“Think she was trying to protect us. Me and the Prestons, and everyone she loves.” I pull out my phone, showing Jake the text from Avery. “I believe Sullivan was responsible for Evelyn’s attack.”
“Why the fuck would he want to hurt Evelyn?” Jake questions.
“The bastard has been watching Avery for months. He had to have known that she left New York. And attacking Evelyn was a way to get Avery to come back.”
“Do you really think she killed him?” Jake’s question catches me by surprise.
“I would have.” I give him the truth. “I went there to put ten bullets in him. One for every fucking year he stole from her.”
“So, both of you being there at the same time was coincidental,” Jake responds, as if I hadn’t just told him I had intended to kill someone in cold blood. “The police will look for motive and not just at Avery’s motives.”
“Let them look at me.” My tone is challenging. “I was with Delgado the whole time. He’s my fucking alibi.”
Jake nods, and the look of relief is obvious.
My body is rigid, and I’m on the edge, holding on tight to what little control I possess. I can’t take my eyes off the clock hanging on the wall. It ticks away, counting down our fates. I want to believe that justice will prevail, but it didn’t ten years ago. Today I saw a glimpse of that fifteen-year-old who lost so much, take back her power. And I swear I won’t let anyone take it away ever again.
My phone rings in Jake’s hand and he gives it back to me.
“It’s Conrad,” he says.
I hesitate to answer, unsure how to handle the call. With everything that’s going on with Evelyn should I add more to his already full plate? I come to the only decision that makes sense given the situation. Conrad can concentrate on taking care of his woman and I will take care of mine.
“Conrad,” I greet.
“Lucian is Avery with you?” Conrad gets right to the purpose of his call. “She hasn’t been answering her phone.”
“She is.”
“Is she alright?” I hear the anxiety creeping into his voice.
“Sullivan was found dead about an hour go,” I offer as an explanation.
“The sonofabitch is truly dead?” he asks.
“No tricks this time. He’s dead.”
“How’s Avery doing?”
“She’s holding it together,” I lie, knowing she has nearly reached her breaking point.
“Is there anything I can do?” Conrad offers.
“We have things under control here. Take care of Evelyn and we’ll see you soon.”
The line is silent while I wait for Conrad to respond.
“Tell Avery to give us a call when she’s up to it.”
“I will.”
The line goes dead and I breathe a sigh of relief.
“Why didn’t you tell him?” Jake asks
“At the moment there’s nothing to tell. As you pointed out, Avery has not been charged with anything. And until we know more, Conrad doesn’t need his focus split. Evelyn is his priority and Avery is mine.”
Jake is nodding his understanding when we see Delgado approaching without Avery.
“Where the fuck is she?” I groan for Jake’s ears only.
“Mr. Gannon,” Delgado address Jake. “You can wait for your client in interrogation room two.”
“And where’s my client?”
“She’s with one of our female officers, changing out of her shirt. We need to bag it as evidence.”
When I don’t move a muscle, he adds for my benefit, “Miss West will join you shortly.”
Jake and I follow Delgado to the interrogation room. The room has become a familiar sight over the last few months. Being back here again causes me a great deal of concern. Before there was never any doubt that Avery and I would walk out together. Now I’m not so sure. From the outside looking in Avery appears guilty. But I can see her much clearer. She may have killed Sullivan, but I have no doubt it was an act of self-preservation. It’s as clear as the bruise on her face that he attacked her, and she defended herself.
Chapter 19
Avery
When the apartment door crashed open behind me, I turn to face the consequences. Staring straight ahead into Lucian’s devastated eyes was unexpected. And I had to fight the urge to run into his arms, the only place I’ve ever truly felt safe. When Enzo stepped forward I gave him the gun. “He’s dead now.” My tone is flat after all the rage has left me. Enzo reads me my Miranda rights and I offered him my wrist choosing to remain silent.
The ride to the police station was a blur. Although Enzo did not cuff me, it was clear that was not going to get any special consideration when he refused to let me ride with Lucian. Not that I expected or deserved any. I’m a murderer and yes it was premeditated. I wanted to kill him. I wanted him to die a gruesome agonizing death. And I wanted to watch him die slowly.
I barely hear the words passing between Lucian, Jake, and Enzo. I’m concentrating on keeping my shirt closed. The task is especially difficult when all I want to do is rip it off my body and incinerate it. I feel unclean with his blood and scent on me. This violation in no way compares to what he did to me ten years ago, but I feel violated nonetheless.
I tug at the shirt, desperate to get it off me. Jake tells me not to say anything as Enzo takes me away. I don’t dare look back. I don’t want to see the look in Lucian’s eyes.
A female officer joins Enzo to assist with the processing. They start by frisking me, taking the knife I have tucked in my back pocket. Fingerprints and a DNA sample of the blood in my hair is next. Enzo leaves the room before I remove the bloody shirt. Bagging it as evidence, the female officer says, “You’re bleeding.”
“It looks like you were grazed by a bullet,” she says, pointing to my upper left arm.
She grabs a first-aid kit, and proceeds to clean and dress my wound. I’m numb and the pain doesn’t register. She gives me a NYPD T-shirt, and I cover myself just as the door opens and Enzo returns.
“We’re going to hold off on taking photos for now,” Enzo tells the female officer. “Escort her to interrogation room two. Her attorney is waiting to speak with her.”
“No.” I inhale deeply and exhale to calm my deteriorating nerves. “I need this to be over. Take whatever photos you need.”
“If that’s what you want, Officer Donnelly will take the photos before escorting you to your attorney.”
“This way, Miss West.” I follow Officer Donnelly to a what looks like an exam room.
“I wasn’t raped.” The words feel like a lie. I should have said I wasn’t raped today. But I can’t, I was violated. That’s not a lie.
Officer Donnelly takes my hand and I see the empathy in her eyes. “I’m so pleased to hear that,” she says, examining my wrist. “I’ll only take photos of the areas that have bruising.”
I nod, grateful for her understanding.
Retrieving the camera, Officer Donnelly takes photographs of my face, my wrists, and my left ankle.
“Please remove the shirt.”
My eyebrows raise, questioning why I have to expose myself again.
“You have scratches on your chest and stomach,” she answers my unspoken question. “I saw them when you removed your shirt.”
Pulling the T-shirt over my head, I shut my eyes tight until the camera stops clicking.
“All done. You can...” I’m covering myself before she has time to finish her sentence. “I’ll take you to your lawyer now.”
“Thank you.”
We take a short walk down the hall to interrogation room two. When she opens the door, Lucian meets my gaze as I enter. He looks worried, but I can also see the anger just beneath the surface. He’s trying hard to hold it together.
The door closes, and Jake says, “Take a seat and tell me everything.” His voice is soothing, and I take comfort from it.
I start with the phone call, explaining how the call came from Raina’s phone. This news visib
ly unsettles Jake. I explain how I feared for the safety of everyone I love. How I felt I had no choice.
“When I rejected his indecent proposal at gunpoint, everything after that happened so fast it was a blur. I remember him knocking the gun from my hand.” I wince when my fingers touch my face. Then he struck me across the face.”
Lucian jumps from his chair and begins pacing the room. I know he’s feels helpless right now. But I also know that he’s furious with himself because he was not there to protect me.
“After he hit me he began to taunt me.” Thinking the words fills me with anger.
“Once I was done with you, I always planned to sell you just like all the others. Now that he’s had a taste I bet Thorne would have paid a pretty penny to keep your sweet pussy all to himself.”
“I became blind with rage. And before I knew what was happening I’d broken his nose.”
“He shouted something as he charged at me. I fell onto the floor, landing on my back. That’s when he pinned me down.”
“During the struggle he managed to rip my shirt open. But when he tried to kiss me, something inside me snapped. I don’t know where I found the strength, but I got him off me and grabbed my gun. We both stood facing each other for a moment. My gun pointed at him and his pointed at me. I closed my eyes and didn’t open them until I heard him fall to the floor. Lucian and Enzo arrived shortly after and I gave my gun to Enzo.”
Jake stares at me but doesn’t ask if I killed the man who raped and tortured me. But I can see the question in his eyes. I look away when a knock at the door interrupts us.
Enzo pokes his head in. “Gannon” is all he says.
“Excuse me a moment.”
Jake leaves and Lucian and me alone. And I can’t bring myself to look at him. Seeing that look of disappointment and hurt on his face is more than I can bare.
“You’re hurt,” Lucian says, spying the bandage on my arm.
“It’s just a graze.”
“You were shot!” Lucian voice carries, echoing throughout the interrogation room.
“I’m fine, really.”
The lie does not convince Lucian. He knows I’m struggling to hold it together. As much as I want him to comfort me, I know that I will shatter in his arms. And that’s not what I need right now. I need a clear head.
Lucian does not have time to voice his concerns when Jake reenters the interrogation room. Jake’s expression is unreadable. But I can tell that something has changed.
“What’s going on?” Lucian asks.
“There was a second shooter.” Jake’s answer catches me and Lucian by surprise.
“What the hell?!” Lucian exclaims. “What the fuck does all this mean?”
“Do they have the shooter in custody?” Fear strangles me as each word struggles to leave my throat.
“For now, it means that Avery is free to go. There won’t be any formal charges until the medical examiner determines the caliber of the weapon that killed Sullivan. They have no suspects in custody.”
“So, we don’t know if the shot was meant for Avery or Sullivan. Given our recent history with Samantha I would say that makes her a goddamn suspect.” Lucian’s anger is becoming more apparent.
“Except she’s locked up,” Jake points out.
“Can we just get the hell out of here?” I hear the frustration in Lucian’s voice
“After you,” Jake gestures toward the door.
Lucian extends his hand to me and I take it. His grip tightens around my hand, like he’s afraid to let me go.
Outside the police station Jake waits as Lucian opens the passenger door for me. He uses his body as a shield, covering me as I climb into the car.
“I’m going to stop by the hospital to visit Evelyn. Will I see you both there later?”
“Maybe,” Lucian hedges. “We need time for the shock wear off.”
“I understand. Go home. Take care of each other,” Jake replies
“Thanks for coming, Jake.” The words are inadequate to express my appreciation. But it’s all I can manage.
Jake smiles at me and exchanges a few more words with Lucian before heading to his car.
Lucian climbs in the driver’s seat of his Mercedes and pulls into traffic. He drives in silence with both hands gripping the wheel. He’s holding on so tight his knuckles have turned white. The tension between us fills the air and I’m afraid the pressure of it will suffocate us.
The foyer is empty when Lucian and I arrive at the penthouse.
“Where the fuck is Pierce?” Lucian groans.
Locking the elevator to the penthouse, I watch as Lucian removes a gun from his waistband. “Stay here.” The order leaves no room for discussion.
Dumbstruck, all I can do is nod when shock steals my words. His quick strides carry him beyond my view. And I wait for him to return. I wait and wait for what seems like hours. Panic stricken I defy Lucian’s order and follow into our home.
“Lucian!” I shout.
When he doesn’t answer, I venture on. Entering the master suite, I hear water running so I call out again. Lucian walks out of the bathroom stopping abruptly when he meets my gaze.
“Undress,” he says, but there is nothing sexual about his command. And a small part of me is disappointed.
I do as I’m told, removing the NYPD T-shirt first. My jeans come off next followed by my bra and panties. Standing before him completely naked Lucian looks upon me with disinterest. Involuntarily, my arms cross covering my breast.
“Come, I’ve prepared a bath for you.”
My feet move toward him. Lucian takes my hand, helping me into the tub. Sinking into the warm water, the bubbles cover me, relaxing my body inch by inch. I don’t know how much time has passed when I feel Lucian’s strong hands on my shoulders.
“Let me wash your hair,” he whispers, urging me back.
It’s like I’m under a spell. Nothing outside this room exists. Nothing beyond this bath and nothing beyond Lucian’s hands gently kneading my scalp.
I’m blissfully relaxed stepping out of the tub ten minutes later. Fluffy towels are wrapped around my body and my hair. Sitting between Lucian’s legs as he blows dry and brush my hair, my body begins to feel alive again. And hope is renewed when he leads me to our bedroom.
My arms snake around his neck and my mouth seek his. His lips are firm, yet soft against mine. I moan, missing the glide of his tongue. He returns my kiss, but there is no heat behind it. I pull away, hoping that I’m wrong. His gaze meets mine, but the heat that was once there is replaced with pain.
“Get dressed. I’m making lunch,” he says, as he turns to walk away. Lucian shuts the door leaving behind a chill.
My lighthouse T-shirt and yoga pants are laid out on the bed for me. Dressing quickly, I hope the clothes will warm me.
I decide to give Lucian some time alone to prepare our lunch.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
I completely forgot my promise to visit Evelyn at the hospital for lunch. As if the universe is shaming me my iPhone beeps with multiple alerts. Three missed calls from Conrad and two texts from Wyatt. Reading Wyatt’s text, I discover that the Prestons are concerned for me. Apparently, Lucian has spoken to Conrad. I select Conrad’s phone number from my contact. The line rings twice before he answers.
“Sweetheart, we’re all here. How are you?” Conrad’s voice is a balm for my scattered emotions.
One after the other the Prestons ask for and offer reassures. I tell them as much as I’m willing to share at the moment. I leave out the part where I put myself on a collision course with a sadistic psychopath. And I don’t tell them about the other shooter. Twenty minutes later the call comes to an end just as my stomach begins to growl.
A Grilled Chicken and Avocado salad greets me at the breakfast bar. Lucian takes a seat beside me and I choke down my meal in silence. I can’t tell you if I enjoyed the salad, simply because I don’t recall tasting it. After lunch Lucian retreats to his home office. And I have to fight
the urge to follow him.
By dinner time the tension between us has reached maximum pressure. The silence is deafening, and it’s driving me insane. I’m practically begging when he gets up to leave again.
“Please don’t go to the guest room tonight. Stay with me.”
“I don’t think I can,” he says, rejecting me.
“I don’t need a pity fuck!” The words are harsher than I intended. “I just need...” The fifteen-year-old girl who battled her demons today and won has no fight left in her. This time I retreat.
I don’t have enough time to close the bedroom before Lucian stalks in after me.
“You think I don’t fucking need you too. You think I didn’t lose my goddamn mind when you left me. You think I didn’t break when you pushed me away after I found you. And do you think that I’m not in hell right now knowing I could have lost you today.” Lucian takes a breath, attempting to compose himself. “I told you once, I’ll turn the world upside down to find you. That hasn’t changed.
I wanted to go to him, throw myself in his arms, and beg his forgiveness. Instead I stood my ground letting him have his say.
“Do you know why I was there today? Why I just happened to be there the same time as you?”
My brain draws a blank. The text I sent him before I left the penthouse did not reveal my destination.
“No, I don’t.”
“Seeking justice for you. I had just stepped off the elevator and my fucking heart nearly exploded in my chest after reading your text. When I heard the gun shot, for a few horrific seconds I thought I was too late.”
“I couldn’t live in peace knowing that he was out there and could reappear and disappear, never paying for what he did to me. I wanted justice and I wanted vengeance.”
“I know, and you deserve it. That sonofabitch was a sadist. He used violence, threats, and fear to manipulate a teenage girl into submission. He took away your choices. I was never going to let that happen again. By any means necessary his end had to come today.”
Lucian and I stare at each other, refusing to address the elephant in the room. The real reason he’s afraid. What happens next, now that I’ve just killed someone?
Inseparable Bond Page 13
