Page 58 of Count On Me

Dazed and extremely upset as we exit the elevator, I tell Paddy what happened. He takes us back into his office and offersus tea, apologising profusely for not seeing anything on the monitors.

I’m in complete shock as the police go over our statements. Paddy brings up the security footage, but whoever it was knew where the cameras were placed in the building and avoided being caught on screen. But I don’t need to see video footage to know who’s behind it. I know it was Jordan. I know he blames us for everything and I can’t blame him for hating me. I just wish Edie wasn’t caught in the crossfire.

“Do you have any idea who would want to target you, Mr. Brady?” The female officer asks and I shrug my shoulders at her. “Is that a yes or a no, Sir?”

“Jaxson?” Edie’s voice cuts into my mind and I turn my eyes to hers and see the fear and uncertainty in them.

“I’m sorry,” I tell her and turn to face the officers. “I think it was Jordan. Cain Jordan. My former teammate. He lives across the hall from me.”

Edie grabs my hand and squeezes it tightly.

“Why would you think that, Mr. Brady?” The officer asks and I squirm on the spot.

“We had an altercation and got suspended for it. During that time, he made some additional bad decisions. Got banned from playing for failing a drug test. He blames me for all of it.”

I know that won’t be enough for the police, and wince when the officer asks, “Do you have any evidence indicating he blames you?”

Knowing I can’t continue to play it off anymore, I come clean. “I texted him when I found out and a couple of days ago he replied telling me everything was my fault. Made some threats toward me.”

“Jaxson, why didn’t you tell me?” Edie’s horrified voice scolds me, her anger, sadness and fear all playing out in her eyes, her expression, but the officer stops me from replying.

“Do you have those texts, Mr. Brady.” I nod my head and unlock my phone and show them. “It’s certainly a motive. Would explain how he knew where the cameras were too. Any idea where he is now? Any local haunts, friends or family he would go to?”

I shake my head and sigh. “He doesn’t have any family and his teammates were his friends. I haven’t been out with him for a while now so I have no idea who he’s hanging out with.” I hang my head in shame as she addresses Edie.

“Miss, you need to be aware that Mr. Jordan has made threats about you too. Do you both have somewhere you can stay for a while?” My head snaps up and my eyes find Edie, frowning at me.

“Yes, I do. I don’t live here. I just stay over. My flat isn’t secure enough for Jaxson though. He’s high profile and needs to stay somewhere with security.”

I feel like shit. Even after she finds out that I withheld information from her, she’s still putting me first. I don’t deserve her love at all.

“Don’t worry about me, Edie. It’s you I’m worried about. Will you stay with me at Lockheart’s? Please?” I implore her with my eyes, I need to have her close to me. I can’t let anything happen to her.

“We’ll see, Jaxson.”

I nod at her, my heart heavy, and drop my chin to my chest. Everything’s fucked up, all because I couldn’t keep my fucking temper in check.

36

EDIE

I close the door to my flat and lock it straight away. I know Angie’s in her bedroom so I head toward it to talk out everything that happened. With my heels in my hand, I walk across the hardwood floors and every creak makes me jump. I shake my head at my utter stupidity and gently knock at her door, jumping back when she flings it open and grabs me in a hug that could teach a boa constrictor a thing or two.

“Are you okay? He didn’t get near you, did he? I swear to God if he’d hurt you I would’ve gone mental and hunted him down like a scene out ofTaken.”

I laugh through her hug and try to pry her apart from me so I can breathe and talk to her. She relents her hold a little but doesn’t let me get too far away.

“He wasn’t there. He made a mess in Jaxson’s flat. Smashed everything up. The police are searching for him and he has a warrant out for his arrest. He scrawled threats all over his wall which basically confirmed what Jaxson told the police about who he thought was behind it. They let Jaxson up to grab some clothes and stuff after forensics had been there. He wanted me to stay with him at Lockheart’s house, but I didn’t want to. I neededsome space to think through everything.” I walk over to her bed and flop down on it.

“What do you need to think about? Talk to me, I’ll help,” she reassures me and sits next to me on the bed.

“He didn’t tell me he texted Jordan. And he didn’t tell me Jordan threatened him or me. He should’ve told me.”

“He should’ve, but maybe he was trying not to worry you. I mean, no one expected Jordan to start behaving like a Bond villain.” She grabs a pillow and places it under my head so I’m more comfortable, and I smile my thanks to her.

“I know he was doing it to protect me, but I’m not a prissy little girl who can’t cope with things happening around her. I’m his equal, and he needs to realise that.”

“Well, damn. I couldn’t be prouder right now, but maybe you need to tell him that, not me.” She winces and I sigh loudly.

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