Cade Creek 11 - Race Against Time by Stormy Glenn

sir.”
    Harvey’s eyes narrowed. “I didn’t think so.” He gave the man a push. After watching the man stumble back, Harvey returned his attention to Terrence. “Have you ever heard of the Dirty Dozen Motorcycle Club?”
    “No,” Terrence argued as he tugged on the arm Harvey had ahold of. “I would never run with some motorcycle club.” The tone of his voice showed his disgust at the mere thought of riding in a motorcycle club.
    Harvey just laughed.
    “The next time you’re near a computer, look them up.”
    Terrence’s forehead wrinkled in confusion. “Why would I do that? I told you, I don’t—”
    “I’m a founding member of the Dirty Dozen.”
    “So?”
    Harvey tightened his grip until Terrence’s knees buckled. Vinnie hoped he didn’t break Terrence’s arm. While it might be satisfying to hear the man scream in pain, Vinnie didn’t want the local law to come down on Harvey.
    “You’re not listening to me,” Harvey said.
    “You can’t do this to me!” Terrence yelled as he struggled to get away. “I’ll have you arrested for assault. They’ll put you away for so many years you’ll be old and gray when you get out.”
    “Problems, Harvey?”
    Vinnie blew out a relieved breath when he spotted Sheriff Riley and his husband, Deputy Yancy Butler, standing right inside the door.
    “Sheriff,” Terrence called out. “I’m so glad you are here. This man is assaulting me. I want him arrested.”
    Sheriff Riley frowned as he looked at Terrence. “What’d you do to piss him off?”

Chapter Nine
     
    Race watched the interaction between Harvey, Terrence, and the sheriff with baited breath. He had never seen anyone stand up to Terrence before, and these men—all of them—didn’t seem to care who Terrence was or how much money he had.
    Race was terrified, and yet, he wasn’t. He felt safe standing there between Ari and Vinnie. He trusted them to keep him safe, and that unnerved him more than watching Terrence sputter in Harvey’s grasp. He knew next to nothing about the two men standing beside him. There was just something about them that set Race at ease.
    Having Harvey there helped as well. The man might not have been part of the Dirty Dozen for long, but he had always been nice to Race, and he was Dorian’s baby brother. He wasn’t sure how he felt about the sheriff or his deputy being there. In his experience, the police weren’t always the good guys.
    “I think we all need to calm down here,” Sheriff Riley said. “Harvey, let go of this gentleman and step back.”
    Harvey grumbled under his breath, but did as the sheriff directed.
    “Now, what seems to be the problem here?” the sheriff asked as he glanced at each man standing there.
    “This man assaulted me,” Terrence said as he pointed at Harvey. He then pointed at Vinnie and Ari. “Those two men kidnapped my lover and assaulted him. If I hadn’t come along, who knows what they would have done to him. I want them all arrested.”
    Sheriff Riley’s eyes swung back to Vinnie and Ari.
    Race’s jaw dropped when Vinnie rolled his eyes. “Ari, Race, and I were here on a date, minding our business when this man”—Vinnie waved a hand toward Terrence—“came in and started shit. He’s the one who should be arrested for assault. He’s the one who broke Race’s arm and beat him up.”
    “Is this true, Race?” Sheriff Riley asked.
    Race trembled as he nodded. He leaned on Vinnie, wanting to hide inside of him. He felt a little better when Vinnie wrapped his arms around him, but not much. When he felt another body press in behind him, he breathed a sigh of relief.
    “That is preposterous!” Terence shouted. “I have an alibi.”
    “Seems awful convenient that you have an alibi when we haven’t even said when the assault took place.” Vinnie’s voice turned sardonic. “Let me guess, you were busy any night we say Race was attacked, no matter what night it was.”
    Race’s eyebrows shot up when one of