Page 49 of Dare
Ayda
Thiscan’t be happening, but there’s no denying what my eyes are telling me. Daresits in the back of the squad car, his hands cuffed behind him as the copreceives very different statements from Lisa and Victoria. Lisa approaches mebefore the cop can question me and hisses, “Talbot swung first. He followed youout here and grabbed you, and Dare was defending you.” There was no need toremind me since I heard Dare tell the officer the same thing.
Inod and wipe the tears rolling down my face at the sight of Dare headed back tojail because of me. An ambulance scoops up a moaning Talbot from the street andcarts him away, siren blaring, while I lie to a cop for the first time in mylife.
Aftertaking all our information, he returns to his car and drives away, taking thefirst man I’ve ever loved with him. It’s a hell of a time for such arealization, but I can’t deny it’s true. I’m in love with Dare. And now, itcould be years before I see him again.
“Doyou need a ride home?” Lisa asks softly.
“No,go back in and tend to your dancers. I’m fine. I’m so sorry this happened here,Lisa.” She took a chance on me and I brought this mess to her door in themiddle of a competition.
Herlips thin and she glares at Victoria, who quickly retreats inside. “It isn’tyour fault. I didn’t know she’d be here, but apparently they invited her to doan exhibition solo.” A grin tilts her lips as she faces me. “You’ve got a goodman there, Ayda. Don’t blame him. That guy had it coming.”
“Iknow. I have to go and let his friend know, probably call a lawyer.”
“Becareful, and call me later.” She gives me a quick hug and heads back inside,stepping around the blood on the ground.
Shivering,I make my way home in Dare’s car, not even thinking to turn on the heat. Assoon as I get in my apartment, I enter my name in his phone to unlock it, andtears well up again at the sight of his wallpaper. It’s a picture of me, asleepwith my curls spread across the pillow. When did he take that?
Landonanswers on the second ring and assures me he’ll handle everything. “There’snothing you need to do,” he assures me. “I’ll get the lawyers on it and see ifMason can intervene.” I have no idea who he’s talking about, but I don’t wantto keep him on the phone. Every second he spends talking to me is time betterspent helping Dare.
WhenI hang up, silence closes in around me and I pace the apartment. I’m tempted tocall Sadie, but there’s so much I can’t tell her. I don’t know what to do withmyself, and I have to fight the urge to call Landon back and demand to knowwhat’s going on. Oh hell. Has it really only been an hour? I’m never going tomake it through this night.
Itstarted out so well. My life has been getting better and better, and like arecurring nightmare Talbot and Vicky show up and destroy everything again. Thistime it isn’t just me they’re screwing with, and I can’t let them fuck upDare’s life too.
Myheart leaps at the sound of a knock on my door. I expect Landon, but it’s Zoewho walks through the door. One look at my face and she wraps me in a hug. “Ithought you might need some company.”
“Doyou know what’s going on?” We take a seat on the couch.
“Landon’smeeting with Mason and the lawyer. They expect Talbot to press charges, andthey’re hoping to get Dare out on bail in the meantime. With his record, itmight be hard.”
“Whois Mason?”
“MasonReed. He and his brothers run a domestic violence shelter for women andchildren called Striking Back. He’s a powerful guy, with judges and cops on hisside. ISH and Striking Back often help each other. If anyone can dig Dare outof this mess, it’s Mason.”
“So,all we can do is wait,” I remark, laying my head back and closing my eyes.
“Prettymuch. I’m sure Mason and Landon are dragging judges out of bed as we speak. Weshould know something soon. In the meantime…” Zoe produces a bottle of winefrom her bag. “Let’s have a glass and watch a movie, try to keep our mindsoccupied.”
It’snearly dawn when Zoe leaves. “Landon should be getting home. He can’t be out inthe daylight.”
“Darementioned that, some kind of condition that makes him burn instantly in thesun?”
“Yeah,I hate it for him, but he handles it well.”
Igive her a hug. “Thanks for coming.”
“Getsome sleep. I’m sure we’ll know something today.”
Surethat I won’t sleep a wink, I stretch out on the couch, keeping my phone nearbyin case Landon calls. The wine and the extremely long day overwhelm the worryand anxiety pulsing in my brain, knocking me out almost instantly.
Shoutingwakes me late in the afternoon. “I said I’d get her! Fuck! Go clean the sandout of your vagina!”
Rollingoff the couch, I jerk open my apartment door to see Justus, his fist raised toknock. “Hey, tiny dancer. Will you please get next door before Dare completelyloses his shit?”
“He’shome!” I turn and grab my coat, rushing out behind Justus. “What happened? Theylet him go?”
Justusgrins and shakes his head. “I’ll let him explain.”
