Chapter 32 #2
He stood up taller. "Stuart Moore is an honorable man."
"Honorable men don't abuse women," I shot back. "This could ruin Rhys’s career—his life. Stu could ruin the career of this man, all because I chose to be with Rhys over a man who put his hands on me. Don't do this."
My eyes danced back and forth between his, silently pleading for him to end this. Stu's vengeance threatened to end not only Rhys’s career but his own and every uniformed officer here.
There were a couple of things I knew for sure. If they searched Rhys and found drugs, they would've been planted. And I wouldn't stop until every last corrupt officer involved lost their job. And then some.
If Stu thought he’d seen me mad before, that was nothing compared to the hellfire that would rain down on him and his life if he fucked with the man I loved.
I could see the conflict play out on his face, as if he were trying to process the idea that Stu could be anything but honorable. If only they knew who he really was.
Right when I thought he was going to break, Long cleared his throat, his eyes flickering away from mine again, and his face shifting to something unreadable. "Move aside or I'll arrest you, too."
"Sloane, it's okay."
My throat tightened with emotion at the helplessness I felt, my eyes stinging with tears. There was nothing I could do.
"It's not okay," I replied, my voice cracking.
"I won't ask again, Sloane." Officer Long raised an eyebrow at me, and Rhys nodded for me to move out of the way.
I stepped aside, cameras from the media behind me flashing as Rhys held his arms up. Officer Long stepped forward, his hands patting down Rhys’s shirt, then searching the pockets inside his grey suit coat.
My heart sank, lips quivering as I tried to hold back the tears falling down my face when he pulled out three dime bags. All filled to the brim with a white powdery substance.
"Lookie here," Long taunted. "So much for being clean."
Rhys’s eyes shut, defeat written all over his face. This was my fault. Rhys was being framed because of me.
His career could be over, his sponsorships, his livelihood, all over because of my ex-boyfriend.
"Pip, I didn't— you know me."
"I know. I know. I'm so sorry, Rhys," I sobbed, Cami grabbing my arm to pull me back as Rhys’s hands were forced into handcuffs.
The media swarmed around us, cameras flashing as reporters yelled to exploit this moment.
He watched in anguish as I cried. "It's okay. I'll be okay. I love you, Sloane. Everything will be fine."
I stood helplessly, my hand clamped over my mouth as I cried. Officer Long grabbed Rhys’s bicep roughly, pushing him towards the squad car. "He won't get away with this, Rhys! He won't. I love you! I won't let him do this to you."
Rhys’s head whipped over to look at me, his eyes portraying that he felt just as helpless as I did. Even then, I could see the tiny flair of satisfaction when he finally heard me profess my love.
He offered a sad smile before locking eyes with Dom. "Keep her safe, Dom."
There was no telling where this could go. If Stu was behind it, he could pull every string and cash in every favor to keep Rhys without bail. He could push for the maximum sentence.
I gulped at the realization of how powerful Stu really was. If he were really as deranged as he was making himself out to be, he could even have Rhys killed in custody.
Dom nodded, his large hand clasping over my shoulder as Cami stood next to me. We all stood there helplessly as Rhys was thrown into the back of this squad car.
I caught a flicker of movement, Long dipping his chin imperceptibly to someone off to the side as he shut the door. My gaze followed his.
Fucking Stu.
He stood, almost concealed by the brick building, but I fucking saw him. His lips twisted in a satisfied grin, one that set my insides aflame and made my whole body tremble.
Before Dom could stop me, I took off toward him.
"YOU SON OF A BITCH! You stupid motherfucker, I swear to god, Stu, I will RUIN YOU!
" I screamed, jabbing my finger in his direction.
Dom's arm secured around my waist, dragging me back while I yelled so loud my throat burned. "Fuck you, Stu. FUCK! YOU!"
He threw his head back and laughed, "Better get home, Sloane. I think I just heard your address on the radio."
My eyes widened, and Rookie immediately came into my mind. What the fuck did he do?
"Dom," I cried, turning to look at my friend, then whipping my head to look over at Rhys in the back of the cop car as he peeled onto the road. He looked at me with apologetic eyes, and I was completely gutted.
I had to help Rhys; he was innocent. But I needed to get home and protect Rookie. Stu didn't specify what he heard on the radio. Someone could've fucking set it on fire; someone could be in there.
Even though it pained me to leave Rhys alone, I needed to get home. He would want me to get home to Rookie first.
Dominic was already on the phone, summoning the limo to take us back to my apartment.
The ride back was silent. The air weighed heavily with apprehension, my legs bouncing anxiously the entire drive.
The pit in my stomach only grew when I turned onto my street and saw a dozen squad cars in front of my building, the lights blinding against the dark street. As soon as the limo came to a stop, I threw the door open and ran to the front door, where a very apologetic Marvin greeted me.
"Ms. Taylor. I'm so sorry, I tried to stop them, but they– they have a warrant."
A fucking warrant?!
"Who? What is happening?! Who showed you the warrant?"
Marvin lifted a frail hand, pointing to an officer who stood off to the side, evidence bags in his hands. I stomped over, Cami and Dom following closely behind. "Hand it over!" I demanded, jabbing my hand out palm up to accept the piece of folded paper.
With a smug grin, the officer placed it in my hand.
"So sorry that Rhys pulled you into all of this.
Don't worry, we've been given strict instructions to leave you out of this, Ms. Taylor.
We know it's all Rhys." His voice dripped with malicious sarcasm, and I knew this was just another corrupt cop pulled into Stu's game.
I shook my head, my eyes burning with tears, making it impossible to read the small print in front of me. "That doesn't make any sense. It's my apartment. My belongings. Rhys’s name isn't on the title. Everything up there belongs to me. If you're arresting him, you have to arrest me, too."
"Again, we know you weren't involved. But this is listed as his current address. We're just here for Rhys and his belongings."
I opened my mouth to argue when the elevator door opened, Rookie being led out by a man wearing an Animal Control polo. His snout was muzzled, the hair on the back of his neck standing up straight, his body trembling. He was such a skittish dog; this was going to traumatize him.
"You can't take the dog, please! He's mine. You can't take him!" I cried, pleading with the man in front of me.
He flipped through some papers before lifting his shoulders in a shrug. "His adoption papers are registered to Rhys."
"You can't take him! He has nothing to do with this!"
"Nothing I can do, ma'am. But we're not even close to being done with the premises. I suggest you find somewhere else to stay tonight." With that, he turned and left, my heart shattering to pieces when I watched Animal Control lead him out of the complex.
First Rhys, now Rookie. Stu was taking everything from me.
I crumpled to the floor, sobbing into my hands as Dom and Cami rushed to my side. Tears stained Cami's face as she knelt beside me, her hands on my shoulders.
"We're gonna figure this out, Sloane. Everything is going to be fine!" Her voice lacked its normal conviction, telling me even Cam was starting to worry. "He won't get away with this."
I let out a sob, a dangerous combination of emotions swirling in my chest. I was scared, my heart was broken, and my world was crumbling at my feet. But the one that resonated with me the most was anger.
I am fucking pissed.
I clenched my hands into fists, my whole body shaking. I needed to clear my head. I needed to think like the badass lawyer I know I am.
"Sloane?" Cami spoke in a small voice, her nose stuffy from crying.
"I can't even imagine what you're feeling right now, but you need to keep it together.
Rhys needs you. Rookie needs you." She lifted her hands to frame my face, "Your family needs you.
Channel your feelings, compartmentalize.
We need to get this cleared up, and we can't do that if you're not thinking clearly. "
She was right.
There was nothing I could do if I continued to let my feelings take over like this. Rhys would sit in jail, and Rookie would continue to be terrified in the pound.
I stood, snapping my jaw together and wiping the tears from my cheeks. Cami's words flipped a switch in my brain. I couldn't focus on the sadness that was ripping me apart, just the rage that was turning my vision red. "I'm going to fucking destroy him," I spoke through clenched teeth.
And I meant every word.
Stu came for me and the man I loved. He even stooped so low as to take my dog.
Up until now, I'd taken the high road. I opted for avoidance instead of confrontation, and I was done.
I was going to rip Stu's life apart from the ground up. He saw my desperation when everything was at risk. Nothing could prepare him for the destruction I was capable of when I had nothing to lose.