Page 38 of No Mercy In Red

My phone vibrated harshly in my pocket, pulling me from my thoughts. I sighed, reluctantly checking the message from Joe:

‘We need to talk. Got new intel. Meet me at my place ASAP. This shit is big, Connor.’

My stomach dropped instantly. A cold wave washed over me, quickly replacing the warm afterglow of the previous night. My mind quickly reminding me that Joe had been at Max’s workplace. My two worlds had collided, and neither of them knew it yet. Joe was getting too close – way too fucking close. I arrived at his place twenty minutes later, my pulse thundering in my ears. Joe opened the door, eyebrows raised at my disheveled appearance - still in my fucking suit - and obvious exhaustion.

“You look like shit, man. Late night? And what the fuck are you wearing?” His eyes scanned over me, lingering briefly on the faint bruising on my wrists from Max’s restrains and the marks visible around my neck. “Looks like someone had a good night, at least.”

“Yeah, something like that,” I muttered, forcing a casual tone as I walked past him into the kitchen. “And what, can’t I dress up to come visit you on a Sunday afternoon?”

Joe scoffed, looking me up and down once again.

“So, what’s this big breakthrough?” I asked.

He hesitated, studying me for a moment longer than comfortable before finally speaking. “I traced everything back to the law firm in town – the victims. They all had cases there, all with dismissed charges.”

Fuck. Fuck. FUCK.

My gut twisted violently; this was exactly what I’d feared. Joe’s instincts were sharper than what I had given him credit for. He’d found a trail leading straight to Max’s doorstep. It may have taken him considerably a lot longer than I had to make the connection, months longer. But he’dfinally found himself on a trail that could completely and utterly destroy my life.

“Joe, come on,” I scoffed, leaning against the kitchen counter, feigning nonchalance despite the ice-cold panic seeping into my veins. “That’s a huge leap. Every rich asshole accused of something in this town ends up there eventually. It doesn’t necessarily mean anything.”

I knew I should have gone and spoken to him as soon as I found out he’d been there, near her. But I couldn’t, not without him questioning how I knew where he had been.

Joe shook his head, eyes narrowed suspiciously. “No, Connor, you don’t get it. Every victim – not just a few – every fucking one has had their files processed or handled by someone there. Specifically, someone low-key, someone overlooked. Someone smart enough to keep their head down.”

Max.

“I still don’t think –”

“Connor!” Joe snapped, irritation flashing in his eyes. “I need you to take this seriously. Im sure I’ve found them, or more specifically, her. Maxine Pochon, she’s an assistant at the law firm. Everything aligns almost perfectly, I’m about to take it to the chief.”

My chest felt tight, my vision blurring at the edges. He had no fucking clue how serious I was taking this. “Have you spoken to her yet?” I asked cautiously, my voice indifferent.

“Not yet,” Joe replied, folding his arms tightly across his chest. “Wanted to talk to you first, see if she had come across your list of suspects. Besides, we can’t go throwing accusations around without concrete proof. But I’m telling you, Connor, its her.”

“No, that’s not a name I recall crossing, but let’s not jump to conclusions,” I urged, my throat tightening painfully. “If you start accusing people without solid proof, you’re fucked. Your career’s done.”

Joe’s stare intensified, suspicion dripping from every word. “You’ve been distracted lately, Connor. Distant. Secretive. Avoiding calls. This case is clearly messing with your head, and I need to know you’re still with me.”

“I am,” I snapped defensively, my nerves fraying at the edges. “I’m just fucking tired. Between work and you having me on this case nonstop, I deserved a break from it all, from you, and I took one.”

Joe studied me for a long moment, eyes narrowed. He wasn’t buying it, and I knew he wasn’t done pushing. “Where were you last night, anyway? I texted you multiple times, and you never answered. What’s going on, man?”

I swallowed. There was no way I could tell him the truth – how I’d spent the night willingly bound beneath Max, how she’d consumed me, claimed me in ways that still left me breathless. How I’d fallen in love with the woman he suspected was a cold-blooded killer.

“I got caught up. Stress drinking which lead me to railing that girl from Karina’s from a few months ago. You know how it goes. I got in a stupid fight last weekend over the same fucking stress, you saw it yourself. My head is all over the place, you know me.” I admitted weakly, gesturing to my still healing knuckles, hoping he’d drop the topic.

But he didn’t drop it. “No,” Joe said coldly, eyes narrowing, “I don’t think I do anymore. You’re hiding something, So, I’ll ask you again, Connor – what the fuck is going on?”

I opened my mouth, searching desperately for some believable lie, anything to make him back off. “Nothings going on, Joe. I’m fine, its literally just this case has been stressful for me too you know. I put a lot on the fucking line agreeing to help you.”

Joe scoffed bitterly, eyes locked on mine, anger simmering beneath his calm exterior. “I hope you’re telling the truth, Connor. Because when Iconfirm she’s the one behind this – and I will - she’s going down. And if anyone stands in my way, friend or not, they’ll go down with her.”

I glared, faking my irritation as much as I could, “You know what man? Fuck this and fuck you. I’ve exhausted myself trying to help you, and now you’re questioning my loyalty? I’m out.”

I left Joe’s apartment feeling like my world was splintering apart. My heart hammered in my chest as I climbed into my car, slamming my fists against the steering wheel in a burst of helpless rage. I loved max, I couldn’t imagine ever handing her over. But Joe was family – my best fucking friend – and if he ever discovered the truth, everything I loved would be destroyed. I drove aimlessly, replaying every word Joe had said, fear coiling tight inside my gut. For the first time, I saw the end clearly – blood, pain, and inevitable heartbreak. Because I knew deep down, no matter what happened, I couldn’t lose Max. I couldn’t let Joe have her.

And that realisation, clear and brutal, made me sick to my fucking stomach. Because I knew exactly what I was capable of doing, and how far I would go, to to protect the woman I loved.

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