Uh-oh. That tone in his voice told her that she better answer him the right way.
“You can’t go up against him.”
“Linc can’t. But I can,” Ed said firmly.
She shook her head. “If I press charges, they’ll be after my blood.”
“And so you want to do nothing and let him do this to someone else?” Ed asked.
She gasped, feeling like she’d been punched in the stomach. Linc stood, setting her on the chair and then leaning over the desk he got in Ed’s face. “Don’t you ever speak to her like that again. Do not put this on her. This isn’t her fault. And you know what she says is true.”
Ed and Linc glared at each other. Marisol wrapped her arms around herself. Should she pursue charges? If she didn’t do anything, would he just do this to someone else?
“You’re right,” Ed conceded. He looked over at her, regret in his eyes. “I’m sorry, Marisol. I shouldn’t have said that to you. I’m just upset that this happened to you while you were living in my town. I had no call to say that.”
“Maybe you’re right. I should stop being a coward.” She lowered her gaze, ashamed of herself.
“Hey, nobody called you a coward.” Linc turned to her, pulling her close and hugging her gently. “It took a lot of courage to do what you did tonight, to get away from him.”
Had it? She’d been running on adrenaline and fear. She hadn’t felt very brave.
Linc sat back in the chair, pulling her onto his lap. At least the two men were no longer glaring at each other.
“You’re not a coward, sweetheart. At all. Why don’t you tell us the rest? Then we’ll know how to proceed. How did you get away?” Ed asked.
“I kneed him in the balls then I raced upstairs. I locked my door, grabbed what I needed and then I . . . I climbed out over the balcony.”
“What?” Linc snapped.
“I’m okay, it wasn’t that far to jump. I ran towards the road then Ed found me. That’s all.”
“That’s all,” Linc repeated, dropping his head back. “Lord help me. That’s all.”
“I can’t stay here. If I do, he’ll find me. And he’ll hurt anyone who helps me.”
“Like fuck you’re going anywhere, teeny,” Linc snapped. Not now. Not ever. Not that he said that out loud. But she wasn’t leaving. He couldn’t believe she thought he would just let her go. Had she even intended to tell him she was leaving?
“The way he talked about me, he really thinks I’m his possession.”
“What’s his name, Marisol?” Ed asked. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed that you deliberately haven’t said his name or his father’s.”
She sighed forlornly. “It’s Tiger.”
“Tiger? Tiger Mason?” Ed snapped.
“Yes.” She winced. “So you have heard of him?”
Ed closed his eyes for a moment, looking pained. “Are you saying that your aunt’s boyfriend is Saber Mason?”
“Saber and Tiger? Really?” Linc asked.
“After they go through initiation, they’re given a new name,” Ed explained. “For the higher up guys, it’s related to an animal.”
“The guys were on the news. The ones that turned up murdered. They were called Jackal and Falcon,” she told Linc.
“And Saber Mason is the top of the chain,” Ed said grimly. “He’s the leader of all the branches. Fuck. Why did your aunt come here? Because of them?”
“I don’t know. Maybe. We move around a lot. Texas, Arizona, California. Then here. Saber used to travel between Washington and Texas and Arizona a lot. My aunt would go visit him in Seattle too.”
“The Devil’s Kings run Texas and Arizona. Saber’s brother is their leader,” Ed said.
“I didn’t know that,” she said quietly. She felt so tiny in Linc’s arms. So defenseless. He wanted to wrap her up in layers of safety and never let her go.
He kissed the top of her head.
“I’ve tried to keep my distance from them. Saber has always creeped me out. Tiger has only been around the last year. I think maybe I heard something about him being with his uncle.”
“Probably training with the Devil’s Kings,” Ed said. “Shit. Marisol, I really wish you’d change your mind about pressing charges.”
“I . . . I don’t know. It’s my word against his.”
“At least let me take photos of your neck. Just in case you change your mind.”
“All right. I suppose we should do that.”
“I don’t want him coming after her,” Linc stated. “I want them gone from town.” And far away from Marisol. The sooner this bastard forgot about her, the better.
“You and me both,” Ed replied dryly. “I’ll go out there, my deputies are still hanging close by so they can go in with me. I’ll have a word. Make Tiger and Saber see that leaving town for good would be the best possible idea.”
“They’ll know I talked to you,” Marisol said worriedly.
“Don’t worry, I won’t mention your name. Your aunt has been with him for a long time?”
“Yes.”
“And she owns several spas, yes?” Ed asked.
“Uh, yes. She’s opened a number across the country. Why?”
“Places where the Devil’s Sinners have set up branches?” Ed asked her.
“Well. I don’t always pay attention, but yeah, I guess so. The last one she opened was in Seattle, but I never worked at that one. I stayed back in San Diego.”
She shivered in Linc’s arms and he tightened his hold on her. “He will not harm you. You’re coming home with me and I will keep you safe.”
Leaning back, she stared up at him with those big hazel eyes. “And who will protect you?”
“That’s not something you need to take on your shoulders,” he told her.
“But it is. Because if something happens to you, it will be my fault. And I’ll never forgive myself.”
He cupped the side of her face. “Nothing is going to happen to me. I live on a ranch with the best security in the state. Every man on the ranch will watch out for and protect you. You wouldn’t be safer anywhere else.”
“He’s right, Marisol,” Ed told her, standing. “You need to go home with Linc and stay with him. Sanctuary Ranch really is the safest place for you right now. I’ll get Steven to take those photos of your neck so I can get out there. Excuse me.” He left the room.
Linc stood and reached out his hand. “Come home with me, Marisol. Let me take care of you.”
“Why would you want to? My life is such a mess. Shouldn’t you want to see the back of me?” she whispered forlornly.
“I want to because I care about you. Yeah, we’ve got some stuff to talk about, to work through. But I’m not going to just let you walk away. I can take care of you. All you need to do is trust me.”
To his relief, he felt her little hand slide into his.
Thank. Fuck.
15
Her hand was firmly engulfed in his. As though he was worried she might run unless she was tethered to him.