He rinsed his hands, a smile playing on his lips. “And Griffin Ashby?” he pressed. “Am I supposed to ignore the justice he wants for his daughter?”
“She’s sixteen,” I growled in a low voice. “Not twelve. That law is laughable. Damon didn’t force her.”
No one thought he did. That video was evident.
Sure, he was kinda sleazy sometimes, and he was really good at coercion. Maybe he took advantage. She was blind, so…
My brother certainly wasn’t anyone to ensure justice for young girls.
“These charges won’t stand.” I inched closer. “All you’ll accomplish is making yourself the enemy.”
Grabbing some paper towels, he dried his hands and listened, too at ease. Why was he so calm?
Even if he were confident, Martin didn’t like me talking back to him. What was going on?
“The town is in shreds tonight,” he mused, looking at me with a gleam in his eyes. “Have you seen the streets? Their heroes are dead. It’s beautiful.” He laughed again, tossing the towels into the trash. “I got each one of those little shits in a cell. Except Crist. My patience has paid off. I just need to be a little more patient.”
What the hell did that mean? Did he know who posted the videos? Was he in on it?
“I’m going to tell everyone the truth,” I said. “I’m going to tell them everything you did to me. Will Grayson and Kai Mori will be heroes.”
He stepped closer, and I retreated a step, bracing myself, but then he said, “Come with me, Emory. I want to show you something.”
He walked past me, out the men’s room door, and I couldn’t fucking swallow. Fear curdled in my gut.
Too calm. He was never this calm.
I spun around and followed him out the door and farther down the hall.
He didn’t bat an eyelash at anything I’d said. Was he really going to charge a senator’s grandson for giving him the beating he deserved?
Opening a door on the left, he walked into the dim room, and I stopped, looking inside.
There was a glass partition and a table on the other side, handcuffs wrapped around a set of fists.
I drifted in, Will coming into view in the next room as he sat secured to a table all by himself, Kai and Damon nowhere to be seen.
I rushed up to the glass, pressing my fingertips to it.
He looked like shit.
But that bergamot and blue cypress wafted over me as if it were yesterday and he were right next to me.
My chest shook, taking in the bags under his eyes and the smile that was no longer there.
“I’m going to tell everyone you’re in love with him,” Martin said. “You’d say anything to protect him. I’m sure I could find witnesses to corroborate a time or two you both were all over each other. The Cove. The school bus, was it?”
I stared at Will. I knew someone must’ve seen us that night racing through the parking lot.
“Do you have proof of your allegations?” Martin asked. “Witnesses? Photos?”
I curled my fingers into fists as Martin came to my side and looked at
him, too.
“He burned down your gazebo, Em.” His tone was steady. Planned. “He’s been fucking everything with a skirt, snorting anything that’ll fit up his nose, and drinking everything that promises him sweet oblivion for the past two years,” he told me.
I clenched my teeth, locking my eyes on Will. Look up. Just let me see your eyes.