Chapter 11
11
COLT
I stormed into the Downtown Station, rage settling low in my stomach as I curled my hands into fists. The moment I’d received a call from Nitro, the man I’d sent to keep an eye on Quin from a distance, I’d moved like my ass was on fire. I’d called Derek from the Hummer, and he’d told me that he’d get a lawyer to meet me here, and while I didn’t know why we needed one, I was grateful to have backup. I didn’t trust the pigs as far as I could throw them, and if they had my fiancé and he hadn’t called me yet, there was a goddamned reason.
Nitro had filled me in on everything—the drive-by shooting that resulted in a body being thrown onto Quin’s car. I didn’t need to be a genius to work out who the corpse was. Tyler’s confidence was the reason he was dead. Topher didn’t forgive and forget; he was a sadistic man who believed in punishment. This was Tyler’s reckoning. Now he was all meat and bones with no brain activity.
I’d been suspicious of Topher’s motives after Tyler’s comments when he’d come to the house, but I should’ve been more active in figuring out what was happening. Instead, I’d thought Quin would be safe for now. Fucking foolish. Because of my stupidity, Quin could’ve been killed. What kind of future husband was I?
As soon as I slammed through the door of the station, I stalked to the front counter, shoving people out of the way. I smacked my hand on the ledge in front of me, and a young police officer gave me a bored look from behind her thick plexiglass barrier. The only space free was above the counter, hardly big enough to slide through paper. Holes in the obstruction made it easier to hear and talk to the person on the opposite side, otherwise it was a safeguard in every way for the police.
“Sir, you need to wait in line like everyone else,” the police officer said, voice an irritating monotone. She blinked at me, unfazed by my murderous stare. Straightening, she flattened her already thin lips and placed her slim fingers on the workspace in front of herself.
“You have my wife,” I growled out, not interested in any type of patience. “I want to see him now .”
“Sir, I won’t say it again. Go to the back of the line.” She narrowed her eyes at me.
I shot a glance behind me, the kind that promised retaliation if anyone messed with me, and people scuttled until there was no longer a line. When I looked back at the police officer, I sent her a sardonic smile. “No line. Now, my wife. ”
Her jaw twitched and she huffed, reaching up to pat her slicked-down brown hair wound tightly into a bun. There was no way in hell a strand of hair would escape. “What is her name?”
“ His name is Quincy Kiskadden, and he was brought in here after someone shot at his car and left a body on it.”
She hesitated. “Forgive me, sir, but I thought you said your wife.”
“I did.” I rolled my eyes. Anger burned hot in my chest, and as much as I wanted to reach under the plexiglass, grab her wrist, and drag her forward to ram her into the barrier that protected her—I resisted. That would only get me jail time, not help Quin. “Now fucking tell me where he is. If he’s a witness to a crime, why is he being held?”
Her nostrils flared. “Sir, do not speak to me that way. What is your name?”
I grinned because there was no way she wouldn’t have heard of me. “Matthew Coltrane.”
She froze as she rested her fingers on the keyboard of the computer in front of her and glanced at me from the corner of her eye. Clearing her throat, she typed. “Your...wife is currently being interviewed about the incident, Mr. Coltrane.”
“I want to see him.” I thumped my hand on the glass.
“You will when the interview is finished.” She stared unwaveringly, and any other time I might’ve been impressed with her. I wasn’t in the mood right now, though.
I leaned in as close as I could to the protective barrier. “I don’t think you understand. This isn’t up for debate. Either you let me into the room where he is or I will force myself through you to get to him.”
Her chin firmed. “Is that a threat, sir?”
The room fell into heavy silence, the quietness a deafening hum, as if everyone was waiting for the inevitable. I was ready to fight. I didn’t care what I had to do to get to Quin, even take out officers.
Quick footsteps echoed behind me, then someone was at my side. “What Mr. Coltrane means to say is that Mr. Kiskadden deserves representation, and I am his lawyer. You have no right to question him without me present.”
I glanced at the man beside me and realized who I was looking at almost immediately. West, one of our lawyers. He worked tirelessly to get us out of any trouble we might find ourselves in.
West exuded seriousness, looking every inch the attorney he was. His dark medium-length hair—a little lighter on the top—was combed to perfection, and he had a neat beard.
“I’m Caleb Weston. As Mr. Kiskadden’s attorney, I demand you take us to him. Now. Or anything he says may not be used in a court of law. I assume you know the Miranda warning?” West raised his chin in challenge, his bluish-brown eyes narrowing.
The cop sighed. “He isn’t under arrest, Mr. Weston.”
“I don’t care. He’s being questioned, and I should be there.”
She huffed, holding up a finger as she picked up a phone. She turned her back toward us and murmured quietly so we couldn’t hear her before she replaced the handset and crooked her finger.
“Come on.” Moving toward a set of doors to the right, she kept an eye on us as she entered a code in a keypad nearby, then jerked one open. “Follow me.”
I stiffened and glared at her back, ready to tell her what I thought of her.
West placed a hand on my elbow, shaking his head sharply, and shifted in closer. “Colt,” he whispered, scowling. “Unless you want more trouble for your wife, let me do the talking. I’m the lawyer.”
I made a gruff sound in the back of my throat that faded into a sigh. “Fine. But if they upset Quin, I’ll kill them.”
“Please don’t.” He gave me a long look of warning. “It’s easier to get your wife out of this situation than defend you for murder.”
I would’ve taken the chance if I didn’t know how pissed Quin would be at me for doing it, so I kept my mouth shut as the officer led us through the station toward the interview rooms. As soon as she opened the door, I shoved my way in.
Quin glanced up from where he sat at a steel table in a gray plastic chair. “Matt!” He jumped to his feet and flew at me, and I grabbed him tightly, hauling him up into my arms. He buried his face against my neck and didn’t sob like I’d expected.
“I’ve got you, Baby Girl.” I pressed kisses on his cheek. “I always have you.”
“I love you,” he whispered.
Someone cleared their throat, and I glared over Quin’s shoulder at the detective. The moment my gaze met his, though, I grunted.
O’Neill . Fuck. Of course it had to be O’Neill.
I placed Quin back on his feet and plopped a kiss on his mouth before I focused on the detective and his partner. O’Neill was a hard-ass, and he was as old school as they came. Not only was he a homophobic asshole, he was also just a plain old ordinary dick . His partner, Hanlon, was ten times better to deal with.
“O’Neill. I wish I could say I was surprised.” I stroked Quin’s lower back and guided him to the seat while I stood at his side, even though there was a second chair. I wasn’t going to give the detectives the satisfaction of sitting down. By standing, I had height over them.
O’Neill understood my game, though, and he stood, kicking his seat away. “Matthew Coltrane. This yours?” He waved his hand coldly toward Quin, his mouth pressing into a thin line on his wide face. He hadn’t changed much since the last time I’d seen him, still the same asshole. It seemed as if he’d gotten vain recently because his hair was dyed a brown that was definitely unnatural. I couldn’t imagine he had anyone to try to look good for.
My spine turned rigid and I gritted my teeth. “This beautiful man is my fiancé.”
O’Neill grunted and crossed his arms. “We believe your... partner is involved in a murder.”
“I’m not,” Quin argued, slapping his hand on the table. “I told you everything I know. The man who was dumped on my car is a stranger, and I don’t know why they shot up my vehicle. I can’t tell you anything else. I was having a get together with my best friend. We were wedding planning.”
“Were you questioning him as a suspect?” West asked from beside me. I’d almost forgotten he was here, but he strode over to take the vacant seat next to Quin. “Without his lawyer?”
“He didn’t want one,” O’Neill snapped.
“You told me I didn’t need one. You said I was only being questioned as a witness.” Quin pointed a finger at him. “Are you saying you lied?”
West narrowed his eyes at O’Neill and dropped his briefcase on the table. “Is this true, Detective O’Neill? You know the law slightly better than that.”
Hanlon pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. He was at least ten years or more younger than O’Neill, and despite the suspicion in his eyes, he was handsome. He was tall with dark hair and a strong build, and the suit jacket he wore fit his wide shoulders well. “No. Mr. Kiskadden is only here as a witness to a crime.”
O’Neill snorted. “He was until we saw who he’s engaged to.” The asshole turned to glare at me and placed his palms on the table, leaning toward Quin. “You’re getting married to this criminal? Maybe we need to reassess what part you had to play in this murder, Mr. Kiskadden.”
Quin’s face hardened and he leaned toward O’Neill, as though he was trying to meet him head-on. “Do not talk about my Matt that way, Detective, or I’ll use this nice lawyer to sue you for defamation. I won’t have you insulting my future husband.”
O’Neill froze, surprise flitting across his hard expression for a short moment, but long enough for me to catch. He grunted and shoved away from the table again. “You really want to ruin your life, huh? You’re young. You can do better.”
I growled and went to step forward, but Quin grasped my hand and tugged me closer. I glanced at him, and he gave me a small shake of his head and a smile.
“That’s enough,” West said. “If my client is only here for you to insult his fiancé, then we are leaving. If you wish to speak to Mr. Kiskadden again, you won’t do so without me here. Am I understood?”
Hanlon inclined his head. He didn’t say a word, but he touched O’Neill on the shoulder and leaned in to whisper to him. O’Neill’s face twisted in irritation and he shrugged off Hanlon’s touch.
O’Neill stalked around the table until he was standing in front of me.
I straightened my shoulders, smirking.
With a finger pointed at me, close to my chest, he sneered. “Don’t think I’ll let this go, Coltrane. I know what you did.”
“Are we talking about the incident today or another?” I kept my tone relaxed in the way that I knew only annoyed him more.
“ You killed my nephew. You and your slimy boss, Uhlig. I know you did, and I’m going to prove it.” His attention slid to Quin and a smug grin curved his mouth. “Or I’m going to destroy everything you love instead.”
My hand tried to curl into a fist, but I couldn’t move it because Quin was still holding on tight. He shifted in closer to me and placed his other hand on my shoulder in comfort.
“Careful, Detective, that sounds like a threat.” West moved beside Quin and crossed his arms. “Don’t make me file a report to your department for harassment, because you know I will, and it may finally be enough to destroy your career.”
O’Neill bared his teeth at West. “You fucking cocksuckers.”
West nodded and snatched his briefcase up again. “Thank you for providing me proof of your discrimination. I’ll be adding it to my report. You do realize it’s 2024 and not 1987, right? We will be leaving. Now.” He gestured at the door. “After you, Mr. Coltrane, Mr. Kiskadden.”
O’Neill laughed. “That’s not even a real insult.” He rolled his eyes. “Stick around and I’ll really say something.”
I tugged Quin to my side and folded him under my arm, sending O’Neill a final smug grin before I guided Quin out of the interview room and toward the exit of the police station. No one stopped us, but police officers watched us as we went.
West was right behind us until we made it outside onto the sidewalk. “I’ll be compiling a report about Detective O’Neill’s behavior.” He paused beside a purple RAV4 and yanked out a set of keys and a business card from his pants pocket. Settling his attention on Quin, he offered a small smile and handed over the card. “If they contact you again, you need to call me immediately. I’ll be your lawyer from now on. I’m Caleb Weston, but my friends and clients call me West.”
Quin hesitantly nodded. “What about Morgan? They didn’t pull her into the station, but what if they target her, too?”
“Then, call West.” I pressed a kiss to his forehead and cupped his face. “West is on our payroll, Baby Girl, and Morgan is your best friend. If they try to bully her, we’ll get West, or one of his coworkers, there immediately. We’ll take care of her, too. I promise. She’s family.”
Despite being in heels, he still rocked onto tiptoe and planted a kiss on my mouth. Stroking my jaw, he smiled. “Thank you. You’re the best husband anyone could have.”
“I’ll take that compliment.” I wrapped my arm around his dainty waist and dragged him closer, holding him tight against me. All my worry for him still weighed heavily on me. This was far from over. Between Topher—who I would kill the first chance I got—and now O’Neill, the battle had only begun. I was used to having enemies, but I refused to let them target the man I loved.
West said his goodbyes and left, and I guided Quin to the Hummer, making sure he was secured with his seat belt before I strode to the driver’s side and slid in.
He leaned back against his seat, head turned so he could stare at me as I hit the ignition, and the vehicle rumbled to life. “Did you think something like this would happen?”
I rubbed the back of my neck and sighed. Placing my hands on the wheel, I shrugged. “Topher’s not the kind of guy to let things go. I thought he might kill Tyler, but I didn’t expect the attack on you.” I clenched my teeth, my grip on the steering wheel tightening. “He’ll regret that.” I reached for him and entwined our fingers as I stared at his handsome face, pale from fear but still so fucking brave. This man was going to be my wife, no matter what, but first I needed to handle this. “I won’t let him touch you, Princess. I’m sorry he got so close to you.”
He raised our hands to his lips and placed a kiss on the back of mine, smile soft. “I trust you. You’ll keep me safe.”
If only that was true. Today showed me a fatal flaw in my logic. I couldn’t protect Quin while he wasn’t at my side. He wasn’t the type of person who’d enjoy being locked inside a house, especially when he and Morgan had so many activities happening, including cooking classes, which made everything so much more dangerous for him.
No, I’d known this when I’d come to the police station, and Derek had reminded me of the truth, too. Quin wasn’t safe while I was handling Topher.
I pulled the Hummer into traffic and started driving.
“Where are we going?” Quin peered out the front windshield, frowning as we passed the road that would’ve led us toward our home. Instead, I turned down a side street. “Matt?”
I didn’t look at him, afraid that I’d give away my thoughts. Quin was more perceptive than people realized, and he read me as easily as an instruction book opened for him to peruse. I merely shook my head.
“Matthew. Where are we going?” he demanded, stomping his heel on the floor. “Tell me right now or so help me I will jump out of the Hummer and walk home.”
“We’re nearly there,” I said, gripping the steering wheel with one hand even harder.
“Where?”
I didn’t have to answer him as I pulled the Hummer to the curb in front of Derek’s house. It wasn’t a big home, not something anyone would expect from a crime boss like Derek Uhlig, but it had a family feel. Situated in a suburb close to the bridge that led to Vert Island, Derek’s Cape Cod house was a three bedroom with a pretty lawn that he paid people to take care of. Two stories with a rectangular profile, the home had a steep-pitched side-gabled roof, two dormers at the front of the second story, a classic brick chimney, and a wide white front door flanked by windows with shutters. To innocent eyes, Derek was merely a successful businessman with no illegal connections.
“We’re at Derek’s.” Quin shot me a quizzical look. “Why are we at Derek’s?”
I licked my dry lips and tried to extract my hand from his, but Quin didn’t let go. If anything, he held on with a firmer grip, suspicion sharpening his gaze.
“Lovebug, I need you safe. I know you’ll be okay here.”
He blinked, then blinked again, before my words settled in and he gasped. “You are not leaving me here.”
“Princess—”
“You will not leave me here.” He yelled the last part even though he was only repeating what he’d said already. “No. Absolutely not.”
I crowded in closer to him and brought his hand to my mouth, peppering kisses across the expanse of his palm and wrist. “You are my world, Baby Girl, and I can’t have anything happening to you. Derek and his men will take care of you while I handle Topher, and then we can get married and be happy for the rest of our lives.”
He laughed maniacally. “I don’t even know who Topher is. You still haven’t really told me, but I don’t care, either. I’m not going to hide at another man’s house. I refuse. I am going to be your wife, and I will stand at your side through thick and thin.”
I raised my chin. “We’re not arguing about this, Quin. It’s final. You’re staying here.”
He stared, and every emotion that washed over his face was a knife to the heart.
Hurt.
Betrayal.
Anger.
At the beginning of our relationship, I’d wanted to emotionally destroy him, but I’d quickly fallen in love, and since then, I hadn’t wanted to be the reason for his pain. But here we were, and Jackson was the cause of this mess. Heartbreak always started because of him.
“ Colt —”
I winced. Fuck. Quin using my nickname hurt more than I’d expected.
“—if you make me get out of the Hummer right now, then there won’t be a wedding. I will not marry you.” He pressed his mouth into a thin line. “Either I go home with you and we handle this together and get married when we’re supposed to, or I get out and walk away for good. We’re done.”
I swallowed around the panic that rose in my throat. With his hand still in mine, I hauled him closer, his face inches away. “Listen to me, sweetheart?—”
“No. I love following your orders at home. I love being your perfect housewife, but when it comes to this, I won’t. I love you. I fucking love you.”
The use of a curse word had me sucking in a deep breath. Damn it.
“But I won’t hide while you handle business . I can’t kill people like you, but I am a good wife, and do you know what good wives do for their spouses?” He didn’t wait for an answer. “They support their husbands. We’re a couple, no matter the circumstances. We figure out our problems together. So, that’s your choice. Either you leave me here and we’re done, or you take me home, and we’ll get married the way we’re supposed to in two months. Decide.”
I knew who I’d chosen to spend the rest of my life with. Quin was many things, but despite his willingness to obey me, I’d quickly learned he had fire in him. He was sweet and innocent, but he was hardheaded, too. He did what he had to in order to survive. And that was who I’d fallen in love with.
He shoved open the door, then slammed it closed. Standing outside, he crossed his arms, and I knew what he wanted. He was waiting for me to tell him to get back in so I could take him home. But I couldn’t. Not while his life was in danger. I could always ask for forgiveness later.
I stared at him for a moment before I sighed and sat back in my seat so I could hit the accelerator and drive away. I couldn’t help but glance in the rearview mirror.
The sunset lighting up the outrage on his face was the last thing I saw before I turned the corner.