Chapter 28
Harley
Seems my little talk with Sawyer worked. Landry confirmed that Sawyer returned to Georgia two days after our run-in and has been laying low. Nothing has come up about it at work either. I knew the douchebag wouldn’t have the balls to try and press charges because I’m not a woman. He only wants to prey on people that he thinks are helpless. We deal with fuckers like him all the time at work. Some learn their lessons. Most do not.
I’m relieved, but I still haven’t shared any of this news with Raylynn, mostly because I’ve been swamped at work and by the time I get home at night, I know she’s already in bed. I’m happy as hell that I’m only working an eight-hour day shift today and that I won’t have to deal with the Saturday night craziness.
With Sawyer out of New York, I sent Landry and Robert back to Florida with a promise that if Sawyer made a move, Landry would reach out to me right away and we’d go from there. In the meantime, the security at 425 Madison is still being extra vigilant and I’ve let a few guys at the department know to keep an eye out when they’re on patrol, without going into too much detail.
Tonight, Raylynn and I made plans to go out to dinner when I get off work to catch up on how her first week at King Cosmetics went and to simply hang out. Over dinner, I’ll update her about her crazy ex.
I’m finishing up with a call on the Upper East Side when my radio goes off again. “11-60 in progress, 72 Street Metro Station. All available units respond. Proceed with caution. Fire and Rescue en route. Possible mass casualty situation.”
“Officer 7971 10-49 to 72 Street Metro Station.”
Lights and sirens on, adrenaline kicks in as I listen to the details continue to roll in over the radio. A jackass with a machine gun has opened fire at the Metro station. This is going to be a fucking nightmare no matter how big or small the incident.
Traffic is damn near gridlocked in the area, so it takes far longer than I’d like for me to arrive on scene.
House 49 is on scene and has established joint command with SWAT. They give me orders to help with blocking off the perimeter and keeping the public out of the way.
The whole fucking mess takes hours to resolve and clean up. When it’s all over, four people have died, including the gunman.
Dinner with Raylynn is, sadly, completely off the table. There was no time to call or text to cancel, and by the time I’m on the way home, it’s closer to ten o’clock. My emotions are still running on high and I know I’m not fit for company until I’ve slept and decompressed.
The radio buzzes to life again two blocks from the apartment building. “10-57 Shots fired East 48th near Madison Avenue. Caller advises female victim being held at gunpoint.”
I’ve immediately got a bad feeling about this.
“Officer 7971 is en route. ETA four minutes.”
Technically I’m off duty, but I know I’m the closest damn officer to the scene.
“Copy. Officer 7971 back in service,” Dispatch replies.
Pulling up to the location, I immediately jump from my car with my weapon out. A nearby citizen tells me that they saw the suspect drag a woman between the two buildings.
I quickly relay the information to dispatch and request backup for the surrounding area as I run headfirst in the direction they were last seen.
I turn the corner and can see shadows and hear a woman screaming.
“NYPD, stop and put your hands up.”
The woman screams again. I continue moving towards toward the noise.
“Shut the fuck up, bitch,” a male voice warns.
“NYPD step out with your hands up. Let the woman go.”
The male suspect steps into the light, holding onto the female. His gun is pointed right at me.
“Took you long enough. I thought you were better than that. Didn’t hear the whore scream?” he sneers at me.
It takes a split second to take in every detail when I get a good look at the suspect and the victim he’s holding on to. I recognize them both almost instantly.
Pure, white-hot rage runs through me at seeing her tear-soaked face shadowed in fear.
Raylynn.
Her asshole ex obviously didn’t heed my warning. The motherfucker is back, and he’s got my girl. Right here in the middle of the street.
“Get the fuck away from her,” I warn when he yanks her head back and she yelps.
“Not a chance in hell. This time she’s coming with me. You were too late.”
His gun his still aimed directly at my chest.
“One more warning, put down the gun or I will shoot.”
Sawyer sneers, “Not if I shoot first.”
I’ve got one clear shot, so I take it, praying that Raylynn doesn’t move. At the same time that my gun fires, something hits me in my chest and knocks the wind out of me.
“Harley!” Raylynn screams and runs toward me. Her embrace knocks me off my feet and sends us both to the ground.
Sirens scream out around us, and other officers begin to flood the area.
“Babe. I need you to get up,” I gasp. “I need to breathe.”
Liam’s ugly mug fills my line of sight, and he helps Raylynn stand.
“You need to stay still,” a female voice barks when I try to sit up.
“Fucking EMS,” I grunt.
“You were hit square in the chest, dumbass. We’re going to have to take you in to get looked at.”
They’re busy loading me onto a backboard and onto the stretcher while Liam tries to get Raylynn to go with him, no doubt, to answer questions.
“Liam,” I call out.
“No bullshit, Wags, I’m trying to get her out of this damn alley so we can get her checked out and take a statement, then I’ll hand-deliver her to you,” he yells back.
What a fucking night. So much for a quiet eight-hour shift.
Someone owes me some goddamn answers about how this asshole got back in my city, too.
Chapter 29
Raylynn
Liam delivers me to Bellevue Hospital what feels like hours later; after I’ve been checked out and released from Mount Sinai’s ER, given a statement and told the police everything that I know about the situation with Sawyer. When I questioned why they didn’t take me to the same hospital as Harley, Liam simply said that Harley was where he needed to be.
There are a few cops in the waiting room who all nod and acknowledge Liam. One officer approaches us and greets me. “You must be Raylynn?”
“I am,” I answer hesitantly.
“Raylynn, this is Captain Russek,” Liam explains.
“I’ve got one pissed off cop back there, giving everyone hell and asking where you’re at.” Captain Russek adds. “What do you say I take you back to see him?”
“Yes. Please,” I beg, my voice not wavering.
I follow Captain Russek through the maze of an ER, and as we get closer, I can hear Harley’s voice barking orders and asking questions. Captain Russek laughs and knocks on the wall beside the curtain. “Wags, are you decent? Someone here to see you.”
“Better not be fucking I.A.”
Captain Russek shakes his head and holds the curtain back for me to enter.
The minute I see Harley sitting up in bed and the huge bruise that’s already forming over his heart, I lose it.
“Hey. Come ‘ere.” He holds out his hand.
“I was so scared,” I confess, letting the tears roll down my face.
“I’m fine. That’s what bulletproof vests are for. If the dumbass really wanted me dead, he would have aimed for my head.”
“Not funny,” I sob.
“Okay, you’re right. I’m sorry, but I promise, I’m okay. Are you okay?”
“Sawyer’s dead.” I let out another sob and hiccup.
“He was holding on to you and had a damn gun pointed at me,” Harley defends.
“I know. You saved my life. You killed a man.”
This time he doesn’t beat around the bush. “And I’d make the
same damn choice all over again if I had to.”
“You almost died.” Clearly, I’m an absolute mess and my emotions are all over the place.
“I didn’t die. I’ll be sore for a few days, but they said I’ll make a full recovery. I’m like Iron Man, made of steel.”
A tiny giggle escapes. “I hate you.”
“You do not.” He pulls me against him and kisses the top of my head. “Get yourself settled down. They’re going to let me out of here soon, and we’ll go back to my place and get cleaned up.”
“Call a cab or a friend, Wags, they’re not going to let you drive yourself home.” Captain Russek slips into the room after giving us some time. “Doc says you’re out for two weeks. You know the process with the investigation. Don’t go running off anywhere and keep your phone on.”
“Aww, come on Cap, you don’t want to drive us home?”
“Last time I drove you home, you puked in the backseat,” Russek says.
“Seriously, that was four years ago and after Adam’s bachelor party. You were the designated driver.”
A redheaded woman in a white lab coat joins us with a stack of papers. “You’re lucky Mr. Wagner. Things could have been a lot worse.”
“Thanks, Doctor Kerr. You going to let me leave now?”
“As soon as you sign these papers for me. And next time you come in here, don’t go scaring my nurses. They sent me in here because they’re all too afraid you’re going to bite their heads off.”
“Kerr, it sounds like you need tougher nurses.” Captain Russek grins.
“Nah. Don’t let her fool you, she wanted to be the one to say goodbye. It’s been a while since we’ve seen one another. Right, Kasey?”
My jaw drops, and I feel like I’ve missed out on something when Doctor Kerr says, “Go to hell, Harley.”
After everyone clears out and Captain Russek says he’s going to meet us outside, I can’t help but ask Harley what that exchange was all about. Blame it on needing a distraction from the reality of what really happened tonight.
“I dated her for a while,” he answers honestly while I help him put his uniform shirt back on. “Before you go getting all jealous, she’s married now, ironically to Adam and they’re happy as pie. She and I were never a good fit for each other.”
“Who said I was jealous?” I try to cover it up.
“I’ll take your word for it.”
It’s pushing eight o’clock in the morning when we get to Harley’s apartment. Needing something to do to block everything out of my mind, I remember how Harley took care of me when I was sick in Hawaii and know that now is my chance to return the favor.
“You talked to Olivia tonight?” Harley asks before I have a chance to try and get him in the shower.
“Oh. No. I haven’t. She said they were staying in Connecticut at some fancy hotel and would be back late Sunday. Is it bad that I’m kinda glad she isn’t home, and I don’t have to talk about what happened with her yet?”
“Nah.” He wraps his arms around me. “You don’t have to be strong about this either.”
The tears that I thought were gone come flooding back. “It’s all so messed up.”
“Yeah, it is,” he agrees. “Come with me. I think I know what might help.”
Harley leads me through his apartment and into his master suite. Inside the bathroom is a massive claw-foot soaker tub that he immediately starts to fill.
“I don’t have any girly stuff, so you’ll have to smell like me,” he teases while pouring in body wash from a bottle on the shelf.
“I should be the one taking care of you,” I tell him.
He takes my hand and kisses it. “We can take care of each other.”
Harley lets me undress him and climbs into the tub. I fully intend to sit on the side and cater to him, but he refuses.
“Undress and get in here.”
“Harley.”
“Raylynn. Take your damn clothes off and join me, woman.”
I trust that he knows his limits and what he wants, so I strip down and gently climb into the warm tub. Harley pulls me into his lap, and for a moment I panic.
“Shh. It’s only me. I won’t hurt you, ever.”
“I didn’t see him coming.” A loud sob escapes.
“It’s okay. You’re okay,” Harley soothes. “It’s all over. He can never hurt you again.”
I sniffle. “His father tried to warn me. There was a voicemail on my phone. I never listened to it. Maybe if I would have…”
“Babe, listen to me.” He brushes my hair over my shoulder and kisses my neck. “You had no way to stop this. You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“I could have lost you.” And above all else, that’s what hurts the worst.
“But you didn’t. I’m still here.”
Harley holds me in his arms until the water turns cold. We take our time drying one another off before crawling into bed together.
Chapter 30
Harley
Sleep overtakes Raylynn while I lay awake. All I can do is hold her while she tosses and turns, murmuring while she tries to rest.
Later today, when we’re both well-rested, I’ll suggest to her that she looks into seeing a professional to work through everything. I’ve been down this road before. The department will make me get an eval before I can come back to work. I won’t wait that long though. I’ll call my therapist in the next few days and get in there to take care of myself, too.
Raylynn finally seems to settle down, so I let my eyes drift closed and rest.
When I wake, I’m in bed alone, and she’s gone. I panic, searching the place for my phone to call her. My calls go straight to voicemail. Dressing in a hurry, I throw on a pair of sweats and head next door.
Jameson answers the door. “She’s here,” he tells me right away.
“Thank fuck.”
“You okay?”
“Yes. I’m fine, but I need to lay eyes on her. Let me inside.”
He rubs the back of his neck and steps back. “Right. Shit. We should talk first,” Jameson slips out the door and lets it close behind him.
“Jay, you’re my best friend but I won’t hesitate to knock your ass out if you do not let me get to my girl.”
“Your girl, eh? Then you care to explain to me what all this back and forth has been about? Don’t you think it’s about time that you’re either in or out?”
“Fuck. You. You really are one to talk, aren’t you? Do you have any idea what we’ve been through? I nearly lost her.”
“Yeah you sure did. Ass. Like I said, don’t you think it’s time to get your shit together and work it out with her?”
I shove on his chest. “Jameson, that’s what I’m fucking trying to do, but you’re standing in my way.” Swaying to his left, I push past him and walk in their apartment.
“Yeah, come on in,” he mumbles behind me.
I walk in and find Raylynn balled up on the couch next to Liv. They’re red-eyed from crying. I rush to her side and pull her into my arms.
“You fucking terrified me.”
She sniffles. “I’m sorry. You needed to rest, and I needed to breathe.”
“It’s okay.”
“We’re glad you’re both okay,” Liv speaks up.
“You and me both,” I tell her honestly.
“I think, I want to go back to bed,” Raylynn whispers.
“Have you eaten?” I ask. “If not, you should eat a little bit before you rest.”
“He’s right, Raylynn. I’ll make you both something to eat, then we’ll leave you be.”
Liv whips up simple grilled cheese sandwiches and brings them over to us. Raylynn picks at hers, only managing to finish half.
“I’m really sorry for not waking you to tell you I was coming over here,” she apologizes again.
“Don’t worry about it,” I reassure her.
“Can you lay with me again? I won’t walk off this time.”
“Whatever you need.”
; The next two weeks fly by. Raylynn’s coping a little better every day thanks to Olivia, who hooked her up with a therapist that she wouldn’t have to wait months to get an appointment with. According to Raylynn, this Laura person has generously been working with her twice a week at the moment.
I’m just coming back from my doctor’s appointment and the meeting with work to find out my fate. I walk into the precinct, fully expecting a shit show. What I get is a pleasant surprise.
Internal Affairs cleared me, and now that I’ve got clearance from my doctor, I’m free to return to duty. I paid a visit to the bullpen and already have my name back on the shift rotation for next week.
Tonight, I’m making good on that dinner date that never happened. It will also be a social experiment of sorts for Raylynn since it will be the first time that she’ll be truly out and walking through the city since the attack. I’m prepared that this whole thing could flop, but she’s promised me that she’s ready to try.
Raylynn: Okay. I lied. I’m really nervous. I know I shouldn’t be, and I know you’ll be with me the whole time.
Her text comes in while I’m getting dressed.
Me: It’s okay to be nervous. Remember what you said, I’ll be with you the whole time. And if you decide it’s too much, then we turn around and come back.
Raylynn: No. I refuse to let that bastard own me from the grave. I can do this.
Me: That’s my girl. I’ll see you in ten.
Over the last fourteen days, we’ve alternated which apartment we’ve stayed at. Some nights she wants to be around everyone, and other nights, she likes the solitude of my place. You won’t hear me complain, though I won’t lie, I’m looking forward to the day that she decides to give in and stay with me permanently.
Raylynn’s waiting for me the minute I knock on the door.
“Let’s do this.”
I chuckle. “I’m ready if you are.”
“If we don’t leave, right now, there’s a chance I might chicken out,” she says, looping her arm in mine.
Love Under Protection (425 Madison Avenue Book 15) Page 12