“I told you it’s nothing.”
“Let me see.” She led me over to the sink and unwrapped the tie, revealing the injury.
“It’s just a scrape.” I turned on the water and then tossed the tie in the trashcan under the sink. “I need you to listen to me.”
“You can talk while I clean that,” she said. I flinched when the water washed over the cut. “What happened?”
“There was an incident that was out of my control,” I said. “You don’t need the details, but I do need you to say I was here tonight.”
“Why are the police coming?”
“Because of the incident.” I removed my hand from the running water and turned off the faucet. “What they’re coming here to accuse me of, I didn’t do, but they can haul me in and make my life chaotic for the next day or so. I don’t have time for that. Not with my father and my brother away.”
“You can’t tell me what happened?”
“The less you know, the better. You can’t tell the cops what you don’t know.”
This was a big ask. I wanted her to lie for me. If she didn’t do it, I could still maneuver my way out of this, but if she agreed, I would know she was with me. I could trust her in a way I never trusted another woman before.
When she inched closer to me, I lulled her into an embrace and kissed the top of her head, breathing in the warm vanilla scent of her hair. She calmed me with little effort. She wrapped her arms around me and held me close, resting her head on my shoulder.
“Milo.” Lucas stood in the archway. “They’re pulling up now.”
“Right on cue.” I let go of Sable. “If you’d rather not be here for this, you should go upstairs.”
Stay with me.
“What about your hand?” she asked.
“It’s fine.”
“No.” She went to the wine cabinet and grabbed a bottle from the top rack.
“You want to have a drink now?”What the hell is she thinking?
“Milo,” Lucas said. “You have to focus.”
Sable took two wine glasses from the wet bar on the other side of the kitchen and brought them over to the counter.
“Sorry,” she said.
“For what?”
“This.” She hit one against the sink, shattering it. “You have to be careful with the glass or you could cut your hand.”
“Smart girl.” I grinned. “You can bring the detectives to the kitchen, Lucas. Sable’s got this.”
“You know the drill, Milo,” Lucas said. “Sable, you don’t have to answer any questions other than if they ask if Milo was here tonight. Otherwise, I’ll do the talking.”
“Okay.” She tucked her hair behind her ear as Lucas left to greet the police. “We should bandage that.”
“Wait.” I gripped her arm before she could turn away. “This means a lot to me.”
“I want to help you.”
“By doing this, it makes you an accomplice. It brings you deeper into my world.” I squeezed her arm. “Are you absolutely sure that’s something you want?”
“I want you and everything that comes with you.” She stretched up on her toes and kissed me. “I’ll stand by your side, because that’s where I belong.”