Page 35 of One Step Sideways

“What was Shae’s wound like when he left?” Rawlings asked.

“Healing rapidly,” Danny said.

“So, they might not keep him in the ER?” Kane asked.

Rawlings shook his head. “They should just keep him for questioning and then release him as soon as they confirm Danny’s statement. If he was a regular prisoner, then it would be straight to county while they investigate. But with that mark on his face, I don’t know,” he said honestly. He stood. “Let me call Talon.”

I glanced at Danny. Talon was the one who’d been on his honeymoon. “Enhanced team leader in Tampa,” Danny explained. “They might be able to help.”

“So we just wait here?” I asked, wanting to do something, anything. I strode to the window and looked at the park outside. Shit was still following me around, no matter what I did.

Danny disappeared, then came in with a tablet. “CCTV. We have recordings of the front of the building. It would prove Shae didn’t leave.” He frowned. “I’m surprised they didn’t ask for them.”

“Did they take your laptop?” I sat back down.

“Yes, but I’m not worried, and they wouldn’t have found this.”

“Meaning?” Kane asked.

“Meaning all sensitive files are kept somewhere else,” Rawlings said as he walked back into the room. “Gael has offered his help with the CCTV. Oliver wants me to go down there and look respectable.”

I looked up eagerly, but he shook his head ,and I got it. Another enhanced wouldn’t help Shae, and definitely not an ex-con. Regret burned through me, and for a split second I wished I’d never gotten into Rawlings’ car. But then what the fuck else would I be doing?

“I’ll go and see what’s going on. Danny, if we need you, I’ll send a car.” And with that, he left. I felt a brush of something on my leg and in shock, I realizedSadie was lying right next to my leg and I’d never noticed. I stiffened slightly as she turned her head and rested it on my foot.

Looking over, I met Danny’s blue eyes, and pushed upright, just catching Danny’s wince as I stalked away from the table, which angered me even more. I slammed the door to my room like some snotty adolescent.Fuck.What did I have to do around here to get a break?

Shame hit me so hard and so fast I nearly stumbled.Me?This wasn’t about me. This was about another seventeen-year-old that was gonna get thrown away by the system. It was Shae that was hurt and terrified, not me this time.

But it was so close it felt like me.

Stumbling again, I got yanked upright as the handcuffs bit into me, more cops following us as I was dragged to the patrol car, all aiming their Glock 22’s at me. I only knew what the gun was because my dad had one. Terror made my arms shake, and pain arced across my back from the fresh set of stripes on my back. Dad always called them stripes when he put them there, but all I could see this time was the blood that had bloomed across his face from his smashed nose. Smell it. Taste it.

Because I’d hit him.

They said I might have killed him, and no one would listen to anything I said. They didn’t care that I never knew how many times he would hit me with the crop. They didn’t care about the bleeding wounds on my own back or the years of scars they hid. So, they’d dragged me to the car and taken me straight to jail.

Do not pass Go.

The only other time I’d been allowed out was ten days later, when I appeared in front of the judge. I could have cried with relief at seeing Dad. He had the remnants of a black eye, a bandage around his arm, and he hobbled into the courtroom. But he’d had that limp for years. And I had to sit there and listen to all his lies. At one point, he said he’d caught me hitting the dog and had tried to take the crop from me and I had beaten him for doing it. I’d jumped up, but the judge just told me I’d be removed from the court if Idid it again.

And he lied. Told them I was uncontrollable. Blamed the scar. I could see everyone was scared of me.

And seventeen years later, everyone was still scared of me. Nothing had changed. I couldn’t even stop it from happening to another scared kid.

I blinked as I heard the soft knock on the door. Somehow I was sitting on the floor, not even the bed, when Danny let himself in my room. My eyes widened because he’d shut the door on Sadie.

And like before, he put his back to the wall and slid down. I wanted to be left alone. Maybe if I ignored him, he’d leave.

“I get how it’s just like you.” Did he? He’d be the first. “I don’t know what you went through, same as you don’t know everything about how I became the mess I am, but I want to.”

My first instinct was to deny that Danny was a mess in any way, shape, or form. “You’re clever,” I whispered. He wasn’t some dumb prick that didn’t—

“No, I went to school,” Danny said quite forcefully. “I didn’t have to deal with a bastard that lied and got me locked up on top of what I’d gone through growing up.”

I glanced at him. He knew? “How—”

“Because you’re a good guy. You cope with me, and it’s killing you that you can’t personally help Shae.” He leaned toward me and rested a hand on my arm. “I’ve treated you like I scraped you off my shoe, and this is the first time I ever saw you close to getting angry.”

---