Chapter Thirteen Ro
Chapter Thirteen
Ro
The door swings open, and I glance up, blinking to ease the burning in my overtaxed eyes.
The metal table bolted to the floor and the blank white walls have begun to blur.
Without a clock, time has lost all meaning.
The bright overhead lights make my eyes ache.
Detective Lassister enters. His black hair is pulled back from his broad forehead.
His dark blue eyes burn with determination, and his strong features are drawn tight.
“Let’s go over your story one more time.”
Groaning, I bang my head on the table lightly. Let’s not.
“You seem distressed,” Detective Lassiter purrs.
“Yes, because you refuse to listen,” I sit up straight, leaning against the stiff-backed chair.
“I understand your fear.” He gentles his voice and adopts a pitying expression.
“No, Detective, you don’t. Fear is linked to trying to outrun a category three hurricane, barreling toward you, pissing rain, and wailing like a banshee.
Regrouping is slowed down in the South after a natural disaster, especially in rural areas.
One phone call to my place of employment would’ve cleared things up. But it's my guess you don’t want that.”
His nostrils flare, and his eyes narrow into slits. Ignoring him, I study the off-white wall across from me. “Are we finished here?”
“We’re done when I say so.”
A sharp knock on the door interrupts his tirade. He yanks it open. We’re greeted by a small olive-skinned woman with curly hair and a designer-fitted suit that costs more than some people make in a week. “I’m Anna Leven. I believe you’re holding my client hostage.”
“Wait a minute,” Lassiter sputters.
“She has been here for at least three hours with no phone call. Is that correct?” Anna taps the toe of her heel against the concrete floor.
“We were protecting her from a dangerous, abusive situation.”
“Did she tell you that?” Anna asks, unmoved.
Lassiter clears his throat. “Not exactly.”
“Let’s go. Ms. Breaux.”
“Gladly.” Pushing away from the table, I stand.
“If you need help, you know where to find us,” Lassiter insists as I pass him on my way to freedom.
I don’t bother to respond as I keep my gaze straight ahead, afraid one wrong move will allow him to find a loophole to hold me longer. I refuse to breathe as I follow the lawyer out of the station. All eyes are on us. Officers are standing, and some are red-faced. She must’ve given them hell.
I exhale the minute we step outside.
“What damage control will I be doing?”
I shake my head. “None.”
She sighs. “Look, make my job easy.”
“There’s nothing to tell other than the truth. I was still marked as missing because communication is spotty as hell after flooding. I told him that. I’d already checked in with my employer. If he had called, he would’ve known that.”
“And they refused?” The lawyer frowns.
“Not in words. They kept insisting I was traumatized and scared to speak up. That I’d be given more time to calm down.”
“Bullshit,” Anna hisses.
“I agree. But there wasn’t much I could do other than sit there and stay calm. I could tell they had a hard-on for the Kings, and I was the low-hanging fruit they opted to pick.”
The lawyer mutters to herself. We reach a black sport utility parked under a lamp post, and she looks at my arms and whistles. “Did you get those in the arrest?”
I glance down at the bruises mottling my wrist and arms and nod.
“Shit. They marked you up good. This is unacceptable. I assume you didn’t resist arrest in any way.”
“No ma’am.”
She huffs. “Anna is fine.”
I trace a fingerprint-shaped splotch and grow nauseous. The back door opens, and Gambit steps out, rushing over. “What the fuck happened?”
“Let’s get somewhere safe,” the lawyer whispers.
War’s unimpressed face flashes in my mind. I can’t cause problems on the first day. “It’s okay.” I put a hand on his chest.
“No, it’s fucking not.” Cupping my face roughly, he tilts my head to the left and right, scanning me meticulously. Trailing his hands down my neck and arms, his breathing increases. “These motherfuckers won’t get away with this.”
“Let’s do it the legal way,” I insist, sensing his rapidly growing rage.
Nostrils flaring and jaw tight, he releases a frustrated growl. “We got anything here, Anna?” Gambit looks over at the lawyer.
“I think so. Stone will make the final call, but I’m already thinking of the filed complaint.”
Gritting his teeth, He gently guides me into the back seat before sliding in beside me and closing the door with a deafening click. Buckling my seat belt and his, he leans in. “Tell me everything.”
I hesitate.
“Rowan.” His terse tone is a warning. Gripping my chin firmly, he refuses to yield.
“What are you going to do?” I ask nervously.
“That’s not for you to worry about.”
“And yet I do.” I toy with the worn hole in the knee of my jeans, paying with the frayed fringe. A wall of silence settles between us. The car roars to life, and we set into motion.
“You want to start this already?” The irritation in his voice surprises me.
“Start what?” I look up, confused.
“Trying to control things.” His jaw clenches.
I stare at him, stunned. “I’m not—”
“You haven’t changed at all, have you? Still trying to manipulate the situation.” Disgust tinges his words.
I jerk free of his hold. “None of this was my fault.”
“We’re not kids anymore. When I ask you a question, you answer.” The venom in his words is sickening. I place a hand on my belly.
Don’t back down now, or he’ll keep expecting it. I shake my head. “Are you serious right now?”
“I laid out the rules. They weren’t suggestions.”
“Yes, sir.” Straightening my spine, I salute. “Whatever you say, sir.” If he wants a robotic soldier, I’ll give him that.
“Oh, fuck you, Rowan. You’re not going to gaslight me. I know this world, you don’t. So yes. You will do exactly as you’re told.” He never raises his voice, but the ice and anger chill me to the core. “Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“Yeah. I get it.” I’ve never been afraid of Benoit Le Blanche before. But I don’t know this man seated beside me. This is the Kings of Chaos version of Gambit. Nomad President.
“I’ll let it slide this time.”
I lick my lips, and he grunts. “This time?” I whisper.
“You plan on letting it happen again?” He tilts his head back, peering down at me through his long lashes.
I glance up at the rearview mirror. The lawyer is completely engrossed in the hectic traffic, merging into a new lane on the highway.
“Let me get this straight. You want me to obey you without question? I didn’t realize I’d entered into servitude.”
His right eye twitches. “I expect honesty and transparency. Things I know historically are difficult for you.”
The barb hits hard.
“Here, I am in total control. Understand?”
Blinking back tears, I nod. Leaning back in the leather seat, he eyes me warily, like he expects me to do something stupid.
“Let me hear you say it,” he demands. Heat fills my cheeks. Embarrassment and shame mingle with desire.
My decisions caused this. But seeing him like this, so confident it borders on arrogance, is intoxicating.
What would it be like to surrender everything to a man strong enough to shoulder it all?
I’ve been fighting to stay above water for so long, the thought is a temptation I don’t dare lean into. “You’re in control,” I whisper.
“That’s right, Ro.” Leaning in, he kisses my cheek. “You remember that and we won’t have any problems at all.” His breath tickles my ear. He places a large hand on my knee and squeezes. The warning sends a jolt of want spiraling through me. I choke down my gasp.
“Now start from the beginning.”
Clearing my throat, I swallow. “They thought I was being trafficked.”
He bursts into laughter. “They know damn well we don’t do shit like that.”
“They tried to push the narrative.”
Gambit shakes his head. There’s more to this story. But I don’t have the right to ask for details. “Fuckers were hoping to intimidate you.”
“I figured, but Cajuns are made of sterner stuff.”
Gambit chuckles, and I catch a glimpse of the light-hearted boy I once knew. “I’m sorry you got caught up in all this. I didn’t realize they were already on the attack.”
Who? The question rests on the tip of my tongue. We pull up to a fenced-in parking lot. The large gated area makes me nervous. Where the hell are we? The lawyer taps a code into a keypad, and the metal doors open slowly, revealing a massive compound-style building the size of an airplane hangar.
“Holy shit.” I study the well-lit building. More compound than clubhouse, the boxy building has two stories and numerous tinted windows. Something tells me they’re made to take fire if necessary.
The lawyer parks in a designated space. In their life, they probably use legal services often.
Killing the engine, she turns. “You and I will have a chat and write up everything while it's fresh. We’ll need it in our back pocket moving forward. I want photos of those bruises, too. That’s a clear sign of excessive force. ”
“What about footage from the airport?” Gambit asks.
“I already have a request in for it,” Anna assures him.
He nods. Exiting the car, he holds out his hand.
I take it, ignoring the tingles it causes.
The sea of bikes is insane. I take in the surreal view as we make our way to the front door.
Stomach cluttering, I shove my hand into my pocket as the heavy metal door swings open.
What the hell are they trying to protect in this building?
The door swings open, and a muscular man with kind blue eyes and a neatly trimmed beard that suits his rugged appeal stands on the other side.
In a black muscle tank that shows off his tatted arms, his backward cap adds to the youthful persona he exudes.
The easy-going vibes flowing off him are a welcome change after the terse car ride.
“Gambit. Good to have you back. My old man and Wizard have been here a few hours.”