Page 70 of Rebel's Fairytale

“No. It’s my job, Rebel. I need to handle this on my own. Just let me go alone.”

He just stared at her for a long moment as she slipped on her shoes. She saw it in his face that he was warring with himself. The protective side of him wanted to be there with her to make sure she was okay, but the man she loved wanted her to have her independence.

Loved? Did she love him? Yes. She didn’t know when that happened, but it did.

“You don’t have to handle things on your own anymore,” he said quietly.

She nodded. “I know. And I appreciate your support, but this is mycareer. I wouldn’t tag along on a job site for you. That would be inappropriate.”

He sighed and approached her. After cupping her face in his hands, he gently kissed her lips. “Okay. Just promise you’ll call and tell me what’s going on as soon as you can.”

“I promise.” She let him kiss her again. Then she rushed to the bathroom to brush her hair and pull it back, since she didn’t have time to shower.

Once she was done, she rushed through the house, grabbing her phone and purse, and hustled out to her car.

Rebel

As soon as Ruby left, Rebel finished getting dressed and brushed his teeth. He pulled his hair back into a man bun and headed out to the kitchen. Leaning against the island, he called Axle.

“Yeah?”

“Someone vandalized the library last night. Ruby just got called down there to talk to the police. She just left. Have you heard anything?”

Axle sighed. “That must be why I got a call from the WPPD. Leaving now to head downtown.”

“Do we have anyone on the library?”

After a chuckle, Axle replied, “Since I know you’re heading there to check on your woman, I guess it’s you.”

“When Ruby gets pissed at me,” Rebel began with a smile, “I’m blaming you.”

“What’s new? Everyone blames me. Okay. Keep me updated. I’ll do the same.”

Rebel ended the call. By the time he made it out to his bike, he received the group text that Axle had just sent to all the brothers.

>vandalism at library. Heading to talk to police. Rebel going to library. Keep ears and eyes open.<

After shoving his phone in the pocket of his cut, Rebel removed his handgun from the built-in holster and put it in the hidden compartment on his bike. Then, he started it up and headed for the library, hoping Ruby didn’t get too pissed when he showed up.

Ruby

Standing next to her car in the parking lot of the library, Ruby was stunned. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. In bright orange spray paint, the wordsLIBARYAN IS MONSTER LOVER. PROTECT THE CHILDRENS.were spread across the front.

The police only let her into the parking lot when they recognized that she was the librarian and one of the detectives said to let her pass the barrier.

So many conflicting emotions were coursing through her system. She was angry that someone damaged the building without any care for the fact that children would see it. The fact that it was directed at her was hurtful, but to insinuate that she would somehow be a danger to children was the biggest insult anyone could have thrown at her. Add in the fact that they were calling Rebel a monster and that left her feeling protective and full of rage. Embarrassment was a lesser factor, but it was still there, along with concern for her job.

“Bri,” she heard her boss call from near the front door.

Taking a deep breath and preparing herself, Ruby shut her car door and stiffly walked over to her boss and the detective she was talking to.

Her boss, Debbie was a middle-aged woman, with dark brown hair cut in a short, stylish cut and dark brown eyes. She was short with plenty of curves, but she never displayed them. She always dressed in slacks and a nice blouse, with a suit jacket over it. Ruby thought she looked better without the jacket, but she wasn’t about to comment on someone else’s style.

When she reached her boss, she asked, “Is it just outside? Was the interior damaged?”

“Just outside. Bri, this is Detective Hank Wilson. He has some questions for you.” Debbie motioned to the man standing next to her. “Detective, this is Brianna Cooke.”

Detective Wilson held out his hand, and Ruby took it. He was younger than Ruby expected, maybe in his early thirties. His hair was dark, almost black, and it was slicked back, giving him a greasy look. His dark blue suit was wrinkled. She could tell with one look that he thought he was pulled together and had a misguided confidence, but he looked like a disheveled mess to Ruby.