23. Chapter 23
Chapter 23
Anson
I was in my home office when I got a call from Deputy Sheriff Jim Purnell.
"Jim, is everything okay?"
There was a long pause. "Anson…I shouldn't call, and if Pete found out, he'll have me fired."
A chill ran through me. "He'll never find out," I assured him.
"He arrested Nova King for drunk driving. Ah…he was waitin' on her, and I told him not to but—"
"Fuckin' hell," I muttered.
"She refused a breathalyzer, asking for a blood test, which was smart 'cause Pete had already…well, you know."
I knew. He'd fixed it so it would look like Nova was drunk. And I knew she hadn't been drinking anything but iced tea.
"Where is she?"
"He threw her in a cell," he whispered, "and by that, I mean fuckin' threw her, Anson. She doesn't deserve that kind of treatment. No one does. I know she's workin' for Larue Homes, and you and Pete bein' friends, I thought—"
"I'll be there. Just…just make sure he doesn't hurt her." My heart sank, and a cold fury settled over me. Pete Fontaine had crossed the line. Again .
Worry gnawed at me as I drove to the sheriff's office with a singular focus. By the time I arrived, I was seething. The sight of Pete standing smugly behind his desk only fueled my anger.
"Where is she, Pete?" I demanded, my voice low and dangerous.
Pete looked up, unfazed. "She's being processed. She refused a breathalyzer."
I clenched my fists, struggling to keep my temper in check. "This is bullshit, Pete, and you know it. She had dinner with me, and she didn't drink any fuckin' alcohol."
He stepped out from behind his desk, squaring up to me. " I'm Sheriff, and I determined that it looked like she'd been drinkin'. And now she wants a blood test, so we're waitin' on—"
Without thinking, I swung at him, my fist connecting with his jaw. The office erupted into chaos, and Jim and a uniformed officer rushed to separate us. Pete stumbled back, wiping blood from his lip, his eyes dark with anger.
"I'm in my right to arrest you," Pete bellowed. "So, get the hell outta here, Anson, before I do."
"Fuck you." I walked to him, shrugging off Jim. "You're done, Sheriff. I'll make it my life's work to get you the fuck outta this uniform and this office."
Fear and anger battled on Pete's face. He wouldn't arrest me. He knew that would destroy him.
"Jim, take me to her," I ordered.
I followed the deputy and headed toward the holding cells.
When I saw her, my heart broke. She was sitting on the floor, her knees drawn up to her chest, her eyes wide and filled with fear. She looked so small and vulnerable, a stark contrast to the strong, determined woman I knew.
"Open this fucking thing," I snapped, and Jim did as I asked.
Nova looked up at me, scared, broken.
"Hey, Sugar." I kneeled beside her.
"Anson." Her voice shook. She was just this side of a breakdown. I sat beside her and pulled her onto my lap, holding her, feeling the rightness of her against me, surrounding me. This was my woman, the love of my fucking life. At that moment, I didn't care that she betrayed me; I didn't care about the past. She was hurting now, and I wanted to make it better.
I pulled out my cell phone and felt her tears against my neck.
I dialed a number.
"Anson?" I heard Charlie Barnett's sleepy voice. "It's fuckin' late. Is this a jailhouse call?"
"Sort of," I said. "I need you to get to the sheriff's now . Pete arrested a…friend of mine 'cause he's pissed with me. I need you to get her out asap."
"What's he got her on?"
"Bogus drunk driving. She didn't take a breathalyzer, which was smart, 'cause he rigged it and asked for a blood test. He threw in jail."
"What the fuck? Give me five. I'm on my way." Charlie hung up.
He lived in Sentinel and since it was a small fucking town, he'd be here in no time
I rocked Nova as she shook. "I got you, Sugar," I crooned. "I'm here with you. Not lettin' you go."
Pete came to let me know when Charlie showed up a half hour later. He glared at me, and I knew it made him even angrier to see me holding Nova.
"Your lawyer is here," he bit out. "You can go."
I arched an eyebrow.
"You both can go."
Nova lifted her head but didn't turn to see Pete. I knew she wouldn't want him to see her crying. She'd hate for anyone to think she was weak. She wasn't. She was so fucking strong. She had risen through some tough shit to become the remarkable woman she was.
"Is she out on bail?"
Pete looked uncomfortable. "No. Just…you can go. So go, damn you."
I waited until Nova and I were alone. "Can you walk?"
She sniffled. "I can."
"Good. Let's get you out of here."
I felt her shiver. "Yes."
Charlie read Pete the riot act. "You want a blood test; you take her to a hospital, not throw her in a jail cell, Sheriff. I'm gonna take this up to the Mayor and anyone else who'll hear me ‘cause this was steppin' way out of line, and that too with someone who is workin' with Larue Homes? You need to get your head out of your ass, Sheriff."
Pete just stood there, seething, probably wondering how his little ploy of making Nova suffer had turned into a situation where the preeminent lawyer in Sentinel, who knew every judge in the state, was yelling at him, and his former benefactor and friend had given him a decent-size bruise.
Pete was a bully, and when he met someone bigger than him, he turned into a simpering fool. How had I never seen this before? Why hadn't I? Bailey, Pete…my life was littered with morally weak people—and I, who put so much emphasis on morality and honesty, had surrounded myself with the exact opposite type of friends. What did that say about me? Nothing good.
"You wanna sue this asshole? I'll help you," Charlie told Nova when we got to my car.
She shook her head. "It was just a traffic stop…and I'm alive, so…."
Something flashed in Charlie's eyes. "I'm so sorry that he scared you as he did."
I realized then what she was saying. It was a traffic stop, yes , but someone of her race was never certain how these would turn out, especially with a cop like Pete, who hated her guts. He could've shot her dead, and given where we lived, he probably would have been suspended with pay until the furor died down, then returned to work as if nothing had happened.
"My car is…if you could take me there, then I'll drive home." She was shaking as she spoke. I put an arm around her and pulled her close.
"You ain't drivin' nowhere, Sugar. Charlie has your car keys, and he'll make sure your car is brought to you."
She looked at me then, and I saw fresh tears fill her eyes. Fuck! She was traumatized. I quickly thought about where I could take her. I couldn't take her to the mansion; that would just bring back painful memories, and my mother and sister lived there, so that was an added no-no.
"Charlie, can you make sure her car is sent to the cabin." I quickly decided to take her to my cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
"Anson, I want to go home," she whispered, tears rolling down her face.
Charlie gave me a thumbs-up sign as I held her, stroking her back, trying to make her feel safe after what she'd been through.
"You can go home tomorrow," I promised. "Tonight, we need to get you some rest. Okay?"
She nodded like a child, and I wiped her tears.
"I'll take care of you…let me take care of you for tonight." And for forever, please .
She was silent during the drive, staring out the window, her eyes distant, lost in her thoughts. She'd stopped crying. I held her hand as I navigated my way to the mountains.
When we arrived at the cabin, I helped her inside.
Nova sat on a couch, trembling, her hands clutched tightly in her lap.
I turned on the fireplace; hoping the cozy interior coupled with the warmth of the fireplace, would be in soothing contrast to the cold, sterile jail.
"Nova," I said gently, sitting beside her. "You're safe now."
She shook her head, tears spilling down her cheeks. "I can't...I can't do this, Anson. It's too much."
I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her close. She resisted at first, but then she broke down, sobbing uncontrollably. I held her, whispering soothing words, my own heart breaking at her pain.
"Shh, it's okay," I murmured. "I'm here. You're safe."
She cried for a good half an hour, the weight of her trauma pouring out. I just held her, letting her release the pain she'd been carrying for so long. Eventually, her sobs subsided, and she looked up at me, her eyes red and swollen.
"Why are you doin' this?" she whispered. "After everything."
"Because I care about you, Nova," I said simply. "I always have."
She searched my eyes, looking for any sign of deceit. Finding none, she sighed, resting her head on my shoulder. "I think it's because you feel guilty," she breathed, "but right now, I just…I don't care. I just need…."
"Need what, Sugar?"
I almost didn't hear her say, "You," because her voice was so soft. I hugged her closer and kissed her hair.
We sat like that for a while.
"I need a shower." She tried to move away from my lap, but I didn't let her. "I smell like that jail…like Carre." She began shaking again.
"Okay," I kissed her forehead. "Will you let me help you?"
I thought she'd turn me down, but she surprised me with her strength.
"Yes," she said, and I knew that everything that had ever happened in my life since she left had brought me to this moment, the one I'd been waiting for, where I could be her man, her support, her caregiver.