Every Little Dream(40)
“Where are you, coward?”
It’s hard to focus. Hard to think. I stumble into his bedroom. Kingston sits casually at his desk, rocking back, like some cocky king on his throne.
“Asshole,” I growl. “Where is she?”
He shrugs, a grin spreading across his face. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Everyone saw us. She left with no struggle. Since when is that a crime?”
I rush him. My body crashes into his, knocking him and the chair over. I grab his hair and slam his head against the floor. “Not so tough now without your goons. Are you?”
He doesn’t fight too hard. Just chuckles. He’s playing with me. I tear through his room, pulling everything apart. When I find nothing, I move to the rest of the house, sprinting room to room.
“You won’t find her here.”
I go after him again, hitting him with the butt of the gun. “Tell me where she is.”
He groans, his voice no longer pleasant, but the growl of someone who’s used to having the upper hand. “Enjoy your last moments of freedom.”
Everything blurs as uniforms flood the room. The cops shout and point their guns, the glare of their flashlights blinding me. Jimmy must’ve called. But then I hear Kingston’s chuckle beneath the shouted orders to drop my weapon. Holy shit. The guns are trained on me. One rushes and tackles me. He forces me face down and reads my rights as the cuffs go on.
Shit.
“It’s not me,” I stammer. My cheek is mashed into the carpet. “He’s got Katie.”
“You’ll have time to explain after a night in jail.” He jerks me to my feet.
“Search the house. This guy’s bad. He kidnapped my friend.”
He raises an eyebrow. “That’s a mighty big accusation coming from the one who’s assaulted an innocent citizen.”
I see Katie’s smile flash then slowly fade, her eyes growing dim. Then the image disappears. Lost. I know enough to be terrified. Instinct rushes and I slam my head against the cop’s nose. While he cries out, in that split second, I run.
Halfway down the stairs, I fall and tumble the last few steps. On my stomach, I try and get to my feet. The cold air seeping through the broken window teases me. Escape is so close. Katie’s counting on me.
A heavy hand grips my arm. “Enough, you little shit.”
The cop pushes me through the house and shoves me into the back of cruiser. His last words smack me in the face. “You’d better watch what you say about the senator’s son.”
I’m fucked.
The sirens wail and it doesn’t take long to drive to the police station. I collect any rational bit of evidence I have. My slurred words tumble out. I don’t even know if I’m making sense. “Kingston’s been harassing my friend, Katie. Tonight, at The Salty Dog, is the first time I saw it. But she didn’t want to go with him. Look at my face. His friends did this to me.”
For one second, the cop’s eyes flash in the rearview mirror. But other than a quick tightening of his hands on the steering wheel, he doesn’t seem to care.
“He must have her hidden somewhere. Katie never would’ve gone with him.” My words slowly trail off. “Please!” My voice cracks and I realize how completely and utterly I love her. Everything she does to me. Every smile she brings to me face, every thrill she sends through me has been me falling for her. “Please.”
I’m in a dark room. I’ve been here before. I recognize the feel of the thin mattress beneath me and the smell coming from the toilet. But worse, are the imaginary scenes running through my head. I can’t sleep but stare at the wall for hours. The blame steamrolls over me, crushing and paralyzing. She should’ve stayed in her private, unexciting life.
Footsteps echo and stop outside my temporary cell. “Chadwick.”
“Dad,” I spit out. Wait. Dad! He can help. I roll off and lurch to the bars. His ice-cold smirk stops me. “Dad?”
“I’m rather disappointed in you, Chadwick. I went out of my way to offer you a second chance.”
“You don’t understand.” I want to drop to my knees and beg for his help.
“I understand. You broke into a house, assaulted the senator’s son and an officer of the law. Then you made up accusations to justify it all.” His voice could cut glass. “Has this internship been a joke to you? You almost ruined it all.”
“You can take away all my money. Cut me out of your will. But Dad—” my hands slip through the bars and grab his shirt “—please, believe me. I did what you asked. Kingston is the bad guy. Your blueprints didn’t mention he was the senator’s son. He’s the one I’ve been tailing.” My voice breaks, a sob threatening to break through. “Please, find Katie before he hurts her.”