“Luke.” Charlie offered, as a form of greeting. Fucking arrogant pig-headed motherfucking bastard.
“Charlie.”
“Is this about Dallas’ visit, or her problem?” Asshole. He was hoping I didn’t know about her little journey to Texas.
“My problem.” Dallas didn’t have problems. I didn’t want him thinking that I was asking for help for her. It was me to whom he would be offering his services.
“I’m in Hattiesburg,” he confirmed. I already knew that, but I wasn’t going to tell him.
“Good. Meet me at my office,” I demanded, and hung up the phone. Charlie didn’t like being told what to do, but for Dallas, he would do just about anything. He had called me the day I had left for Lake Charles, asking how she was doing. Something Charlie never did. She had unknowingly connected with him, and now he felt that she was important to him. Another reason for me to hate him. Of all of the fucking women in the world he picked mine to fall for. Biggest mistake of his pathetic life.
My office was located in a place away from the hustle and bustle of downtown and uptown Hattiesburg. It was in a shit community and only the locals knew it existed. Perfect for a man who wants to be left the fuck alone. Charlie, or should I say Charlie’s fucking puppet, pulled his town car up to the curb, and I fought hard to not tackle him and pummel his face with my fist when I saw him step out of the car. I shook his hand, neither of us very happy about the exchange, but it was a show of respect that was demanded on both our parts. We walked into the office, and he took a seat in one of the chairs in front of my desk, while I took the other. In Charlie’s eyes, this was a smart move. He didn’t like to feel as if he wasn’t the one in charge, and I was surprised he didn’t take a seat in my desk chair, but, again, it was a show of respect.
“Who is he and what does he want?” I asked, cutting all the bullshit and getting straight to the point.
“Wouldn’t you like to make small-talk first? I’ll start. You didn’t hurt Dallas for coming to see me did you?” he asked, threatening me with his tone, and the iciness of his stare.
“Only in a way that made her come around my fat cock. Now, who is he and what does he want?” I watched Charlie shift in his seat. Good. I had struck a nerve.
“You sure are bold, Luke. I once had a man’s tongue ripped out for talking to me like that. Very bloody experience, but one neither he nor I will ever forget.” I took a deep breath, and checked my temper. I didn’t need to get on Charlie’s bad side. At least not right now.
“If you are asking if I put my hands on her, then no, Charlie. I would never hurt Dallas in that way.” Only with my belt, I thought cockily. My dick twitched in my pants at the thought of her perfect ass bent over her desk, and it was my turn to shift in my seat.
“Well, that’s good news. For everyone,” he concluded, the meaning underlying his words letting me know that he would have killed me had I have hurt Dallas. “I will tell you what you need to know, but it is me who takes him out. Not you or your club. Or Dallas,” he added, reassuringly. “I feel like I am owed that.”
“Then why are we here? If you know who he is, and where he is and you want to take him out, why don’t you just do it?”
“Dallas needs a man who can protect her. Obviously you are that man, so now it’s your job. You intercept him and I’ll handle it from there,” he said, as if the answer was obvious. He seemed hurt, and I fought hard not to smile at the middle-school crush this grandpa had on my girl.
“Okay, so how am I supposed to do that?” I asked, wishing he would just give me what I wanted and get the fuck out.
“I suggest you bring her to Lake Charles with you. Wait until the weekend so you don’t make her suspicious and then send her away when I give you his whereabouts. She has a business meeting scheduled in Atlanta on December 15th. Keep her with you until then, and I’ll make sure he is in the area during that time.”
“Why don’t you just tell me now and I’ll take care of it. There’s no need to prolong this,” I said, wondering how Charlie could benefit from waiting.
“All in good time, Luke. All in good time.”
“I need more than that,” I snapped, stopping him from standing and leaving.