Page 27 of Hot as Hell (Royal Bastards MC, Montreal, Canada #2)

Chapter Twenty-Four

Hemlock arrived ten minutes after Truck and Vicious who had already cleared his house of all weapons.

Vicious and Truck rolled out of the driveway with the bikes thundering through the quiet streets as Hemlock called the cops.

He was never so thankful that his neighbors didn’t care that he was a biker.

When the cops arrived, he let them inside.

The last thing expected was for Charlie to make it a social visit.

She asked the cops if they’d like to have a seat and offered them sodas, coffees, a bottle of water.

When she looked over at him, he saw her acknowledge the look on his face.

He stood staring at her like she’d lost her mind.

He didn’t want them there any longer than necessary.

All he could think was next she’d ask if they wanted cake or some shit.

After he and Charlie told the cops about all the strange things that had been happening, they thanked the officers and waved as they drove away. Ten minutes later, Truck showed up with wood to board up the window.

“Tell us what happened again and start at the beginning,” Hemlock and Truck asked Charlie at the same time. Neither man missed the look of annoyance on her face. They listened as she started from when she got home.

As she started the story they stopped her. “When you pulled up did you see any vehicles that seemed out of place?”

Charlie thought about the question. The only car she thought was different was at the neighbor’s house across the street.

“I thought the car looked out of place. The couple that lives there has a minivan. They’re also on vacation until next week.

I thought maybe it was one of their kids checking on the place.

Even another neighbor using their driveway for guests,” her voice cracking with frustration.

“What did the car look like?” Hemlock asked, trying to keep the anger out of his voice. He wasn’t mad at Charlie; his anger was directed at the person or persons targeting him.

Charlie sighed as she thought about the automobile. “It was a non-descript white car. Four doors with dark tinted windows.” Shrugging, that was the only things she remembered.

“How long from when you came home until you heard the first noise?” Truck knew the entire situation was wearing on both Charlie and Hemlock.

The difference was his brother couldn’t find it in himself to place the blame for everything that happened against her.

Hemlock would carry the blame until proven wrong.

“An hour,” Charlie snapped.

Truck raised an eyebrow. “They gave you time to come in and get ready for bed before launching their attack.”

Deep down Charlie knew it was Crispen and Ashley. She just didn’t know why. They had the apartment she was paying for, and she paid for the utilities. They’d even stolen her one prize possession. Her mother’s necklace. What else could they want from her?

Months, she had mire months, and the lease would be up, and she’d be free.

The whole thing ate at her. Sitting on the sofa, she stared at the ceiling going over everything that had happened since finding Crispen and Ashley together.

The attacks by Ashley, the locking her out of her own apartment.

Them destroying her clothes and taking her jewelry.

What was the point of all of it? Was it all for kicks?

Is this how they got their jollies? “Were they trying to get inside?” she asked out loud.

Truck looked at Hemlock, seeing his mood was spiraling down the drain, he spoke, “You were smart to hit the alarm button on the car.”

Charlie sat up, curling her legs under herself she pulled one of the large throw pillows to her chest. “I couldn’t think of anything else to do.”

Truck nodded listening to her. He could see Charlie, like Hemlock, was dealing with the situation in two different ways.

Where Hemlock was struggling with his anger.

Charlie was stoic. She appeared to have reconciled herself to accepting these events as part of her life.

“You’re still thinking it’s your ex and his bitch. ”

Nibbling on her bottom lip, Charlie knew she should be more emotional, but she was worn out from everything that had been happening. “If it isn’t them, then who could it be?”

“Let’s break things down. Since you’ve moved into Hemlock’s the only things that have happened other than tonight have been someone snooping around the cars and the car tire being slashed,” Truck said as he thought about the different things that had happened in the last few months.

“Oh my God!” She turned facing Hemlock. “I thought the tire was just flat. Not slashed.”

Hemlock looked at Truck. “Thanks, brother.”

Holding up his hands in surrender, Truck tried taking the heat off himself. “Hey, I didn’t keep it from her.” Looking from Hemlock to Charlie and back, Truck decided that was his cue to leave. “I should go. Call me if you need me,” he said, then headed to the door quickly.

When the door closed, Hemlock shrugged. What was there to say?

Charlie didn’t look like she wanted to hear his reason for not telling her.

She probably didn’t want to know he had put a tracker not only on his car but on her phone as well.

He knew where she was at all times. Day or night, he knew.

He also knew it was best to keep somethings to himself.

“You know I’m mad right now.”

“Yeah. I’m aware.”

“Is there anything else I should know about, Hemlock?”

This was one of those trick questions the brothers talked about.

Questions that women asked when they wanted to trip a guy up.

It was the ‘does this outfit look bad on me’ question.

He was damned if he told her and damned if he didn’t.

The only thing that mattered was if he wanted her pissed at him or when he wanted her pissed at him.

Now, when things were calm, or when she was reeling from yet another incident.

Then again, was there a right time to have her pissed? Best to get it over with, he thought.

“There’s a tracker on my car.” He held up his hands, shutting her down before she got started.

“Before you get all pissy with me, I wanted to make sure you were always safe. And there’s also one on your phone,” he mumbled the second part hoping she’d missed it.

No luck there, he thought when the throw pillow came whizzing past his head.

When the second one sailed towards him, Hemlock simply grabbed it and tossed it on a chair.

“Are you done throwing a tantrum?” he asked her, his voice firm, he was done being pissed at the situation… over worrying about if she would be angry at him or not. If Charlie had a problem with it, she could get over it.

The calmness she’d settled into was gone… replaced with an anger she hadn’t known was laying just below. “I can’t believe you would track me like some damn animal.”

“I’ve been tracking you to make sure no one kidnapped you or worse, killed you.” He saw the look she gave him. “Don’t look at me like that. You and I both know your exes are crazy.”

He had her there. Crispen and Ashley were crazy. The question was how crazy were they? “I know what you’re doing is for peace of mind. It’s just intrusive.”

Hemlock closed the distance between them. When he stepped up to Charlie, he widen his stance so he could look into her eyes. “You think me tracking you is intrusive? Sweetheart, you have no idea the lengths I’ll go to keep you safe.”

She wanted to stay angry, but the way Hemlock said he’d go to great lengths to keep her safe had Charlie sighing.

No man had ever said things like that to her and meant them.

Sure, her high school boyfriend said he’d die for her.

But they were fifteen at the time and he clearly wouldn’t have died for her.

He just wanted in her pants. At the first hint of danger, he would have run screaming faster than she would have.

“I’m not sure what to say, or how to act at hearing you sat that,” she confided as he stared into her eyes. Damn, the guy was sexy. When he stood in front of her all Charlie could do was stare at him.

“I want your word you won’t go anywhere near Ashley or Crispen. I want you to promise me you won’t go anywhere near them or the apartment.” Watching as Charlie’s eyes looked away, Hemlock said, “Charlie, look at me.”

“I promise,” she said, her voice heavy as her words came out breathy.

“Thank you.”

She was about to offer to make it up to him when Hemlock silenced her with his finger. Before she balked at him, she heard the faint sounds of someone outside the front door. The heavy knock startled her and made Charlie jump.

Hemlock looked at Charlie. “Stay.” Smirking, he headed for the door.

He was sure she’d have something to say about him speaking to her like she was a dog.

Snatching open the door, he half expected Truck or the cops to be standing there.

Instead, it was Razor. Leaning outside, he looked around. “What are you doing here, Razor?’

Looking at Hemlock, Razor almost chuckled at seeing the brother’s agitation by his intrusion. “I didn’t get to look at your foot.”

“Why aren’t you at the clinic?” Hemlock asked, his voice short.

Raising an eyebrow at Hemlock, Razor stated the obvious, “We close at two a.m.”

Checking his watch, Hemlock was shocked at the time. “It’s that late already?”

Razor shoved off the wall. “Yes, it is. Now are you going to let me in or not?”

“Come on in.” Moving back, Hemlock let Razor inside and closed the door.

When they entered the living room, Charlie stayed long enough to hear Hemlock recount what had happened earlier. She felt like a magnifying glass was hanging over her every time something happened… every time one of Hemlock’s brothers looked at her.