer.

“Fuck.”

Hana and Jazzy stumbled into the playhouse. “We’ve been looking for you.” Hana took one look at Pippa’s glassy eyes, and she narrowed her gaze on me. “What did you do now?”

Before I could speak, Pippa laced our fingers. “Dozer didn’t listen to me when I told him to leave me alone. Then he stalked me to class.” She smiled at me. “I’m lucky I have a jealous boyfriend to makes sure nothing happens to me.” Her fingers tightened on mine, then she glanced at Hana. “Anatomy cornered me in class today.”

“What the fuck?” Hana said. “Did he hurt you?”

“He would have if Dozer hadn’t been there. You and Levi were right,” she said to Hana. Then she turned to me. “I should have told you.”

“Have you told Romeo?” Jazzy asked.

“We haven’t told anyone, yet,” I said. “We needed some time alone.”

“Thank you,” she whispered to me. Her pulse fluttered in her neck.

She could thank me later tonight, after I had a final meeting with her professor. I needed Blade and Rogue with me because someone would need to keep me from killing him.

***

Once we were in the chapel, Pippa, Jazzy, and Hana sat at a table with Pike and Brenna.

“We need to talk,” I said to Blade and Rogue. “Privately.”

I walked toward the back of the building, feeling Pippa’s gaze tracking my movements. Once in the office, Blade sat in his chair and Rogue leaned against the wall.

“The guy made a move on Pippa today, in school, in the fucking classroom. I had no choice but to get involved.”

I explained the situation and my concerns with the cameras. “I hope I made themisunderstandinglook friendly, but I was fucking ballistic. I didn’t pull mygun, but I can’t be sure the camera didn’t see it.” My cut and my shaved head were enough to identify me if the professor pressed charges.

“Fuck.” Rogue rubbed his hand over his beard.

“The guy doesn’t intimidate,” I said. “He’s going to go after her again.”

Rogue pushed away from the wall. “We’ll ride out after dark, pay him a visit.”

Rogue opened the door.

Blade stopped next to me. “I heard from Willy. Have you talked to Tank?”

“Not today. What’s going on?”

Blade’s jaw ticked. “He accepted the plea. Second degree felony weapons charge. Sentencing is in a couple weeks.”

My gut clenched. “How much time?”

“Three-and-a-half-year minimum, but the judge has discretion. Willy says the DA is sympathetic, and figures Tank will do eighteen months.”

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