baby hasn’t been mentioned, and I don’t know why I don’t mention it now. Maybe I feel like I’ll be judged for sleeping with someone other than my husband even though he was abusive, even though he’s been in prison for the last five years, even though he’s a horrible person.
Was. He was a horrible person.
“He’s dead?” I finally manage to ask.
“Yes, ma’am. Jeremy Murphy can no longer hurt you.” Detective Matthews looks at Rocker before looking at Jinx. “The investigation is ongoing, Mrs. Murphy. I have to ask you not to leave town until you’re cleared.”
“I’m not under arrest?”
Rocker huffs beside me like the question is ridiculous.
“Not at this time.”
Without another word, Detective Colton Matthews walks out of the room, and when a crash echoes in the hallway a moment later, I have to wonder if he’s the one who caused it.
Chapter 3
Rocker
“If he wasn’t already dead,” I growl, trying my best to keep my voice low since Simone finally managed to go back to sleep.
“You don’t even have to say it,” Jinx assures me. “He fucking raped her two days ago.”
My throat works on another swallow, but nothing seems capable of moving the lump that formed there while listening to her account of the last couple of days.
“You didn’t know about any of this?”
There’s no accusation in his tone, but it doesn’t stop me from feeling guilty for not knowing. Our entire job is helping abused and trafficked women. We know that shit like this goes down in the States, and here it was right under our noses and I didn’t have a damn clue. Granted, it wasn’t going on in the last couple of months I’ve been hooking up with her, but sitting here in silence and looking back, I can see the clues.
“She flinched once when I lifted my arm to pull her closer in my truck,” I confess.
Honestly, it never dawned on me that her shying away was because of fear. It didn’t even register. I’ve been in more combat situations than I could ever count, and I’d get defensive if I thought I was going to be hit. I’d move or lift my hands to defend myself, but it didn’t translate that way with me.
“You remember the way she whimpered when I gripped her neck that night?”
“That’s not the same, man,” I assure him. “You saw she wasn’t into it and immediately stopped.”
Jinx likes things a little rough sometimes. I discovered that the first time we hooked up with a girl at the same time. Whereas I lean more toward the tease them until they beg, he’s a little more aggressive. He prefers ass slapping and hair pulling over anything that could be construed as emotional any day, but right now isn’t the time to psychoanalyze the man.
“Neither of us saw it as a sign,” I tell him before dropping my head into my hands.
“We should’ve,” he mutters.
He’s absolutely right, but what could we have done if we’d known? The guy was in prison, and she was getting on with her life. I’m man enough to admit I probably wouldn’t have ever gotten involved with her had I known. That may make me an asshole, but her situation makes things more complicated than I’ve ever gone looking for.
I’m not Scooter, another one of our teammates. I’m not the type of man that’s interested in helping a woman heal from traumatic events. I want laid back, uncomplicated fun.
Yet, here Jinx and I are, right in the middle of complicated, right in the middle of a situation that has the potential to change our lives, and neither one of is making a move to walk out.
“Callum,” Simone whispers on a moan.
I’d told her my name the first time I took her back to her place. I love my club, and I’m proud of my service in the Marine Corps, but when I’m inside of a woman, the last thing I want is my road name yelled out. She only uses it when we’re in bed together, and despite the fucked-up situation we’re in, the sound of it on her lips makes my body respond in a primal way.
“I’m here,” I tell her as I stand and lean over the bed.
One eye flutters open, bruised and brimming with tears.
Jinx presses the call button beside the bed, like we were asked to do if she wakes up, before grabbing her hand. I’ve been afraid to touch her, partly because I don’t want to hurt her further but also