Total pages in book: 17
Estimated words: 15617 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 78(@200wpm)___ 62(@250wpm)___ 52(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 15617 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 78(@200wpm)___ 62(@250wpm)___ 52(@300wpm)
“And you should’ve just left it at pressing charges,” I retorted. Gripping his shirt in my fist, I slammed him back against the fridge. My other fist swung out, hitting him again. Releasing him, I let him hit the floor with a thump.
“You fuck with her, you fuck with me,” I growled, leaning over him. “Lennox is mine.”
“You fucking deserve each other,” he spat, blood dribbling from his mouth and nose.
I grinned. “I think she and I are perfect for each other.” I gripped his shirt and heaved him up, knocking him in the face again. He moaned, bringing his hands up to cover his head, trying to curl into a ball despite me having a tight grip on his t-shirt.
He spat a loose tooth from his mouth. “Burn in hell,” he growled, blood running down his chin.
I chuckled. “Pretty sure there’s already a seat reserved for me.”
Sirens reached my ears, and I hit him one more time for good measure before standing to my feet and pulling my phone out of my pocket. Adler answered on the second ring. “What?” he grunted.
I sighed. “Kick my ass later, but I need you to have bond money and an attorney ready for me in a fucking jiffy.”
“Goddammit, Harlan,” he growled. “What the fuck did you do?”
I watched the yard begin to get lit up with flashing blue and red lights. “He slashed Lennox’s tires.” I rolled my shoulders. “Couldn’t let that shit slide, Adler.”
“Jesus fuck,” he snarled. “Cooperate with the cops, understand me? You’re not a trouble-making kid anymore, Harlan. I’ll work on getting you out.”
He ended the call, and I put my phone back in my pocket before walking back out through the busted back door as if I owned the place. My hands were above my head when I walked around the front of the house. “Evening, officers,” I greeted, a smirk tilting my lips. “The only weapon I have is a pocket knife.” I nodded toward my front pocket, letting them know where it was at. “Your victim is inside, crying like a pussy.”
One of the officers stepped forward, removing the pocket knife from my front pocket before turning me and pulling my arms down, cuffing my wrists behind my back. “You have the right to remain silent…”
I braced my arm on the wall above my head, listening to Lennox’s phone ring. On the fourth ring, she finally picked up. I breathed a sigh of relief. If she hadn’t answered, then she was going to have to hear from someone else that I’d gotten locked up. I didn’t want that; she deserved to hear from me that I wasn’t coming home tonight.
Home. Crazy I thought of her house as home now. But honestly, home was just wherever she was. I’d fallen hard and fucking fast for her.
“Harlan?”
I chuckled. “Damn, doll, you’re good.” She heaved a sigh. I bit back my amusement. “Listen, I’m being charged with criminal destruction of property and assault. Adler is working to get me out of here. I’ll tell you everything that happened once I’m out, okay?”
“Harlan…” she groaned. “God, why did you do it?”
I hummed and scratched my forehead with my thumb. She would have to get the answer to that later, but I was pretty sure she could figure it out herself. Wasn’t a damn thing in this world I wouldn’t do for her. “I’ll talk to you later, doll. Make sure you eat, understand?”
“Yeah, yeah,” she grumbled. “Just so you know, I think you’re a fucking idiot.” I snorted. “Be safe.”
I smiled, my insides warming. “Always.”
Nine
Harlan
“I don’t want to see you back in here again,” Officer Daniels said as he handed me my bag of personal items. “You better hope your attorney can work some magic with that judge.”
“Eh,” I grunted, pulling my phone out of the bag and shoving it into my pocket. I slipped my knife back into my pocket. “I’m not worried.”
He sighed, shaking his head at me. “I know jail and prison aren’t anything new to you, Harlan, but you’ve been on the straight and narrow for years now. Don’t let this woman fuck up your life.”
I snorted, biting back my irritation at him essentially bad-mouthing Lennox. What I did, I did because I wanted to. If I’d told Lennox where I was going last night, I knew she would’ve fought me on it. Which was why I rode off before she even got the chance.
“I’m going to choose not to comment on that.” Because if I did, I might end up back in the holding cell I’d just gotten my ass out of. Lennox was off-limits to everyone. Bad-mouthing her, even the slightest bit, made my blood boil.
She was mine. I was the only one who could judge her.
I clapped the officer on the back before striding toward the front of the police station, heading out into the fresh air. The fucker I’d been sharing the holding cell with had reeked of cigarettes and beer, and my nostrils were still burning from it.