Page 82 of Shattered

“I’m not a firm believer in divine intervention, however, I’d like to think you had a hand in keeping her safe until I could get to her. So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. I’ll cherish the time you’ve given us and look forward to meeting you on the other side.”

I pressed my lips to my fingers, then traced them along her name.

“Rest easy, Gran. I’ve got them from here.”

Jade

No amount of distraction would calm the swarm of butterflies fluttering around in my stomach. Trust me, Koen tried. But even having his talented mouth between my thighs wasn’t enough to unruffle my feathers. My emotions were all over the place. One minute I was so nervous I thought I might be sick, the next I was furious. The only thing I knew for certain was it would be over soon, one way or another.

The fingers of one hand were laced with Koen’s as we climbed the steps leading to the Huntington police station. The other held a thick manila envelope. Yesterday, my parents were arrested, but in a few minutes, they’d have the opportunity to decide their fate.

“You don’t have to do this.” Koen paused in front of the giant glass doors, squeezing my hand.

“Yeah, I do. I’m the only one who can.”

“Are you positive you don’t want me in there?”

“I’m not a hundred-percent sure of anything at the moment.”

I knew it was killing him to stand on the sidelines. His natural instinct was to protect, and here I was, asking him to silently watch while I entered a pit of vipers. It was an impossible situation all around.

“You’re one of the strongest people I’ve ever known, Jade Amber Banks.” I smiled at his use of my new last name. “You’ve got this.”

“I do,” I agreed with more confidence than I was actually feeling.

“I’ll be right on the other side of the one-way glass, so if you give me the word, I’ll be at your side before you can blink.”

“Like a safe word?”

“Fuck.” He shook his head. “You’re gonna make mehard asking about safe words right before we walk into a building full of my colleagues?”

“Sounds like a personal problem,” I quipped.

“It’s gonna be aJadeproblem later.”

“Good. Gives me something to look forward to.”

Dropping my hand, he wove his fingers through the hair on either side of my face, gripping the strands while drawing me close until our foreheads touched. I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t blink as I stared into his emerald eyes. There was a tempest brewing behind them, which had nothing to do with the cold front moving in. Even as the wind picked up its pace, blowing my dark strands in every direction, we didn’t move. I was mesmerized by the love swirling between us.

“Be the storm, Angel.” He kissed my lips. “Darken their skies. Unleash your fury, but do it without remorse. They deserve to feel every ounce of power you hold in the palm of your hands. Then we get to enjoy what comes after.”

“After?”

“Clear skies.”

He made it sound so simple, and maybe it was. There was only one way to find out. Inhaling through my nose, I blew out a shaky breath.

“Okay. I’m ready.”

“That’s my girl.” With one last peck on my lips, he placed a hand on my lower back, his fingers teasing the top of my ass, and guided us into the station.

You’d have thought with my parents’ criminal history, I’d be well acquainted with the inner workings of a police department, but that was not the case. Up until now, I’d avoided them like the plague. I expected cold and dreary, not bright and lively. There was a low hum of activity as officers shuffled around answering phones or takingstatements at one of the desks situated in the middle of the space. The walls were painted light blue in color, giving the wide open space more of a bright, friendly vibe rather than the cold and dreary I expected. It was organized chaos at its finest.

“Koen. Jade.” An older woman greeted us with a half-smile when we reached the back of the room.

“Shayne.” He reached out a hand. “Thank you again for doing this.”

“You can thank the prosecutor. He’s the one who gave the thumbs-up.”

---