by Willow, Jo
Stalemate. In that one exchange, we’d become close friends. We understood each other.
“Ask me anything you want Chase. I’ll always be honest with you.”
His lips moved up in a smile that told me I’d just made the grade. He trusted me and in return, I found myself trusting him. You could do worse than having a Detective on your side.
“This has now gone beyond me keeping an eye on Ayla to keep her safe. The guy used physical violence. We have to bring him in. Strictly observing him is no longer an option.”
I was nodding because I agreed.
“I understand.”
He leaned over and took my hand, startling me.
“No Mel’, I don’t think you do. There’s more.”
I felt my eyebrows crinkle, even if he couldn’t see them.
“More? What kind of ‘more’?”
“There’s a cop outside your door at all times.”
“I expected that. They’re protecting me in case he comes back to finish the job.”
Chase sighed. I got a lot from that sigh and I started to tremble. He squeezed my hand tighter.
“That too. Before I tell you what’s going on, I want you to tell me everything. Start from the first conversation you had with Marconi. Did you call him?”
“What? No! How would I get his number? I don’t even know how he got mine.”
Chase leaned back.
“Go on.”
I did. I told him everything I could remember from every call and encounter that Tony and I ever had. I was surprised at my recall capability. Chase never took his eyes off of me and only interrupted when he needed clarification.
“So on the day that you were abducted, it was you that suggested meeting him for a drink?”
“Well, yeah. Ayla had pissed me off over my engagement to Anton. Tony was trying to tell me that Ayla had never used a safeword the whole time they were together and his own parents had practically disowned him. He sounded pitiful. I also thought that maybe if we were face to face, I could get a read on him. Find out if it he was telling me the truth when he said he wasn’t anywhere near the bar on New Year’s eve. It sounded good in theory. I was going undercover, so to speak. I was the only one in the group that he was talking to.”
Chase exhaled and rubbed his face.
“The strange thing is, I know you well enough to know that those were probably your exact thoughts.”
“They were Chase. I thought I was doing you a favor in an odd way.”
“So you put yourself out there as bait? It never occurred to you that if he was still stalking her after three years, he was probably dangerously unstable?”
“Hindsight is always twenty-twenty Chase.”
“Finish the story.”
I ran through the events in the bar, and Tony’s rush to get us out of there. He seemed to understand that at the time, it felt like a wise move to leave. He also agreed that with the odds against us, he could see why I’d get into the car with Tony without asking any questions.
“Cliff told me the same thing.”
“What? Who’s Cliff?”
“The man that approached you in the bar.”
“Unibrow?”
Chase started laughing for the first time since we started our conversation.
“He was upset that you called him that, but yeah. Unibrow. This is strictly between us Mel’. He’s an undercover cop. He was working a narcotics case.”
“I threatened a cop?”
“Baby, that’s the least of your worries right now. Keep telling the story please.”
I didn’t like that I had other worries I was unaware of, but I finished the story like he asked.
He was silent for a good long minute, while he mulled something over. I could see the wheels turning and I waited patiently.
“I’m going to ask you a few questions and I want simple yes or no answers. No explanations, no rationalizations. Just yes, or no. Got it?”
“Yes.”
“Good. You willingly got into an elevator with Marconi, even after he told you that he was living there at the time?”
“Yes.”
“You turned your back on him and accepted a drink from him?”
“Yes.”
I did NOT like where this was going.
“Even after you woke up naked and in restraints, you flirted and propositioned him?”
“Now wait a minute...”
“Yes, or no.”
“Yes...”
“After he fed you dinner and refused to allow you access to privacy in a bathroom, you flirted with him again?”
I swallowed hard and squeaked out my answer.
“Yes. I had to get him close enough to kick.”
“So you planned to assault him, even though your other three limbs were still restrained? How did you plan to escape? Did you have a handcuff key between the toes of your free foot?”
“Well no...”
“Did you ever, at any time, scream for help?”
“No, I was afraid of what he might do.”
“You say you were afraid, yet you continued to put yourself willingly in harm’s way by offering him sexual favors?”
“Who’s side are you on Chase?”
“Yours. That’s why I’m breaching the rules and telling you something I’m not supposed to.”
“Go on...”
“The fact that you were naive from the beginning will only get you so far. You were acting in self defense the first time you assaulted him because he came to your residence and you felt threatened. Your actions were understandable and you ran away to get help. This time is different.”
“Different how?”
“You knew he was a Dom and you should have known he was dangerous from your first encounter. You should have learned a lesson and steered clear.”
“But he called and apologized for that! He was being nice to me!”
“It’s a well documented fact that Ted Bundy was charming and likable as well. He was still a serial killer. Naive won’t work in your defense this time. Let me spell it out for you. You willingly took his calls without telling anyone, including me, that he’d made contact. You knew the police wanted him for questioning, yet you made no effort to bring the authorities into your relationship.”
“We never had a relationship!”
“Hey, I believe you, but it looks like you were protecting him. That’s what a Sub would do.”
“I’m no Sub and you know it.”
“I know nothing of the kind. I believe you, but we’ve never had an intimate relationship so I can’t speak from experience, can I?"
I know I sounded pouty, but this was not going like I’d hoped.
“No, guess not.”
“Want me to finish?”
“Please do. You’re on a roll.”
“You entered a dive bar in a cagey neighborhood. Willingly. To top it off, you used subterfuge to do it. You told no one where you were going, and when Anton called to ask where you were, you lied to your own fiance in order to continue the subterfuge, severing your only lifeline. At that point, you made the conscious decision to shun protection of any kind. Then you entered his place of residence completely free from coercion of any kind. He drugged you, we know that’s true because you had traces of it in your bloodstream when they ran a tox screen. You woke up compromised and instead of screaming the place down to attract attention, you aggressively sought his sexual attention. Twice. When he finally relented to your suggestions, you caused him bodily harm.”
“He fractured my fucking skull Chase.”
“He was protecting himself Mel’. You made advances and then assaulted him, probably causing permanent damage. After the fact, you bragged about it.”
“He beat the hell out of me and dumped me naked in a park in the dead of winter.”
“Baby, I’m not saying he’s blameless. We both know that nothing could be farther from the truth. I’m telling you what will be said in court, should he decide to
press charges.”
“Press charges?! You think he’ll come after me?”
“I’m saying that the only thing in this whole scenario that’s working in your favor, is the fact that instead of calling the police and having you arrested on the spot, he knocked you out and dumped you for dead.”
“That’s all I’ve got?”
“Sis’, he’s a documented Dom. Dom’s restrain their Subs. They often get rough with their subs. Did you use a safeword?”
“Safeword? I didn’t have a fucking safeword, I told you I’m not a Sub!”
“Ayla didn’t use a safeword either.”
He sat back and stared at me, letting that sink in. The gravity of my situation hit me and I felt as if Tony had punched me yet again. The prick could put me in jail and there wasn’t a thing I could do about it. I felt more helpless now than I did when I was cuffed to the bed.
I looked at Chase who had a completely neutral expression on his face while he waited for me to catch up.
“Chase? I’m scared.”
“You should be. Wanna know what I think he’ll do next?”
“Please. Tell me.”
“I don’t think he’ll press charges.”
“You don’t? You think he’ll be too embarrassed?”
“Nope. I think he’s too smart. He’ll dangle the threat of arrest over your head and even if he heals, he’ll have the visible scars to prove his story. You’ll have the scars as well. Denial of the event is not an option. He’ll blackmail you into doing whatever he wants. What he wants, what he’s always wanted, is Ayla.”
“I’d never give him Ayla. Never.”
“Not even if it meant keeping your ass out of prison? Even if it meant that your family name would be dragged through the mud, taking the Sloans along for the ride? Think about it Mel’. Because I can guarantee that wherever Tony is, he’s thinking about it.”
“My head hurts.”
“Sorry baby. I’m only telling you what you need to know.”
“Okay I know. The question is, what do I do next?”
“Excellent question. New York’s finest will be in your room tomorrow when they transfer you to a step down unit. They’ve only stayed away this long because you’re in ICU and you’re obviously not going anywhere. The cop’s outside to make sure that you don’t.”
“He’s protecting Tony?”
“He’s protecting both of you. Don’t hate him for doing his job Mel’. Nobody knows the real story because nobody was there except the two of you.”
I placed my free hand over the hand that was holding mine.
“I’ve told you the truth Chase.”
“And I believe you. I know you Mel’. I know that you’re an honest woman. It doesn’t hurt that your story matches Cliff’s. I think you’re stupid, but I know you’re honest.”
“Tell me what to do. Please.”
“First, don’t answer any questions from anyone but me without a lawyer present. Innocent or not, the facts incriminate you. When they come to question you tomorrow, you don’t say one word without a damn good lawyer present. They can’t force you to cooperate and I’m not saying you shouldn’t. I’m saying that they’ll take things the way they want to and unless one of them is a woman, what you did was vicious from a male’s point of view. Nothing personal, but it makes you look more crazy than naive.”
“Holy shit Chase. How much trouble am I in?”
“A metric shit-ton, but we might be able to use it in our favor.”
“How?”
“Tony has something to hang over your head now. He won’t disappear again because you handed him opportunity on a silver platter. He’ll use it.”
I settled heavily back against my pillows and put my hands on my bandaged head.
“So I’m bait again.”
“In a way, yes. The good news is, you’ll be wired bait and we’ll be all over it this time. You won’t be going it alone.”
“I bit his dick off Chase. Wired or not, the big guy is pissed.”
“I imagine he is. I would be. But there’s a train of thought I want you to remember.”
“What’s that?”
He leaned over and grinned slyly.
“If you don’t want your dick bitten off, then keep it out of the mouth of your enemy.”
I couldn’t help it. I laughed. Chase laughed with me and somehow, it made me feel better. Oh I was still royally screwed and I’d done it to myself. But Chase was on my side and I wouldn’t let him down again for anything in the world. Know what made that even better? He knew it.
Chapter Twelve
Chase left a little while later and the doctor came in to remove my bandages. I knew by the look on his face that I wasn’t at my beautiful best.
“I need a mirror please.”
The doctor looked distressed as he pulled my beside table closer. The sneaky bastards had conveniently kept it out of my reach once they moved me into my new room.
“Ms. Lincoln, you need to understand that you’ll completely different once the bruises fade and the swelling goes down.”
I gave me my patented, “Do you really think I’m gonna fall apart?” look, and made a move to open the drawer that concealed a decent sized mirror.
“Doc, am I bald?”
He grinned and shook his head.
“No. There’s a bald spot on your right side near the back, but I kept it as minimal as I could.”
I smiled and winked.
“And for that, I’ll be eternally grateful. Don’t worry, I know I look scary. It’s fine.”
I flipped up the mirror and fought the urge to screech. Dr. Frankenstein himself could not have made me look worse. I scrutinized my face carefully. Then I changed my mind. There were only a few visible stitches just along the top of my cheekbone, where he’d broken it and they’d had to go in for repairs. My bruises had begun to yellow and fade. The swelling around my jaw and nose was receding nicely. Yes I looked battered, but broken? Hardly. I was a Lincoln. I came from stronger stuff.
I felt someone watching me and when I looked up, my surgeon looked apprehensive. I smiled and his face lit up.
“It’s good. You did nice work, thank-you.”
“You’re not upset?”
I flipped down the mirror and gave him my undivided attention.
“Doc, if you tickle a gator, you’re gonna get bitten. That’s one of those hard and fast rules of life. I’m glad you were in my corner to clean up the aftermath. I’m not upset at all. I’m thankful.”
He leaned over and hugged me. Shocked, I hugged him back.
“We thought we’d lost you once Mel’. You had us worried. I’m glad you’re okay.”
He leaned back and smiled at the blush on my face.
“Now. When do you want to go home?”
That got my attention.
“I can go home?”
“Things look good on my end. Your lab work has been stable for three days now, your surgical wounds look healthy and you’re tolerating solid food. I see no reason to keep you here. However...”
“I knew there would be a but. Whenever you get good news there’s always a ‘but’ stuck in there somewhere.”
“However... I don’t want you lifting anything over twenty pounds, no driving for awhile, and if you feel dizzy or have vision changes you get here immediately. I also want you to schedule a follow-up for ten days from now. If you’re amenable to all of those stipulations, I’ll turn you loose in the morning.”
My face must have lit up like a neon sign in Vegas. He grinned back and patted my shoulder.
“Alright then. I’ll go fill out the paperwork and call Mr. Sloan.”
I narrowed my eyes and grabbed his sleeve, surprising him.
“Hang on a minute there Doc. Why do you have to call Anton?”
“He’s made it clear that he’s to be called upon your discharge or if there’s any major changes. He’ll need to take you home tomorrow.”
“And who exactly made him m
y medical power of attorney? My keeper? My go-to guy?”
Now it was the doctor’s turn to blush.
“You’re engaged. He made us believe that you were married, actually. He’s been paying your medical bills and told us that you lived together. Is this not true?”
Well shit. He had me there. Besides, I would need a ride home and I suppose I could’ve called Ayla or Sean, but Ayla would’ve told Pierce. That would mean that Anton would’ve shown up anyway. If I called Sean, the Sloans would be offended. I had to wonder if this would be what marriage to a Sloan meant in the real world. My respect for my sister went through the roof. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to handle it as gracefully.
The Doc was still staring at me, only now he was wondering if my mental function was intact.
“Sorry Doc. No, all of that’s true. It’s just that I was hoping for a little time by myself before Anton started ranting.”
The good doctor relaxed and smiled in understanding.
“He is a bit larger than life, your fiance. But he’s only aggressive because he cares for you Melody. He worries and wants the best for you.”
“How do you know all of this Doc?”
“I’m married myself. Fifteen years now. You should have seen me when she gave birth to our son. Those poor delivery nurses couldn’t wait to see my back when we left the hospital.”
I smiled and nodded.
“It’s just that I’m in so much trouble when I get home. I never should have put myself in such a dangerous position to begin with...”
“Well Melody, that’s easily rectified.”
“Tell me. How?”
“Don’t do it again.”
With that he chuckled and turned to leave. I chewed my lip and turned my head to look out the window. Dark clouds were gathering and it looked like a first class thunderstorm was taking shape. “Don’t do it again”. Easier said than done. I was going to walk right in again, wired for sound and scared to death. I trusted that Chase had my back, but he hadn’t been there when Tony took the swing. He hadn’t taken the punch. How fast could one detective and a handful of New York’s finest get to me when or if, Tony Marconi drew his arm back again?