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The fight has drained out of my body like the blood spilling from my nose. All I can do is slump over that table, tasting my own blood as Lucas does what he wants with me. He gives my pants another hard tug but then the world around me is filled with light and the sound of shouting voices. Still dazed, I’m dimly aware of men in black flooding the area, moving in like wraiths and descending upon us.
Lucas’ scream is cut off by a hard thumping sound and then I hear him grunt as he hits the ground. It’s then I realize what I’m seeing are cops. Lots of them. They’re surrounding Lucas who’s prone on the ground, with long guns pointed at him, the lights attached to the end of them casting him in a bright spotlight. And then I feel a strong arm lifting me up.
“Aria,” he says hoarsely, his voice twisted in pain.
I melt against Silas, laying my head on his chest as he wraps his big, strong arms around me. He kisses my forehead and holds me tight.
“I’m sorry I lied to you,” I whisper.
“Don’t worry about that right now,” he says, his voice a deep rumbling in his chest.
“How did you know where I was?”
“I’ve been tracking your phone.”
“You what?”
“I knew you lied to me and where you were actually going,” he says. “I was not going to let you come out here without some cover.”
The relief that I feel is like a bright, white light illuminating the darkness that had enveloped me. I tremble in his arms, the fear Lucas had put into me bleeding away. I’ve never felt so safe in all my life. My strength slowly comes back to me and I’m able to stand on my own again but I cling to Silas’ hand like I’m still adrift in the ocean and it’s a life preserver.
“How did you get the police out here?” I ask.
“Aria, I want you to meet my friend, Billy Atwater.”
I turn and see a tall man with salt and pepper-colored hair step over to us. He’s got dark eyes, broad shoulders, and a lean, fit build. He’s a handsome man and the smile on his face only accentuates his boyish good looks. Billy holds up a plastic bag with a red sticker marked “evidence” across the top.
“Two bricks of pure heroin,” Billy says. “Found it in the trunk of this dirtbag’s car.”
“Bullshit! I’m being framed. You’re setting me up!”
I turn and see the cops putting Lucas in handcuffs and he’s staring at the bag in Atwater’s hand with wide eyes and an expression of pure shock on his face.
Atwater chuckles. “You wish, dirtbag.”
“Y—you can’t search my car. Not without a warrant,” Lucas shrieks.
“You’re on probation, dumbshit. I can search anything I want whenever I want,” Atwater sneers. “Guys, get this asshole out of here.”
As the cops haul him away, Lucas is screaming at the top of his lungs, protesting his innocence and shouting about being framed. We watch him go, with the cops leading him to the phalanx of squad cars in the parking lot. Their red and blue lights are strobing, and the crackle of police radio chatter fills the air.
Atwater looks at Silas with a crooked grin on his face. “Lucas is a two-time loser. These bricks are going to put him away for life,” he says. “Good thing we got that anonymous tip.”
Silas nods. “Yeah. Real good thing.”
Atwater chuckles and pats Silas on the shoulder before turning away and walking back toward the parking lot. Everything happened so fast that I’m still trying to catch up with it all.
“Are you all right?” he asks.
I nod. “Yeah. I think so. Just a few bumps and bruises.”
“I wanted to kill him for putting his hands on you.”
“Glad you didn’t,” I say. “I’d hate to have to come visit you in prison.”
Silas laughs softly. “Yeah, that’d be a bit of a buzzkill.”
I look from Silas to the cop cars in the parking lot and watch as they push him into the back of a squad car. It’s then that what Silas’ friend said comes back to me and I look up.
