49. Declan #2
“That’s none of your business, Layla. I’ve helped you in good faith, and I need you to do the same.
” She shook her head, so I continued. “I know we haven't always gotten along, especially in our adult years, but the same cannot be said about our childhood. Surely you remember the times when things had been good between us.” She stared passively at me, and I wracked my brain trying to remember any of those things.
“For example, when you were seven and that one boy used to bully you and pull your hair. Brogan knocked him off his bike, then beat him up.”
“And you stole his bike and dumped it in the river,” she said to me.
“Yes, and what about that ski trip when you’d fallen and twisted your ankle? Didn't I pick you up and get you to the bottom of the slope so you could get your ankle checked out?”
“We were fucking kids—”
“And when you needed money to get out of town, did I not come through and give it to you? Previously to even that, when you needed money to help save your father's empire, did Brogan not offer to help you?”
“Yes, but—”
“There are no buts about it. Surely, you’re not going to let an innocent man rot in jail.
Do you understand the conditions of the place he's in?
And beyond the jail itself, he takes medication which they're not giving him.
He's refusing to see nearly all visitors. His father has been taunting him mercilessly, and even after knowing what he’s done, you're still going to let Stanley Sinclair win. He hates his son and would do anything to see him suffer.”
“I’m sorry he’s having Daddy issues and all, but… He didn't only hurt Brogan. He hurt me too.”
“What did he do to you?” I asked.
“I don't want to talk about it.”
“Please, an innocent man’s life is on the line,” Enslee pleaded.
“The night after you’d given me the money, I'd broken up with Brogan like you wanted, but Brogan was so angry when I told him I could still tell everyone about you both.”
“That wasn’t part of the agree—”
“I needed to do that, so he’d allow me to leave town and not come looking for me. I’d never imagined his father would plant evidence to make it look like he had hurt me.”
“That's exactly what he did,” Enslee interjected. “And later they found that knife and key in your condo. Something had always been off about that because there’d been no sign of blood, cleaning product residue, or anything to hint at a struggle.”
“I’m sure they’ll bring it up at his trial, so there’s no need for me to—”
“His trial could take years, so we need you to come back now.”
“If you want to do it, Layla, we’ll return, and I’ll be right there with you,” the other man finally said to her.
I stared at the bodyguard, and something didn’t sit right with me. “Does he still work for Stanley Sinclair?”
My fists balled up at my sides as I was struck with the overwhelming need to get my pound of flesh out on somebody. I’d never hit a woman, so it couldn't be Layla, but this guy was different.
“He was hired by Stanley Sinclair, but he's been working against him ever since I’d gotten in his care.
Things are complicated because he's not just my bodyguard, but my lover. My own safety is not the only one at risk. His is as well because nobody crosses Stanley Sinclair and lives to talk about it afterward.”
It certainly seemed true for the man’s son, and one whose life he was willing to end. Between the torture and now prison…
“He can come too, but I need you to do everything the way that I say. We’ll have the police meet us at the tarmac, then take us to the police station where you’ll file your statements, then leave.”
“I don't know. I'm scared.”
“Don't be, Layla. You’d never let an innocent man go to prison for the rest of his life,” the man said to her before breaking out of my investigator’s hold to reach her. “That isn't you. You're too good of a person for that.”
I looked between the two. Did he know the same Layla I did? I didn't ask that aloud because it appeared she was starting to come around, and I certainly didn't need to piss her off and have her change her mind.
“He's right,” I lied.
“Fine.” She threw her hands up in surrender. “As soon as I talk to the police, I'm out of there.”
“That's fine by me,” I replied. That was actually a win-win situation. I’d not only get my man out of prison, but I’d never have to worry about her trying to get her claws back into him again. This day had started pretty depressingly, but now it was turning around.
“I need you both to go with my investigators. They’ll follow you back to wherever you're staying so that you can get whatever you need. After, we’ll all meet up at the hangar. Let's say in about an hour…”
They agreed, so Enslee and I got back into the rental car and headed to the resort to pack up our own things. Once we were in the car, Enslee looked over at me. “I'm glad we found her. I feel like I can breathe again.”
I covered the hand she placed on my knee, then let out a sharp exhale. “I’ll feel that way once Brogan is away from Rikers Island.”
She said nothing, but there were no words that needed to be said.
I wiped my face devoid of any emotion because this was the easy part.
The biggest test of my life would come after bringing Layla back to clear his name.
Although this act would free him from jail, it wouldn’t help things between us.
After all, betrayal was still betrayal. Brogan was the type to neither forgive nor forget.
None of that mattered, though. Even if Brogan never talked to me again, I’d made this injustice right for him.
We arrived back at the resort and after parking the car out front, I turned to Enslee. “We need to get our stuff as quickly as possible. After, we have a flight to catch. If all goes according to plan, we should be back in New York City during the overnight hours.”
“Only positive thoughts from here on out,” she said to me, and I forced myself to smile.
“Positive thoughts. I’ll see you in a few minutes.”
“See you then,” she said before we went to our separate rooms.