“Are you out of your mind, Chelsey?” Her dad ran his fingers through his hair and sighed harshly. “You were at a shifter nightclub?”

“Yes. So what? It was a nightclub. I go to them all the time on campus. Does it matter who owns it?” she replied.

“Theoretically, yes,” he countered. “I don’t know any of these people and, quite frankly, the security is a little lax. There’s an ongoing criminal investigation involving this club right now. What does concern me is Paulman’s account of how he found you.”

He scoffed and then continued, “He said you were in a very intimate position with this man. Do you know those shifters sold sexual services out of the back of this joint? How could you even go there to begin with?”

Her dad’s accusations and questions had gotten out of hand. She was seriously overwhelmed at this point, and the fact that Brock was arrested and she was somehow held here to be questioned made the whole situation worse.

“Look, I don’t want to talk about it right now.”

“Is this why you wanted me to make a deal with the Alpha of the Aspen Valley Wolf Pack? So you can be with this guy?”

“I asked you to do this because your reasons for following through with eminent domain proceedings are very unethical. Even if they were my enemies, I wouldn’t wish for them to lose their homes because of one greedy corporation.”

“This is insane and very embarrassing,” her dad exclaimed. “Do you know that Paulman asked me if you were working at the nightclub as a sex worker?”

“What business is it of his if I was working there or not? I went to enjoy myself.”

“Enjoy yourself? With your legs wrapped around a man several years older than you?”

“He and I…are dating.” If she told her dad that she was presumably a shifter’s intended mate, he’d flip out right where he stood. She had a right to choose her own boyfriend and lover, but what she didn’t appreciate was being reprimanded at the local police station like she was a common criminal for making out with him and minding her own damn business.

“I’ll explain everything to you soon,” she added. “I’m sick of the third-degree treatment from both you and your detective friend. Even if I knew every single detail about Brock, I wouldn’t tell them anything. I asked them for a lawyer. I wasn’t expecting you to come here and bail me out.”

“I’m glad you know your rights, but I’m your father and you’ll explain everything to me right now starting with how you got involved with the same man whose brother wants to dictate how I handle my business.”

Chelsey sat back in the uncomfortable chair and diverted her attention to the drab gray cinder block walls. “You wouldn’t understand if I told you how.”

“Oh, I’ll understand completely if you’re straightforward because right now you’re not being straightforward.” He slid a manila folder across the table to her. “Your trouble-making, shifter boyfriend has a rap sheet bigger than the size of this County. Thank God none of this has reached the press. You can also thank Detective Paulman for that. He’s managed to keep the reporters away.”

She swallowed but didn’t move to look inside the folder.

“I’m also highly suspicious of why you’re suddenly interested in this eminent domain case. I thought I could make a deal with Mr. Dane Magnus like two civilized beings, but I don’t think that’s going to happen now that I know that one of his brothers has been playing games with my daughter.”

“It’s not like that. We’re not playing games, dad,” she replied. “And you’re not telling me anything that I don’t already know. I got involved with him because I wanted him.”

Her dad’s eyes bulged. “So you know that this guy is a criminal and you’re hanging out with him willingly?”

“Whatever he’s done in the past, I don’t care.”

“Take a look.” He gestured toward the unopened folder on the table.

This wasn’t supposed to end up this way. She didn’t want to learn about Brock by flipping through his criminal records.

“Not only is this guy a seasoned criminal, he’s also an outlaw. Nothing good could come of any relationship with him.”

“You’ve never even spoken to him or asked his side of the story!”

“Now that I know what he’s capable of, I’m not sure I want to. Aren’t you concerned about your reputation?”

“If having the kind of reputation you’d like me to have means that I’m going to be miserable trying to defend it for the rest of my life, then no, I’m not concerned about what others think of me.”

Her dad sighed heavily and folded his arms over his chest. He then rubbed at his chin before saying, “I called Priscilla while I was waiting to come speak with you. She seems to be on board with my decision that you stop seeing this criminal immediately.”

“How dare you two discuss my personal relationship behind my back? Just in case you haven’t noticed, I’m an adult. I’ll be twenty-three soon and I have no intentions of moving back home.”

“What you don’t understand is that your reputation isn’t the only thing on the line?”

“You should be concerned with your own reputation as it stands,” she countered.

He pointed at the folder on the table. “And you’re not concerned about his reputation then?”

At his inquiry, she looked down at the table and ran her eyes quickly over the documents and list of accusations and charges against Brock Justice.

Assault. Trespassing. Petty theft. Aggravated kidnapping. Grand theft. Resisting arrest.

She slapped the folder close and pushed it back across the table. She couldn’t read anymore.

“Tell the Detective to release me from custody. It’s against the law to hold me here without charge,” she stated.

“It wasn’t the Detective’s idea to hold you here, Chelsey. It was mine. I needed to make sure the man in the next holding room hadn’t kidnapped you against your will. They’re known for doing that.”

Chelsey swallowed a gasp and then spoke once she’d regained her composure. “Now that you know he hasn’t been holding me against my will, you can let him go.”

“No. Unh-uh. It won’t be that easy for him. Mr. Brock Justice already had a warrant out for his arrest,” he said.

“A warrant for what?”

“Disarming and assaulting a police officer.” Her dad pushed the file folder back over and flipped a few pages before stabbing his finger on the center of a paper.

Her gaze flew across the details. “It says here that Brock was at a friend’s house when he got into a fight with the officer. After the altercation, he shifted and fled the area.”

“Go on. You’re missing pertinent facts.”

“It says…” She stopped cold when her eyes reached the damning evidence. “Oh…” She read on…

The victim (Officer Ferrell) claims that the suspect, Brock Justice, engaged in sexual relationships with his wife on several occasions. Office Ferrell was off duty but in uniform at the time of the altercation. Injury report attached.

“So there you have it? Your shifter boyfriend lacks moral judgment. I haven’t been the greatest husband in the world to your mom and I’m working on that. I’ve seen how I’ve hurt her and wouldn’t want the same heartache for you. I agree that you’re an adult, but I’m still responsible for what happens to my daughter. It’s up to you to take what you can from this and make an informed decision.”

Chelsey swallowed. “I just want to leave.”

“Before you go, I’ll need you to sign something for me,” her dad stated. “Apparently, Brock has called his lawyer and they’re waiting in the other room to discuss a deal.”

“A deal?” Her breath quickened as confusion set in.

“Several deals actually. It’s quite simple.” Her dad rose from his seat. “I’ll get Detective Paulman to let them know we’re ready.”

Anxiety rose in her chest. “Ready for what?”

“To fix this mess.”