Chapter Twenty Three
twenty-three
Selena
Even though Warren asked me to worry, that’s all I’ve been doing.
I tried watching television, but I grew bored.
I called my mom and told her I was working on a new story about a dance club.
I didn’t dare tell her the truth about what I was really up to.
Then, I called Madison and lied to her, too, which made me feel terrible.
I told her I was baking with my mom and promised to show her some new recipes when I got back home.
I hate lying to the people closest to me, but for their safety and mine, I have to.
Lily rushes into the house and slams the door so hard the walls shake, and the sound lands in my chest like a pistol shot. She startles me, and I jump from the couch in the living room.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, when I take in her disheveled appearance. Her eyes are red from crying, and my stomach drops at the sight.
She stares at me, pupils so blown she might be high, or running on four hours of adrenaline. “They got arrested,” she says. “The guys. All three.”
The words stall my heart for a second, then kick it back into a gallop. “Are you sure?” It comes out sharper than I mean, and Lily’s jaw tightens.
“Yes, Damon just called me from the Sunnyvale police station. They can make bail, so I am getting their accounts so I can bring the money,” she cries.
I get up and cross the room to her. She flinches, but doesn’t move away. “Are you okay?” I ask. It’s both the most basic and the least useful question in the world. I know I just met Lily, but she’s been so nice to me.
She nods, once, then sags into the nearest chair. “I don’t know. I knew what I was getting myself into when I fell in love with Damon,” she sighs. “But, they didn’t do anything. They are innocent,” she cries.
A headache blooms behind my eyes. I pinch the bridge of my nose and close my eyes for a moment. “What do we need to do?”
“I am going down to the station. I wanted to let you know. If you want to run, you can. Damon said that Warren said you could leave if you wanted. He’s afraid,” she says.
Warren is giving me an out. He’s letting me know that it’s ok if I can’t handle this. I think about that for a second. I can leave, write this article, and likely go viral. It could be the break in my career I’ve always wanted. But is it worth ruining what I have with Warren?
What do I love more: a story or a masked man?
The answer is simple. I kneel in front of her and meet her gaze head-on. “We have to get them out. Together”
Lily grins, small but wild. “Fuck yeah, we do.”
We don’t have a plan, but we have each other, and for now, that’s enough.
Lily drives her BMW with both hands strangling the wheel, mouth set in a line that says she’s running every possible scenario through her mind, and none of them end well.
I watch her as she drives. She’s so beautiful and classy.
I wonder how she and Damon found one another.
They are the complete opposites, but I guess she may be wondering the same thing about Warren and me.
We arrived at the police station after dark. Lily and I race inside and to the front desk. An older man looks up at us.
Lily steps up to the counter, hands planted wide. “We’re here to bail out Damon, Xavier, Warren, and Anthony King.”
The sergeant’s eyes go wide at the mention of their names. He types something into the computer. “They will need to be bonded out. It’s a pretty hefty fee. Two million dollars,” he tells us.
“I’ve got it,” Lily snaps.
The sergeant’s eyes narrow at her. “How do you know these men?” he questions her.
“What the hell does that matter?” I snap, but Lily holds up a hand to stop me.
“Sir,” she begins, her tone firm and professional, “I am Damon King’s fiancée. I have the amount needed to bond them all out. Now, can you please tell me what I need to do so I can get my fiancé home?”
I watch as he punches in some keys and rolls his eyes. “I will need the money now, and then we will have to do the paperwork. It could take a while.”
“We want to see them,” I say, voice as flat as his.
He sizes me up, then jerks a thumb at the plastic chairs bolted to the wall. “Sit tight. It’ll be hours.”
Lily looks like she wants to throw something, but instead she drags me to the far end of the lobby, puts her back to the wall, and crosses her arms.
I sit. My legs bounce. I try not to think about what’s happening behind the glass. Are they being interrogated or worse?
We wait.
When no one is watching, she pulls out another cell phone. I give her a strange glance.
“This is a burner phone Damon gave me. It only has a few numbers in it. For emergencies,” she whispers to me.
She dials a number, and then I listen as someone on the other line picks up.
“Yes, Marie. It’s me. They’ve been arrested, but I’m getting them out. I’m with her,” she says, and I realize that I’m the her she’s referring to. “Yes, I will call you again when it’s safe. What? Ok, hold on.” Lily leans over and hands me the phone. “She wants to talk to you.”
“Who?” I mouth, not wanting them to hear my voice.
“Marie, the guy's mom.” She hands me the phone.
I stare blankly at the device. Whoa, this is really soon to be meeting the parents, but I guess nothing about our relationship is normal.
I mean, I’m going to meet his dad for the first time when we get them out of jail.
I guess talking to his mom on a burner phone while sitting at the police station is only fitting for us.
Wow, our kids will love this story one day.
Then that thought sends a chill down my spine. Do I want kids with Warren? A life?
Smiling, I know the answer.
Yes, I do.
“Earth to Selena, you need to answer,” Lily prompts, as I hold the phone in my hands.
“Hello,” I say nervously.
“I’m sorry that we are meeting on these terms, but I want to thank you for being there for Lily and Warren. I worry about my boys. Warren told me about you.” Her voice is soft but firm.
“He told you about me?” I ask, shocked.
She laughs. “Yes, he’s not one to share too many details, but he told me he had a woman in his life who was driving him crazy.
I told him that meant he was falling in love.
Whenever you find someone who can cause such strong emotions in you, that’s when you know you care about them deeply.
There are days I want to strangle their father, but I couldn’t imagine my life without him. ”
I smile as I listen to her talk. This is all so absurd, but I can’t imagine walking away without Warren in my life.
“We will take care of them,” I promise Marie.
“I know you will. We will be in touch soon,” she says, and then ends the call.
“You are part of this family,” Lily says to me.
“How do you handle it?” I ask.
She sighs and pats my shoulder. “I’m not going to lie and say it’s always easy.
There are times that I question why I willingly walked into this world, but then I can’t imagine not being with Damon.
You learn that they are good men. They were forced into a world of darkness.
They are trying to escape, but their dad keeps pulling them back in.
Anthony isn’t all bad, either. It’s the only world he’s ever known.
He knows the guys want out, and eventually he will release them.
They are all so misunderstood, but they love fiercely and will do anything for the ones they love.
That’s the world that I live in with Damon. ”
When she explains it like that, it makes my heart soar. When my dad died, I thought I had lost my family. With just me and mom and no siblings, I felt like everything had been ripped away from me. But now I have a chance to build another family. It may be complicated, but their love is strong.
Eight hours later, someone is calling our names.
We fell asleep at some point, but now, Lily and I are both wide awake.
“Your Bail has been posted, and the guys will be released soon,” the sergeant calls over to us.
The next hour drags while we wait.
“They’ll come out the side door,” the sergeant says, voice softer now, like maybe he’s tired, too. “You can wait outside, but don’t block the exit.”
I grab Lily’s hand, and together we step into the sunlight. It’s a knife to the eyes after hours of LED and despair, but it feels like victory, just for a second.
We stand by the metal bench, watch the door, and don’t say anything.
After so many hours of waiting, even hope feels dangerous.
But that's all we have.