“Baby,” she said, trying to work me with the sweet name, “they’re gonna take one look at you and assume the worst. You know it, and I know it.”

“Let ’em.”

“No. It’s messed up. Two times I had to go in with injuries he gave me, and two times no one even asked if I wanted him there. If I felt safe. But because you look like you do, they’re gonna toss up a handful of red flags, and it’s going to create another round of drama. I’m not doing it. I’ve had enough for one day.”

“You need to get checked out,” I insisted.

“I know that, but I’ll go by myself and say I got mugged or something.”

“Why wouldn’t you tell them what actually happened?” Ophelia’s lips were tipped down, and her voice gentle. “I know he’s your baby’s father—”

“No! God no, it’s not that.” Scanning our audience of Judge and O, Mac tried pulling her bottom lip between her teeth like she did when she was thinking something over. Since that lip had been busted open, she winced and released it. “I just thought no cops with… everything. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have assumed.”

“How do you wanna play it?” I asked.

For her, him rotting in a cell for a few years may have been enough. What she could live with.

But for me? I wouldn’t be satisfied till that bastard’s blood stained my hands—literally and figuratively.

When she didn’t answer, I gently tilted her head up. “You wanna report it?”

She shook her head.

I gave her the only other choice ’cause there was no way in hell we were letting it go. “You want Mayhem to handle it?”

She didn’t hesitate. Not even for a second.

“Yes.”

I wouldn’t be able to fuck Mac till she felt better.

Till she was ready.

But as soon as I could, I was gonna make sure she knew exactly how much her trust meant.

“Then it’s Mayhem business,” Judge confirmed.

“Wait,” she said. “The watch video… Can Glitch edit my face out?”

“He can,” I confirmed, “but once he deletes it, it’s actually gone. You don’t have to worry about someone seeing it.”

“No.” Her face went hard. “I want them to see it. I want to send it to his work. His friends. The town Facebook group. I want everyone to know who he really is.”

That’ll kill two birds with one stone before I kill one motherfucker with two fists.

“You sure?” At her nod, I gave one of my own. “I’ll tell Glitch.”

“I want to be the one to press send.”

“Petty,” Judge said with a nod of approval. “I like it.”