Page 27 of Hap

“Anyone you want skinning, just say the word,” Rage offers. I look around us with alarm, making sure no one heard him. He has more bruises on his face and cuts, more so than the others, and there are certainly new marks there because they weren’t there when I met with him.

“Did they assault you?” I ask him with a frown.

Rage frowns, looking at me. “No, those pathetic cunts tried to cuff me to bring me out.” He nods his head over to two officers who also have marks on them.

“Is that a bite mark?” I gasp, looking at one of the officers.

Rage grunts out a laugh. “Yeah, fucking pussies,” he snarls at them. “Boo!” he taunts, and the officers both jump in fear.

“Jesus, man, come on, before you get us all arrested again.” Beast laughs as he leads them out.

I place my hand over my chest and stare after them wide-eyed as they leave. Thank fuck I’m on his good side.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

ALINA

“Here,”Becky states as she hands me a coffee and a paper bag.

I eye her curiously and open the bag. We’ve been sat in the reception area waiting for the past ten hours. The agents conducted their interview with Ghost, and he sat in complete silence, refusing to answer anything as I instructed. I knew they had nothing else on him, and I also knew they were scrambling. When I look in the bag, I smile when I see my nausea meds and some food.

I look at Becky. “When did he drop this off?” I asked.

“He hasn’t left, apart from taking the others back. He’s been sitting in the parking lot the entire time,” she states, a knowing smirk on her face.

My cell pings with an alert. and I pull out my phone and look at the screen.

H: How are you feeling? H x

I smile, biting down on my bottom lip as I type my reply.

A: Thank you for the meds and food. You don’t need to wait. I can call when he is released. X

He replies instantly.

H: I’m not going anywhere.

I’m not sure why that small sentence made my stomach flip, but it felt good knowing he was there.

A: They could extend their hold on him for up to seventy-two hours. We’ve only been here for fourteen. We have a long way to go. I don’t think they will let him just go.

I take out the food he’d sent and smile when I see the sugary doughnut. He had taken note that I was enjoying anything sweet lately, especially doughnuts. I take a big bite, closing my eyes as I enjoy the sugary goodness.

“Jesus, do you want some privacy with that doughnut?” Becky teases beside me.

“Mock me all you want, I don’t care.” I shrug as I take another bite. My phone pings, and I look down at it.

H: I leave when you leave. You need to rest, and you need to sleep. They won’t interview him through the night.

A: They will. As soon as I leave, they will take him for more questioning in their way. They will make the excuse that they tried to call me, but I didn’t get there in time. I’ve dealt with officers like this before. They will bend the rules and laws to suit them. I refuse to let them do that.

I hit send before wiping my fingers on a napkin.

“Ms. Bennet, you’re still here?” I look up and see Agent Pryor walking towards me, looking at his watch. I quickly flick the switch on my phone to silence it and turn it face down. “It’s the middle of the night. You don’t need to be here right now. Go home and get some rest. We won’t be doing anything until the morning,” he says, trying to play the kindness card.

I give him a tight grin. “I’m perfectly fine here, thank you. I am paid to be at my client’s beck and call, and as I’m sure you’ve checked, I live quite far away, so if you were to decideto do an interview, or should you find anything else, I wouldn’t make it here in time,” I say sweetly. “Oh actually, Agent Pryor, while I have you here, you still haven’t divulged the witness information,” I press as Becky hands me a file.

“What witness information?” he asks.

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