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My fists tighten around the edge of the sink as I fight to control my breathing and keep them buried.
I can’t go back. I can’t!
A knock on the door startles me, and I snap my attention in that direction. Dread trickles through me at the thought of being attached to that table again. But I’ll have to get used to it if my path continues on this trajectory. Pierce won’t rest until I’m out of his way for good. If I want Isabel, this is my life now.
The door creaks open, and I force myself to straighten.
“We need to get back,” the officer says.
His hard expression softens as he scans me.I’m sorry, his eyes say silently.
With a heavy sigh, I push away from the counter and follow him down the hall. When we reach the room, I instinctively hesitate at the chair. Panic floods me again. It feels like my body is made of lead.
The officer motions to the chair, and I lower myself slowly, my hand shaking as I force it toward the restraints. He moves to attach them and stops. His jaw ticks when his focus lands on my damaged wrist and trembling fingers. I ball them into a fist and force calming breaths.
“You’re not going to cause any trouble, right?” he says, pulling back.
“No, sir,” I say with relief.Thank god.
“Good. Drink and eat something,” he says, nodding toward the water bottle and snack.
I twist off the cap and take a long swallow. The cool water soothes my burning throat as we evaluate each other in silence.
“You’re in a lot of trouble,” he says. “And not the kind a lawyer can fix.”
“I know,” I say quietly. Glancing up, I try to read his expression. “I know you can’t let me go, but can you at least tell someone I’m here?”
He tenses and stares at the door for a second before releasing a long exhale. “Yeah. You shouldn’t even be here,” he mutters to himself. “Who do you want me to call?”
Great question. My heart immediately says Iz, but that’s the last person I want to drag into this. She’ll be crushed and probably freak out. I care about her too much for that. Kim? No. If she’s near Iz when the call comes in, she’d involve her. She might do that anyway. My parents? Dad would lose his shit if he finds out about this, and I’m not sure I’m ready for that. Not yet. I have enough enemies at the moment. My PO? I can’t even predict the fallout from that.
I press the heels of my palms to my eyes as I try to think. Who else is there?
Stacie? Ashton? Leah? That’s basically the entire list of humans on this planet who might care if I live or die.
“I don’t… fuck,” I mumble, wiping a hand over my face as I lean back.
The other man sighs, and I can tell he wants to say something he can’t. After a long pause, he straightens with resolve and starts toward the door. “Fuck it. Let me see if—”
He’s cut off by the reappearance of his partner, and I tense through a spike of fear at the furious expression on his face.
“Let’s go,” he growls, stalking toward me.
He yanks me from the chair and drags me toward the door.
“What—”
“Shut the fuck up,” he snaps.
“Daniels…” the other officer says in a warning tone, but quiets at the heated look fired his way.
My stomach is in knots as I’m marched through the hall, but it’s not a cell that awaits me—it’s crisp early morning air. He opens the door of a squad car and forces me inside.
“Hey, what’s—” The other officer is cut off again by a dark look from his partner.
“Relax, okay? We’re taking him home.”
It’s well after five in the morning when I climb the stairs to the sixth floor. I’m so tired I’m barely functioning by the time I push through our front door. I never got an explanation for the false arrest, other than the weak theatrics of the “stolen wallet.” But I don’t need one. The message was clear: There are plenty of ways for the people who hate me to make my life hell. The only confusing part is why they let me go.
