by K. J. Dahlen
Deke raised his glass to his lips. Taking a good swig, he let the liquor burn his throat and then he answered, “I didn’t think so either, but it happened. I was there when she did it.”
Connie stared at him in shock. “Are you fucking kidding me?”
Deke shook his head. The clubhouse was filling up and everyone was taking note of their conversation. Deke looked around at everyone and said, “I strongly suggest you all keep your distance from the woman that just came in here. Cassie will protect herself and she won’t care if you’re female or male. She will take you down. She hates to be touched as Wiley, Jack and Jared found out earlier. I suggest for at least the time being, you all give her plenty of space.”
“I’ll give her the back of my hand.” Connie growled.
“Connie, don’t do it. I’d hate to see your pretty face all bruised up,” Deke told her.
“She really took down three of us?” Killian asked in a hushed voice from behind the bar.
He nodded. “For now, don’t push her and for god’s sake, don’t touch her. It sets her off.”
The main doors opened and Deke watched as Gator came inside. He then followed his VP down the hall and into his office. Closing the door behind them, Deke poured them both another drink. Looking at his second in charge he asked, “Well, what did you find out?”
Gator slammed the drink down and reached for the bottle. “Peaches told me very little. She said her name was Cassie and that they had gone through the foster system together. She said they both were ten years old when some bastard tried to rape her. Peaches that is, not Cassie. Cassie killed the man and they ran away together. They survived because of Cassie. They grew up on the streets and it wasn’t easy. Cassie always promised to keep Peaches safe and until three months ago, she had.”
Deke stared off into space for a moment then asked, “What happened three months ago?”
Gator snorted then poured himself and Deke another shot. “Some lowlife snatched Peaches off the street. He took her to a whorehouse and sold her to Big Jimmy. Big Jimmy used her until she got injured, then threw her out into the street. She heard about the dancehall and when she got better, she came looking for a job.”
“What was wrong with her?” Deke asked.
“Some lowlife stabbed her when he was fucking her. She said she thought she was gonna die. Big Jimmy just dumped her along the highway. The next morning, she was found and taken to the hospital. She wouldn’t tell them her name or what happened to her. When they patched her up, Peaches said she took off. She managed to find a place to hide until she was well enough to come here.”
“What about Cassie? Did she say any more about her?”
Gator shook his head. “She said she wouldn’t talk about her to anyone. She said if you want to know, you’ll have to ask Cassie.”
“Put a couple of guys on Peaches. I don’t want anything to happen to her. If Big Jimmy knows where she’s at, he might come looking for her.”
Gator nodded. “What are you gonna do with the little Spitfire?”
Deke paused at the moniker Gator used for the puzzling woman he left in his room, then he shook his head. “I haven’t made up my mind yet on that one. For now, I’ve warned everyone to steer clear of her. “
Gator grinned. “Yeah, I heard she can be a hellcat.”
Deke laughed. “You have no idea.” He shook his head. “If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t have believe it. She took Wiley down the hard way…in about three seconds flat.”
“Yeah, Peaches did mention Cassie don’t like to be touched.”
“She did warn him. Once at the motel and once in my office. I just never thought for a moment, she would do it with all of us standing there.”
“I also hear she’s got a mouth on her that won’t quit.” Gator kept grinning at his friend.
Deke stared at him for a moment then asked, “How many men do you know that would call me a jackass and live to tell about it?” He rubbed the side of his face remembering the slap she’d given him earlier.
Gator kept grinning as he poured them another drink raised his glass and silently saluted the woman down the hall.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
K.J. Dahlen
I live in a small town (population495) in Wisconsin. From my deck, I can see the Mississippi River on one side and the bluffs, where eagles live and nest on the other side. I live with my husband Dave and dog Buddy. My two children are grown and I have two grandchildren. I love to watch people and that has helped me with my writing. I often use people I watch as characters in my books and I always try to give my characters some of my own values and habits.
I love to create characters and put them in a troubling situation then sit back and let them do all the work. My characters surprise even me at times. At some point in the book, they take on a life of their own and the twists and turns they create becomes the story. Of all the stories, I could write I found I like mystery/thrillers the best. I like to keep my readers guessing until the very end of the book.