Page 18 of Crush's Fall

“Do you need pain reliever? Dickwad mentioned he hit you in the head to knock you out. Does it hurt?”

She eyed the first aid kit and the package in his hand before she shook her head and answered, “I’ll be fine.”

He nodded. “Keep your mouth shut out there. They don’t give a shit about what you have to say. So, unless they ask you something, just keep quiet. Got it?” His words were harsh, but he gave her a smile and a wink to let her know he didn’t mean the tone, but he meant the words.

“Okay,” she replied, returning his smile. “How bad is my foot?”

“Might need a few stitches, but if you keep it clean, you’ll be fine.”

He set her on her feet on the concrete floor, wrapping his arm around her waist to help stabilize her. She slid an arm around his shoulders and let him lead her out of the room.

When they returned to the main warehouse space, Lucifer noticed April was looking around and taking in as much information as possible. It was ridiculous to feel pride for a woman he barely knew, but he did. She was smart.

Her eyes clocked the office on the other side of the space next to an exit door, two bathroom doors to her right, and three docking bays to her left. Most of the space was empty, except for an area in the middle where some tables and chairs were set up. Around the tables were open wooden crates, with the wordfragilestamped in red on the outside. They were used to transport the drugs for Leighton’s operation. There were five men sitting around the tables, a mixture of Leighton’s men and men who worked for Benjamin’s father, Reynold, repackaging the blow.

Benjamin, the driver, Reynold, and two other men were standing on the other side of the tables from April and Lucifer. They were engaged in an animated conversation, arms flailing and fingers pointing, but their voices weren’t raised.

They were halfway to the tables when Benjamin noticed them. He broke away from the group, causing his father to glare at him and throw up his hands. “Sweetheart,” Benjamin said possessively as he approached. He practically shoved Lucifer out of the way, obviously intending to help April instead. Lucifer didn’t move much, which said a lot about Benjamin’s lack of strength.

April shifted away from Benjamin’s outstretched hand and held onto Lucifer. When Benjamin’s eyes narrowed, she pointed at his cast. Lucifer was trying to play the part of helpful stooge, but he knew he’d have to step in if Benjamin didn’t back the fuck off.

Benjamin must have accepted her reasoning, because he headed back toward the group, shooting orders over his shoulder. “Bring her over here, Lucifer. My father wants to meet her.”

April’s eyes shot to the older man again and widened a little in surprise. Lucifer could understand the shock, since there was little resemblance between the two men. Where Benjamin had dark brown hair and light blue eyes, his father had light blond hair and eyes that were a darker color, but Lucifer couldn’t tell you what color exactly. Benjamin was fit and just under six feet tall, but his father was much taller, broader in the shoulders and chest, and had a large belly, as if enjoyed bread more than most. Even the size and shape of their eyes and noses were different.

They had just rounded the table when the older man called out, “So this is the little bitch who sicced those thugs on you?”

“Father,” Benjamin whined on a huff.

“Stop your whining, boy,” his father ordered with annoyance. “She was working at the bar where bikers hang out, and you’re surprised when you end up being jumped. She’s probably one of their whores. You know how those bikers like their whores.”

Glaring at the man with narrowed eyes, Lucifer cleared his throat. “I know you think you’re untouchable, but bikers have been watching your ass for years, Reynold. Those bikers are no longer around… except for me.”

His father opened his mouth, no doubt to let Lucifer have it, but Benjamin blurted, “Stop calling her names!” He stomped his foot.Actually. Stomped. His. Foot.“I’m going to marry her!”

“Not on your life!” April blurted, and Lucifer almost laughed at the surety in her voice, but instead, he sighed and looked down at her. She shrugged.

“I don’t care what you do with her,” his father shouted. “Marry her, fuck her, whatever. If I’m paying for your expenses, I’ll call her what I like, and she’s going to cut ties with those thugs.”

After father and son argued some more, Reynold asked April, “Is there anything in your apartment that you care enough about to make us go get for you before you move into Benjamin’s room at my place?”

When she didn’t answer or seem to be paying attention, Lucifer shook her a bit at the same time that Benjamin’s father asked, “Is she dim?”

“He asked if there was anything in your apartment that you care about enough for them to go and get before you move into the room at his house you’ll share with Benjamin,” Lucifer told her and widened his eyes a bit, attempting to tell her to just say there was nothing and not piss off the old bastard any more than she already had.

“Oh.” April took a deep breath. Then she replied, “No, nothing.”

“Good. Michaela will outfit her with an appropriate wardrobe and get her stylist to get rid of that god awful red in her hair.” Then the old man turned on his heel and approached the tables.

“Take her to the back office. She can wait there while we have the meeting,” Benjamin said through clenched teeth, barely containing his rage at his father.

As Lucifer helped her cross the rest of the warehouse without putting too much weight on her hurt foot, he hoped the Howlers hurried the hell up.

When he opened the door and led her inside the room, she gasped at the sight of the two young men sitting on the floor across from the door of the empty office space. He knew she was reacting to the poor state the men were in. They had obviously been starved and possibly drugged, not to mention dirty.

Lucifer lowered his head so he could whisper in her ear, “We’ll get them out, too.”

Standing just outside the door to the room April was being held in, Lucifer knew the minute the Howlers arrived. Honking started in the front, causing Benjamin and four of the men to head that way. As soon as they were outside, men started running in from the backdoor, being chased by the Howlers. All hell broke loose, and Ranger came barreling in from the front with Benjamin held in front of him, held there by a hand around the front of Benjamin’s throat and his gun to the man’s temple.

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