“Did you get it?” I ask Kitty. She pulls her cell out and watches the recording back. She nods and grabs the machine before taking it apart, revealing the chip that collects all the data.
“I know my rights!” he screams, but when I push him to the floor, he squirms, still trying to get away.
Crouching down, I growl out, “You’re a piece of shit. Stay where you are, or I’ll knock you out to keep you quiet.”
His face pales as Kitty lifts the cell to her ear. “Charlie. I got him.” She nods her head. “Yeah, and the machine. On camera, too.” She chuckles. “Luke.” She looks over at me, her smile waning. “Oh… okay. Do you want us to… right, yeah. Be there soon.” Pulling the cell from her ear she says, “He asked if we could bring him down to the precinct. Charlie wants to talk to you about something.” She pauses a beat. “About Lily.” I nod and lift the guy off the floor as she bags up the machine.
“Hey, man! You can’t leave my shop open for anyone—”
“Shut the fuck up.”
Pulling him to the SUV, I ignore his pleas before unlocking it and pushing him into the back. Kitty slides in next to him as I start the engine and drive to the precinct.
We hand off the guy to the booking officer and I leave Kitty to talk to her and give her the evidence as I’m buzzed up the stairs.
Heading to Charlie’s office, I close the door behind me when I’m inside and wait for him to tell my why he wants to see me.
My hands sit at my waist and when he looks up, his face twists into an expression I know all too well.
“Her dad reported her missing,” he says, standing up. “He came in with his son.” He swipes his hand through his hair. “He knows where she is, Luke. Why else would he come to this precinct?”
“Fuck!” My hands grip the back of the chair opposite his desk, the plastic snapping with the force. “I need to get back to the compound.”
“Luke.” I ignore him, storming out and down the stairs. “Luke!”
“Charlie? Luke? What happen—”
“I need to get back,” I tell Kitty, my heart thumping in my chest. If he gets to her again, I won’t be held responsible for what I’ll do to him. And her brother? How could he come in here with him? Does he know what he did to her?
“Luke!” I don’t answer either of them as they call me, and it’s not until Charlie stands in front of me, blocking my way to get into my car that I finally look up.
“Get out of my way.”
“Listen.” He holds his hands out in front of him. “You need to calm down. He may know where she is, but he can’t get to her there.”
“He can try,” I growl out. “But I’ll kill him if—”
“Okay, I can’t hear you say that.” He steps back. “Just stop and think for a minute.” He takes a breath, Kitty standing beside me. “He played his hand. You know he knows now, you can keep her safe.”
Staring at him before scrubbing my hands down my face, I throw my fist into the driver’s door. “Fuck! I can’t let him get to her again, and this fucking job is keeping me from protecting her.”
“Talk to Ty,” Charlie says. “And I’ve got my team on it.”
I nod, knowing I need to figure all this out but not on my own. I can’t do it myself, no matter how much I want to. I need help, and the only people I’ll ask that from is my family.
LILY
I run the cloth over the front of the cupboard door, the smell of bleach surrounding me. I haven’t stopped cleaning since Luke left the house a few hours ago. He told me I don’t have to tidy up after him but what he doesn’t understand is I have to.
I’ve got to feel like I’m doing something. I’m bored with only my mind to keep me company, and right now, that’s not a good place to be. My injuries are healing nicely, leaving behind some scars on my skin as well as my soul. But outwardly I look better—normal.
Leaning back on my haunches, I run my gaze over the kitchen, the sun shining through the window and making it sparkle. Tidy house, tidy mind, right? Only my brain is all mixed up like drawers pulled out with clothes everywhere.
It needs organizing, but I don’t know where to start.
I jump when there’s a knock at the door, my head whipping around to face it. My heart starts to beat faster in my chest as my eyes widen.
“Lily? It’s Ty.”