by Harloe Rae
We pass Lance, who’s done sobbing like a little bitch. His expression is pure evil. “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of Sutton for you.”
An animalistic roar rips from my throat. “Don’t you fucking touch her. I’ll kill you.”
He cackles. “You’re only proving my case, Bowen.”
Piping hot rage fills my veins and I struggle against the cuffs. The officers clutching my arms grip me tighter. “Knock it off, kid. You’re only making this worse.”
How the fuck could this possibly get worse? A vision of Sutton’s beautiful face appears in front of me. What the hell are we going to do? I try to hold onto images of her, but the shadows are already obscuring my view. They toss me into the back of a cruiser. Just as they’re about to trap me inside, Lance appears.
He leans in so only I can hear. “Say hello to your dad for me.”
Happy something #126: Trusting against all odds.
I guzzle some more water while keeping my gaze trained on the bathroom hallway. Grady hasn’t emerged, regardless of my insistent staring. He’s been gone for at least fifteen minutes. Am I being paranoid? There’s little doubt. But he wouldn’t leave me alone longer than absolutely necessary. The tether between us is straining and I feel the taut pull in my chest. Something isn’t right.
My gut is yelling at me to investigate. I chomp on an ice cube and check the clock. We should be leaving soon. The blaring hip hop that’s been playing fades into a muted whisper. My vision tunnels and blocks out anything that’s beyond the dark alcove. Where is he? I’m about to send him a text when Lacie sits beside me.
She rubs my arm. “What’s wrong, Sutt?”
I tap my nails on the table. “Grady isn’t back yet.”
Her eyes follow the unwavering line of mine. “Where’d he go?”
“To the bathroom. He was going to get some air after that.”
“He’s taking an extended breather. No big deal. This place is popping. I’m sure a lot of people are stepping outside for a break.” Her placating touch continues and my skin crawls. I need his coarse palm to be reassuring me.
“No, that doesn’t sound like Grady.”
“Maybe he’s dropping a deuce.”
I wrinkle my nose. “Eww, no way. Not at the bar.”
She huffs and rolls her eyes. “You’re freaking for no reason. He’ll be stomping through that door at any moment.”
“That’s what I’m waiting for.” Each second ticks by slower than the last. The knot in my stomach yanks harder until I’m a ball of tension. I give into my earlier impulse and message him.
Me: Did you get lost? I’m starting to worry. Tell me you ran into an old friend so I can relax.
The three little dots don’t appear. There’s no sign of him opening the text. I force down the bubble in my throat that’s doubling in size. He’s fine. I’m overreacting. Everything is all good. There’s no reason to lose my head over a few pesky minutes. I try to smooth the furrow from my features.
When I glance over, Lacie has a front row view to my mini-meltdown. She raises a slim brow. “Should we look for him?”
I’m not fooling anyone. I allow my expression to collapse. “I think so.”
My ass is halfway off the stool when Molly appears in front of me. A frown is pinching her pretty face. “Have you seen Lance?”
I just shake my head.
“Is he missing? Seems like a common theme,” Lacie muses.
I shoot her a glare. “Don’t say that. I’m scared enough.”
She has the decency to wince. “Sorry. I’m not trying to be insensitive. Think of me as staying on the bright side.”
A slow rush of pressure eases off my lips. “Yeah, okay. Thanks.”
“What’s going on? Grady is gone?” Molly is still blocking my view.
Any semblance of calm shatters with her questions. I peek at my phone. The damn device is silent. Not a single notification wakes the black screen. “I refuse to believe he left me. He’s around here somewhere.”
Molly taps her chin. “Do you think they’re together?”
A chill slithers through me. “I highly doubt that.”
“Why not?” She fiddles with a perfectly coiffed curl.
“They don’t really get along.” I’m distracted, my brain scrambling over possibilities. Her gasp has me looking over. “What?”
“It looks like something big is going down.” She points out the window.
The flashes of red and blue catch my attention first. At least three police cruisers are lined up along the curb. That sneaking suspicion in my gut rips wide open and swallows me. In the next beat, I’m off my seat and dashing out the door.
Lance is the first person I stumble across. He’s sitting on the trunk of a squad car with an ice pack covering half his face. I slam to a skidding halt in front of him.
“Have you seen Grady?”
He removes the compress with a cringe. I gag at the sight of his busted nose. “I’m so sorry, Sutton. I tried to stop him.”
A cannonball drops in my stomach. “What happened?”
“He attacked me.”
I allow my jaw to fall open. “No way.”
His head bobs with rapid nods. The jerky move must bump a clot loose. Blood begins dribbling from his nostrils. “Yep, that’s how it went. He was in the alley spouting off all this degrading stuff about you—”
I hold up a palm. “Wait a minute. Grady was bad mouthing me?”
Lance grinds his teeth. “Yes, that’s what I’m trying to explain. He sucker punched me.”
“I don’t believe you. Where is he?” My tone is flatter than concrete.
He blinks and ignores my question. “What? Why not?”
This moron could’ve given me all types of explanations or motives as to why Grady socked him. I might’ve believed a select few. But to accuse him of talking shit about me? Yeah, that’s a big pile of horse crap. I cross my arms and stare him down. “You’re lying.”
“I was protecting you.” He wipes at his bloody nose. How attractive.
“From Grady? That’s not possible, or necessary.” I almost choke on a mouthful of bile from the thought alone. Lance lifts a hand as if to cup my cheek. I leap out of the way. “What are you doing?”
“Comforting you. I’m sure this is a huge shock.”
I rub my throbbing temples. Am I having a nightmare? “I’ll be fine once I see Grady. Where is he? I shouldn’t have to repeat myself.”
He coos at me as if I’m a simpering toddler. “You’re safe now, Sutton. I understand this is hard to accept, but your boyfriend is a monster. Let me give you a hug.” He holds his arms out and motions me in.
I shy away from his advances. “No, knock it off. Grady is the only one I need. He couldn’t have done this. There’s no way that’s the true story. Please tell me where he is, Lance.”
“You’re defending him?”
“Of course, and I always will.”
The sympathy in his expression melts into something far more sinister. “You’ll see the truth soon enough.”
I shiver at his frosty tone. “How about you just tell me.”
His sneer is nasty. “That asshole tried to kill me and all you care about is him. Great sense of empathy, Sutton. They’re taking him to county where he belongs.”
Ice fills my veins. “Why would they do that?”
Lance gestures at his injuries. “Are you blind? He pummeled me.”
I purse my lips. “Nope, no way. Grady wouldn’t do that.”
He stabs a thumb at his chest. “I was there, Sutton.”
“Yeah, and who else? We need more witnesses.”
Another trickle of blood drips out of his nose. “Too bad no one else was around. It’s me against him.”
Waves of nausea flip my stomach. “I need to see him.”
“Good luck.” He snorts, a wince following immediately. “Shit, that hurts.”
I want to tell him he probably deserves it. I know Grady. He wouldn’t attack
without a damn good reason. “What’s the procedure after getting arrested?”
“I’m not helping you see that criminal.” If looks could kill, I’d be six feet under.
“Stop being a jerk, Lance.”
“Name calling will get you nowhere. Go ask someone else.”
I ball my hands into fists. “Fine. Thanks for absolutely nothing.”
A familiar face lingers by the next cruiser in line. I recognize this officer more than the others. Kyler played football with Jace and Grady in high school. He looks nice enough. Maybe he’ll be more willing to answer me.
I attempt to gulp down the desperation clawing at my throat. “Hey there. You’re Kyler, right?”
He lifts his gaze at my greeting, a smile firmly in place. “Hi, Sutton. I remember you sitting in the bleachers at our games. Wondering about Grady?”
Heat springs to my eyes and I sniff. “Yes. Can you tell me what happened?”
Kyler scratches the back of his neck. “I’m not supposed to share that. Need to know basis and all that.”
“Please.” The beg wobbles my lips.
He glances around and sighs. “There was a brawl in the alley. Report states that Grady got angry and struck Lance twice.”
I press a palm to my forehead. “What if that isn’t true?”
Kyler squints at me. “Uh, well, the case is pretty much set.”
“How? Grady wouldn’t do this.”
“How much did he have to drink? Alcohol can cause extreme reactions.”
I swipe at my wet cheeks. “He only had one beer. Two at the most.”
He strokes his jaw. “That’s not much. Must’ve been something else driving him.”
A scream tickles my tongue. “He’s innocent. Please believe me.”
“Sutton.” Kyler’s tone is soft and probably meant to be pacifying. “I’m sure you want to believe that, but we have no evidence proving otherwise.”
I’m unraveling, a spool spinning out of control. There’s no hope of winding my brain around this new reality. “W-what happens next for him?”
He offers a limp shrug. “Protocol is for him to be booked with preliminary charges, especially for an assault of this degree.”
“Assault?” My voice is hollow.
Kyler almost seems shocked by my reactions. “Well, yeah. Battery at best. Didn’t you see Lance’s face?”
A fresh wash of tears blurs my vision. “This can’t be happening.”
“I was a bit surprised myself. Never took Grady as the type to be brutal.”
“Because he’s not,” I whisper. “You have to believe in him.”
“The proof against him is pretty damning. Not much can change his fate.”
“Have you heard Grady’s side? Doesn’t that count for anything?”
He scratches his jaw. “It does, but he’s refusing to speak to anyone.”
That makes this entire shit-storm even worse. My heartbeat ratchets up, creating an erratic thumping I feel everywhere. “There has to be something we can do. Where are they taking him?”
Kyler averts his gaze. “He’ll be pent up at county for a week or two, maybe more. You never know how long it takes for trial to be set.”
“Can we get him out on bail?”
He snorts out a laugh. “That’s way down the road. He’s assumed guilty and stuck for now.”
I clap my palms over my ears. I refuse to hear these lies. My knees buckle and I almost face plant onto the sidewalk. “Why is this happening to him?”
Kyler glances over my shoulder. “Lance told us this was a lover’s quarrel. Whatever that means.”
“They weren’t fighting over me.” I force my tone to remain level. On the inside, I’m bordering on hysteria.
“The official statement suggests otherwise.”
I let my jaw pop. Enough of the lies. Boiling fury rises inside of me and the need to attack flexes my muscles. I swing my gaze to Lance. A steady finger gets pointed directly at his chest.
“You did this.” I don’t even recognize my own voice. “You staged this entire thing.”
Lance shoots a scathing glare at me. “You have no clue what you’re implying.”
I lunge forward but an arm flings out to hold me off. “Sutton, stop. You’ll be no good to Grady behind bars.”
The warm voice cuts through the bleak darkness. I glance over at my friend. “I can’t do this without him.”
Lacie tucks a few locks of hair behind my ear. “You have to. There’s no choice. He needs you, Sutt. Be strong and rise up for the good.”
That snuffs out the fight roaring in my veins. I sag against my friend. “You’re right. I need to start planning ahead.”
She gives me a small grin. “Yes, exactly. That’s what he would do.”
I cast a quick glance at the activity buzzing along the street. A twitch curls my upper lip. “Let’s get out of here. Can I catch a ride with you? I need to get thinking smart and strategize.”
“Wanna sleep at my place?”
“I need to go home.”
Lacie begins leading me toward the parking lot. “To your parents’ house?”
“No, my house with Grady.” Except he won’t be there. The bed will be cold. I can’t even picture where he’s resting his head tonight. Pressure threatens to burst my blood vessels. And the tears don’t quit.
The list of things to do begins piling up in my mind. I should call my brother. Probably my parents while I’m at it. But that can wait another moment. For now, I need Grady. I need a hug. I need woodsy pine and campfire and spicy cologne to soothe me. I need the comfort from a very specific pair of bulky arms wrapping around me. Too bad he’s far out of reach until Lord only knows when. The bite of defeat is already nipping at my heels. They might win this round, but the war is just beginning.
I hang my head and continue trekking forward. “Please just take me home.”
Happy something #79: A single wildflower blooming in a graveyard of stone.
The stilted clip of boots on concrete is a solo soundtrack for this edition of hell. Hours of the guards prowling back and forth play on repeat. I try to block out the droning noise, but there’s nothing else beyond cement and manipulation. Not even the drip of a leaky faucet can be heard. This is one more way of slowly steering us toward the breaking point.
I always figured the documentaries were full of shit. This dose of reality is already proving just how wrong I was. They toy with us on purpose. Anything to strip away dignity and humanity. I’m already feeling the spiraling effects, their influence messing with my mind. The footsteps move closer and stop just outside my cell. A knife twists in my gut. Over this past week, I’ve learned these visits are never pleasant.
With a low buzz, the door to my cage opens and a guard appears. “Bowen.”
I raise my head off the moldy pillow to get a better view. He stands in the threshold with his arms folded. I don’t recognize this guy. His face is almost kind, which is some sort of trick. There are no niceties to be found within these four walls. Any semblance of good is a disguise. I’m bound to get the hidden pieces beaten out of me.
My mouth remains sealed. I refuse to give them any ammunition against me.
He rolls his eyes. “Someone’s here to speak with your stubborn ass. Maybe you’ll actually talk to her.”
Her.
The suggestion is enough to get me moving. I heave myself off the lumpy mattress. I’ve been trapped in this box for seven long days. Any excuse to leave, even for a moment, is a blessing I won’t refuse. The possibility of seeing Sutton would almost be too good.
He cuffs my wrists in front of me and motions to the left. “After you, inmate.”
The guard escorts me down a dank hallway that reeks of mildew. The visitation room is straight ahead, a beacon of light in the sea of darkness. Will she be in there? I propel forward at a fast stride. The guard snorts while hustling to catch up. When he unlocks the door, I’m graced by the vision of my single best happy something.
> Just the sight of Sutton has my blood pumping hotter. She’s a splash of vibrant color against the dingy gray walls. Having her separated from me by plexiglass should be a crime. But she doesn’t belong here at all. This type of ugly is far worse than anything we came across at the trailer park.
Her smile could flip the blackest of moods. I nearly trip in my haste to reach the sectioned off portion. The plastic chair creaks with my weight. When I pick up the phone, a tremor rattles the receiver.
“Gray.” Her small palm rests on the bulletproof barrier. I lift my hand and align our fingers together.
“Damn, you’re a fine sight.”
“I miss you so much.” Her bottom lip wobbles when she bites the corner. Tears already shine in her eyes.
I almost close mine to absorb her whimsical voice. Pretending we’re secluded in our meadow is far more appealing. But I don’t risk removing my gaze from her. “Don’t cry, baby.”
Sutton sniffs. “How can I not? You’re stuck in here.”
I want to comfort her, spout off half-truths that will provide a false sense of hope. Hell, I need to believe in something to survive this torture. This entire situation has been a cruel awakening. Having her near is already clearing the toxins being forced into me. She purges the venom of their lethal bite.
With a deep inhale, I dream of strawberries and freedom. What I wouldn’t give to devour her fresh scent. All I get is stale smoke and foul sweat and crumbling sanity. My stomach lurches and I gag.
She leans forward. “Are you sick? What’s wrong?”
Everything, I want to admit. What I really say is, “Just doing my best.”
“I can’t even fathom what you’re dealing with. I’m so sorry.”
I jerk backward in my seat. “What’re you apologizing for?”
Her breathing is choppy. “They wouldn’t let me see you until now. I tried, Gray. They forced me to wait until you were cleared for visitors. Whatever that means.”
I smirk at her. “I had to earn this with good behavior. They hold everything against us.”
“That sounds terrible.”
I don’t want to lie to her. “It’s an adjustment. They study us. New inmates are under observation. Gotta make sure I’m not a danger or liable to go off the rails. Guess this means I’m good to go.”