Page 96 of Hot for the Jerk

I snorted.“Three older brothers.All just as terrible as my dad.They’re abusive to their wives and perpetuate the misogyny and toxic masculinity with their own sons.It’s honestly an epidemic.”

“Did your father try to marry you off again after Josiah died?”

“He tried.He and Soloman were in a discussion about me marrying Elias, but I got the fuck out of dodge before that could happen.I’d already been in contact with Aunt Dolores and Gabrielle, and they had an exit plan in place for me.”

“Thank fuck for that,” I breathed, spying the police cruiser coming down the hill in my rearview mirror.Bennett’s truck was right behind it.“Here we go,” I said, reaching across the bench seat for her hand.

She gave my fingers a squeeze and forced a smile just as Myla Bruce pulled her cruiser up beside my truck.I glanced over at the cop, and she offered me a tired wave.I couldn’t blame her.She was probably running on fumes, and the asshole in the backseat undoubtably wasn’t making it any easier on her.

Bennett and Burke parked on the other side of my truck and got out, joining Myla on the driver’s side of her car.

“We’re not getting out,” I said to Raina, still holding her hand.

“I know.”

Myla yanked Soloman, in handcuffs, from the cruiser.Then she, Bennett, and Burke, escorted the fucker down the ramp to the dock where Gabe Griswald, and several other islanders waited next to the big aluminum water taxi.

Raina sucked in a sharp breath through her nose and held it for a while.I untwined our fingers and unbuckled her seatbelt, then hauled her across the bench seat into my lap.She came willingly, and settled sideways, her legs extended toward the passenger door.

I held her there, my arms around her, chin on her shoulder, and we waited.Waited for the monster—who knocked on her door last night—to vacate our relaxed, safe little island.

“Thank you for coming with me,” she whispered, leaning into me, her eyes glued to Soloman down on the dock.Of course, the man was garnering some confused and curious looks from the other passengers waiting to board.Nobody wanted to be on a boat with someone who sported matching metal bracelets connected by a chain.

“Anything for you,” I said, my chin still on her shoulder.I pressed a kiss to the same spot over her cream-colored fleecy pullover.

“Isn’t it crazy to think that a month ago we couldn’t stand to be in the same room as each other?”

“I never looked forward to it, but I also secretly did,” I admitted, which prompted her to turn around and gaze down at me.

“Me too,” she whispered right before leaning down and dropping a small, sweet kiss to my mouth.

I hugged her tighter, and we just sat there in companionable silence until my brother and Burke guided Soloman onto the boat.They were the last to board, but I didn’t even move to get going until the boat pulled away and was out of the marina, headed for the mainland.

Myla climbed the ramp and approached my side of the truck, the surprise on her face seeing Raina in my lap only noticeable for a second.“He’s gone,” she said, after I rolled down my window.

“Not for forever,” Raina said, sliding off my lap to her own seat again.“The men in his family are relentless.They don’t take no for an answer.If he wants something, thinks he’s entitled to something, he won’t stop until it’s his.”

A hot, spicy bubble of rage filled my guts.Josiah never took Raina’snoas an answer.He thought he was entitled to her body whenever he wanted it.I glanced over at the strong woman sitting in the seat next to me and my heart both shattered for her and swelled at how in awe I was of all that she’d overcome.Instead of letting the shit she went through suffocate her, she used that shit to help herself grow.To become an unbreakable, beautiful, strong-as-fuck flower.

Fuck, I was coming up with the most frilly poetics and analogies now that I’d caught feelings for this sexy little porcupine.Ah, hell, I kind of liked it.

“We’re going to do what we can to prevent him from coming back,” Myla said.“Are you willing to press charges against him for assault?”

“What did he say about Jagger hitting him?”she asked.

Myla sighed hard.“He muttered something about pressing charges.”

“Yeah, I figured.If I press charges, he’ll press charges.”She met my gaze.“I can’t do that to you.You were just protecting us.”

I shrugged.“And I’d do it again.Let him come after me with his bogus charges.Honestly, it’s his word against mine.There were no witnesses.However, Isawhim hit you.And you have a security Ring camera that I’m sure recorded him striking you.I made sure when I hit him, I did it off the property and out of view of any cameras.”

“I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear any of this,” Myla said with an eye roll.

I smirked and faced the cop again.“Raina would like to press charges.”

Myla glanced behind me at Raina.“Would you?”

With a sigh, Raina’s head bobbed.“Yes, please.”

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