Page 156 of A Little Tempting

“Keys,” Reeves’ father snaps. “Now. Or I can always break the glass.”

“Pretty sure it's not necessary,” Maverick counters.

The familiar jingle echoes throughout the otherwise silent parking lot as I fish the keys from my pocket and toss them to Officer Asshole.

I don’t have to step closer to know what’s inside. Something illegal. It could be drugs. A weapon. Who the fuck knows? I’m not the mastermind here. Oliver’s dad is. But if he honestly thinks he can pin something on his son because he’s pissy and feels like throwing a fit, well, at least I threw a wrench in something.

I don’t know how long we stand here before a bag of white powder is confiscated from the car’s back seat.

With a wicked grin, Reeves’ father turns to me. “The question is, who do we arrest?”

“I think we all know the answer, don’t you?” I challenge. “Maverick hasn’t been in his car in weeks, and I’m the one with the keys.”

“And Mr. Taylor?” Officer Douchebag demands.

Everett steps forward and raises his hands in the air. “Do your worst.”

Reeves’ father’s eyes narrow, but he shifts his attention back to me, his arrogance wafting off him like stinky cologne. It makes my nose wrinkle.

“Dylan Thorne, you’re under arrest.” He takes a step closer to me until Reeves matches his stance, putting himself between us again. It’s like he can’t help it. Like this is killing him.

I turn to Officer McDonnell, the only potentially sane man with any kind of authority at the moment. “Give me one minute.”

“Not a chance,” his dad snaps.

“Please,” I beg.

“Give her a sec,” McDonnell orders his partner.

The same familiar glare twists Reeves’ father’s expression, but he stops moving closer, and I take full advantage.

Carefully, I touch Oliver’s back, moving around him until I face my boyfriend fully. “Ollie,” I whisper. His jaw tightens as he glances down at me. “Let me?—”

“Us,” Maverick interjects. He steps closer, using his broad back to shield us from the cell phones pointed directly our way.

I peek up at him and smile. Then my eyes land on Oliver again. “Letusprotect you for once.”

The gravity of the situation finally hits him, and he closes his eyes. “Dylan…”

“Don’t let him win.”

“I can’t let you walk away?—”

“You can,” I breathe out. “Go with the guys. Call my dad. Have him meet me at the station.”

“Dylan—”

“Go with the guys,” I repeat. “I’ll be fine.”

With a defeated nod, Oliver unclenches his fists.

I turn back around, facing McDonnell and Officer Reeves. “Okay, I’m ready.”

His dad takes another step toward me, but McDonnell intervenes.

“I’ll make the arrest,” he grunts to his partner, pinning my boyfriend with a stare. “You need to step back.”

Gravel crunches beneath Oliver’s Nikes as he obeys the command.

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