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Dempsey stiffened at my question. “You mean, despite her being a troublemaker? She takes a lot of our resources. She forces us to make calls that aren’t necessary. Like today, with that coffee shop. Why was she even there?”

“She’s a citizen of this county,” I defended her. “She’s allowed to be out and about. She does pay taxes. She also isn’t a problem to me. She shouldn’t be to you, either.”

Dempsey studied me. “You like her.”

“I do.”

“She’s been arrested forty-seven times. How are you okay with that?”

I shrugged. “Why aren’t you if I’m fine with it?”

Gentry slapped Dempsey on the back, causing her to lurch forward. “You won’t win this one.”

Dempsey sighed. “Are we going out for drinks after work?”

I didn’t get a chance to answer the question before a reporter shoved into the main office, holding out a microphone. “Sheriff Adkins, would you like to comment on the rape allegations against you?”

Shock hit me straight in the chest. “What?”

I hadn’t meant to bark that question, but the shock of the question had my stomach clenching in disgust.

“You haven’t heard?” The reporter beamed as if she was excited by that news. “Your name came up at Seraphina Vanderbilt’s funeral. You were accused of rape. You being the reason she was so troubled.”

Anger started to surge through me. “I did not rape anyone.”

“That’s not what Chris Gates says.” The reporter looked concerned for a short moment, though that concern was fabricated. “But you also had a champion that was quite unexpected, according to the funeral goers. What’s your relationship with Jessamy Darling?”

Dempsey groaned. “She’s a citizen of this county. Why?”

“Because she was quite adamant about your character. You’d never do anything like what Chris suggested. She did say that she was in your jail cell when she heard Chris talk about his plans for today. Guess I’ll have to put my journalism degree to work.”

With that parting comment, she sauntered away.

“What’s your name, ma’am?” Gentry called out.

She turned to look over her shoulder at him. “Why do you want to know?”

“So I can know who’s about to fuck us.” Gentry smiled, though it didn’t reach his eyes.

The reporter beamed. “In that case, it’s Jamie Brand.”

It was the fourth time that I’d watched Jessamy verbally assault Chris Gates in the funeral video.

It was also the fourth time that I’d had to talk my dick down from being hard as a rock.

Overall, this situation wasn’t the least bit arousing. Having a rape allegation thrown against you was damn disturbing. But seeing Jessamy, a woman that I both loathed to be around, yet craved her closeness at the same time, sticking up for me? That was arousing as fuck.

Other than my club brothers, I hadn’t had that kind of support in a long while.

Being the sheriff was a thankless job. One that sometimes proved to be more trouble than it was worth.

I hadn’t wanted to take the job at first.

I’d been a deputy, and that had worked just fine for me.

But the Dixie Wardens hadn’t always had the best track record. And since I was a Dixie Warden first, sheriff second, I’d do just about anything for them.

Including running for sheriff so we didn’t have the law in our business.