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“Wow.” I whistled out a low tone. They must’ve thought Lana was a true physical threat.
It was weird to have known her, cleaned her home, worn her dress, and here, she really was extremely dangerous. At least four people were dead because of her.
How freaking crazy was that?
Other employees started to arrive then, all of them pausing to gape at the red and blue flashing lights. A few went ahead and went inside, only for two police officers to escort them back out and then guard the entrance, refusing anyone else entrance, which confused most. Some paused and faltered, not sure what to do, getting on their phones and making calls or taking pictures and posting the news, while others just turned right back around and left.
When I saw Lana herself walk around the front from the parking lot, I brought my hands up to my mouth, worried for Hayden. She was going to know he was behind this, that he had orchestrated the entire sting. If she had any power from jail, she’d send someone to go after him. Jesus, maybe he shouldn’t have—
She marched inside, and the two officers guarding the doors let her in, meaning it was too late.
What was going to happen was going to happen right now.
A minute passed. Two. I started to lose my shit.
Was Hayden okay? Had Lana turned violent? What if she was in there and holding a gun to my man’s head right this very second?
Oh, screw this, I was going in.
But before I darted across the street to be with Hayden, I noticed a familiar couple rounding the corner, hand in hand. Ezra and Kaitlynn looked oblivious until they saw the red and blue lights.
Pulling up short, they stared at the other employees standing around before Ezra hurried forward to the two officers at the door. They lifted their hands to him, preventing his entrance. He seemed upset and confused, and he argued back. Then, suddenly, the two officers shifted aside to allow the doors to open.
Hayden exited first, and my breath caught with relief. He was okay. Thank God.
Behind him two more officers flanked his struggling, resisting mother who had her hands cuffed behind her back and was yelling something at him. I couldn’t hear what she said from where I hovered. But how could it be good?
Hayden remained his normal, imposing, impenetrable self. He turned to let her pass, casually slipped his hands into his pockets and murmuring something that seemed to stun Kaitlynn because she slapped her hands over her mouth and backed away.
Lana rounded toward her stepdaughter next, jerking against the hold the officers had on her as if she wanted to attack Kaitlynn. When she couldn’t physically reach her, she settled for yelling out her anger. Ezra stepped in front of Kaitlynn, partially blocking her, so Lana unleashed her temper on him, hollering and cursing his way.
One officer tried to subdue her, but she kept on. So they just forcefully dragged her away like that.
I focused on Hayden as he watched her go. His back was rigid and head held high, but I could still tell a part of him was breaking inside.
He’d just taken down his mother.
He was not going to be okay after this.
Except Ezra spun to him, looking angry and violent.
The two men spoke with very aggressive demeanors until Hayden reached out and protectively took Kaitlynn’s arm. That seemed to upset Ezra even more, so they really got into each other’s faces until finally Kaitlynn started inside with Hayden, and a clearly frustrated Ezra just stood there, gaping after them.
Before he disappeared into the building, however, Hayden glanced across the street, directly to where I was hiding as if he could feel me watching him.
I could tell the moment he caught sight of me. He seemed to smile softly as he shook his head, not at all surprised that I’d completely ignored his warning to stay far, far away.
Chapter 30
Hayden
I felt sick to my stomach.
After the big reveal, where I’d gathered my brother, stepsister, Ezra, and a couple lawyers into a room and told them about Lana being a murderer, about how she’d changed the will, and how Kaitlynn actually owned half the company alongside Nash, they had each eventually gone their separate ways to absorb the shock of the news.
I hadn’t been able to tell Brick about his true paternity though. That would have to wait for another time. I just didn’t have it in me to report any more shocking news today.
It had been a tense enough scene earlier between Ezra’s lawyers and the ones I’d called in to support Kaitlynn. She looked so blindsided and overwhelmed. I had an awful, sinking feeling I’d handled it all wrong.
