Page 68 of Ruthless Protector

“Is now a good time to talk?”

I sat at the kitchen table. “Yes, I can talk.” I wanted to hang up, to go straight to Tilly’s school, pick her up, and run. Run far away, because I knew. I just knew what she was going to say.

“As you’re probably aware, Tilly’s father was recently released from prison. He contacted us, wanting to visit with his daughter, and I hoped we could meet to discuss visitation. In situations like this, the best outcome is always getting the children back with parents if possible, and if not, at least maintaining regular contact.”

I sat there, numbly answering her questions. I wanted to tell her it wasn’t going to happen, but Trent still had rights. The fact that I had custody right now didn’t change that. She made an appointment for me to meet with her the day after tomorrow.

I tried to call Trent as soon as I disconnected, but he didn’t answer.

I hadn’t given him what he wanted, and he was using Tilly, to make sure the next time I did.

16

Jude

I tried Willa’s phone again—and again, it went to voicemail.

Cursing, I dropped my phone on the bedside table. I’d tried to call her the night I went away, but she hadn’t answered then either. Texts didn’t cut it. I wanted, shit, needed to hear her voice right now. There was no point pretending anymore, not to myself. I had feelings for this girl. Strong ones, and after a night like tonight, a case like this, talking to her, hearing the sweet, sexy rasp in her voice, her teasing, would have gone a long way to calming my shit down.

A muffled grunt came from the fucker I had hogtied and gagged on the other side of the room. Van and I had worked him over pretty good, but he wasn’t talking, and I was this close to tearing him limb from limb and letting him bleed out all over the puke-yellow carpet.

Van came out of the bathroom, dark eyes sliding to me. “Time’s running out. We don’t find this woman and her kid in the next couple of hours, it’s gonna be too late.”

Fuck. He was right.

The sadistic asshole currently keeping us company had been charged with beating his wife and child. He’d missed his court date, skipped town, but not before paying his family one last visit. They’d vanished. We’d found this twisted fucker after a convo with his brother. We’d learned he’d planned to get rid of them, so they couldn’t testify against him. Which meant it could already be too late.

Van’s phone started ringing, and he quickly left the room to answer it.

I stared at the piece of shit on the floor, seeing red. I was so close to battering the motherfucker until he was a lifeless heap it wasn’t funny. Staying where I was, wasn’t easy, especially as images of Kate, bruises on her beautiful face, Louis scared, crying, clinging to her, filled my head.

It wasn’t our skip on the floor anymore, it was Wayne, my brother-in-law. Knuckles raw from hitting the two people I’d loved most in the world.

I took a step toward him…

My phone beeped, pulling me up short. I checked the screen quickly, heart pounding, more than a little freaked at what I’d been about to do. What I still wanted to do.

Willa: Hey, sorry I missed your calls. I ended up working a double yesterday and was totally wiped.

I stared down at the small screen; just seeing her name helped calm me. I quickly typed out a reply.

Tell me why I shouldn’t kill the fucker we have in custody?

Willa: What did he do?

I almost laughed out loud at her response. Willa knew there was evil in this world, of course she did. You only had to meet her to know she’d experienced some of that firsthand.

I typed out my reply. He hurt his wife and kid.

Her reply was almost instant. I hope you kicked his ass.

Oh yeah.

Willa: Good.

My mind was fucking with me. Knowing Willa had been through something and not knowing what it was, suddenly I had the red rage back in full force, all sorts of shit filling my head.

Not helpful, beautiful. I need a reason not to end this fucker.