Chapter 78

CHAPTER SEVENTY-EIGHT

ASHLEY

Someone is being arrested?

My initial response is to reach for my cell so I can call my mom. But my hand stops halfway to my pocket.

I don't have my cell. Zain has it.

My gaze jerks back to him.

He's an oasis of calm amidst the chaos. The presenter is asking questions, the television crew is running around. I assume the guy yelling to keep the camera focused on Zain is the producer … or the director … or someone important, anyway.

And Zain? Zain just sits there, and looks at me.

Has he had my mom arrested? Why? For what reason? What is he punishing me for? Is it because of last night?

My stomach is in knots. I want to ask him. But that means potentially ending up in front of the cameras.

Is that what he wants? For the entire world to see my reaction when he says my mom has been arrested? Is that what this has all been building up to?

When he stands up, everyone falls silent.

"If you could give me a moment, my wife looks like she's about to collapse."

And that sets off another round of shouting.

I don't move, don't take my eyes off him as he walks toward me.

"Are you okay?" The concern in his voice almost makes me laugh. It's an act for everyone watching, and I can't say what I want to say because of that damned contract.

"Who has been arrested?"

His smile widens, and he reaches out to cup my cheek. I'm sure to everyone watching it looks like a lover's touch. It feels like a lover's touch. But I know it's not. It's a warning. His thumb sweeps over my lips.

"I can't say right now. Not while we're being filmed."

"But you can tell the world someone has been arrested?" My voice is shrill.

"You're going to have to trust me, Firecracker."

"Trust you? Trust you? What have you—" His mouth covering mine silences me.

I pull away, and take a step back, putting distance between us.

"If you've sent the police to my mom's?—"

"Your mom is fine."

"She is?" I sway, and throw out a hand to stop myself from falling.

"Did I hear correctly? Ashley Trumont is your wife?" The female presenter reaches us, a cameraman behind her.

Zain reaches for my hand, and I don't fight when he draws me toward him.

"You did." He slides an arm around my waist and pulls me against his side, then turns us both to face her. "We were married in secret on Monday evening. I'm surprised that you didn't already know."

The presenter blushes.

"Ahh, so you did know." Zain sounds amused. "Just waiting for the right moment to drop it?"

"Something like that. Can we go back to our conversation? I believe we cut to ads for a few minutes." She glances over at the producer, who nods.

I try to disentangle myself from Zain, but he doesn't let me go and half drags me back to where they were seated. He pulls me down to sit beside him, and on the producer's cue, the blonde woman starts to speak again.

"Before the break, Zain dropped the bombshell that an arrest is being made in relation to the murders of Jason Trumont and Louisa Conway. Zain, how long have you known that there was a new suspect?"

"Well, like I said, Ashley has some responsibility for that. She raised some points that hadn't been considered, and after I spoke to Sheriff McFadden, he launched his own investigation. We had to move fast as we didn't want the suspect to realize we were on to them."

"And who is it?"

"I'm not at liberty to tell you that right now. I'm sure the sheriff will make an announcement in due time."

"How does it feel knowing that not only have you been exonerated, but all the people who may not have believed you may now get further evidence of your innocence? "

I shift on the seat beside him, and he unwinds his arm from my waist, but catches my hand before I can move away.

"The only people I care about believing in me are my family and my wife. And Ashley has already seen the evidence that I did not murder her brother."

"Ashley … you're married to the man you swore killed your brother. How did that happen? Have you been talking while he was in prison? You can't have met, fallen in love, and gotten married in the time he's been out, surely?"

"I .. umm …" The hand holding mine squeezes, and my heart bangs against my ribs. No matter what I say, I'm going to screw this up. I know I am. "N-no, we didn't talk while he was still in prison."

My hand is lifted, and he presses his lips against my knuckles. "With how much my life changed so quickly all those years ago, we both know how things can change in an instant. We didn't want to take our time and see where things went between us. We decided to take a risk, and jump in with both feet." He turns his head to look at me. "Isn't that right?"

"Y-yes. Zain has lost so much time already, and I …" I suck in a deep breath. "I've never felt like this for anyone else before."

And they can take that to mean whatever they like.