50

50

KADE

The clock on the wall doesn’t work. I’ve been staring at it for what feels like hours, and the hands aren’t moving. There’s no ticking. What’s the fucking point in having it hanging right in front of me, making me feel insane?

I tilt my head, the slight shift of my body’s position making the cuffs chafe on my wrist. They’re far tighter than they need to be. But I guess when you’re being charged with multiple murders and kidnapping and whatever the fuck else they’re slapping me with, keeping my hands and ankles restrained is a smart move.

The belt around my waist connects a chain to my cuffs too.

They’ve brought me to this room every day for the last week. Questioning me on everything, asking me to repeat what I disclosed on the live stream while killing Archie Sawyer. They’ve put over one hundred pictures in front of me and asked if I’m responsible for the disappearances of the people they show.

I mean, I am, but I’m not going to tell them anything.

I’ve not been allowed my call – I’m wearing scrubs because they won’t give me the clothes I know for a fact my mother would’ve tried to hand in. Stacey has probably been at the front desk demanding information too, but as far as I’m aware, it’s just radio silence.

It fucking hurts me to think of not seeing Milo and Hopper again. Sure, everyone else will be able to visit me, and I’ll be able to talk on the phone to them, but seeing my dogs again? No chance.

The wanker who came to the manor with his boss to offer me the protection order months ago walks in. He’s been the lead officer this time, and he hates my guts. Maybe threatening him every time he talks to me has been a bad idea, but I’m past caring anymore. I just want to speak to my girl, make sure Luciella’s okay and that my dad hasn’t been caught.

I don’t care about myself.

“So,” the dick starts, dropping a folder between us on the metal table. “Stacey Rhodes.”

My spine straightens. “What about her?”

“Quite a while ago, she appeared at this station roughed up. She’d taken drugs and said her stepbrother had attacked her and killed someone. I so happen to be the big brother of his ex-girlfriend and knew her face. There was no evidence of this attack. He came to collect her, and I suggested therapy or to even section her.”

My teeth grind together as I wait for him to continue.

He rubs his hand down his face. “I didn’t know she was telling the truth. Three weeks ago, we discovered the remains of a man at the scene of where she said she was attacked. Forensics confirmed he died around the time she tried to report it.”

“Stacey came to you for help and you pushed her back into the arms of her abuser?”

“That is a mistake I will never forgive myself for. Stacey is a victim. There’s a video of her being sexually assaulted I’m sure you are well aware of. All her attackers are either dead or missing.”

My lip twitches. “Shame.”

“Stacey lost her mother when she was young. She also lost her father not long after losing her unborn child. It seems all she’s had since is pain and heartbreak. She deserves a good shot at life, doesn’t she?”

I narrow my eyes. “What are you getting at?”

His head tilts. “You don’t know?”

“Know what?”

“Stacey Rhodes is being charged with the murder of Christopher Fields and the disappearance and kidnapping of Bernadette Sawyer.”

I don’t breathe or blink or move as I stare at him. “What did you just say?”

“Sebastian Prince has been charged with the same offences,” he says, folding his arms. “Barry Lennox is being charged with kidnapping and being an accessory to murder.”

“They didn’t do anything.”

“I was hoping you’d say that,” he replies, grinning. “Do you know you’re facing at least sixteen life sentences? You’ll never see daylight again.”

“I’m fully aware, asshole.”

He scoffs and shakes his head. “You’re just like your father.”

I raise a brow – he’s close to getting a fist in his face unless he gets to the point.

“We’re willing to offer you a deal.”

“Of course you are.”

“You tell us what happened to Christopher Fields and Bernadette Sawyer, and we’ll lift the charges from your three friends.” He opens the folder between us. “We can also erase all of these names. You tell us what we want to know, and we can reduce all your sentences to ten years.”

I bark out a laugh. “All of you are corrupt as fuck. Are there any genuine officers left?”

“You will also give us those names you left out in your original statement. We know there are detectives within Scotland Yard and the New York Police Department that have heavy involvement in the underworld. Those names, plus an admission of what happened to Christopher and Bernadette, and your friends and girlfriend are free.”

“And I serve ten years?”

“We’ll do what we can to get it as close to ten as possible. This is the only offer we’ll make, Mr Mitchell. We know your circumstance and how you were blackmailed and coerced into your crimes. You can plead insanity too, like your father did, but I highly suggest taking this deal.”

I gulp and look down at the folder, my eyes glued to the mugshot of Stacey. She’s crying, and she has a bruise on her cheek.

“One more condition,” I say, glaring at him.

“Fine. What do you want?”

As soon as the door opens three hours later, my heart accelerates, but the chain attached to the table stops me from getting up as Stacey is brought in, cuffed, wearing scrubs that match my own.

“Stacey.” Her name drops from my lips.

Her chin trembles as she shakes – my girl is trying to hold it together.

Officer Dickhead unlocks the cuffs from my leather belt. “You have three minutes. Kyle Fields is waiting for her in the office.”

Her good brother – he better look after her while I’m in here.

The door closes, and I go to her, taking her face in my hands and tracing the bruise on her cheek. “Are you okay?”

“What did you do?” she asks, her voice cracking as her face contorts. She slowly presses her forehead to my chest when I just stare at her. “Tell me what you did.”

My restrained hands lift to brush through her hair. “You’re everything to me, do you know that?” I take her face and tilt her chin, kissing her on the lips. “Everything.”

“What did you do?”

I shrug. “You shouldn’t be in here.”

“Neither sh-should you.” Her head drops again, and she grips at the fabric against my skin. “Tell me what you did.”

I can’t hug her because the cuffs are attached to the belt, so all I can do is cup the sides of her neck, stroking her pulse points with my thumbs. “I took a deal to get you, Base and Barry out.”

Her body trembles as she sobs into my chest. “What kind of deal?”

“They’ll try to reduce my sentence to ten years. I doubt they will since I’m facing sixteen life sentences, but my main reason for saying yes was to get you all out. None of you should be in here.”

She shakes her head. “No.”

“Yes.” I pull back. “We don’t have time to debate this. It’s done. You’re going to kiss me, then you’re going to go to your brother and go live your life. You’re going to dance. You’re going to fall asleep next to the dogs every night, and you’re going to be there for my sister and my niece or nephew. You’re going to live, Stacey. Fucking live for me.”

“I can’t live without you.”

“I love you. I’m so proud of you,” I say, my eyes burning as I hold her against me. “So, so fucking proud.”

“I love you too,” she croaks. “Please don’t make me do this without you. Please, Kade.”

“You need to. Don’t you dare waste the next ten years waiting for me. Like I said, it’s unlikely they’ll even reduce it.”

Her voice is so quiet, like a beautiful calm as she pulls her head back to look up at me. “But I’m yours.”

“And I’m yours.” I press my lips to hers then run my thumb across her chin. “Just… promise me you won’t pause your life for me?”

She smiles through her tears. “Kade Mitchell,” she says, reaching up on her tiptoes and kissing me again. “Don’t you get it? You are my life.”

My voice cracks. “You’re my life too.”

The door opens once again, and my heart sinks. She doesn’t fight as the officer pulls her away. “I’m going to wait for you,” she tells me. “I’d wait forever for you.”

I nod and let the first tear fall. “Forever, Freckles.”