Page 56 of Falling for a Killer

Nothing in this world is free... not even revenge.

Twenty-Six:

And So It Begins

That bastard leaves me cuffed as he marches me out of the room. I’m tempted to kick him, spit on him, or do anything to show him how little respect I have for him — but a door down the hall opens and steals my attention.

“Killian!”

His gaze snaps over to mine, those tortured blue eyes scanning my frame like he has to make sure no one’s hurt me and then he tugs his way closer. “Roo! Are you okay?”

We make it inches away from each other before we’re both yanked back in opposite directions.

Fuck. Panic races through me as that fucking asshole tugs me further away. Struggling against his grip, I yell, “Don’t say a word, baby! I’ll get you a lawyer, I promise!”

I see relief flash across his face when he realizes I haven’t given up on him, regardless of the fact that he’s being pushed against the wall.

It’s almost like they’re trying to give us more time, like they’re hoping we’ll slip. But when Killian silently nods I know we’re on the same wavelength. They will not win. “I love you.”

“Say your goodbyes, Miss Moran,” Officer McKendrick says in a low, mocking tone so only I hear. “Pretty faces like that don’t last long where he’s going.”

“I love you, Killian.” Turning to Officer Fuckwit, I smirk. “Sounds like you’re jealous, baby girl. How long has it been since someone actually desired you?”

“Watch your mouth,” he hisses, straightening when Officer Wallace moves over to see if he needs help.

“I can escort her out,” she offers, but I stop paying them any mind and stare at the man I’ve fallen for despite being convinced I could never love again. I drink in his gorgeous face, the way he’s holding his chin high regardless of the fact that his entire world is imploding, and I swear I fall even harder.

The officer yanks his arms to try and get him walking again, muttering something I can’t hear when Killian continues staring at me like I’m the only person who exists.

He’s too far away to hear me now, so I hold his gaze as long as I can then turn away.

I’ve got fucking work to do.

––––––––

My first stop is to buy a new cell phone. I barely make it out of the store before I call my parents, and after a very awkward but honest conversation, they assure me they’ve got my back and they’ll do what they can for Killian. My second call is to one of our family lawyers, who directs me to a contact of hers named Donna Steel. Apparently, Miss Steel is exactly the kind of lawyer someone like Killian needs — she understands the flaws in our legal system, the need to go around them, and she’s already had two not-guilty verdicts returned for vigilante killers.

I never really thought about it, but I guess that’s what he is. A vigilante. I always assumed vigilantes were serial killers who operated in the shadows and made it their life’s mission to take out bad people, not one-off crimes of passion. But when you’re taking the law into your own hands because the law failed you, I guess it doesn’t really matter.

Donna, however, is a little harder to sell than my parents or our family lawyer. She asks me a million questions and demands the truth so she knows what she’s getting into, but I can’t help but feel like I’d be doing something wrong by admitting to her that he’s guilty. I’m back at the cabin halfway through a bottleof wine before I finally get to the end of my little speech — one where I tell her the kind of man Killian truly is, and the secrets Jack Lawson kept from the public. I never outright admit that Killian did it. I won’t do that to him, not when I don’t know this woman personally. But I do let her know that Killian is a good man, one who loved his mother and respects me, one who would go to the ends of the earth to protect the people he cares about.

It seems to be enough.

She agrees to meet with him at least, so for now, that’s going to have to be good enough.

My fingers are shaking as I disconnect the call and dial my sister.

“Hey,” I say softly. “It’s Joey, I finally got an actual cell phone again. Is this a good time?”

I can hear Noah, her one-year-old, crying in the background. “Noah’s sick, so I’m home with him. What’s up? Why the sudden change?”

“Killian got caught.”

Her silence only makes this harder for me, so I speed-run through the story of how I let this happen.

“Fuck,” she whispers. “They let you go, though? Is he okay? Where is he?”

“He’s still at the police station for now, but it’s only a matter of hours before they officially press charges and move him to the county jail. I talked to a lawyer a little bit ago who warned me he’ll probably be extradited back to Blackridge since that’s where his charges are, so that’s why I’m calling. Can you find me some place to stay out there? I don’t want to book a hotel unless I have to, so maybe something like an AirBnB. I need to find one I can rent out at least for the next few months.”

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