34. REID

Chapter thirty-four

REID

The detectives quiet us all down, forcing us to stay calm before directing a question to Lyle. “The contract will be nullified if this is the case, Mr. Wilhelm.

He flinches but quickly recovers, rolling his shoulders like he has the audacity to feel inconvenienced by this whole thing. “It’s not that simple,” he says, his voice measured now, like he’s trying to placate me. “We’ve paid a lot of money for this contract—”

“Oh, fuck right off!” I spit, slamming my hand on the table. The sound echoes in the sterile room and even Jackson startles. “You paid money? Great. You want a refund? Go to hell. That’s not how people work, Lyle. I’m not a piece of furniture you can send back because you didn’t like the way it fit in your house.”

The female detective clears her throat, her pen tapping against her notebook. “Mr. Wilhelm, I think you misunderstand the terms of your arrangement,” she says. “The payment you made was for a service—a service that Mr. Reid provided. You don’t get to demand your money back because you didn’t like the outcome. And unlike Reid, your signature is on that contract. That’s legally binding.”

Zana doesn’t miss a beat as she faces Jackson. “So nullify the contract. Immediately. Or we’ll move forward with a lawsuit detailing every single thing you subjected Reid to while he was under your ‘employment.’”

Jackson sits up straighter, his lips curling into something between a snarl and a smirk. “You’re bluffing.”

“Am I?” Zana leans back, crossing her arms over her chest. The confidence radiating off her is palpable, and it sends a ripple of something like hope through me. “You want to test that theory? Because I promise you, Jackson, whatever lawyer you think can clean up this mess is no match for me.”

I want to believe her. Goddess, I want to. But I know the truth—she’s bluffing, at least partly. I didn’t tell her everything, didn’t give her the details of what went on in that house. I didn’t want to relive it. Still don’t. I just want it over.

Zana doesn’t let up, her gaze boring into Jackson’s like she’s daring him to try her. “And another thing,” she says, her voice quieter now but no less lethal. “Using a forged contract? That’s a felony. Pair that with a false accusation of assault, and you’re looking at jail time. So here’s the deal—drop the accusation, nullify the contract, and I’ll back off. Simple as that.”

The silence stretches out between us. Jackson’s jaw ticks, his fingers drumming on the table as he glares at Zana. Lyle looks like he wants to crawl under the table, his shoulders hunched and his gaze darting between Jackson and the detectives like he’s hoping someone else will take the fall.

The detectives glance at each other, and one of them—a man with a sharp jawline and even sharper eyes—speaks up. “We can step out if you need a moment to discuss.”

Jackson waves them off, his teeth grinding audibly as the two officers leave the room. The door closes with a soft click, leaving just the four of us. For a moment, no one moves. The air feels like it’s been sucked out of the room, the weight of it pressing down on my chest.

Finally, Jackson speaks. “You think you’ve won, don’t you?”

“I don’t think anything,” Zana replies, her tone infuriatingly calm. “I know I’m right. The only question is how much damage you want to take before you admit it.”

Lyle shifts in his seat, his gaze fixed on the table. “We could just—”

“Shut up,” Jackson snaps, cutting him off. But his anger isn’t directed at Lyle—it’s aimed squarely at Zana. “You think you can come into my house and dictate terms?”

“You think this is still about your house?” Zana shoots back. “This is about accountability, Jackson. Something you clearly don’t understand. Now, are you going to do the smart thing and end this here, or do I need to start preparing for court?”

More silence. Then, Jackson exhales through his nose, his glare never wavering. “Fine,” he grits out. “We’ll nullify the contract.” Lyle’s head snaps up, surprise flickering across his face. “By the end of the day,” Jackson adds. “You’ll have your damn papers.”

“Good and withdraw the sexual harassment accusation,” Zana says, standing and smoothing her jacket like she hasn’t just declared war on one of the wealthiest packs in the state. “Because we know damn well that if Reid had actually assaulted your Omega, Reid would be dead. It’s what I would do for my Omega.”

Jackson lets out a resigned sigh. “Done.”

I don’t know why they ever thought that charge was going to stick or why they picked it in the first place. Hailey is too prickly of an Omega for anyone to want to be at her side that isn’t already a mate. I still don’t know how Jackson and Lyle do it.

The moment we step outside, the tension in my chest threatens to explode. I shove my hands into my jacket pockets, walking a few paces ahead of Zana as we head toward her car. The weight of the past hour hangs heavy and I can’t hold it in any longer.

“You’re just going to let them get away with it?” The words are out before I can stop them, my voice sharper than I intended. I glance over my shoulder at her, my heart pounding. “That’s it? They nullify the contract, drop the accusation, and we just walk away?”

Zana doesn’t answer right away. She strides forward, her coat flaring out behind her in the breeze. When she reaches me, she stops, tilting her head as a sly smile curls her lips. “You really think I’d let them walk away without consequences?”

I narrow my eyes, frustration bubbling up. “That’s exactly what it looks like,” I snap. “You told them you’d back off. That’s what you said.”

She laughs softly, the sound cutting through the tension in a way that somehow makes me feel both comforted and infuriated. “Oh, Reid,” she murmurs, stepping closer until I can feel the warmth of her body against mine. “My word is my bond, baby. But there’s always a loophole.”

I blink, my mind struggling to catch up. “What the hell does that mean?”

Her smile widens, and she leans in, her nose brushing against my cheek as she speaks. “I said I’d back off,” she whispers, her voice soft but laced with steel. “But I only meant from fighting for your contract to be nullified. I never said I wouldn’t go after them for everything else.”

It takes me a second to process what she’s saying, but when it clicks, a laugh bursts out of me—sharp and incredulous. “You’re really going to sue them?”

“Reid,” she purrs, her fingers brushing along the side of my neck, tracing the edge of the bond mark that ties me to her, “I’ve already started filing.”

My breath catches as her touch lingers, the heat of her fingers against my skin grounding me in a way I didn’t think was possible after everything that’s happened. “You’re... you’re serious?” I ask, my voice quieter now, tinged with disbelief.

“Dead serious,” she says, pulling back just enough to meet my gaze. Her eyes are fierce, burning with determination. “They’re not walking away from this unscathed. Not after what they did to you.”

Something in her tone, in the way she looks at me like I’m worth fighting for like I’m worth everything, breaks something loose inside me. The anger, the frustration, the doubt—it all starts to dissipate, replaced by something softer, something I’m still learning how to hold onto. Hope.

I let out a shaky laugh, running a hand through my hair as I glance at the car parked a few feet away. “So, what? You’re going to drag them through court for what? Assault? Emotional abuse?”

“All of it,” she says without hesitation. “And more. I’ve got a list, baby. A long, detailed list. They think they’re untouchable, but they’re about to learn just how wrong they are.”

I shake my head, a grin tugging at the corners of my mouth despite the lingering ache in my chest. “You’re something else, you know that?”

“I know,” she says, her smile softening as she cups my cheek, her thumb brushing lightly against my skin. “And you’re worth every damn second of it.”

For a moment, the world fades away—the precinct, the Wilhelms, the weight of everything that’s happened. It’s just us, standing in the cold, her touch anchoring me. I lean into her hand, closing my eyes as a sigh escapes me.

“I don’t deserve you.”

Her grip tightens and when I open my eyes, she’s staring at me with a fire that takes my breath away. “Don’t you ever say that,” she says fiercely. “You deserve everything, Reid. And I’m going to make damn sure you get it.”