Page 86 of Charity's Redemption

“Zoe…” I whispered.

“Yeah. I cannot do anything until they charge him, but it doesn’t look good. The tip pointed out the girl, what she looked like, and where she was. It all added up. But the same rules apply as when they took you. They can hold him, but they only have twenty-four hours.”

“Nico? That’s too long.”

Panic seized hold of my chest.

I would miss my deadline, and Elias would come after us. It would be an all-out war. They could die, my family could die, leaving me alone in a world that I had no place in.

Max came closer, then pulled me in the rest of the way, and wrapped his hand around the nape of my neck. “Quieter,bella,” he said with a stern voice.

I jerked away from him, but he pulled harder, holding me in place.

“I’m doing the best I can. I’ve got the firm working on it, but until she’s questioned and clears him or the twenty-four hours is up, we can’t do anything.”

“Fuck.” I slammed my hands down on the table.

All eyes turned towards me. Silverware clanked against plates as the room grew silent. A woman in a waitstaff uniform toddled up to the table and stopped. Her shiny black hair tied into a neat ponytail and her crisp uniform ground the edges of my nerves, reminding me I didn’t have things put together. I was a mess. This situation was a mess and, until I rectified it by killing that old fucking man, it would only get messier.

“If you say one fucking word to me…”

She stepped back with wide eyes clearly not expecting my animosity.

Max pulled the phone from my ear. “We’ll call you back.” He hung up the phone, tucked it in his pocket, and then turned towards the waitress. “I’ve got this Laura.”

A father with a small child and his wife stood from their table, holding their kid’s ears and walked away, the mother shaking her head.

“Let’s go,” Max said, tugging on my hand. “Now.”

He pulled me out of the booth, passed the bar, then down the stairs to the offices and my favorite torture room. Max shoved the door open to the room with an uncomfortable cot in the corner, the same one Randall shoved a bucket of ice water in my face, then slammed the door shut behind us.

“Relax.” His booming voice echoed off the walls and reverberated in my chest.

“You didn’t hear what I just did. Give me my phone. I need to call him back.”

“Just relax, Charity.” He slapped my hand away from his pocket, then put his hand in the center of my chest and pushed me against the wall, pinning me in place.

The cement bricks bit against my skin, grounding me down into reality, and washing away my hysterics.

“I think I’m going to be sick.”

“You’re working yourself up for nothing. Nothing has changed.”

I sucked in a deep breath and repeated my mantra that pulled me through it all.

Emotions weren’t meant to lead.

My body calmed, my rising pulse slowed, allowing me to see clearly again.

Max’s deep chestnut-colored ones met me as my eyelids fluttered open, giving me an anchor to hold on to.

“Everything has changed, Max. Don’t you see?” I narrowed my gaze, and with a new, calm demeanor, continued, “he’s in jail. Safe. Someone did that. If I don’t meet the deadline, Elias will start a war with us to make a point. He will kill me just like he said he would.”

“He won’t. We’ll make sure that doesn’t happen.”

I scoffed. “Don’t lie to me to make me feel better.” I dug my finger into my chest. “I know how this world works. He’ll follow through.”

“I’m not lying,bella.” He cupped my cheek and soothed his thumb over my lips. “Did you think Luca would fall back on your plan and not have a contingency set in motion?”

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