by L. B. Reyes
“I’m going to be sick,” I breathed, rushing to the nearest trash can. At my sudden movement, one of the officers drew his weapon, but I couldn’t stop myself.
Officer Bennett ordered him to stand down, letting him know I was pregnant, and followed me as I emptied my stomach. I clutched on to the trash can for dear life, afraid that if I let go, I would fall. I needed something to stabilize me, anything to ground me. This was something I never thought I would have to prepare for.
Vaguely, I heard other voices, and it wasn’t until I saw a stretcher and medical supplies that I realized that the paramedics were there.
I rinsed my mouth and soon was having my blood pressure checked. I glared at everyone there as I searched for my phone. The place was a mess, but they looked through every crevice. It wasn’t until they pulled out a shirt, to be more specific the shirt Nathan had worn when he got into the bar fight, that everything started to sink in.
“Derek was attacked?”
“We can’t discuss—”
Officer Bennett silenced the others with a glare. “He was attacked a couple of nights ago in an alley, left for dead. He was severely injured. Everything points to Nathan Maxwell doing it. Do you know anything about how he obtained the stains on his shirt?”
I swallowed. “I do, but I’m sure you do too. You already know he got in a bar fight. You’ve more than likely seen the surveillance videos, but I refuse to say anything else without a lawyer.”
“You could be charged—”
“She’s right,” Officer Bennett said. “Are we done here?”
The officers nodded as they took whatever items they thought could be of use, including Nathan’s cell phone.
“Could you drive me to the station?” I asked with my head still spinning and my heart still racing.
They had taken my fiancé, so they could make sure that I got back to him.
***
“Here.” I stared at the water bottle in Officer Bennett’s hand while I waited for the lawyer that David sent. Hesitantly, I took it in my hands and opened it, grateful when the cool liquid contacted my dry throat.
“He’s not saying anything.”
“Good. He knows his rights.”
It was impossible to focus on anything, impossible to think straight. I could do nothing to help until he spoke to the attorney, who thankfully arrived shortly after.
“Look, I understand you’re upset, but we’re just doing our jobs. Everything points to him—”
“Everything what?” I asked, shaking my head. “He came home to me that night. He told me about the bar fight, didn’t try to hide it.”
“Did he act suspicious?”
“He didn’t act suspicious because he didn’t do anything,” I hissed. “He told me his friend, Thomas Lanthorn, had driven him home and—”
The officer raised his hand, quickly jotting down the professor’s name. I swallowed. What was I getting into?
“The reason I write this down,” he began, “is because there is surveillance video of him walking out of the bar after Derek left, on foot. Never is he seen getting inside of a car. Coincidently, he walks in the direction that Derek was found later that night.”
“I think that’s enough, Officer Bennett. You’ve gotten enough out of my client’s distressed and pregnant girlfriend for tonight, don’t you think?”
My head snapped up to the sound of that voice. It was commanding and intimidating, so much that Officer Bennett stood up with hesitation. “Never thought I’d see you around again.” The officer was genuinely surprised.
The man, who I assumed was the attorney, glanced my way and smiled warmly. “I’m going to need a copy of her statement, and I’m going to need it thrown out if you didn’t let her know that you were interviewing her.” He turned his gaze to the officer, and to my surprise, all warmth was gone. “I was taking a break, but I thought, why the hell not? This is an interesting case. Good time for a comeback.”
To my surprise, Officer Bennett snorted and then laughed. The attorney did too, and to add even another surprise, they shook hands and hugged.
“Good to have you back, man.”
What the hell is this insanity?
After a brief conversation, the officer left us both alone. I shifted on my seat, unsure of what to do or say. Finally, the attorney took pity on me and leaned back against the wall, studying me thoroughly before he spoke up.
“Evelyn Carson, correct?”
I nodded.
“Okay, now I’m going to need you to calm down so that you can tell me everything you know about that night. I know you weren’t there and have already heard Nathan’s version, but I will need yours as well as the friends that were with him, especially that Lanthorn guy. Do not talk to officers without me present, understood?”
Again, I nodded.
“Okay, now brace yourself. It’s going to be a long night,” he said, opening his suitcase.
I cleared my throat. “Your name…” He tilted his head to the side, looking confused. “You haven’t given me your name.”
His eyes widened. “Shit,” he muttered. “I’m all out of practice. My name is Damian Novax.”
Chapter 33
Evelyn
Damian wasn’t kidding when he said it would be a long night. The questions were endless and tiring—and honestly, quite repetitive. It seemed like I was always answering the same question but in different words, most of them revolving around Nathan’s behavior, asking me if he was a violent person or had anger issues.
The only reason I maintained my sanity was because of his lawyer. He was a no bullshit type of guy, and everyone knew that well enough, judging by the way they were respectful while he was around. Jessica and Thomas had given him the information needed and were cooperating, and though I was thankful, I hated the way Jessica was acting distraught, like Nathan was her significant other and not mine. It irritated me.
But in that moment, all that mattered was to get Nathan out of there.
“Here,” Damian said, giving me a water bottle along with chips. “Figured you’re probably a bit hungry.”
I thanked him, unable to take a bite despite the hunger. The accusation against Nathan upset me, and the stress didn’t do me well, either. We all got angry, but there was a huge leap from that to doing something to hurt someone else.
“Does anyone know the state Derek is in?” I asked, looking from Damian to Thomas. Both shook their head, but Jessica spoke up.
“Does his condition really matter?” she spat harshly.
I felt the tension in the room rise, especially when I tilted my head to the side. “I think you should go home,” I stated. “You’ve given all the information the lawyer needs. You should leave.”
She looked pissed, and though perhaps immature, it gave me plenty of satisfaction. I knew she wasn’t there as a friend but as a woman who had feelings for him. I didn’t accept it. Thomas sensed this and let her know it was time to leave, and so they did.
“Clearly she’s not welcome here.” Damian smiled, sitting next to me.
I shrugged. “I don’t usually care, but the last thing I need right now is to see a woman who has feelings for my fiancé flaunting it. I get it.”
“Yeah…well, this should all be over by tomorrow.” I looked up at him, not allowing myself to feel hope. I didn’t want to get them up because if things didn’t work out…I wouldn’t be able to handle it.
The thought of raising a child while Nathan was in prison—it was too much to bear.
Damian noticed it, so he kept talking, explaining what he believed would happen. “They don’t have evidence other than what they ‘assume’ Derek meant by mentioning his name. Thomas testifies he drove him home. There’s nothing they can go on. As soon as they finish reviewing the surveillance videos and they see he’s not there, he’ll be out of here, at least on bond. There is nothing to worry about.”
He was persuasive. I looked for any doubt in his words, almost wanting to find it, but I re
alized he wouldn’t have said it unless he believed it. I nodded, sighing.
“I’ve called Nathan’s parents. They’re coming to pick you up because, honestly, this does you no good and it doesn’t help him, being in there tense during questioning. He needs to keep himself in check.”
“I don’t want to leave, though. I—I want to be here for him and—”
“I understand that,” he interrupted. “But there’s nothing else to do. You’ve given your statement. His friends have given theirs. Let me handle the rest. It’s my job, after all.”
Too tired to argue, I didn’t say anything.
A few minutes later, the Maxwells were at the station. Deborah greeted me with a much-needed hug, her eyes sad and worried. If I felt bad, I couldn’t even begin to imagine what she felt. I put my happy face on to reassure her, even if I didn’t fully believe everything would be okay.
Frank drove us to their home, where I cuddled up on the sofa, falling asleep almost immediately after.
***
I woke up later covered up in a blanket and my whole body sore from the awkward position in which I’d slept.
Never sleeping on a sofa while pregnant again.
“Good morning,” Deb’s voice called out from the other side of the living room. “We tried to wake you up, but you were deep asleep.”
I grimaced, clearing my throat. “Sorry.”
Gaze softening, she took a seat next to me, placing her warm hand over my own. It was the comfort we both needed.
“I need you to tell me what’s going on with that man—Derek—and Nathan. I think we have the right to know, especially given the situation.”
They needed to know. But how could I explain it to them if even I didn’t know completely? Derek never got the chance to tell me what was really going on. He never gave me the explanation I needed. Regardless, I couldn’t keep them in the dark anymore.
“You don’t have to believe a word I say, but I am one hundred percent sure Derek never accused Nathan. To me, it was more of a warning,” I confessed nervously.
“Why a warning?”
For the second time in less than twelve hours, I retold Derek’s story. It was all draining, but I hoped that knowing a little bit more about him would help her understand what my thought process had been like.
“Oh, Nathan is going to be mad that he didn’t know anything about Derek wanting to hurt you,” she said, running her hands over her face.
“I didn’t even really get a chance to tell him,” I sighed. “There was nothing I could tell him. Derek didn’t get a chance to explain because…well…this happened.” Deborah squeezed my hand in a comforting manner. She understood. Taking a deep breath, I continued. “But Damian thinks he can get him out today. That’s good, right?”
Frank, who we hadn’t noticed was leaning against the wall, spoke up then. “He’s just called.”
I inhaled deeply without letting go of Deb’s hand. We were each other’s support in that moment as he told us the judge reached a decision.
***
Nathan
I leaned my head against the wall, closing my eyes. Despite the lack of sleep, I wasn’t tired. I wouldn’t ever be able to sleep again if I wasn’t out there with Evelyn.
As much as I missed her, though, I couldn’t hide my anger after learning she hid Derek’s intentions from me. Why the hell didn’t she tell me? Even if she believed what Derek said, nothing guaranteed he was being honest.
I couldn’t help but think back to the little moments we shared, the moments I never realized I’d remember. In that precise moment, those first nights we spent together after I arrived in New York were the one thing on my mind.
“I can’t sleep.”
I shifted on the bed only to find Evie lying on her side and staring back at me. She almost seemed ashamed that she’d woken me up. I cupped her cheek, her eyes fluttering closed with the contact. It always soothed her when I did that.
“Am I enough for you, Nathan?”
The question caught me off guard. Sometimes she needed reassuring, but she was usually a confident woman.
“Why are you asking me this?”
“I don’t know…I’m a mess sometimes. I don’t know what I want. I frustrate myself. It’s only natural that I frustrate others,” she whispered.
Evie didn’t hesitate to answer. Regardless of the emotion, she felt everything tenfold, and now she felt uncertain.
“You’re more than enough for me,” I reassured her, placing a kiss on her forehead.
“Show me.”
I studied her but didn’t ask why she felt that way. I knew the things that her mom and sister had said to her still affected her. She never bad mouthed her mother, rarely spoke about Hannah, and yet it was a weight she still carried on her shoulders.
She kissed me, her lips parting immediately to let me in.
Maybe those doubts would never go away, but I’d spend the rest of my life trying to erase them.
“You finally sleeping?”
I opened my eyes only to find Damian looking at me with a raised eyebrow. “We’ve gotten the surveillance video in which you are seen getting in to the vehicle with Thomas Lanthorn, confirming both your versions.” My closed fists opened as I began to feel some sense of relief. “Now, they’re not clearing you as a suspect just yet, but they are letting you free at least for now.”
I can breathe again.
“With the ties you have to your business, your fiancé, and your family, the judge feels like there’s no way you’ll run, is there?”
“Fuck no, I’m not running.” I chuckled.
“You will cooperate?”
“I will.”
“They’ve set a court date, but I’ll give you that information once we’re out of here. You have your friends already waiting for you, and Evelyn and your parents should be here in a bit.”
Keep breathing.
The following minutes dragged on. We posted bail and filled out the necessary paperwork stating I wouldn’t try to run, though they had to know I wouldn’t. I had too much to lose; I couldn’t risk it. Soon, they would realize they had no evidence against me, and they would clear my name.
When I walked outdoors, I took a deep breath, cherishing even the feel of the fresh air. It hadn’t been too long at all, but to me, it seemed like an eternity.
However, the arms that wrapped around my neck brought me back to reality.
It wasn’t Evie, though.
“Thank God you’re out,” Jessica said. I hugged her back, not thinking much of her actions. “We were all so worried, Nathan.”
I pulled back to search the parking lot for my family but was stopped abruptly when Jessica’s hands held my face and brought her lips to mine.
Chapter 34
Nathan
What.
The.
Fuck.
Jessica moved her lips against mine, not realizing I wasn’t kissing her back. It wasn’t that I hadn’t kissed her before—I had, way before I came to New York. It never felt right. It was only been once, and even with the drinks I had that night, I knew it would never feel right.
She was a beautiful woman, just not the woman I wanted.
I remained frozen for a few seconds, too stunned to react. When I did, I saw her blue eyes ablaze, as if she’d done something she’d wanted to do for a long time. I cut her happiness short with my reaction.
“What the hell are you thinking?”
“I-I’m sorry, Nate. I didn’t think—” Jessica blinked as she crashed back to reality.
A reality in which I was engaged to Evelyn. A reality in which she knew I’d never given her the idea that we would ever be together.
I had little time to react any further, because when I looked up, I saw Evie standing in place, her eyes glued to Jessica and me. Her clenched jaw showed her anger. My parents were there along with Carter, but I couldn’t look away from Evie. It wasn’t the lack of surprise in her expression that had me also frozen; it was th
e offense she’d taken.
She was furious and heartbroken.
Damian nudged me with his elbow. “If I were you, I’d go to your fiancé before she murders you. We’re right outside the jail. They’ll apprehend her pretty quick.”
Was this dude fucking joking?
He shrugged, as if saying it was all friendly advice.
I realized I should have followed it when Evelyn walked determinedly towards us with her fists balled to her sides. We should have all seen it coming. I should have seen it coming.
Evelyn’s fist landed on Jessica’s face in a blink of an eye. A startled gasp left her lips, but Evie wasn’t done. Her other hand landed on Jessica’s cheek, the sound so loud I was sure that the security at the entrance of the building could hear. The red hand print on Jessica’s face and the busted lip were evidence of her fury.
“You bitch,” Evelyn hissed, her voice breaking. “I told you to use your mouth to talk to him, not to kiss him.”
“Baby, stop,” I said, wrapping my arm around her waist and pulling her back. Jessica’s eyes were wide with surprise, but she seemed like she was about to lunge if Evelyn didn’t listen to her.
“Evelyn, I—”
“I don’t have time to listen to your bullshit,” Evie spat. “Get the fuck out of here. You had your chance, and you fucking ruined it.”
I knew Evelyn well enough to know that though she was a calm person, she was not to be messed with. In that moment, she had no control over her emotions; she was upset and overwhelmed with everything that happened. I couldn’t risk her getting hurt if Jessica decided to do something.
“I don’t know what happened, Evelyn. I’m—” Jessica looked like she was about to cry. As much as I cared for her—because I did—I couldn’t talk to her then. I glanced back at Tom, who was just as shocked as the rest of us. “Nate, I need to talk to you, I—”
“Screw you, Jessica,” Evie hissed. “I went out of my way so that you could get your shit together. I even felt bad.” Evelyn attempted to take another step forward, hit Jessica again. “You fucking saw us arrive. I waved at you. I may be too nice at times, but I am not stupid.”