Page 57 of Beautifully Wounded

“You’re the only one that can help her. The only one with the skills to keep those people away from her.”

“Why can’t she go to the police?”

“I’m not entirely sure,” Lexi admits. “But I believed her when she told me she can’t trust the cops. And when you can’t trust the cops, who can you trust?”

Fuck.

She’s right.

“I’ll do what I can.”

“Thanks, Ringo.” Lexi’s tone is nothing but sincere. “Oh, and if you really want her to trust you, tell her your real name. That way, you’ll appear more human than thug.”

I chuckle. “Goodbye Lexi.”

“See ya,” she giggles before ending the call.

Shit.

Now I’m even more confused.

I’m inclined to think I shouldn’t be the one looking after Abbey, but after speaking with Lexi, I suddenly feel like I’m the only person for the job.

Lexi does have a way of making me feel like some sort of God.

Maybe it’s because I helped her and her boyfriend when my dick of a little brother put them in an impossible situation. Or maybe it’s because she knows I’m the one who made a secretdeal with her mum and burned down her childhood home and all the darkness it carried for the both of them.

Or maybe, it’s because I encouraged her to visit Muz in the hospital before he died, and then invited her to the funeral, even though she blamed herself for his death.

Whatever it is, Lexi trusts me. She trusts that I’ll take care of her friend, so that’s exactly what I’m going to do.

Staring at my phone for a long moment, I consider who my next call should be to.

I could reach out to the Marx family, the heavy hitters of Melbourne’s crime world, but that means bringing in more men, and I get the feeling Abbey could use more women around her. Women who aren’t here to flop a nipple out on demand for one of my club brothers.

Opening my contacts, I select The Angel Sisters, and hold the phone to my ear as it rings.

“Well, well, well. If it isn’t one of the Southern Sadists most notorious.” Amanda teases before her sister, Bec adds her two cents worth.

“Oh, I don’t know. President Smitty is a lot more badass if you ask me.”

“Hmmm.” They both hum in agreement and I roll my fucking eyes.

“You two done?”

Bec laughs. “Not nearly, but to what do we owe the pleasure?”

“Abbey Delaney,” I say quickly, and the two women’s humour falls away.

“What about her?” Amanda asks abruptly, and I frown.

“Youknow her?” I ask, my gaze darting down to her sleeping form once again.

“We knowofher, and that she went missing two nights ago.”

Normally, I’d be surprised the Angel sisters already know of Abbey, but after their secret weapon, Hush, turned up in Fox Pines a year ago, I’d already assumed Abbey would be on their radar.

“She didn’t go missing,” I deadpan. “I took her.”

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