Dare to Forgive (The Dare 3)

“Because she was afraid. That man abused her, cheated on her, and used her. Her own father did, too. How the heck can she trust a man, never mind three intense, demanding brothers like the three of you?” their mom asked, raising her voice.

They heard a knock at the door and William opened it.

“Max, what are you doing here?” William asked and Harold caught his eye. He said hello to everyone and gave Ethena a kiss on the cheek.

“I’m glad that you’re all here. I thought I was going to have to call for a meeting to speak privately with you.”

He looked at the door.

“William, can you close that please?” Max said.

“What’s going on?” Hank asked.

“I’ve got some information, but before you even ask any questions I need you all to hear me out, and respect Adel’s wishes for now.”

“Adel? What does this have to do with Adel?” Hank asked.

Max looked at Harold and then exhaled as he leaned one hand on his holster and one on his hip.

“Adel’s in a bit of trouble, but her main concern is all of you and this company. Seems you have a snitch working in here, and the man he’s working for is set out to take down Ferguson Construction.”

Chapter 7

Warner Dawn was asked to do a favor for Mercedes’s friend, Adel. Warner had known Will, Leo, and Hank for years and thought of them as good friends. Once he heard about what happened to Adel and the kind of trouble she was in, he arranged to meet with her and go over details of her plan and the sheriff’s. As a retired mercenary for the military, he and his brother, Kurt, who shared the same profession, had a lot of connections. Getting some heavy shit on this Bentley character was a piece of cake. Learning about how many women he assaulted over the years, and even about a certain young woman who disappeared after being seen entering a hotel with him, made Warner dig deeper. The right connections and a bit of money went a long way.

Warner sat in Bentley’s office waiting for the piece of shit to arrive. He thought about Adel’s bruises and battered body and how Bentley tried to rape her and all he kept thinking was that he could eliminate this guy and no one would ever find the body, but that was not what Max wanted done. Adel, despite the damage done emotionally and physically by Bentley and her own parents, had a bigger plan. One that kept her three men and their family safe, their business secure, and one that ensured that Bentley never came near her or her men again.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I wasn’t told that someone was waiting for me. Who are you?” Bentley asked Warner. Warner didn’t hide his smirk as he saw the black eye and the gash to Bentley’s temple that needed stitches and the swollen lip.

“Nice,” Warner said and Bentley squinted his eyes.

“Do I know you? Who let you in here?”

“That lovely secretary of yours. Sweet young thing, but not too bright. Left me in here with access to all your computers and files on your desk.”

Bentley looked at his desk and then at Warner.

“I think you should leave. I don’t even know who you are.”

“Well, you’re going to get to know me really well. You see, I’m a friend of Adel’s.”

Bentley lost that intimidated expression and it turned to a pompous one.

“A friend of hers huh? She’s nothing but a whore.”

Warner clenched his teeth. He so badly wanted to punch this guy’s face in. He was a loser, a creep, and a criminal.

“Actually, no, she isn’t, but you’re a lying piece of shit, and your life is about to change.”

“How so

?” he asked as he ignored Warner and glanced at the files on his desk, pretending that he didn’t care about what Warner wanted. Warner waited and then Bentley opened the file and scanned through the pictures, the documents, and the copies of evidence showing there were probable cause and enough evidence to charge him with assault and attempted rape.

He looked up at Warner with an expression of evilness Warner recognized all too well.

“She’s lying and no one will believe her. She’s fucking three men. I bet she’s fucking you, too.”

“Keep looking, asshole. That’s just the charges from Adel that she submitted to the police and to her attorney. There’s a list of other victims and their written statements accusing you of rape. Oh, and let’s not forget the green file. Check it out.”