Claiming the Enemy: Dustin (Porter Brothers Trilogy 3)

Dustin didn’t release Asher as the deputies came into the room with Drake and Bliss. Other than giving his cousin a searing look not to interfere, Drake waved the deputies back while signaling for Bliss to leave.

“I went to your house and warned you both that I was coming after you, and I have. Not one person in this town is stupid enough to buy an ounce of the pot you stole. Nor have you been able to produce a crop worth anything since then, have you? Any part-time job either of you has managed to find was cut short, wasn’t it? You dumbasses aren’t any fun to mess with because you make it too fucking easy.

“You want to blame me for any of that shit, go ahead. I’m guilty. The only reason I didn’t shoot you was because I wasn’t going to spend the rest of my life behind bars instead of raising my son. If Logan had been hurt, not even God Himself would have been able to save you. Asher and you were fair game as far as I’m concerned … but not Jessie. Never, ever Jessie.” His voice cracked at the memory at how she’d looked when he found his childhood friend.

“And neither Greer nor Tate would hurt her. You think you’re the only ones who know Jessie is special? I let her watch my kid for me for years. I don’t even trust Cash enough for that, and he’s my fucking brother-in-law. Hell, I would change places with her in a heartbeat if I could.

“You don’t have to worry about who did that to her, because I’m going to find the sorry piece of shit and make him regret every bruise he put on her, and then I’m going to gut him like a fucking fish.”

Dustin removed the knife, shoving Asher away from him. Not caring about the beating he was about to take, he reached in his pocket to take out the key that Greer had given him, tossing it to Holt before putting the knife back in the neck sheath.

“I told you then, and I’m telling you now, we didn’t steal your pot.” Holt narrowed his eyes at him angrily.

“Don’t fucking lie to me when I just saved your sister’s life.”

“I have it. Holt didn’t have anything to do with it,” Asher admitted, shamefaced.

Holt turned toward Asher, backhanding his brother across the mouth. None of the Hayes cousins tried to help Asher when he stumbled backward at the force of the hit.

Regaining his balance, Asher wiped the blood away from his lip.

Reaching out, Holt grabbed Asher by his T-shirt as he shouted down at him, “You fucking lied to me? Why?”

“I was too ashamed to admit the truth, that Diane talked me into it. But when she told me how we would get Dustin away from the house, I didn’t want anything to do with it. I thought she was still trying to figure out a way for us to do it when I heard Logan was missing and everyone was volunteering to help.

“When I got home from town, I was going to go on the four-wheeler and tell Dustin and help look for Logan, but Diane and Luke were there, and they told me if I said anything, they would tell Knox I was in on it. I was still going to tell Dustin if it would help the boy, but then you called and said he had been found.”

Not fighting Holt’s hold, Asher looked toward him. “Dustin, I was so disgusted with myself that I hid the pot and never tried to sell it. Hell, both Diane and Luke were so scared after what you and Greer did to her apartment that they never came back for it. I still can’t believe I let myself be talked into even thinking about it. But I swear, as soon as Logan’s name was mentioned, I was out. She told me we’d have enough to buy her the ring she wanted, that she wouldn’t marry me unless I could afford it. After that, I wouldn’t have married the bitch with a loaded gun pointed at my head.”

Holt jerked Asher around, unlocking the handcuffs, then threw Asher down to his feet. “You want a have at him, I won’t stop you.”

“Me neither,” chorused around the room.

Dustin stared down at Asher. Any desire for vengeance toward him would have to go on the back burner. He was too concerned for Jessie. She was going to have enough to deal with when she woke and found another woman had been killed by the same person who had beaten her, or if she’d been raped or not. The last thing she needed was to hear from one of her relatives that he and Asher had been in a fight.