37. Caine
CHAPTER 37
CAINE
M ax is in her BJJ class while Adam coaches, and Drew acts like he’s assistant coaching, when really I know he’s just keeping an eye on Max. He’s probably watching her ass the whole time.
Which I’m doing too, but from a distance while I work out. And not as obvious as him. Even if my eyes are glued to her more than what I’m doing. I don’t give a fuck, she’s my girl and I can stare at her all I want. Especially when she’s in class, having to practice with some other guy who has to touch her.
The only reason I don’t demand to be her sparring partner instead is because I can see how scared the guy is anyway. He’s skinny, barely talking and the hesitant way he grips Max shows he’s not at risk of hurting her or touching anywhere he shouldn’t.
She’s doing well, growing more confident and after this class she has a private one-on-one with Adam, which I know will turn into one with all of us because I don’t always agree with the way he coaches her. He can coach the guys how he wants, but when it comes to our girl, there are things she should know how to do that aren’t in Adam’s technical rule book.
Like delivering a proper punch without hand wraps or gloves. And how to give a solid kick in the nuts. Despite how hard she tried to do that to me when I was first…interested in her. She wasn’t good at it, and she should know just in case someone actually tries to attack her. Again.
I keep myself distracted until the class is over and everyone leaves. Which is when I finally allow myself to go up to her, taking the wrap I just undid and wrapping it around her throat from behind, pulling her body against mine.
“It’s torture to watch you move without being able to touch,” I tell her and she bites back one of those sweet little moans. “You can make it up to me later, though. Your pole hasn’t gotten much use lately.”
I feel a shiver run down her spine, and I hope that means she wants it too. I’ve missed the music she would play, the way she would move when she didn’t think anyone was watching. One of my favorite things from when she didn’t know how deep my obsession for her ran.
“It may never get any use again,” she says darkly; the comment has me spinning her around in my arms.
“Why not?”
She hesitates, biting back her response, but I grip her chin and force her to look at me. She’s not going to hide anything from me. Not anymore. “What’s that, killer? You loved to dance. Especially for us.”
“Did. I did love to dance.”
I see it. The flash of pain and some of the darkness she tries to conceal. “What did he do?” Because I know it has to do with the man whose body was burnt to a crisp. With every new bit of information that we learn about him, I find myself wishing that I could kill him over and over again.
“Nothing,” she tries to deny, but I don’t let her. We both know it’s a lie, and that shit won’t fly with me.
“If you don’t tell me, I’ll find out and you won’t like how I plan to get the information out of you.”
She sighs. “He used to make me dance for him. And when I was back there…he did the same.”
“Did he fucking touch you?” Every muscle in my body tenses.
“No,” she insists firmly. “He just made me dance for him.”
I start to ask for more information, but then the front door opens and I look up to see who’s there. All the annoyance in my body that was directed at a dead guy is now directed at the very alive man that just walked in here.
“You here to sign up for a class, Officer?” Drew asks sarcastically.
“I’ve been told to bring you four in for questioning,” he responds, way too smug for his own good. My knuckles ache to crash into his face again and I know that the feeling would be so satisfying.
“We’re not going anywhere, and especially not with you,” I yell across the room, tightening my hold on Max.
Adam steps out from behind the front desk. “Are any of us under arrest?”
“You could be if you don’t come with me.”
“That’s not how the fucking law works you mother fu—” Max slaps her hand over my mouth, cutting me off and I bite her palm in retaliation.
“Pissing him off isn’t going to help us,” she says through her teeth.
I bite down harder on her flesh and she winces, but she doesn’t move her hand, just narrows her eyes at me. I shouldn’t be turned on right now, but she does it for me even in the worst situations. I wonder how fucked up it would be if I just took her how I want. Right here, right now.
“Either you all come with me, or I come back with the Feds that are down at the station asking for you.” He sounds way too pleased with himself sharing that information.
Panic flares in Max’s eyes, but not mine. I’m not worried about Officer Doogie, the Feds, or any of this bullshit. I am, however, sick of the interruptions that keep coming and of how they keep affecting my girl.
“We’ll go, but we can leave whenever we want,” Adam states and I glare at him. He gives a single nod in our direction.
I clench my jaw, wanting to argue more, but Max rests her hand on my chest and it grounds me in a way that’s so unfamiliar I can only lean into it. Lean into her.
“If you don’t, then you’re coming with me in handcuffs,” Doogie threatens and I scowl at him as he walks out to his car.
“We aren’t seriously going down there are we?” Drew questions.
“Yeah, we are.” Adam nods. “Just do what Danner said, don’t answer. They can’t force us to talk. We have rights.”
Good thing I’m a professional at not talking. They can enjoy trying to get me to say something because I’m a stone wall. They’re going to learn that the hard way.
“You’re coming with me.” I pull Max into my side because we’re going to walk in there together and we’re going to walk out of there together. Without saying a fucking word.
They split us up immediately. The Seaside police station isn’t very big, but they have two interrogation rooms and some offices, so they stick us all somewhere and I’m one of the lucky ones in an interrogation room. I’m chomping at the bit to get to Max.
I tried to demand they keep us together, but it didn’t work. It was either going to be me getting arrested or us getting through this separately. I hate being away from her again. My skin is itchy and I want to crawl out of it to get to her. It reminds me too much of those weeks she was gone.
I need her next to me. I need to know she’s safe and okay at all times or it drives me insane.
Some guy in a suit walks in and I can’t help but demand, “I need to see my girlfriend. I need to know she’s okay.”
“She’s fine, you’ll see her soon. We just have some questions.”
I fold my arms across my chest and lean back in the chair, glaring at him as he sits down across from me. I’m not saying a fucking word, especially not without getting to see Max.
“Do you know a Carson Bradford?” he asks immediately.
I keep my face completely neutral, and just shake my head.
“Are you familiar with your girlfriend’s ties to him?”
I narrow my eyes and say nothing.
“Listen, Mr. Aldridge. You’re not in any trouble right now, we just want to find out what happened.” The man tries to act calm, but I can see right through it.
I also want to punch him in the face for calling me Mr. Aldridge.
“You’re on your way to being a professional fighter, aren’t you? Going to get sponsors, move up to the UFC?” He tries to act like we’re buddies just chatting. “Pretty sure spending some time in a jail cell may fuck that up for you, don’t you think?”
Again, I say nothing, keeping my face completely blank.
“We know you were in Texas when Ms. Barclay was set to marry Mr. Bradford. And now somehow she’s back here, and Mr. Bradford is dead.”
I stay silent.
“Seems like convenient timing is all. Don’t you think?”
“Do you know who my father is?” I ask. I hate to pull this card, but I want to get out of here and back to Max as soon as possible. They don’t have any evidence, if they did we would have been arrested and not just questioned. Plus, I know Danner has a plan and whatever it is must be a good one.
“Yes, I’m familiar.”
“Great, then you should know that unless you have evidence of anything you’re accusing us of, we don’t have to stay here. If I need to, I’ll call him and he can get it straightened out.”
I won’t call him. He cut me off and wouldn’t come help me even if I asked, but this fucker doesn’t need to know that.
He narrows his eyes at me, clearly trying to get a read, but I won’t give him anything. He can try, but he won’t notice anything from me.
“Is there anything you want to share with me that may help? I just want to get justice for the victim.”
I want to say the real victim got her justice, but my girl isn’t a victim. My girl is a survivor and she did what the fuck she needed to do, and I’ll support her for it forever.
“I don’t know anything, so I doubt there’s anything I could share that would help,” I tell him seriously. He watches me a little while longer. I don’t move and finally he nods.
“Alright, you can go.”
I’ve never raced out of somewhere faster, determined to get my hands on my girl again.