Claiming the Enemy: Dustin (Porter Brothers Trilogy 3)

“Not yet. The coroner’s working on it.” Greer moved closer to Dustin’s side as more of Jessie’s cousins streamed into the waiting room. “Knox has his work cut out for him. When he finds out who hurt Jessie, he’s gonna have a lynch mob on his hands.”

Dustin lowered his voice so only Greer and Tate could hear him. “They performed a rape kit on her.”

“Knox is fucked. He hasn’t got a chance in hell. There won’t be a deputy on the force that will back him. Me included. The fucker is dead meat as far as I’m concerned.”

“Me, too.” Tate grimaced. “I wouldn’t mind getting a punch in myself.”

Dustin had more for who had done it than a punch or two. He was going to kill the bastard.

“You heading home?” Greer asked.

“No, I thought I’d stay here until Jessie wakes.”

“Why? Knox is going to stand guard at her door until morning when I get here. He’s not even letting the other deputies take shifts.”

“Why not?”

“Until we know who did it, everyone is a suspect. I guess he trusts me.” Greer shrugged.

Dustin didn’t have to ask why again. Greer wouldn’t let anyone through Jessie’s door if his life depended on it.

“If either of you need a break, call me. I can take over for one of you for a spell,” Tate offered.

“Dustin?” Greer cocked an eyebrow at him.

“I plan on being on the other side of the door.”

“Good luck. Asher and Holt won’t let that happen.” Greer scoffed. “Why do you think I had to cuff the crazy loon? He went nuts that you were allowed in and he wasn’t. I’m going home to bed. Call me if you need me.”

“I’ll leave with you, Greer. I don’t want to leave Sutton alone again until who hurt Jessie is found. She and Rachel are at your house. Cash is there until one of us gets there.”

“It’s too late for me to call Logan. I’ll call him in the morning.”

Greer passed him. “You’ll be in the house when I get up in the morning. The only way they’ll let you stay in Jessie’s room is if you’re in the hospital bed next to hers.”

“Since when have you become Jessie’s protector?”

Dustin didn’t dodge Tate’s question or Greer’s eyes. “I don’t know. Does it matter?” he snapped.

“To us, no.” Tate raised his hands in surrender at his angry glare. “But to the Hayeses, it’s gonna matter a hell of a lot.”

“They’ll get over it,” Dustin said stubbornly.

Greer shook his head sadly at him. “They’ll run you over with Jo’s tow truck before they’d let a Porter take up with a Hayes.”

“I’m not talking about marrying the girl,” Dustin protested. “I just want to be there if she needs me.”

“Keep telling yourself that. Just don’t expect me or Tate to believe you.”

Dustin watched as his brothers left the ER.

He couldn’t explain to himself why he didn’t leave. Finding an empty chair in the waiting room, he thought about how Jessie had probably only clung to him because she was alone and hurt. In her right mind, she would ask him to leave herself.

Conflicted about whether he should stay or go, he had almost convinced himself to leave when Asher and Holt came back.

The cousins all gathered around them as Holt told them the same things about Jessie’s condition as he had been told.

Dustin remained sitting as they talked, staring down at his boots. That was when he saw another pair of boots coming toward him. He looked up.

“Doc said you saved Jessie’s life,” Holt began.

Dustin remained silent, expecting to be told he was no longer needed and should go.

“Asher and I want to thank you.”

“But?” Dustin wasn’t fool enough to be lulled into the belief that the Hayeses were suddenly going to flip and be as polite as any normal person would in their situation.

“There’s no but.” Holt stared over his head at the blank wall. Jessie’s brother was a cold, hard man, but the whole town knew the only soft spot he had was Jessie. “There’s a question we want answered. Seems a little suspicious to us.”

“Really?” With sarcasm, Dustin gave the waiting room filled with Hayeses an expanding glance before focusing on Holt. Then, without warning, he sprung to his feet and reached for the brown leather cord that he wore around his neck, pulling it upward. In one smooth motion, he slipped the small, deadly knife from its sheath.

Before either Holt or Asher could react, Dustin jerked a still handcuffed Asher toward him and turned him until he was behind him with the knife pressed to his throat.

“Nuh-uh. One move, Holt, and I’ll slit Asher’s throat and not give a flying fuck that the janitor will have to clean the mess I made.”

Satisfied that Holt and the other Hayeses had moved back, Dustin stared at Holt meaningfully. “Any other day, I’d kill you where you’re standing for suggesting that I would ever hurt Jessie. Did I lay a hand on you or Asher despite fucking knowing that Asher used one of those pups of yours to lure my son from the house? No.” His sarcastic voice rose until the whole room stopped moving, listening to his words.