When my daughter’s MMA boyfriend landed her in the ER, I went straight to his gym. His coach looked at my gray beard and laughed, “Get out of here, Grandpa, unless you want to leave in a body bag.”

Sue narrowed her eyes. “What do you know about Royce Clark?”

Julian set his mug on the counter with a soft clink. “I know he thinks a street gang makes him untouchable. And I know he’s about to find out that some lines aren’t meant to be crossed.”
PART 3

Detective Kent closed his notebook with a heavy sigh. “Mr. Vance, off the record… Royce Clark isn’t a street punk. He runs a heavily armed crew that controls half the illicit gambling in the tri-county area. If you think breaking his nephew’s jaw ends this, you’re dead wrong. He’s going to come for you.”

“Let him come,” Julian replied coldly.

“Julian,” Eleanor warned softly, setting her hand over his. “We do this by the book.” She turned to the detectives. “My husband acted in self-defense after our daughter was brutally assaulted. I’m an ER nurse—I documented every fracture on Evelyn’s body. If Royce Clark or his associates try to press charges or threaten my family, we will make sure every federal agency in the state looks into his operations.”