Page 69 of Whatever It Takes

My phone started buzzingon the nightstand. The drapes were still drawn and the room was pitch-black. I leaned over on my elbow and peeked at the time on the alarm clock next to the bed.

I picked up my phone and squinted my eyes, giving them a second to adjust to the bright screen. Marco wouldn’t call unless it was urgent.

I shot straight up in bed and swiped to answer. “This better be good for you to call me at the ass crack of dawn,” I whispered as quietly as possible, trying not to wake up Charlotte, who was sprawled out naked on her stomach next to me.

“We got him.”

The hairs on the back of my neck stood at attention. “You’re shitting me!”

“He’s being booked as we speak.”

I rubbed my hand down my face and kicked the comforter off my legs. “I’m literally at the Marriott right around the corner. I can be there in fifteen minutes.”

“You know the drill.”

Yeah, I did and it sucked for me in that moment. There was a strict legal process that had to be followed and all I wanted was five minutes alone with that fucker.

Soft fingers rested along my back. I slanted my head and looked down. “I have to see him. Please…” Charlotte stared at me with pleading eyes. “I need you to be understanding and not fight me on this.”

The thought of the two of them in the same room together had every single muscle in my body pulling tight. There was no way I would be able to hide my discomfort.

I searched her face trying to figure out what was going on in her head. God knew I was conflicted as hell right now. I hated this, but it wasn’t like I had much of a choice.

I brushed my thumb along her cheek. “I’m not going to fight you on this. I understand. I’m not happy about it, but I won’t stop you.”

Her eyes filled with relief. “Thank you.”

She tried to move around me on the bed, but I grabbed her wrist. “Everything is going to be fine. I promise.”

She stared into my eyes, her voice pained. “I just want this to be over.”

I leaned down, putting my lips over the top of hers. “Me too.”

I gave her a quick kiss and watched her scramble out of the bed and run into the bathroom to get ready.

I quickly got dressed and clasped my watch over my wrist. I glanced around the room making sure everything was ready to go. My head was spinning, and I was caught in a weird state of shock.

I’d wished for this moment, prayed that he would be caught, and now that they finally got him, I wasn’t feeling the relief that I’d thought I would. The worst part was, that I wasn’t sure why. Maybe I’d feel better once I could see with my own eyes that he really was finished. Perhaps, I just needed to see him behind those metal bars before I’d feel any peace.

I walked over and grabbed my phone and keys off the nightstand. Charlotte stepped out of the bathroom, zipped up our overnight bags and then followed me out of the room.

The air was stiff and stale as we walked through the police station. Once we made it through the metal detectors, I reached for her hand as we headed toward the elevators that would take us up to the floor where we would, hopefully, get a few answers.

“Are you going to be okay?” I asked as the elevator doors closed behind us.

She tilted her head to the side; the distress was written all over her face. “I’m nervous, but I’ll be okay.”

Her response wasn’t very convincing, and all I wanted to do was help her.

I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and drew her body to mine. I kissed the top of her head. “It’s okay to be nervous, but this is his mess, not yours.”

Moisture built up in her eyes. “I’m really worried about Emery.” While I shared her concern, there was no way in hell that little girl was going to suffer any more pain because of that jackass.

“I promise you that I will do whatever it takes to spare her of any more pain.”

Emerald green eyes stared up at me. “I don’t know what I would do without you.”

I brushed a tear off her cheek with my thumb, feeling my heart stretch across my chest. I wanted her to understand that she wasn’t alone. That I would always be there for her. “Luckily for you, you’ll never have to find out.”

---