Page 17 of Fletch’s Protection

Ten minutes later the place is almost bare and the damn lump in my throat hasn’t left.

Cassie storms out of the bedroom and crosses her arms. “I don’t understand why this has to happen today. I mean is this some kind of human trafficking? I read about crazy things like this happening in cults.”

She emphasizes cults. Mari stills with a bag of frozen food in her hand.

Her eyes come to me then move to her sister.

Cassie, shaking her head, says, “Mari, please. Don’t be gullible.”

Slowly Mari sets the bag of mixed vegetables down. She clears her throat. “Fletch, I need for you and your friend to go outside.”

9

Mari

The way Cassie’s looking at me breaks my heart. “Sis,” I say, reaching for her hand.

“No, M. I don’t know what happened to you today, but this is wrong.”

I take a breath. She doesn’t know about the reason I got fired. Just that I am taking a job at the compound and the money is good.

“There’s something I haven’t told you, and you’re not going to like this,” I admit as I slump into a broken chair.

She glares at me, her foot tapping on the floor. “Get on with it.”

I take a breath and spill the truth. “I got fired because there was a confrontation at work.”

She swings her angry stare toward the open door. “Let me guess. Mr. Leather and Scowls had something to do it.”

“Yes, but⁠—”

“M, did he brainwash you with his dick?”

I gasp. “Cassie, stop.”

“You fucked him, didn’t you? There’s beard rash on your neck. And I can smell his soap or whatever it is on you.”

“I had on his coat.”

“Why would you sleep with a man like him?”

I’m not explaining myself. I’m a grown woman. “That’s not the important thing.”

“No, moving me into a locked compound with a bunch of criminals is.”

She snatches her backpack off the floor—the one with her diabetic supplies—and goes to the fridge where she gets her insulin.

“I’m going to stay with friends,” she says as she fills her bag. “I wish you’d listen, but I can tell he’s already won.”

My heart falls and shatters at my feet. “Wait, Cassie, please listen. They are giving us a really nice place to live as part of the new job.”

“Good luck with that.” She storms toward the door and disappears.

Oh my god. What have I done? Outside, Ridge’s voice is sharp. “Cassie, where the fuck are you going?”

Fletch appears in the doorway. “Are you okay?”

“No.” I push past him to go after Cassie, but as soon as my feet hit the sidewalk I screech to a halt. An oil field truck is driving slowly past.