Chapter 4
SYDNEY
“Jace, open up!” My fists bang against the wooden door of my brother’s cottage and I shift on anxious feet, my body vibrating with adrenaline and panic.
I stood in the middle of the street, feeling numb as I watched the police car drive off with the one man who did something right last night. But the moment they faded from view, the bitter cold of everything seeped in and I couldn’t—wouldn’t—let it drag me under.
I ran back into Lawson’s house and collected my things before sprinting across the street. It was the last place I’d said I wanted to be, but that didn’t matter anymore.
If my parents saw me, if they asked questions, if everything about last night came crashing down, I wouldn’t care. Because the moment Lawson was taken away, I would do anything, suffer through anything, relive everything if it means I get him back.
He’s been saving me since we were two kids running around in the fields behind my house. He’s always been there. My silent shadow. Watching over me and keeping those who lurk in the shadows at bay because he controls the darkness itself.
He’s the one who stepped in to scare off the ex-boyfriend who couldn’t take a hint.
When everyone else refused to get in the car with me after that first time, he’s the one who taught me how to drive.
The nights that visions of Jace’s crash haunted my dreams, he held me until the sun came up, whispering words of comfort in my ear.
My arms drop, my fingers instinctively running over the cool metal adorning my left wrist. I look down at the simple rose gold plate, a single tear rolling over my cheek and splattering on my hand.
The hospital gave me one after I went into anaphylactic shock at a friend’s birthday party because no one thought to make sure all the snacks on the table were nut free. I grumbled for weeks about the ugly silver thing.
Then one day there was a small gift bag hanging from the door knob of my bedroom door. I recognized the messy scribble of his handwriting immediately. And I haven’t taken it off since.
I swallow down the sob building in my throat as I twist the bracelet around my wrist.
He’s spent years saving me from the big and little things.
Now it’s my turn to do the saving.
Sniffling, I raise my hands to the door and slam on the hard wood with open palms. “Jace! Wake up! Wake up! Wake—”
“Jesus Christ, Sydney,” he yells, swinging the door open wide. He glares at me, disheveled and clearly exhausted. “Why on God’s great earth are you banging down my door when the sun has barely risen?”
“I need your help.”
“And this couldn’t wait until I’ve had the chance to have breakfast with my family to celebrate the new year?”
“No.”
He blinks, wiping his eyes, but his entire demeanor changes when he refocuses on me. His hands drop from the door jam and he steps forward like he’s reaching for me. “What the hell happened to you?”
I step back, shying away from his touch. I don’t want to feel any comfort right now. Not until I have him back.
“I can tell you everything on the way, but we need to go. Now.”
“Go where exactly? Sydney, why do you look like you’ve been in a fight with bloody Mike fucking Tyson?”
My frustration of losing precious seconds while Lawson sits at the police station explodes and I grit my teeth. “Jace, please just go get dressed, grab your keys, and take me to him!”
He stares at me with wide eyes, mouth slightly dropped open. My chest heaves as I try to hold back the torrent of emotions threatening to crumble me under their weight.
“Please,” I whisper.
He blinks and nods. “Okay. Okay. Come in out of the cold and I’ll be right back.”
I don’t move from the porch as he races back into the house. I refuse to feel the warmth of a home until Lawson does.
Not even five minutes later, my older brother comes stumbling out the door. He’s in jeans and a nondescript jumper, a hat pulled low over his eyes.
Good. We don’t need his face plastered all over the internet too.
I stare out the window as he pulls the car to the end of the driveway, stopping short of the main street. He clears his throat, drawing my attention. “Have to know where we are going in order to get us there.”
I chew on my lip and blow out a breath. “The police station.”
His eyebrows furrow and his jaw ticks. With a tight grip on the wheel, he steers us towards downtown and I brace for—
“What happened?”
That.
“Jace, I really don’t—”
“What. Happened.”
It’s no longer a question and I shift in my seat. I drop my eyes to my lap. “It’s a long story.”
He scoffs. “Well, we’ve got a nearly twenty minute drive to the station and I’m not a fan of what’s been playing on the radio lately.
You said you would tell me what happened.
So tell me. It doesn’t have to be everything, just the important parts that have led to my best friend being locked up right now and my little sister showing up on my doorstep at the crack of dawn, looking like she’s been someone’s personal punching bag. ”
I reach up and ghost my fingers over the bruises blooming over the majority of my face. The sleeve of Lawson’s jumper drops and a hint of his cologne fills my senses.
You are safe and that is all that matters to me.
I close my eyes as the words he whispered to me echo in my mind.
I can do this. I can be strong. For him.
“Okay, I’ll tell you. I’ll tell you everything.”
Jace sits silently, listening as I tell him everything that happened last night from the moment he and Kinsley left to the moment the police drove away with his best friend.
I stumble over my words a few times, particularly when I recount what happened in the bathroom, but I push through until there’s no detail too small left unsaid.
For him. I keep chanting to myself. I can do this for him. Because he’s done so much more for me.
By the time I’m done, we’re pulling up outside the station. My brother shuts off the car and turns in his seat so that he’s facing me. His blue eyes, much like my own, are flooded with sorrow. “Sydney, I’m so sorry—”
“It’s fine.”
“No, it’s not. If I hadn’t left—”
“It still could have happened or worse.”
“You don’t know that.”
“And you don’t know that staying would have ended any differently. As much as we want to, none of us can go back and change what happened. But we can change what is about to happen to Lawson. I can’t bear letting anything bad happen to him when all he did was protect me.”
He studies me for a heartbeat before nodding. “Okay. You’re right. I’m sorry.” He blows out a breath, glancing at the station. “When we go in there, let me do the talking.”
“What? But I—”
“Sydney. This is all a fucking mess and right now, he’s in some deep shite.”
“I know that. But he didn’t do anything wrong. He stopped that man from—”
“I know!” I flinch at his raised voice and he curses under his breath before reaching over and gently taking my hand. “I know,” he says, only softer this time.
“I need to do something, anything, if you think it’s going to help him.”
“But you said you didn’t want—”
“I know what I said, but that was before he was taken from me. Before I had to watch him take a punishment he didn’t deserve all because I was too scared to speak up.”
“Okay,” he says gently. “Just let me check with our lawyer first, okay? No doubt he’s already here.” I nod wiping under my eyes. He gives me a sad smile and squeezes my hand. “Let’s go get our boy.”
We climb out of the car and head for the station’s entrance. He holds the door open for me, keeping his head down as people pass us on the pavement. Once inside, I hustle over to the front desk. “Excuse me?”
The officer behind the desk looks up, their expression faltering when they see me. Clearing her throat, she pastes on a welcoming smile. “How may I help you?”
“We’re here for Lawson Moore.” Jace steps up to my side, standing so his back is towards the wall of windows looking out over the public street.
“I’m sorry, he isn’t permitted to have visitors right now.”
“Oh, okay. Is there someone we can talk to about—”
“I’m glad to see you decided to come in.” We all turn at the deep voice. Relief floods me when one of the police officers from this morning walks towards us. “Maybe you can help us piece together some of the finer points of your boyfriend’s story.”
I nod and step forward, not bothering to correct him on the whole ‘boyfriend’ thing. And ignoring the little flutter in my chest at hearing him referred to as much.
“Wait.” Jace grabs my forearm and glares at the officer. “She doesn’t have to speak to you without—”
“Me.” Jack, our family’s lawyer, strides down the hallway and joins us at the welcome desk. “Mr. Moore has finished writing down his full statement. I’ll be joining in on Miss Collins’s questioning now as her representation.”
The officer nods and gestures for us to follow him. Jace moves with us only to be stopped. “Apologies, sir. Only her and her lawyer are allowed—”
“I’m not leaving my sister.”
“Jace,” I say softly, turning to catch his eye. “It’s okay.”
He shakes his head. “You shouldn’t have to do this alone.”
“I’m not alone. We may not be in the same room but you’re here. Lawson’s here. It’s going to be okay.” I step back to continue down the hall and flash him a smile I hope portrays the confidence I so desperately want to feel. “I’m going to go get our boy.”
He doesn’t protest further as Jack and I disappear down the hall and into an interrogation room. It seems as if hours go by as I tell them what happened and answer any questions they have.
I didn’t lie to Jace. It really is okay. All of this will be worth it if it means Lawson gets to come home with us.
“Miss Collins?”
I blink and look up at the officer across the table from me. “I’m sorry. What was it you asked?”