Love That Defies Us (The Devil's Dust #2.2)(10)

“I see you’re pregnant again!” Charlie yells from the kitchen, his words holding a menacing energy which is making me tense.

I see movement from the front door, catching my attention. Please tell me Shadow is here to play alpha male. Strawberry-colored hair followed by a wide-eyed Cherry pokes through the door. My skin rises with goose bumps; she can go get help. I tilt my head toward the kitchen, showing her where Charlie is, letting her know it’s not safe. She nods and slowly walks in. I shake my head no, my mouth parting in disbelief; she needs to run, call for help. She tiptoes over to me and pulls a large pocket knife from her boot before she looks at me and winks. My eyes widen even more than before. How the hell does she walk around with that thing stuck in her boot?

“When I free you, run,” Cherry whispers, walking behind me. I feel the blade tug and grind on my restraints, cutting them. My heart picks up from the anticipation, and I bite my bottom lip.

“Come on, come on,” I silently chant, wanting her to get me out of these damn things faster.

I hear Cherry scream, making me clench in response. She walks in front of me where I can see her, the knife gripped tightly in her hand ready to strike Charlie. He strides forward quickly, grabbing Cherry by the wrist, and causing a struggle. Charlie and Cherry start wrestling, falling against the entertainment center, and tripping over toys on the floor, fighting over the knife in Cherry’s hand.

“Kick him in the nuts!” I yell at Cherry. If she can get a good shot in, it will give her an advantage. Charlie is much bigger than she is, giving him the upper hand. He lets go of Cherry’s hand holding the knife and quickly backhands her, the sound echoing through the room. She drops the knife and grabs at her face, cursing. While Cherry isn’t looking, he grabs her by the throat and flings her into the air as if she weighs nothing. She lands on top of an end table, making it collapse, its four legs sticking out on all sides.

“Shit!” I curse, trying to pry my wrists from the restraints, and my hands finally spring free. I bend down and pull on the twine around my feet and chair legs. I kick my legs out as far as I can and move them back and forth, rubbing the twine against the legs of the chair. I look up and see Charlie walking over to Cherry, the knife in his hands above his head ready to impale her.

I have to hurry, or he is going to kill her. I twist my ankles faster, the twine starting to fray and snap. Charlie laughs as he stands over Cherry’s motionless body.

I look back down at my restraints and kick my leg forward as hard as I can, snapping the remaining rope. I walk up behind Charlie, rear my leg back, and kick him the balls as hard as I can. He instantly wails in pain and grabs his junk.

I place my foot on what’s left of the end table and pull at a leg sticking out. I give it a violent tug, splitting the wood, and the leg breaks free from the collapsed table. I palm the wooden leg to get a better grip of it and walk toward Charlie.

“I’m going to gut you, bitch,” Charlie mumbles, grabbing at his dick.

“Yeah, go nuts,” I respond, repeating what he said to me before. I raise the table leg above my head and plow it into Charlie’s head, making him fall to the floor with a loud thump. I straddle his limp body and smash the wooden leg onto his head again, blood spitting out from the impact. My body vibrates with fury, my hands slipping on the broken piece of table in my hands. Ready to hit him again and again, I raise it above my head.

“Dani!” I’m quickly snapped from my violent rage. I look up and see Shadow standing in the doorway, his mouth parted and eyebrows raised with concern.

“Shadow,” I sob.





My pregnant fiancée stands above Charlie, a bloody wooden weapon gripped tightly into her palm and blood splattered all over her, causing her dark hair to stick to her face. I look down at Charlie who has a deep gash planted on his skull. He must be the one killing everyone, the connection to the club. It makes sense. I have seen the dark side of Dani escape before, but it’s rare. Watching something so pure and angelic turn dark still takes me aback.

I make myself move, walking toward her.

“I’m here, baby,” I comfort, wrapping my arms around her shoulders.

“I don’t know where Zane is,” she cries, pulling me closer. I pull away from her and push a strand of hair away that is sticking to blood on her face.

“Bobby has Zane,” I inform her.

“What?” she questions, looking at me with confusion.

“He heard Sara was watching him, and we discovered today that the murders around town were associated with the club. He wanted Zane at the clubhouse where he would be safe until we knew more,” I reply, brushing the back of my hand against her cheek.

“Charlie is the Valentine’s Day killer,” Dani mutters into my chest, pulling me close.

I sigh, running my thumb over my bottom lip as I look down at Charlie. “Looks like it,” I reply. “Are you hurt? Did he hurt you?” I question, looking her over while feeling her pregnant belly. I find the purple bruise against her temple and caress my thumb over it.

Dani winces and pulls away from my finger. “I’m fine,” she responds, her voice shaky. I’m going to kill Charlie, put him in the ground like I should have done years back. Bull was wrong not letting me act on that, more concerned with adding unwanted attention.

“I want Doc to look you over,” I inform her, not giving any room for her to argue. Doc is our under-the-table doctor, repaying a favor to us from years back.