Chapter 21
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Fury
I was deep in a conference call with our West Coast office when my phone buzzed. Sienna’s name flashed on the screen, and my heart skipped a beat. We’d been texting back and forth since our steamy exchange, but this was the first time she’d called.
“Sorry, guys, I need to take this,” I said, cutting off Cory mid-sentence. “Jules can fill you in on the rest.”
I didn’t wait for a response before ending the call and answering Sienna’s.
“Fury?” Sienna’s voice quivered, sending a chill down my spine. “I need your help. Can you come to my place?”
“Of course,” I blurted out, already on my feet. “What’s going on?”
She paused, her breath catching audibly. “It’s... it’s my friend. She’s been assaulted. Badly.”
My chest constricted, her vulnerability piercing through me. This wasn’t our usual flirtatious dance. She was reaching out to me—not Gavin—in a moment of crisis, and the weight of her trust settled heavily on my shoulders.
“Did you call the police?” I asked, my voice low and steady.
Another pause, longer this time. “No. Not yet. I need you. Are you coming?”
“I’m on my way,” I assured her, my heart racing. “Text me your address. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
I snatched my jacket off the back of my chair and fumbled for my keys, calling out to Jules as I strode towards the door. “I’ve got to go. Family emergency. Can you handle things here?”
Jules looked up, her brow furrowing with concern. “Of course. Go. I’ve got this.”
I rushed out of the office, my mind racing. As I navigated through the busy New York streets, I debated my next move. My instincts told me this was serious, and we might need backup.
Making a split-second decision, I dialed 911.
“I need to report an assault,” I said as soon as the operator answered. “I’m heading to the victim’s location now. Can you send officers to meet me there?”
After giving them Sienna’s address, I focused on getting there as quickly as possible. I arrived before the police, rushing up to Sienna’s apartment and knocking urgently.
The door swung open, revealing Sienna’s worried face. “Fury, thank God you’re here.”
As I stepped inside, I saw a woman on the couch, her face battered and bruised. My stomach churned at the sight.
“Lulu, this is Fury Gracen,” Sienna introduced as I followed her to the couch. “Fury, this is Lulu Parr.”
My heart clenched as I took in Lulu’s battered face. “It’s good to meet you,” I said, the words feeling hollow in the face of her suffering. “I wish it had been under better circumstances.”
Lulu’s lips quivered as she attempted a response. “Thanks for coming.” Each word seemed to cost her, her voice barely above a whisper.
I hesitated, then decided to be upfront. “Oh, you mentioned you hadn’t called the police, so I did that on my way over.”
The moment the words left my mouth, the air in the apartment grew thick with tension. Lulu’s eyes widened in panic, her body beginning to shake uncontrollably.
“What the hell did you do that for?” Sienna glared at me as she sat beside Lulu, wrapping her arm around her friend. “I asked you to come over, not to take charge and do something foolish.”
“Look at her, Sienna.” I gestured to Lulu. “She’s scared and hurt. She needs to press charges, and if it’s a matter of needing cash to get back on her feet, I’ll cover it.”
Sienna shook her head, the disappointment and irritation written all over her face hitting me like a punch. “You don’t understand. You didn’t bother to find out what she wanted. You just did what you thought was best.”
I felt confused, and a bit irritated. “No, I did what anyone would do if they heard someone had been beaten up. I called the police so they can take a statement and nail the bastard responsible.”
Sienna let out a laugh that was so bitter it was practically a snarl. “That’s not how it works.”
“I know I’m new to the city,” I replied. “And I’m sure there are corrupt cops here like everywhere else, but I think the odds are in our favor. The ones who came when my office was vandalized were extremely professional.”
Sienna and Lulu exchanged glances I couldn’t quite decipher, and when Sienna turned back to me, there was a look that resembled pity in her eyes.
“Trust me, Fury, it’s not the same.”
I was on the verge of asking if there was an issue with this precinct, because I’d have no qualms about trying to pull strings to ensure we got the best they had. But just then, someone knocked on the door.
“I’ll get it,” I said, moving toward the door before she could protest. It was her apartment, but if the cops were here, I was the one who’d called them, and if it was the guy who’d hurt Lulu, I’d plant myself between him and her.
A quick glance through the peephole revealed two officers: a woman in her mid-forties and a man in his mid-thirties. I let them in and introduced myself.
“I’m Officer Perrault,” the woman said as she shook my hand. “This is my partner, Officer Putnam.”
“You told the operator you were reporting an assault, is that correct?” Officer Putnam got straight to the point.
“That’s right,” I said. “Not mine, obviously, but the assault of a friend of a friend.”
Officer Perrault’s gaze flicked to Lulu and Sienna. “So you don’t know anything about what happened?”
I shook my head. “Sienna called me, and on my way here, I called you guys. Hands-free, of course.”
“I’m guessing you are Sienna,” Officer Putnam said, taking a few steps toward the women.
“I am,” she replied, remaining firmly seated next to Lulu. “Sienna Marquez.”
“And how do you know this gentleman?” Perrault inquired, positioning herself next to her partner.
“From work,” I said. “And a mutual friend.”
“Are you the mutual friend?” Putnam asked, pointing his pen at Lulu.
She shook her head, her eyes cast down. “I never met him before.”
“It’s not really important who I am,” I interjected. “I don’t have any information about the assault. I’m just here as moral support.”
The look exchanged between the two cops suggested they found something about my statement amusing.
“What’s your name?” Perrault asked Lulu.
“Lulu Parr.” Her voice trembled as she reached for Sienna’s hand.
“Are the two of you … together?” Putnam gestured toward their clasped hands.
“We’re friends,” Sienna said with a scowl. “Not that it matters.”
“So you’re not a client?” Putnam asked, his tone dripping with disdain. “Yeah, I’ve seen you before, Lulu.”
Even though Perrault didn’t seem to grasp what her partner was implying, she didn’t ask for clarification. Instead, she turned to Lulu and said, “Tell us what happened.”
I glanced at Sienna, completely bewildered by the current situation, but she wouldn’t meet my gaze. I set my questions aside and focused on what mattered: helping Lulu.
With faltering speech, the battered woman recounted how her former boss had beaten her up because she had told him she wouldn’t return to work for him. It seemed straightforward until Perrault dug for more details, specifically where Lulu had worked for this guy and why she wouldn’t want to return.
“I had a drug problem,” Lulu finally admitted. “I just got out of rehab, and I know that if I go back to that … job, I’ll use again.”
“Does your dealer work with you?” Perrault probed. “Or is he the one who did this to you?”
“She’s a whore, Perrault,” Putnam finally interjected, clearly annoyed by his partner’s line of questioning. “Her pimp beat her up. That’s all this is.”
Lulu looked down, and Sienna shot daggers at the cops.
“Don’t be an ass,” she snapped. “Yes, Lulu worked for RC’s Escorts. But she wanted to leave that line of work, and that’s why Ralf assaulted her. Happy?”
Putnam scowled at Sienna, and I had to restrain myself from stepping between them.
“Sounds to me like you’re taking my questions a little personal,” Putnam retorted, his voice sharp. “Maybe you’re a little more involved than you’re letting on.”
“I came to Sienna because I knew she’d help me,” Lulu said, her voice steady.
“And how did you know that?” Perrault asked. “You said you are friends, but you’re talking about protecting someone from a clearly violent pimp.”
“Isn’t it obvious?” Putnam added, a condescending smirk on his face.
I wanted to knock it off.
“They work together,” he finished, clearly relishing his so-called cleverness.
I opened my mouth to tell him he’d crossed a line, but then I caught the look on Sienna’s face, and the words died on my tongue.
“Worked,” she corrected, lifting her chin and pointedly avoiding my gaze. “Ralf Crosse trafficked me and Lulu and tons of other women, labeling us high-end ‘escorts’ while our clients were just ‘dates.’ He tries to make it sound like we choose that life, but it’s bullshit because we can’t choose to stop.” She gestured to Lulu. “At least, not without consequences.”
“You said ‘worked,’” Perrault noted. “Past tense.”
“Yeah, because I got out.”
“Did you look like this when you told him?” Perrault pressed. “Something that shows he’s done this before?”
Sienna shook her head, and I felt a surge of relief. “I think he was too scared of the man who offered me a new job. One where I really could choose what I wanted to do.”
“Where do you work now?” Putnam asked, his skepticism noticeable. “I can’t imagine there are many high-paying jobs that require your particular … skill set.”
“My job has nothing to do with what happened to my friend,” Sienna said, standing up with a fierce expression. “But your job is to investigate her assault. That’s what you need to focus on.”
Putnam’s face flushed crimson. “Listen to me, you little?—”
“You’re going to want to reconsider how you end that sentence,” I warned, advancing a step.
I fought to rein in my anger. I wanted to slam him down, but I knew that would only escalate the situation. Not only would I get arrested for assaulting an officer, but I had a feeling my actions would draw more attention from them than the actual crime they’d been called to investigate.
“I don’t know who you?—”
This time, it was Perrault who cut in. “Ease off, Wyatt. You don’t want to tangle with a guy wearing a watch that costs more than both of us make in a year.”
Sienna’s eyes darted to my wrist, and I could sense the weight of her scrutiny.
“This watch is a family heirloom.” I kept my gaze fixed ahead, refusing to meet her eyes, but I could feel her stare drilling into me. “But you should listen to your partner. I’m not someone you want to mess with.”
“I think we have enough,” Putnam said, flipping his notebook closed and stepping back, his posture exuding bravado. “Let’s go, Cassie.”
“Before you leave,” I said, positioning myself between the officers and the apartment door, keeping my hands relaxed at my sides to appear as non-threatening as possible. “I sincerely hope you’re planning to take this assault seriously. Because if you don’t, I can assure you that several influential members of my family - including a certain judge and a well-known civil rights attorney - would be very interested in hearing about your conduct here today.”
Perrault’s eyes widened, but she remained silent. I had no idea what she would have said if she’d had a different partner, but if she was a decent cop, I was giving her some leverage to make Putnam behave.
“Are you threatening us?” Putnam demanded, his bravado faltering.
“I’m … encouraging,” I said. “Encouraging you both to view Lulu here not as the mistakes she’s made but as a brutalized woman who’s?—”
“A mother,” Sienna interjected quietly.
“A mother,” I echoed, “who has a lot of powerful people standing behind her.”
Perrault nodded. “We understand. We’ll do our job.”
“Good,” I said. “That’s all we’re asking for.”
Both cops looked uneasy as they left, but I refused to feel even a twinge of guilt about it. I wasn’t the type to seek special treatment, whether through connections or cash, but when I witnessed an injustice I could rectify, I didn’t hesitate to assert my influence.
I just had no idea how Lulu or Sienna would react to it.