I gasped. That was so much! Austin just shook his head and rolled his eyes.
“Fuck. I haven’t shut the kitchen down yet.”
“And I’ve got people up my ass, if I walk in there…” they shared a look and stopped to think.
Then they both looked at me.
“What?” I finally said. I hugged my arms around myself, suddenly cold.
“Alexa, can you go down to the jail and bail Kellan out? I wouldn’t ask if I had any other options, and I trust you to do it.” Joshua explained. I blinked rapidly, a bit confused.
“I…of course, I’ll do anything to help him. But where are we getting the bail money from?” I asked.
Joshua looked to Austin and nodded. He gestured for me to follow him. I walked by his side and he took my hand. He led me down a hallway and into the office. I never noticed the false wall they had, but behind it was a thick black safe, just like in the movies. He took out two pieces of paper, but they were a bit bigger than regular bills.
“Bonds. They know what to do with them.” He handed it to me, and I nodded, still shivering a bit. The shirt didn’t cover much, and not running around the bar made the cold get to me.
“Here.” He went around the desk and looked in the chest behind him. He handed me a sweat jacket, when I put it on it smelled just like Kellan. I stopped the tears from forming once again.
“Thank you…which precinct?” I asked him. He rubbed a hand through his hair as he thought.
“Uh, nineteen.”
I nodded and he followed me out. I grabbed my stuff from the bar, and said goodbye to them both as I went to the precinct. I wondered if they knew I had been with them both. I wasn’t sure if Joshua would tell Austin, or if Austin would tell him what we had done. I thought enough time had passed for them to tell, but I wasn’t sure.
The walk wasn’t long, and the buses weren’t too sketchy for me to get on it. But Joshua still insisted I take his car. It was more like a spaceship; a supped-up Jeep Renegade. I didn’t have much time to enjoy it, because my mind was racing. I couldn’t believe that asshole pressed charges, knowing that he was wrong.
Or perhaps he didn’t know, and was an idiot as well. I parked in an acceptable spot and went inside. I wasn’t new to police stations at all, so I knew exactly where to go. Joshua was right, they took the papers and clicked through the clerical shit.
I was told to wait by the door, in the waiting room. There were others around, from all walks of life. I wondered who they were bailing out. One of them was so young, I thought she was bailing out one of her parents. I watched the door impatiently, and even stood up to pace.
I don’t know how long it took, but finally Kellan appeared with two rough officers.
“Kellan!” I called out. He turned to me, and looked surprised to see me.
I ran right into his arms, not caring if it was inappropriate or not. His arms slipped around me and held me close. His body was so warm, and so solid. His scent intoxicating, mixed with his musk it invaded my senses and I nearly inhaled him all at one.
“Thank you…I’m so sorry. I didn’t want any of this to happen.” I mumbled against his chest. He held me at arm’s length and cupped my face, searching my eyes.
“Sorry? Don’t be sorry. I would do it again.”
I really looked at his face then. I didn’t even know the other guy got so many hits in. His eye would be swollen shut tomorrow, now it was an ugly purple and black. His lip was split, but not too bad. His nose had dried blood on it too.
“Let me take you home. I can help with this.” I touched his face gingerly, and he leaned into my touch.
I felt the natural pull between us, and it was overtaking me fast. He nodded and I led him out to the car. He winced as he got inside, and I felt another pang of guilt as he shifted uncomfortable in the drive. He told me where to go.
“Don’t feel guilty.” He broke the silence.
“It’s hard not to. People are blowing up Joshua’s phone. Bloggers are already writing pieces. The bar…”
“Will probably get more customers now. No such thing as bad publicity.” His accent was a deep drawl now. He must be exhausted.
“How can you be so relaxed about all this?” I asked him. He shrugged, but then winced again. How much pain is he really in? I don’t think he would tell me honestly if I asked.
“I’ve experienced worse things in life, Alexa.” He reached over and touched my knee gingerly.
I nodded. We had arrived, he lived in an old firehouse. I parked in the garage and we took the hanger up. The inside was swank, which surprised me. Modern furniture and finishing’s, and it was all open concept. The bedroom openly visible. He walked ahead of me and went into the kitchen to grab a drink, a bottle of Powerade.