by C. J. Thomas
“Detective, they were taken by you.” My hands rooted firmly into my hips, looking him square in the eye.
He squinted his eyes and frowned.
Then I handed him his card. “You left this with the hotel manager.” I told him the name. “Last night, around 10PM. Do you not remember?”
He stared at his own card before lifting his gaze. “Wasn’t me. Perhaps you have me confused with someone else?” He handed me the card back.
Before I took it I said, “Is that your name on the card? It was given to Milner with specific instructions to not speak about the ongoing investigation.” An inkling of doubt crawled up my spine as I began questioning his credibility.
“Look, Mr. Black, I wasn’t at your hotel.” His voice raised. “I don’t know how my card got placed there, but it wasn’t by me.”
“What investigation are you working and why am I not at liberty to know who broke into my apartment?”
He shifted his eyes to Kendra. “I know nothing about the incident you’re speaking of.” Shoving his card into my hand, he said, “You can keep that. I’d be happy to check up on the incident—”
But before he finished speaking, I interrupted, “Maybe you’re right. Maybe I do have you confused for someone else.” He angled his head sideways and glanced to Kendra. “But, Detective, if it wasn’t you, then who?”
39
Kendra
Detective O’Brien held his gaze on me for a second too long. My breath hitched as I stood, not knowing what to do or how to respond. Then he turned his back and left without saying another word.
Kelly stepped to the receptionist. “O’Brien was useless. Phone Detective Fletcher.”
The woman picked up the receiver and held it to her ear. She shook her head. “Detective Fletcher isn’t at his desk. He’s most likely in the field.”
Kelly turned his head to where O’Brien was last seen. Knocking his knuckles against the counter, I knew he was debating what action to take next.
“You’re welcome to wait around if you want.” The woman leaned back in her chair, folding her arms. “Though, there’s no telling when he’ll be back.”
Pushing off the desk ledge, Kelly waved for me to follow. I quickly caught up to him. His face pinched with agitation—a silent motivator to keep pressing forward.
“Why did he do that?” I asked about O’Brien. “Why did he get defensive and leave?”
Kelly clamped his fingers around my arm. Lengthening his stride, he walked faster. I struggled to keep up as he stiff-armed the exit. The low angle of the sun hit our faces like the bright flash of a camera. We both ducked our heads and turned our backs.
“Because cops are the most loyal bunch. They will lie, steal, and cheat to protect one of their own.” We exchanged a quick glance. “But now we know we’re on the right track.” Kelly stopped and turned to face me. Lowering his voice, he said, “He’s hiding something.”
“You think it was him?” I wasn’t convinced it was.
Kelly lifted his gaze and rubbed a hand over his mouth. “I don’t know. But it was his card left behind.”
“Then why ask about Fletcher?”
His eyes fell back on me.
“You think they’re working together?”
His shoulder shrugged. “Or O’Brien knows Fletcher is dirty and doesn’t want anything to do with him. That’s the best-case scenario. But without him dropping us a clue, it’s tough to say.”
Kelly flicked his wrist and checked the time. Then he grabbed my hand and hurried to his car. Opening the door for me, I fell into the seat with Kelly arriving in his a second later. He sat there for a minute watching the different faces leaving and entering the station.
Stretching my arms out in front of me, I yawned.
Kelly picked up his phone and made a call. I listened to his half of the conversation while fixing my hair in the mirror. We still had our bags packed and stuffed in the trunk without a clue to where we were going to sleep.
My stomach grumbled.
Today, it felt like we took two steps back and Madam was getting ahead of the situation faster than we could keep up with. Anxiety rolled my stomach like a cement mixer. Pinching life back into my cheeks, I watched my eyes puff and felt my bones ache from living in a constant state of uncertainty. I wanted nothing more than to shower and lay my head down on a fluffy pillow. Fall asleep and hope that my dreams would be pleasant reminders that life wasn’t always as dark as it was lately. Even if it was wishful thinking, it was all I had left.
“That was Wes,” Kelly said, placing his phone back on the dash. “He’s letting us stay at his beach cottage until things cool down.”
I inhaled a deep breath of air as I tossed my gaze over to him.
“We’ll be safe there.” He held his eyes on mine.
What I couldn’t tell him was that I didn’t feel safe anywhere. Not anymore. Madam had her hands in everything and, with her pushing more drugs onto the city, she had eyes and ears everywhere.
Kelly started the car and backed out. I zoned out as he pointed the car toward the coast.
I watched out of the corner of my eye as he kept watch of what was behind us. I didn’t want to have to think about being followed or having it discovered where we were going for the night. It was better to trust him than to have to rely on an alternate plan I didn’t have.
Soon, we settled into the silence, listening to the tires hum as they bumped over the roads.
It was impossible to lift my mood. I wasn’t sad, just felt completely helpless. It seemed there was nothing we could do to stop the pressure Madam promised she would bring. She had us all cornered. In every angle of our lives. From head to toe. And now it was safe to assume she even had the evidence to prove she and Oscar were corrupt associates.
With my hand pressed to my forehead, I thought about Giselle and her relationship with Drake. I felt bad for her. How she must be feeling now—to know that she’d been used—fooled into believing he was someone other than what he was.
Turning to Kelly, I reached for his hand. Holding it, I stared, raking over his strong jaw, hoping our relationship was more than a transaction—more than a contract. I didn’t want to have to find myself in Giselle’s shoes. I wanted this to be what my heart felt. A true relationship founded upon attraction and mutual respect. Bringing his hand to my thigh, I spread my knees apart, pushing his fingers beneath the hem of my dress.
He turned to look at me with a surprise smile deepening his dimples. There was fire in his eyes, a look that made me want to be his escape.
With his fingers extending toward my mound, I waited to feel the sparks ignite. I needed to feel something. To feel the fire burn hot like I once did for him with the same look he was giving me now.
Kelly shifted his eyes between the road and my legs.
His fingers grazed over the cotton fabric that covered my cleft. He was everything I ever wanted in a man. Sincere. Honest. Protective. Intelligent. I wanted this so bad but, instead of feeling my juices flow, my nipples remained soft and my pussy felt paralyzed and unresponsive to his touch. I kept trying—pushing myself to pulse and react to his desire.
Kelly tapped my cleft with his middle finger, pressing his thumb against my clit. I grinded harder, needing this to work, and when I yanked on his wrist, the car unexpectedly swerved.
Kelly’s hand quickly pulled from between my thighs as he went for the wheel.
The tires squealed.
A car honked.
And Kelly shoved a hand through his hair when it was all over.
Both our eyes were wide with surprise and, just as I was about to begin to laugh at how absurd it would have been to cause a crash, a siren blared from behind.
“Oh, shit,” Kelly said, glancing in the rearview mirror.
Flipping around, I couldn’t believe the timing. Sinking into my seat, I knew that this was my fault. “I shouldn’t have done that.”
Kelly didn’t respond, instead choosing to focus on pulling onto a side street. He
came to a complete stop and I pulled my dress down and flung the shawl another time around my neck for safe measure.
“Once they learn who I am, I should be let off with only a warning.” Kelly reached for the glovebox. I watched him open it, suddenly being reminded that his handgun was hidden inside. He didn’t say anything—didn’t seem worried—and was quick to close it up once he had his car registration in hand.
My neck throbbed as blood rushed to my head. I watched two officers get out and flank our car. I felt my body tense with my heart hammering, anticipating the worst.
Kelly rolled down his window. “Afternoon, sir,” the cop said. “License and registration, please.”
Kelly handed the officer his documents. I didn’t know where to look. His partner was creeping in the back window, then hovering over mine. I tried to act calm but I had a bad feeling about this.
“Do you know why I pulled you over, Mr. Black?”
“I’m afraid I do.” Kelly grinned and rolled his head to me. I wasn’t as positive as he seemed to be and chose not to react.
“Have you been drinking?”
Kelly turned his head back to the officer, chuckling as if he wished he had been. “Sober, five years.”
“I’m going to need you to step out of the car.”
I leaned over the console and met the officer’s gaze. “You’re wasting your time. Counselor Black doesn’t drink. Sober as a priest.” I startled when a fist pounded on my window. My breath caught in my throat when I turned to see me being called to step outside as well.
By the time I opened my door, Kelly was already at the back of the car being questioned.
Keeping a watchful eye on the tall, but thin, officer, my feet hit the ground and I rose to stand. Without a second’s notice, I was flipped around and shoved against the car. “What the fuck?”
“Easy there, sweetheart. I don’t want to have to put cuffs on you.” He pressed his forearm deeper between my shoulder blades. Sharp pain zipped to the tips of my toes. “Then again, you seem like a woman who might like that.”
I grinded my teeth, willing myself to not make the situation worse by speaking out. This wasn’t about Kelly swerving, this was pure intimidation. More pressure. More profiling ordered from above.
“Isn’t that true?” The officer’s strong hand landed on the flair of my hip. “Or are the rumors about you not true?”
“Fuck you,” I growled as the officer patted me down. “You don’t know who I am.”
“Think again, darling.”
I flicked my gaze up and glanced over the roof. Kelly was spread against the car, then his hands were pulled behind his back as I watched him get cuffed. I swallowed a frightened breath. “What are you arresting him for?”
Kelly stared, his lips pressed shut. The officer ignored my questions as I pleaded to know why Kelly was being arrested. He hadn’t done anything wrong. Then, suddenly, all my thoughts went blank as my entire body stiffened with the feeling of my privates being touched. “Watch it, asshole.” I threw my elbow behind me.
The cop chuckled and groped each of my breasts, making sure Kelly was watching.
“Careful. I’ll bring you into the station for assaulting an officer.” His hand was back on me, sliding the balls of his hands down over my pelvis.
I held Kelly’s stare, wishing he would turn his head away but he never did. Tears filled my eyes as I continued to be assaulted. Then I felt him lift the shawl and peer down my back. “She’s covered in bruises.”
“Have you been beating your wife?” the cop on Kelly said next to his ear.
The heavy weight of an armored chest pressed hard against my back. The officer leaned his body against mine, thrusting his tenting pants against my ass. My breaths came out in rasps as my chin trembled below falling tears.
Kelly’s brow wrinkled as there was nothing he could do. “This guy hasn’t been drinking.”
“She’s clean, too,” the cocky voice said from behind. When he stepped away from me, my throat opened up and I closed my eyes with my chest heaving. I covered my mouth to stifle the cries. My skin crawled with renewed disgust. Then I wanted to vomit when I heard the officer say, “Next time you decide to talk to one of our detectives, you better think twice.”
40
Kelly
Blood rushed through my body, sending a wave of heat up my collar.
I wanted to kill the man for what he was doing to my woman. But when my eyes locked on Kendra’s, I felt my throat close off, suddenly feeling the pain I saw in her pleading eyes.
Her face trembled and twisted.
I thrashed my arms locked inside the metal handcuffs. The sharp angles dug deep into my skin but I didn’t recognize the pain—only felt Bella’s agony play out in front of me.
Kendra’s body flinched.
My shoulders wiggled and shrugged with a burning need to be set free. The officer gripped my arms and pulled my hands high off my back before shoving my chest harder into the side of my own car. He didn’t say anything, only snickered from behind.
No matter how hard I tried, there was nothing I could do to stop it.
Kendra’s eyes grew distant.
I didn’t know if I should say anything to bring her back or allow her to escape to a place where she could push it out of her mind. When her fight left her, I knew she had flown away.
“You fucking bastard,” I screamed, through excessive saliva.
Kendra was gone. I didn’t have to see what the cop was doing to her to know where his hands were. With popping veins, I tossed threats at each of the officers. Soon, guilt settled in my stomach like a heavy meal you regretted eating. It was my fault for putting her in this situation. If I hadn’t taken my eyes off the rearview mirror, this would have never happened. I’d promised to protect her and failed.
The officer kept whispering secrets in her ear that I couldn’t make out. He watched me as he did it. The corners of his eyes proudly smiling, knowing she was my woman and how much it hurt me to see him pretend to be hers.
This was more than payback. This was cold, calculated revenge.
Soon, my body stilled and my voice fell silent as I watched the lines on Kendra’s face contort into a dizzying scribble that told a story of pain, grief, and strife.
Hot air blew out my nose as I flexed my muscles.
The officer felt me gearing up for a larger fight and jabbed his knee into the back of my leg before I could attack. I crumbled and slid against the glass, my chin whacking the roof of the car and sending my head flying back. Not having time to lick my wounds, I quickly pushed myself back up, needing to show Kendra I was there as best I could.
And, just like that, her assault was over.
“Next time we won’t be so nice,” the officer said to me, pushing my license and registration across the roof.
Keeping my eyes glued on Kendra, I barely heard what he said. The two of them walked away as if nothing had happened. Kendra’s eyes swelled. What little spirit she had left was chiseled away even more. She didn’t have to say it. I already knew. I could never make her feel safe again.
Ignoring the pain throbbing in my wrists, I heard the cops pull onto the road and leave. The threats made me doubt any of this was worth it. If I lost Kendra in pursuit of finding justice for anyone else, I would be ruined.
“Kendra, baby—”
Kendra shook her head with disgust, flung her door open, and fell into the seat.
Feeling my chest squeeze, I blinked away the feelings of disbelief this was actually happening. A woman walking her dog had stopped on the street corner to watch. When she caught me staring, she quickly turned away, afraid to be seen. Not wanting to get caught out in the open again, I lowered myself inside the car, thinking of a dozen different ways I could get back at the department and city for being mistreated. Except none of it was worth the energy when I could feel how destroyed my woman was.
Kendra was slouched over, closing her handbag, when I glanced in her direction.
Without looking at me, she clasped her hands and drew her knees together.
I was concerned with where we went from here. Nothing in my life had prepared me for something like this. I didn’t know what to do or what to say. I reached for her hand, needing her to know that I still loved her. But when our skin touched, she swatted it away.
An emptiness ballooned inside of me.
She kept her head turned away, an awkward silence falling over us.
I buckled up and drove, knowing it was what had to be done. Soon, I heard Kendra crying. I knew I was to blame, the one who had to say he was sorry. Except the fool in me instead said, “There was nothing I could do.”
She twisted around like a bolt of lightning. Her sharp eyebrows angled down. “The fuck you couldn’t! You watched him sexually assault me without doing a damn thing.”
“What was I supposed to do?” I barked back. “They had me cuffed.”
“Fight. Spit. Kick. Scream your head off until you get someone else’s attention.” Her anger boiled over and, next thing I knew, she was lunging across the seat, slapping the flat of her palms wherever they could land. Across my face, up and down my arm, each strike growing stronger than the last. “That’s what you could have done. How could you? You stood there and did nothing.”
Keeping a firm grip on the wheel, I did everything in my power to hold the tires straight, knowing I couldn’t afford to swerve and be pulled over again.
She unleashed her fury until she fell back, out of breath. Her hair fell wild over her green eyes as she stared at me with tears streaming down her cheeks. “This would have never happened if you’d only given Madam what she wanted sooner.”
I flipped on my blinker and made a turn. “Drake might already have what she wants.”
“Then we don’t have anything to lose,” she screamed, loud enough to make my ears ring. “And here I thought you were strong. But oh, no, you’re weak, just like the rest of them.”
I lowered my chin, feeling my eyes sink further into my skull.
