Page 57 of Rogue Royal
Despite knowing he wouldn’t be able to sleep, he was content being able to hold Mav close. He pressed his lips to Mav’s head, inhaling his unique scent and closing his eyes in bliss.
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Chapter 20
Christian
“What the hell! I knew we should’ve kept eyes on him.” Christian slapped his hand on the table, making Freddie raise his eyebrows. “I told Patrick when we threw Talon out, we should’ve kept him within the club so we could keep a leash onhim. This wouldn’t have happened—”
“Can you guarantee that?” Freddie asked, crossing his ankle over his knee and resting an arm on the chair next to him. “Can you guarantee he wouldn’t still have done this? Because I couldn’t.”
Christian growled and raked his fingers through his hair. Most of the time, he could control his emotions and hide them behind a blank facade, but when something like this happened, he felt it to his core. He felt responsible for Kendal getting hurt. He should’ve monitored Talon himself; he had enough training to do it.
“Chris, no one could’ve predicted this would happen, and if we did, we couldn’t have said who it would’ve happened to. Talon could’ve chosen any sub, and we’re only a few people. None of us would’ve been able to check in on them all every single day. Let it go.”
Christian closed his eyes and inhaled, pushing aside his emotions and becoming controlled once more. He glanced at Freddie. “What happens now?”
“Father and Uncle William are dealing with Talon. I don’t know what’s going to happen to him, but at the very least, he’ll be charged with assault.” Freddie sighed. “As for Kendal, he’s staying with Quinn for a few days until he’s recovered, then he said he wants to go back home.”
“I want to check his house to make sure it’s secured properly. I don’t want the chance of anyone else coming back to terrify him, especially not that Harvey guy. Have we found him yet?”
Freddie shook his head. “He’s in the wind.”
“Fucking hell.” Christian stood and crossed his hands over his chest. “I definitely want to check over Kendal’s house. You know I can secure it as well as anyone, Freddie.”
“I know. Let me speak with Father, but I don’t see why it would be a problem. The more people who check the place over, the more likely we are to find weaknesses.”
Christian headed for the door.
“Christian.”
He leaned his head against the wooden door. A hand rested on his back between his shoulder blades, and he sighed.
“Hey,” Freddie said, encouraging him to turn around. When he did, Freddie’s forehead creased. “What’s really wrong here?”
“Nothing. I’m just sick of this happening. Subs are to be protected and cherished, not used as a bloody…” He shook his head, unable to get his thoughts in order.
Freddie gripped his chin, tilting his head up slightly as he said goodbye in their fashion but with a bit more force behind it than usual. Christian understood the undercurrent and acknowledged it with a long blink. When he let go, Christian gripped the door handle.
“I’m going to Kendal’s now. I have nothing else urgent to deal with. Ring me if you hear any more.”
“I will. Be careful.”
Christian nodded and exited Freddie’s room. He stalked down the corridors of Windsor and out to his car. He brought up Kendal’s address, which Freddie had helpfully sent to him without Christian asking for it. Clipping the phone to his holder, he started the engine and gunned it, driving away. No one should ever go through that. He’d seen enough of it happening within his immediate family; he didn’t need to see it outside as well. Within his family, he had no control. Despite being ex-Army, he lost every ounce of respect and training as soon as he stepped foot in his parents’ house. It was as if he was five years old again, and he never expected it to change. Outside of that, though, he had control. He had power, he had influence, and he had training. He refused to let that go to waste when someone needed help and support.
He pulled up outside the property and climbed out of the car. He studied the street, the cars, the houses, and then wandered up the path to the door. He could see where Douglas had kicked it down because the repair job wasn’t good. It was enough to stop any air from getting inside, but a nudge of his shoulder sent it flinging free. Christian made a note to mention it to Freddie and tell him not to use whoever did it again.
He wedged the door shut and drifted around the rooms. The furniture hadn’t been put to rights, so he could almost see how the event unravelled in his mind. There were bloodstains on the table and floor, there were overturned plant pots, and when he entered the kitchen, there were shattered cups and bowls on the floor.
Anger crawled through his veins, and he tamped it down. That could come later when he’d righted the wrong that happened here. When he’d tidied the place up, he would check what he needed, fetch it, then spend his evening making this house a fucking fortress. Kendal would feel safe in this house again if it was the last thing he did.
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Chapter 21
Maverick
Mav’s heart hurt for Douglas. How many people saw how deep Douglas’s heart was? When he’d woken the previous morning, it had surprised Mav to find him there. He’d expected Douglas to sneak out in the night, but he’d been there, making breakfast for him. Mav had little food in the apartment, and he’d heard Douglas grumbling to himself about not having much to work with. They’d ended up with a cheese omelette, which was more than what Mav had intended to eat.
