Charger (The Protectors Series) Book #16

by Teresa Gabelman

  Charger glanced at Raven, who looked at him and rolled her eyes, but a grin played at the corner of her mouth. Fucking Steve.

  “So now there is one guy left. Even after seeing what happened to the other two, he confidently walks to the third woman and does the nasty with a smile on his face. The devil says, ‘You know the drill. What was your job?’ The guy starts laughing his ass off. The devil was mad as hell asking him why he was laughing, and the guy replies, ‘I’m a fucking blow pop tester.’”

  For a minute, the room was silent until laughter and groans filled the air. “Okay, okay.” Creed nodded, tipping his beer toward Steve. “That was pretty good.”

  “This is fucking bullshit.” Matt, who wasn’t laughing, walked forward. “We’re supposed to be mourning the loss of one of ours, not sitting around listening to stupid-ass jokes from someone who doesn’t even belong here. It’s fucking disrespectful.”

  Charger saw Creed stiffen, but Charger took control. It was his place, his duty to teach this fucker when to shut his mouth. “Listen, boy.” Charger walked from around the counter. “I’ve been a Guardian before your momma was wiping your ass for you. Don’t you even think for a minute you can come into my house and disrespect my guest. That goes for all of you. You got a problem, then get the fuck out, but if I hear one more word about any of this shit, I will shut you the hell up. And as for being disrespectful, if Jake were here, he would have welcomed the Warriors and laughed at that dumbass joke.”

  “Dude,” Steve mumbled with a frown. “It’s one of my faves.”

  “Shut up, Steve,” Charger growled but didn’t look his way.

  “Yeah, well, he’s not here, so that should tell you something,” Matt said just before Charger punched out, doing what he said he would do—shutting up the next person who said a word. Matt hit the floor, blood pouring from his mouth, and eyes shut for a little knock-out nap.

  “Anyone want to be next?” Charger looked at each and every one of them in the eyes. Some were agreeable, others he saw doubt and hesitation, but no one opened their mouth. “Good. Now that is settled, I was going to wait to bring this up, but since there seem to be some assholes who need to hear what exactly is going on out there and we are all here, I’ll go ahead and let you know.”

  Once again, his glance went toward Raven, who stared at him expectantly. He knew they made a promise to each other to inform the other with information, and he was going to later when they were alone. But seeing how many Guardians and some of the Warriors were present, word could spread to others.

  “I’ve been in contact with other units.” Charger began before reaching down and giving Matt his hand to help him up. Matt just stared at it for a second before taking it. Just this once, Charger was going to give the kid the benefit of the doubt. “The explosion here was not an isolated incident, nor does it look like a personal attack on us. Two more units have been bombed. One in California and the other in Chicago. Both have done a full merger between the Guardians and Warriors. No one survived the California blast. Those killed were civilians as well as Guardians and Warriors. No deaths have been reported in Chicago, but I haven’t spoken with Niko since early this morning.”

  “Niko?” Kane frowned, pulling out his phone. “That’s the unit Val went to.”

  Cursing and threats against who was doing this erupted throughout the room. He looked toward Jared and Blaze before his eyes landed on Raven. “Val is good and on his way here.”

  “Damn.” Kane slipped his phone back into his pocket. “What the fuck is going on?”

  Charger ignored Kane’s question and continued. “For those of you who feel we don’t need the Warriors in this fight, you are wrong. And for the Warriors out there who don’t feel they need us, they are just as wrong. I, for one, will be talking to Sloan Murphy about combining our units until this is over for the foreseeable future. If you decide not to do it, that’s on you, but this is where I stand.” Charger looked around at each of them. “So, fellow Guardians, it’s time for some hard decisions on which side you’re going to be on. I am going to be on the winning side, consisting of two badass teams, because no one fucks with the Guardians and gets away with it. And I suspect the Warriors have the same sentiment.”

  “Damn straight we do,” Jared growled, giving Charger a definite nod. “And we will welcome any of you, unless of course, you’re a fucking dumbass.” Jared’s glare went straight to Sonya and Matt.

  “Enjoy the rest of the night because I have a strong feeling things are about to get hectic.” Charger finished, then glanced at Creed, who was looking at him strangely. “What?”

  “You give very nice speeches,” Creed said as seriously as Creed could. Then he stood and stretched. “Count me in. I’m going to go find me a sexy big-breasted female before shit hits the fan.”

  Charger shook his head with a grin until he noticed Creed was looking directly at Raven. “Unless you want to die an ugly, painful death, I suggest you find what you need outside of my house.”

  “I knew it. About fucking time, dude. About. Fucking. Time.” Creed gave him a sly glance, then laughed loudly.

  “Asshole,” Charger mumbled under his breath as Creed walked away but made sure to stop and give Raven a tight hug while grinning at Charger and flipping him off.

  There were times he wanted to kill the son of a bitch, but in truth, Creed was a good guy. A good guy with asshole tendencies. Actually, all these guys were good guys, even Sonya, who had wanted to get him into her bed for as long as he could remember, and Matt. Charger could have easily taken her up on her sometimes blunt offers, but she wasn’t who he wanted. One thing about Charger was he always went outside this circle when he had needed female companionship, which hadn’t been often. And yet, there had been a few times he had paraded them in front of Raven, realizing now that was after the Val ordeal.

  All of that aside, he knew without any doubt if it came down to it, he would want no one else at his back in a fight. He glanced at the Warriors in the room and knew he was starting to feel the same way about them, which made him even more comfortable with the decision he was about to seal when he talked to Sloan. It was for the good of all involved, and it was for the good of all innocents caught in the crossfire of what was coming, what was always coming—evil in the form of demons, vampires, and even humans. Both Guardians and Warriors had sworn an oath to protect those who could not protect themselves. It was time they pulled their worlds together to make a stronger front against those who sought to take them out.

  He could only give credit to one person for opening his eyes to what needed to be done in a world so fucking divided with violence and hate. Raven. His eyes went to her and caught her staring at him. Yeah, he was definitely good with the decision he was making.

  Chapter 20

  Charger sent off a text, then put his phone back in his pocket. Looking up, he saw Raven heading his way. He couldn’t help letting his eyes roam over her body. She was beautiful and deadly—a combination that made his dick hard. Damn, he wished more than anything they were alone right now and not in a room full of people.

  “So, you’re coming to the other side, huh?” Raven sat on one of the stools.

  “No.” Charger smirked at her smug expression. “I’m going to meet the other side in the middle.”

  Raven chuckled with a nod. “I expected nothing less.” Her smile quickly faded. “What’s going on, Charger? Who do you really think is doing this? Guardian enemies or the Warriors?”

  “I wish I knew, but at this point, we have no idea. And I think our enemies are pretty much the same. It’s a dangerous time for all of us.” Charger wished he could wipe the worry from her eyes, but he couldn’t. He also knew that the worry wasn’t for her. That wasn’t her style. The worry she wore heavily on her shoulders was for others. “I’ve got eyes and ears on the streets. Unfortunately, we’re going to have to be patient, get prepared, and be vigilant against an enemy that hasn’t been made known to us yet.”

  “Fuckin
g cowards,” Raven hissed, twirling an empty beer bottle on the counter, seeming deep in thought.

  “What else is bothering you, Raven?” Charger asked, searching her face, and knew what he sensed was right by the surprised look on her face.

  “Nothing. I mean, isn’t that enough? And I’m worried about Jake.” She shrugged, not exactly meeting his gaze.

  “Jake’s a grown man and will find his way. I’ve been texting him and he’s fine. Just getting his shit together.” Charger stopped her from twirling the bottle by grabbing it. “And that’s not what is bothering you.”

  Raven huffed with a frown. “It’s Val.”

  Charger let go of the bottle, his eyes narrowing. Something inside him snapped at her mentioning Val. He didn’t know why… or maybe he did and just didn’t want to admit to it. Whatever in the fuck it was, it pissed him off. “What about Val?”

  “You said he’s heading here.” Raven bit her lip, finally looking into his eyes.

  Charger responded with a nod.

  “When?” Her question set him off.

  Son of a fucking bitch. Did she still have feelings for Val? Had he gotten what he thought were feelings for him all wrong? Was this payback for all the times he had pretty much shoved her feelings for him to the side, as if they were insufficient when, in fact, he had just been trying to save her from making a huge mistake with him? Had he been a fucking fool to wait so long? Was he too late to really hold her heart? The only question he could answer was: yes, he was a fucking fool.

  Charger’s eyes narrowed as he glared at her. “Within the hour.” With that said, he pushed away from the counter and headed for his room. He needed a minute to get control. Climbing the steps, he went to his door, opened it, then slammed it shut, not caring if the whole fucking house shook.

  “Fuck!” Charger growled in frustration. He was such a fucking idiot. He’d reached out to Val to make shit right, thinking that Raven and himself were on the same page. Obviously, he was wrong. Why else would she be concerned with Val coming back? The door opened without a knock and slammed against the wall. The movement had him turning with his gun aimed.

  “Raven, what the hell? I could have fucking shot you.” Charger quickly put his gun away. “You don’t barge into a room when the person on the other side is packing.”

  “What in the hell was that all about?” Raven slammed the door shut behind her, ignoring his little teaching lesson.

  “What?” Charger glared at her.

  “Your little hissy fit.” Raven put her hands on her hips, tapping her foot, cluing him into how pissed off she was.

  “Hissy fit?” Charger’s eyes widened. “Really, Raven?”

  “Really, Charger,” she countered. “What in the hell did I say?”

  “You know what. Just go downstairs and wait for Val. I’m sure he’s ready to see you too.” Charger’s growl echoed throughout the room. “I got shit to take care of.”

  Charger noticed a change cross her face before it scrunched up in pure rage. She flew at him, giving him a push. “You dumb son of a bitch.” She pushed him again. “Just like that you’d throw me away because you’re jealous of Val.”

  “I’m sure Ryker will keep you company until he arrives,” Charger said, then immediately regretted it. “I shouldn’t have said that,” he admitted. Damn, what the hell was wrong with him? The hurt that flashed across her face was like a knife in his gut. He expected a slap, but instead, she punched him so hard he heard his jaw crack. Fuck!

  “Val was a means to an end from you,” Raven spat. “Do you remember the night that Jared found me and Val in bed? That was the first time I fucked him, and do you know why?”

  Charger didn’t want to hear any of this, and yet, he couldn’t stop listening. He didn’t say a word, just stared at her.

  “Because you were downstairs fucking some bitch.” She gave him another shove. “After tossing my clothes in my face, you brought someone inside this house and screwed her. Do you have any idea what that did to me?”

  Still, Charger remained silent, not really knowing what in the hell to say. He had done exactly what she accused him of. There was no excuse that he could give that would ease the hurt he now knew it obviously caused her.

  “It broke me, Charger,” Raven hissed as a single lone tear fell down her face. “You broke me, and I turned to Val not out of feelings of love or any of that bullshit for him, because you held my heart and still do, you stupid bastard!”

  “Raven, I don’t—”

  “Know what to say? Typical,” Raven finished for him, her gaze going to the bed, sadness crossing her face. “Honestly, Charger, there is nothing you can say because I hate you at the moment, I hate that bed, and I really hate this house.”

  The room grew silent, both lost in their own hell. How fucked up this all was. He knew exactly why he had brought that woman into the house. He’d regretted what he’d done to Raven, hated she’d run to Val. He’d felt betrayed by both of them, which was such an arrogant response on his part, and he knew that now. She had every right to do what she did. He himself didn’t.

  “The only reason I asked about Val is that he won’t answer my calls or texts. I want to apologize for using him,” Raven explained, which he knew wasn’t easy for her. Raven kept a lot to herself. Instead of her just telling him to fuck off, she was explaining her reasoning to him, and he didn’t fucking deserve it. “And for causing an issue between two friends. That, more than anything, has been eating me alive. I was wrong and can admit that I was wrong. So to you, Charger, I’m sorry. And when Val arrives, he will get the same.”

  Raven turned to walk out of the room, and for a split second, he thought about letting her go. Panic had him stepping forward and reaching out, turning her toward him. He took her face in his hands, gently forcing her to look at him.

  “Don’t apologize for my mistakes, Raven.” Charger frowned. “What happened in the past needs to stay in the past. I shouldn’t have said what I did, and I never should have treated you so badly. I will always regret that. I can say I’m sorry, but I feel that’s nowhere near enough for what I’ve done. All I can do is make sure I never hurt you again.”

  After searching his eyes, she closed hers tightly. “Nothing in this world has ever scared me more than being hurt by you, Charger. I want to jump into your arms and say everything is okay, but just now I realized that you have the power not to just break me but destroy me, and that’s not okay.”

  “I can’t let you go,” Charger admitted, doing his best to be as honest as he could, and those words didn’t shock him because he knew they were true. He couldn’t let her go, refused to, in fact.

  Raven finally realized what she needed, what they both needed in order to make any type of relationship work for them. It terrified her because at this very moment, she could fall into his arms, have crazy sex, but then what? The “then what” scared her.

  “I didn’t ask you to,” Raven finally said, then threw all her chips on the table. “But until we make things right with ourselves and others, there’s no chance for us. From the beginning, our relationship has been filled with so much bullshit, nothing normal. I want normal.”

  “Normal?” Charger frowned, cocking his eyebrow, which she loved. It made him look sexy as hell.

  “Okay, as normal as possible.” Raven shrugged, then sighed. “I don’t hate you like I said, could never hate you, and boy, have I tried. But I do hate this house. There are too many bad memories. I’m going to walk out of here alone, and I will never be back here.”

  “I can’t let you do that, Raven.” Charger held her arms a little tighter.

  “You have to. And if you just shut the hell up and listen to me…” Raven gave him a narrowed glare.

  “Sorry,” Charger mumbled, easing his hold just a little.

  “I want dates,” Raven announced, almost laughing at the confused expression on his face.

  “Dates?”

  “Yes, dates.” Raven tilted her head up. “You know
, dinner. Maybe a movie or a Reds game.”

  “You like the Reds?” Charger snorted, seeming to understand what she was saying. “I’m a Dodgers fan.”

  Raven rolled her eyes. “Dodgers suck.”

  “We are going backward, Raven,” Charger said after chuckling at her comment on the Dodgers. “Why?”

  “No, we’re going forward,” Raven replied, then touched his cheek. “And because I deserve it. We both deserve some type of normal. If you care for me, then this shouldn’t be much of a request.”

  “Who else will you be dating?” Charger growled, his eyes turning black.

  “Who said I was dating anyone else?” Raven rolled her eyes. “We will be exclusive, Charger. I hope that you will be my first ever date and my last. I know this probably seems crazy to you, but tonight I realized something. I’m worth it. I saw a family on the way to the ceremony today of a couple and a little boy in the back. They were normal. I know I will never know that kind of life, but there are other things. Tracy and I talked a lot. The things Jake did for her when he was trying to win her over made me dream of that being us. You picking me up for a dinner date. I’ve wanted that for so long, and now is my chance to see if what would have is real or just something that I think I’ve wanted for so long it just become habit. We’ve hurt each other, but I’m willing to erase all that and keep it in the past where it belongs to see where we can go together in the future.”