Wild: Savannah Heirs

by June, CoraLee

  “Where is she now, by the way?” I asked, changing the subject while folding my fingers together. It was like, if I didn’t, I’d end up doing something stupid, like threading them through Luis’s messy hair or rub his arm.

  “Getting a couple tests done. Should be back within the hour,” he answered, grateful for the change in conversation.

  “Good. Because I have a few questions for you,” a dark voice said from the doorway, and we all turned our attention to greet it.

  There, dressed in a wrinkled suit, stood Detective Mervicker. I’d met him a few times before. Dad used to have him over for dinner because he liked having members of the Savannah PD in his pocket. Detective Mervicker had a weary expression on his face and thinning greasy hair. Pulling his bronze badge from his pocket, he flashed it to us before entering the room.

  I jumped up from Luis’s lap, but the guys stayed seated. “Detective Merv,” Bonham said with a lazy smile. “How are you doing tonight?”

  “I need to speak with Mr. Salvador alone,” he replied coolly, clearly not a Savannah Heir fan.

  “Well, that’s unfortunate, seeing as how Luis’s lawyer isn’t present,” Bonham fired back, calm as could be. His tone never wavered, his politeness never fell from his face, but there was a steeliness in his green eyes that made me glad I wasn’t on the receiving end of his stare.

  Detective Mervicker pulled at his belt and sighed. “Salvador, there was a collision on Highway 17. A car, registered in your mother’s name, was caught on the intersection camera running a red light. That car collided with another vehicle. There were three people inside. One of them a three-month-old baby.”

  My heart fucking stopped.

  Just stopped, right there in my chest.

  Luis swallowed hard, suddenly on his feet. His face had drained of all color. “Did...did anyone…Did she kill them?” he asked, the question a struggle to get out.

  The detective observed him. “The parents are both here in the hospital. Some broken bones and a concussion, but otherwise okay. They’re very lucky.”

  “And the baby?”

  Detective Mervicker let out a breath. “The baby is fine, too, but very lucky.”

  All three of us let out sighs of relief at the same time. But that relief quickly fled, and Luis was back to pacing and tugging on his black hair. I watched him walk across the shiny floor, noticed his expressions change with every blink. I saw the evidence of the what-ifs pouring into his brain.

  “This could have ended much worse,” the detective went on. “Your mother could’ve killed that family. The emergency response team thought for sure that the coroner was going to be needed when they saw the car.”

  When Luis turned to pace back to the table, he found a pitcher of ice water and picked it up before slamming it into the wall. The glass shattered into a thousand pieces and water puddled all over the floor, one of the ice cubes sliding over to hit the heel of my shoe.

  “Fuck!” Luis hissed before turning to look at me.

  A variety of expressions crossed his features. Anger. Embarrassment. Relief. Sadness. Rage. Guilt. I saw each nuance of the burdens he carried flash in quick procession, all for me to see.

  “Are you here to drop accusations, or do you have something productive to do, Detective?” Bonham said coolly, taking charge of the situation. That’s what the Heirs did. They were fiercely loyal and had no problem putting any threats in their place—or in the ground.

  “I’m here to arrest Mrs. Salvador the moment she’s discharged,” Detective Mervicker replied with a pointed stare.

  “We’ll see about that,” Bonham replied before pulling out his cell phone and quickly typing out a message, likely calling in the cavalry.

  A white coat flashed in the doorway, and I didn’t pay it any mind, assuming it was just a doctor passing by. It wasn’t until a deep, raspy voice spoke that every drop of blood in my body turned to ice. “Here are the labs, Detective. She had traces of opioids and heroin in her system, as well as high levels of alcohol.”

  I spun around to look at the person I knew that voice was attached to, and my eyes widened in shock as they landed on pale blonde hair and black eyes.

  Aaron Carmichael.

  The moment I saw him, it was like all the air got sucked out of the room.

  I tried to compose myself as he and the detective spoke, but on the inside, I was freaking out.

  I stood uncomfortably, my heart hammering in my chest, and my heels stuck in a puddle of melting ice. Luis and Bonham were arguing with the detective, but I couldn’t hear the words, because Aaron raised those inky eyes of his to pin me with an intense stare. It was smug, and it filled me with trepidation.

  I felt like I was caught in the sights of a rifle, waiting for the inevitable shot. My past and present transgressions were right there in the room with me, filling me with a realization that my life had gotten out of hand.

  Aaron strode toward me, his white doctor’s coat hanging over his tall frame. Besides being handsome, intelligent, and twenty years older than me, I knew about the dark side hiding beneath his charm. I could still feel the way his rough, unwelcome fingers had abused me, and I couldn’t help but take a step back, nearly slipping on the ice as I tried to put space between us.

  “Nurse Taylor. I didn’t expect to see you here.”

  “What are you doing here?” I asked, keeping my voice low as I darted a look over his shoulder to check that the others were still talking.

  “You look good,” he said, ignoring my question as his eyes swept over my body.

  I looked down with a frown. I definitely did not look good. Luis’s clothes were baggy, hanging on my small frame, the sweatpants rolled up at the ankles to keep them from dragging as I walked. I looked like a mess, and not the hot kind.

  “Aaron, what the hell are you doing in Savannah?”

  “I decided to leave the Borders program, and Savannah had an opening at this hospital. Seems it was meant to be.” He gave me a calculating grin. “I’m finally getting settled here. I just got back this week. So I’ll pick you up tonight at eight. We’ll have dinner. Catch up.”

  I reared back, shaking my head. “No. We’re not having dinner, Aaron.”

  A line between his brows appeared. “Yes, we are. I’ve already spoken to your grandfather.”

  I crossed my arms in front of me, pressing Luis’s shirt closer to my chest like it was armor. “I don’t give a damn if you’ve spoken to the goddamn Pope. I’m not going out with you.”

  “You’re angry,” he said with amusement, like my emotions were ridiculous.

  “Of course I’m fucking angry!” I whisper-yelled. “You tried to—” My words cut off as my throat constricted. I couldn’t even say it. “You went too far, Aaron,” I said instead. “Even before...you wouldn’t stop sexting me all hours of the day, even while we were working.”

  His grin returned. “Now, now. Don’t pretend you aren’t a dirty girl who likes it.”

  His words filled me with revulsion. “You tried to blackmail me. Force yourself on me. You got me fired and shipped off,” I said through clenched teeth. “My reputation is in tatters, and my family is disgusted with me.”

  “All the more reason to get away from the house and come out with me.”

  Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed more figures entering the room. Rogue, my brother, and...Judge Palmisano?

  The judge was looking a little worse for wear like he’d been physically shoved out of bed to be here. His hair was combed over messily, and he was wearing slacks and a button up that was looking about one big inhale away from popping apart.

  Using my brother as an excuse to step away, I rushed over to him as soon as he came into the room. His arms came around my shoulders as he pulled me close. When we broke away, he looked down at me. “You okay?”

  A shaky exhale escaped me. No, no, I wasn’t okay. “Yeah,” I said.

  Godfrey nodded and moved over with Rogue, Luis, and Bonham, and I watched the four of
them in all their Heir glory as they faced-off with a detective, a doctor, and a judge. It didn’t matter what position of power other people had, the Savannah Heirs never cowed or folded.

  “Detective,” Judge Palmisano greeted, his tone all rainbows and wood chippers. He was trying to be nice, but everyone knew that if you were at the mercy of the Heirs, it was because you had something to hide. “I hear there’s a problem with Mrs. Salvador...again,” he muttered under his breath, causing Godfrey to cock an eyebrow in warning.

  If Detective Mervicker thought this entire exchange was odd, he didn’t comment on it. “She was driving under the influence,” he said, flipping through the toxicology report. “And she was involved in a hit and run.”

  “Allegedly,” the judge corrected. “But that’s very unfortunate news,” he said as his voice dropped and his face transformed into artificial sympathy. He started walking in a circle, looking everyone in the eye as he spoke, like Winston Churchill trying to rally the masses. “I’m assuming the family is okay?”

  “They’ll survive,” Detective Mervicker replied.

  “The way I see it, some people need to hit these low spots before they can really submit to get the help they need. We’re no stranger to the struggles Mrs. Salvador faces, but I see this as a glorious opportunity for self-improvement, don’t you?” he asked. “I don’t want to break apart one family for the sake of punishing a woman with the disease of addiction.” The judge paused behind Luis to place his meaty hands on his shoulders. “I don’t want to leave her poor boy here alone while we try to seek retribution for something that can’t be gained.”

  At the term “poor boy,” the detective looked like he was ready to blow a gasket. The scene that Judge Palmisano painted was nothing short of comical because “poor boy” wasn’t even close to the very rich, very hot man that the judge was currently shoulder groping.

  “Luis still lives at home,” the judge went on. “I think it’s best we do house arrest while organizing a treatment plan for Mrs. Salvador. After all, she’s a prominent figure in the community.” He was laying it on thick. I was pretty sure Mrs. Salvador hadn’t ever been labeled a prominent figure in the community before, either. Just because she was rich and had bought up half of Savannah didn’t mean that she had any real respect in this town—not when everyone knew she was a druggie.

  Detective Mervicker turned a bright shade of red in anger, likely seeing through Palmisano’s little speech to the dirty intentions beneath. “Judge, I think she needs to sit in a jail cell and attend a formal court hearing.”

  My eyes flickered back to Luis. He was standing there with his hands thrust in his pockets, likely running his finger along the handle of the pocket knife that he always carried.

  Judge Palmisano spoke again, tearing my attention away from Luis. “I see…” he said with a sympathetic nod. “Detective, I heard through the grapevine that you’re applying for Deputy Chief. A lot is riding on how you handle these decisions. I know you want to do the right thing, keep your nose clean before the panel interview. Chief James is a good friend of mine, you know. We’re practically like brothers.”

  I could hear the unspoken transaction clear as day. Turn the other way, and get the job. That was how Savannah worked. We traded secrets for opportunities and hid behind our namesakes.

  Detective Mervicker pocketed his notebook and looked around the room in exasperation, rolling his eyes at Luis’s feral expression. It wasn’t until Rogue spoke that the Detective seemed to make a choice. “Are you going to my parents’ banquet? I saw the ballot for Public Serviceman of the Year and could have sworn I saw your name on it.”

  Another bribe. Another tick of the clock. Another lie piled on top.

  Mervicker’s eyes widened. “Yes, I plan on attending,” he said with a slow nod. “I’ve always loved the parties your parents put on, Mr. Kelly.” Sighing in defeat, he looked at Luis. “As for your mother...I understand it was an unfortunate accident. I think with your standing in the community, I can offer to put her on house arrest. Once she’s released from the hospital, I could outfit her with an ankle bracelet. If that’s agreeable to everyone?”

  Everyone looked to the Heirs. At Luis’s terse nod, the detective and the judge visibly relaxed.

  “Would that work for you, Dr. Carmichael?”

  Aaron nodded, pleasant as can be. “I’m always willing to help out prominent members of the community,” he said smoothly. “We’ll get her a regimen of private care in the comfort of her home.”

  “You’ll be compensated for your time,” Bonham told him, and Luis nodded in agreement.

  Aaron nodded in understanding. “I can treat her and make sure she’s getting the support she needs, but she’ll need more hands-on attention when I can’t be there.”

  “What do you suggest?” Luis asked.

  “A nurse assigned to her case. Someone who can stop in and stay with her for several hours a day to help her through detox and to help her with rehabilitation.”

  My pulse stuttered, and my eyes widened when Aaron’s eyes landed on me. That son of a bitch.

  “Perhaps Nurse Taylor here can take on the case with me.”

  I was already shaking my head, trying to back away again. “No, I don’t think—”

  “Please,” Luis interrupted.

  My wide eyes snapped over to Luis. “Luis, I can’t...”

  “Why not? You’re a nurse, and you saved my mother’s life tonight. If I trust anyone, it’s you.”

  “I think it’s the perfect arrangement,” Aaron put in. “I’m willing to sign off on Nurse Taylor helping to care for your mother and getting her the treatment she needs,” he finished, deepening the hole I was desperately trying to dig out of.

  No way could I do this. I couldn’t nurse Mrs. Salvador through recovery. I was an awful nurse. And besides that, I didn’t want to work with Aaron. I knew he was going to try to control me further, and I knew by the gleam in his eye that he had a plan. For whatever reasons, he wasn’t done toying with me.

  I shook my head, trying to get this whole train onto a different track. “I’m not qualified. I’ve never done anything like this before.”

  Luis erased the space between us with just a few steps. “Please, Royal,” he asked quietly, grabbing my arms. “Do this for me. I don’t trust anyone else to stay with her.”

  His big brown eyes locked on mine pleadingly, and I could see how much this night had killed him. The anxiety was hidden well, but it was there. A pang of sadness went through me once again when I thought about how often he’d probably had to take care of her like this.

  A huge sigh left my chest. “Fine,” I heard myself saying, and Luis let out a breath of relief. Fuck.

  Relief passed over his features. “Thank you.”

  “Great. Now that that’s squared away, I have paperwork to file,” the detective cut in. He was obviously still pissed at being outplayed, but he was trying to hide it with false affability.

  Luis turned and walked back to him. “And her house arrest?”

  “We’ll discuss the details of her house arrest as soon as she’s discharged,” he answered. “And I’ll need you to sign off on it, Judge.”

  “Of course,” Palmisano replied.

  “You’ll get Mrs. Salvador started on her treatment plan, Dr. Carmichael?” the detective asked, turning to him.

  Aaron nodded. “Nurse Taylor and I will get Mrs. Salvador on course.”

  “Good,” he said with a nod.

  Aaron cut in. “If you’ll excuse me, I have three more patients to attend to.”

  The detective waved him off, but as he was walking out, Aaron paused beside me to whisper in my ear. “I’ll be seeing you soon, Nurse Taylor.”

  I went completely rigid, and my brother’s eyes narrowed. He always noticed everything.

  Shit.

  Luckily, before Godfrey could yank Aaron back by his ear, the detective decided to take his leave too. “I’ll go and get this filed,” he grumbled.
>
  “Cheer up, Detective,” Bonham chided. “You’ll be Chief in no time.”

  Detective Mervicker’s cheeks dotted with red blotches. I wasn’t sure if it was more out of anger or guilt. He tipped his head at the Heirs and Judge Palmisano before exiting the room with his teeth gritted.

  The moment he was gone, the judge turned to face my brother, an irritated, red mottling appearing on his face that I’d come to expect from the plump asshole.

  “If you drag me from my bed one more time, I’ll have you killed!” he seethed while pointing his finger at my brother’s chest.

  I opened my mouth to defend my brother, but naturally, Godfrey was already ten steps ahead.

  “Hey, Detective Mervicker!” Godfrey called, loud enough to carry. The detective was already halfway down the hall, but he spun around to come back.

  Judge Palmisano’s face turned pale with fear. “Don’t you say a fucking word, boy!” the judge feverishly whispered before straightening and plastering that polite, political smile on his face as the detective came back in the room.

  “What is it?” Detective Mervicker asked with irritation as he popped his head back in the room.

  Godfrey took a good moment to flex his powers, smirking at the terror on Judge Palmisano’s face. Whatever my brother had over him was bigger than his bursting waistband. I saw Palmisano mouth please to my brother, and Godfrey finally moved his cold blue eyes past him to the waiting detective. “Isn’t that the funniest thing? Whatever I was going to say just slipped my mind,” he drawled.

  The detective looked about ready to pull out his gun and start shooting. With a terse nod, he stalked out of the room, this time letting the door slam behind him.

  Godfrey tsked under his tongue. “Mind your manners, Judge. I’ll call in a favor whenever I please. Now go home and leave the big boys to talk.”

  I felt shame for the sweating mess of a judge as my brother completely emasculated and belittled him. He grumbled under his breath and left, and as soon as we were alone, I punched my brother in the arm.