Page 85 of The Vengeance You Crave

"Peyton has a job at The Locker Room. That's where—"

"What?" he barks, disbelief filling his features.

"That's where I first found her on Christmas Eve."

His eyes widen at my confession. "You've known she's been in town since Christmas Eve?" He must see the guilt on my face. He places his pen down and properly turns to look at me. "Jesus, Luc."

"I went there for a drink. It seemed like a better option than pretending to be happy with you and Mom." His lips purse like he wants to rip me a new one for that but he thankfully refrains. It doesn't matter, it's too late now. "Safe to say she wasn't expecting to see me there."

"I'm assuming she has no idea who owns it?"

"No, I don't think she does. Which is why I need you to go there tonight. Dad's in town and I want him nowhere near her."

He narrows his eyes at me. "Why? What would Dad want with her? No offense, Luc, but he probably doesn't remember her. He barely remembers his own kids most days."

"I know… I just… please? She's not going to want me there, and I don't think it's a good idea I go but—"

"That's where you've been going every night, isn't it? Keeping an eye on her."

I don't answer him. I don't think he really needs the confirmation. Instead, I scrub my hand down my face, rubbing at my rough jaw.

"I just sit in my car and make sure she leaves okay."

"You're fucking whipped, man. You know that, right?"

"You haven’t seen the way those scumbags look at her. It's… it's disgusting. How I haven’t killed any of them yet, I don't know."

"She needs to leave. She doesn't belong in a place like that."

"She needs the money."

"There are other ways."

"I know. I'm just trying not to get involved."

He throws his head back and laughs. "That was a joke, right? You couldn't be more involved right now if you tried."

"Trust me, I could. I could throw her over my shoulder and demand she never step foot in that place again."

"Why haven't you?"

"Because she's working there to pay off her mom's medical bills."

"What's wrong with her mom?"

"She died."

"Oh… shit."

"So will you… just make sure she gets out, okay?"

He nods. "But I'm not doing it every night because you're too much of a pussy to sort your own shit out."

"I know. Just tonight."

"Okay. Now fuck off and go shower. You fucking stink."

"You're an asshole, you know that, right?"