Chapter 22
Chapter Twenty-Two
Since I can’t kill him, because I don’t think Hayley would be okay with that, I’m going to scare some fucking common sense into this kid. The look of sheer horror on Hayley’s face when she received a call from the police department…
Fuck me, I do not want to see that look on her ever again. Her hand is gripped in mine tight. She’s worried about her brother.
“He’s okay, you know,” I tell her.
“What if I had gone to Europe? I wouldn’t be able to even get back here to help him.
What was I thinking? I could have been in a completely different country.
What if something did happen and I wasn’t here?
I should never have booked that trip. If I didn’t, he never would have gone to your club. I never would have left him alone.”
“We wouldn’t have met,” I remind her.
“There will come a day where you will wish for that too,” she whispers.
“Doubtful.” I chuckle.
“August, I almost couldn’t handle walking to the damn bar in that ballroom without you.”
She looks horrified at what she’s admitting to me. Me? I fucking love that she wants to be near me all the time.
“The whole time, I thought something horrible was going to happen and I wasn’t going to be there to stop it,” she says.
That’s her issue. She’s not obsessed. She’s fucking scared of being out of control. Like when her parents died. Hayley told me this little “quirk” of hers started after their accident.
“Hayley, you’ve had a traumatic day. Give yourself a break,” I tell her.
I need a way to make her happy. What the fuck can I do? I pull out my phone and message Colton.
Me:
I need a tree in my living room by the time we get back there.
Colton:
Any tree?
Me:
A fucking Christmas tree, moron.
Colton:
Do I look like Father Christmas?
Me:
No, more like an elf. Just make it happen. It’s for Hayley.
Colton:
Fine, but you owe me.
“Don’t say anything when we go in there. If anyone asks you a question, do not answer it,” I instruct Hayley.
“Why?”
“Because we don’t like cops, babe.” I smile. “Just let me handle this for you.”
She nods, but I can see that she’s skeptical. “We don’t even know what he’s done, August.”
“Whatever it is, it’s not going to be that bad.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I’ve met the kid and he doesn’t have it in him.” I laugh. “He was scared shitless sitting in my office.”
“You told him you were going to cut off his fingers. I’d be scared shitless too.” She scowls at me.
“I would never do that to you. I don’t want you to ever fear me, Hayley.”
“I’m not scared of you. I’m scared of myself around you,” she says.
“Come on, let’s go get your brother out so I can beat some fucking sense into him.” I sigh.
“How about we get Riley out and there is no beating involved?”
“It’s a figure of speech, babe. I’m not going to touch your brother. Like I said, I would never hurt you.”
I keep Hayley’s hand firmly gripped in mine as we walk into the station. I fucking detest these places. “You got my kid brother—Riley Bell,” I tell the cop at the front desk. He’s new. It’s obvious.
“Your name?” See? Anyone else would know who the fuck I am without having to ask.
“August Wade.”
“Colton get dragged in again?” The familiar voice of Detective Greg calls out to me.
I smile. Fucker’s on my payroll. “Not this time. Riley Bell, where is he?”
“Lock up. He one of yours?” Greg says.
“My brother,” I repeat, and the detective quirks a brow.
“Since when do you have a brother?”
I don’t answer. “Where is he?”
“I’ll get him. Wait here.” Greg looks from me to Hayley, who hasn’t said a word.
A few minutes later, Riley is being escorted out from behind the locked door by the detective. Hayley lets out a gasp at the sight of him. Her brother’s lip is split and his cheek is swollen and bruised.
“What the fuck happened to him?” I turn my anger on Greg.
“Got brought in for fighting. Charges have been dropped,” Greg explains.
“Let’s go.” I don’t wait for Riley to say anything. I turn and start tugging Hayley behind me, stopping when she lets go of my hand. I pivot and see her hug her brother.
“What happened?” she asks him.
“Hayley, not here,” I tell her.
She glares at me and then looks back at Riley.
“It’s okay. Let’s go,” Riley says.
It’s not until we’re in the car that I finally address the kid. “Who and why were you fighting?”
“My father’s dead. I’m not looking for a new one,” he grumbles.
“Good thing I’m not looking to fucking be one. Who did that to your face?” I ask again.
“Seriously, Hayley. This is happening?” Riley points to me and then to his sister. “I thought it was fake.”
“It was,” Hayley says. “Riley, what happened? Why were you fighting?”
“It doesn’t matter,” he groans.
“Riley, why?” Hayley’s tone shifts from concern to authority. Her face telling him not to fuck with her.
“It was that fucking asshole, Shawn. He saw you two…” Riley gestures between me and his sister. “…making out on TikTok and said something about you. So I hit him. It’s not a big deal.”
“What’d he say?” I chime in. “About your sister?”
“He said if my sister was such a thirsty whore, he’d give her something to drink,” Riley barks out.
My head snaps in his direction. “What the fuck? Where does this asshole live?”
“Don’t answer that, Riley,” Hayley interjects. “They’re just words. You don’t need to use violence to defend me against words.”
“Yes, he does,” I argue, and Riley smirks.
“No, he doesn’t,” Hayley scolds.
“Fine, he doesn’t. But I will.”
“No, you won’t. Words don’t matter. He’s just a punk kid, August.”
“I don’t care if he’s the fucking king of England. No one is going to talk shit about you,” I growl.
“Andre, can you take us to Jade’s? Riley is going back there,” Hayley calls out to the front seat.
Andre looks to me, and I nod.