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Although her family was very vocal about their disapproval of her current life, they always cashed the checks she sent to help them out. And the reason she didn’t have any significant savings built up.
She was led to a cell with the other two women. However, as they were taking the cuffs off of each of them, the other two women were bonded out immediately and never even stepped foot inside the cell again.
Meanwhile, she was left all alone in this new place. Given the amount of her bail, she’d better get used to it. Her mind raced. She glanced around at the cement walls with various vulgar saying and pictures scratched into the cheaply painted walls.
Abby did her best not to weep but lost the battle in less than a single minute. She hated it here. She wanted to leave, but she was trapped. Crying was currently her singular release.
Ten minutes and copious amounts of tears later, a deputy came to unlock her cell. “You’ve been bonded out. Let’s go.”
She couldn’t believe it. Was this a mistake? Too speechless to even ask any questions for fear they’d change their mind, Abby gratefully exited the cell. When she was then brought to a counter where she was given back her few belongings, she signed the sheet with a shaking hand.
The man handed her an official-looking paper with her court date printed in bold.
“Don’t miss this court date or someone will be sent out to hunt you down. Got it?”
Abby nodded, wanting to leave. She feared she’d be trapped here for the entire time until her court date. Now she’d had a reprieve. Convinced on some level that it was a mistake and she’d better hurry and go before being led back into her cell, she asked, “Where’s the way out, please?”
He lifted an arm and pointed to a battered metal door. “There’s the exit.”
She marched forward, but with each step she feared he’d grab her and tell her the bail had been a mistake and she would be incarcerated from now on until her trial in two weeks and then forever after she was summarily convicted. But he didn’t.
Once she pushed through the door to the outside, she took several steps away from the exit, inhaled a deep breath of air that smelled like freedom, and pushed it out quickly. Eyes closed, she then took another deep breath and let it out slowly. The crisp morning air made her lungs ache, but she didn’t care. By some miracle she was out of jail.
“Abigail.” Zane’s voice was behind her. She spun around.
He leaned against the building near the exit but detached himself slowly and walked toward her.
“Zane.” She looked over her shoulder for Cooper, searched the area close by, and saw no one. She turned back to look at Zane. He’d moved closer.
“Are you okay? You look a little bit…I don’t know, shell-shocked maybe.”
“I’m just glad to be out of there. Did you pay my bail?”
“No. Cooper is inside taking care of it. He’s also going to chat up your assigned lawyer for information. He might be a few minutes. Want to wait in the car with me? It will be warmer.”
She nodded, unable to do much else. She couldn’t believe they’d still bailed her out given the considerable amount of her bond.
The moment he stepped into her personal space, he slung one arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. The alluring scent of him was a combination of freshly showered man with a touch of cologne and a hint of his own personal masculine fragrance.
She inhaled deeply against his throat, soaking in the calming smell she would always associate with this day. Freedom, crisp air, and gratitude smelled very good.
However, she likely did not.
“I need a bath,” she said quietly.
“You smell good to me.” He squeezed her tighter and sniffed her neck.
She liked it but felt the grunginess of spending a night in jail clinging to every inch of her skin very acutely. “Well, you smell better, and I’d love to change clothes.”
“As soon as Cooper is done inside, we can take you home.”
“Thank you. And also thanks for getting a bail bondsman. Although, I’m surprised I didn’t have to sign anything.”
“Cooper and I paid the bail outright, no bail bondsman needed.”
She paused. “My bail was two hundred thousand dollars.”
