Page 32 of Beautifully Wounded

“Yes. Next question.”

She rolls her eyes again at my attempt to hurry this along.

“That property you were talking about in Fox Pines. Why do you want it?”

Now I wasn’t expecting that question. I should probably lie. No one but me, JD, Spud, Tups and Smitty know about that. But fuck, I can’t seem to lie to her, so instead, I keep it vague.

“We’re looking for a new place to have more room to do bad shit.”

“That’s vague,” she deadpans and fuck, I throw my head back, laughing again.

“Depends who you ask.”

Nodding, somehow satisfied with that response, she falls quiet for a few beats, her eyes on her fingers again before she works up the courage to speak.

“If I tried to walk out the door, would you stop me?”

My brows shoot up. “Yes. And that’s four questions.”

“I’m a rule breaker.” She shrugs. “Why would you stop me?”

Wow. It seems like a good sleep has given her a little more courage today. I don’t hate it. In fact, I fucking love it. I wonder what a full night’s sleep would do for her?

“I’d stop you because the people in this place are just like that kid from last night. If they find you, they’ll think you’re fair game.”

Her face falls, leaving behind pure disappointment and a little fear again.

Fuck.

“Why did you bring me here, then?”

Sighing, I drag my hand over my face, tugging on my beard as I go. “I don’t have anywhere else to take you. I could take you to my ma’s but she’s sick and I don’t want the cops raiding her and my sisters if they get wind you’re there.” I shrug. “It’s just for a few days. I’ll figure out something else, so you don’t have to be stuck with me and my kind.”

“But… I could just go.” She points to the door standing from the bed, pressing herself to the wall as she goes to move past me. “I really do appreciate what you’ve done to help me, but I can figure it out from here.”

As she goes to slip past me, my hand darts out, slamming to the wall to block her path, and even though I hate the fearful gasp that flies from her lips, I don’t fucking tone my pissy attitude down.

“How? You got money, as in cash? Using your bank card will just alert cops to your whereabouts.”

I watch as she visibly gulps, her eyes trained on my hand where it’s pressed to the wall, keeping her caged in.

“Charity? Answer me.”

“No, I don’t have any cash,” she snaps, her angry glare turning to face me, and fuck her rosy cheeks are begging for me to touch them. Graze the backs of my fingers over the searing heat. “I was meant to go to Uni in two days. In the northeastern suburbs, to study nursing. I could go there,” she shrugs, “and I don’t know, hide away in my room in the share house and not answer the door if my parents show up.”

“You know that won’t work. You either go to the cops about them or you have to go into hiding until you can be sure they won’t try to take you for whatever fucking god worshipping shit they are tied up in.”

The telltale sign that she’s about to cry starts with the wobble of her lower lip, and she ducks her head as the first tears burst free.

“I can’t go to the police. I just want to be free.”

“Fuck,” I whisper, dropping my hand from the wall, only to take a risk and gently clasp her fingers, pulling her towards me a little. “I realise I’m no fucking superman. I’m a prick wound up in Melbourne’s underworld. I’m the man you’ve always been warned about, but one thing you can be assured of is while you’re here with me, I’ll protect you. You have my word on that.”

With her closer, I lift her chin, urging her to look at me, but unlike the other times I’ve done this, this time, she keeps her gaze cast down.

“What do you get out of it?” she asks, her voice so gentle it sounds fragile like a thin sheet of glass. “What do I have to do in exchange for your protection?”

“Fuck, Charity. This isn’t transactional.” I push under her chin again, trying to get her to look at me, and when she still refuses, I lose my patience. “Eyes on mine.” And just like that, her doe eyes fuse with mine, her submissive nature unable to go against my demand. “It would be good if you stop trying to fucking run and swing punches at me.”

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