Beast (A Righteous Outlaws Novel #4) (The Righteous Outlaws) by Savannah Rylan Page A

the necessary training, but he had such an innocence about him that made it obvious he’d never last in a big city.
    “For throwing a fit about driving?” I asked.
    “I didn’t throw a fit.”
    It was just after eight o’clock when Reed and I got a call about a fight at Mikey’s, one of the local bars just on the outskirts of town. I wanted to drive, but Reed insisted. Like if I drove, it would somehow strip away his masculinity. It made me laugh; especially thinking how easily Beast jumped in my car without even batting an eye the other day. Probably because he was secure with who he was, and didn’t need to prove anything to anyone.
    “I’m not mad.” We had a job to do and we couldn’t let our personal feelings get in the middle of that. The last thing I needed was for him to be worried about me being mad at him when we arrived at our destination. It was only a bar fight, but people got stupid when they drank. I needed Reed to be focused on the task.
    “Okay, good. It’s just, I wasn’t expecting a partner and especially not…”
    “A girl?”
    “I was going to say someone with more seniority over me.”
    “Oh.”
    “I’ve been here longer than you have, but because you have more experience I get the boot.”
    “Did you honestly think they would promote you to sheriff with only a year under your belt?”
    He shrugged. “Black Hills isn’t exactly Detroit.”
    “No, it’s not.” Though, after what I experienced with Beast, it was possible it was worse. The only difference was the crooked cops who covered up the crime. And, now, I would be one of those crooked cops. It was a lot to take in and come to terms with. I thought I knew what I was getting into when I agreed to come here, but I didn’t realize how far off from the truth I really was. I didn’t anticipate killing in cold blood, and dealing with the smuggling of illegal immigrants.
    “So, yeah, maybe I thought… You know what. It doesn’t matter what I thought. I just want to keep my town safe especially from those thugs.”
    “Thugs?”
    “That damn motorcycle club. The Righteous Outlaws. My uncle says they’re ruining the town.”
    I thought about my words before I spoke them. “The Outlaws help keep the town safe.” Reed went to interrupt me, and I held my hand up. “Hear me out. If it weren’t for the Outlaws, more gangs would inhabit the town. There would be fights over turf and drug roads going right through the center of town. Montamos, Gordita’s Army… those gangs stay outside of Black Hills because of the Outlaws.”
    I couldn’t believe I was defending them, but I couldn’t have Reed mixing himself up with the club, and trying to arrest them every chance he got. I might not agree with the club. Hell, it might’ve been a thousand times worse than I anticipated, but the proof was in the paperwork. The crime rate in Black Hills before the Outlaws arrived was off the charts. Since they arrived, the crime rate had dropped substantially until it plateaued. Every now and again, there would be an upset in the records, but it was quickly followed by a lull of no activity. There was no denying that the Outlaws were a dangerous group, but in recognizing that, you also had to notice the good parts. The parts that were easily overlooked by many who only saw criminals in leather.
    “Look into the records if you don’t believe me. And your uncle should know. He’s lived here for how many years?”
    “Born and raised, so fifty somewhat years. He left to go to college, but then he came back and opened his business. The Outlaws had already moved in.”
    “Check the crime records during that time your uncle was gone. It’s easy to jump to conclusion when you don’t have all the facts.”
    “Facts or not, they’re still criminals and on the wrong side of the law. As an officer, can you really sit there and defend them?”
    “As an officer, my job is to protect the community and the people within the community.”
    “And are