Page 11 of Malicious Wedding

“There’s a difference between loyalty and blind obedience. Your brother wasn’t the sycophantic child you seem to remember him as. Iain grew up.”

That stuns me. I sit there and stare down at the tile floor. Iain grew up and I wasn’t around to get to know the man he became. I cut him off, sequestered myself from the family, and now I might never get the chance.

“I’m at the hospital,” I murmur. “I should go.”

“I know you are. Come outside and we’ll talk.”

“You know?” My eyebrows knit together. “How do you know where I am?”

“You told me,” he says a little too quickly. “I’ll send someone if you don’t want to come out. Stay put.”

“Carson, stop it. This is too much.”

“I won’t let them touch you, Ash,” he says and the furor in his voice is terrible. “I’ve lost too much already. I won’t lose you.”

“Lose me?” I shake my head. “I don’t understand. I haven’t spoken to you in… ten years.”

He’s quiet for a moment. “Stay where you are.”

Then he hangs up.

I curse, staring at my phone. I try calling again but it sends me straight to voicemail. That fucking bastard. I want to scream and curse, but I’m out of energy. I have nothing left in me, no more fight, no more struggle. I stare at myself in the mirror, at my red-rimmed eyes, and splash some water in my face. It doesn’t help.

Back in the waiting room, two cops are standing near a nervous-looking Bernie. She rushes over. “There are you. These two just showed up—”

“Ashlyn Locke?” The lead cop is a balding man with a round gut. “My name’s Officer Hawthorne and this is my partner Officer Ivers.” He gestures at a lean, crew-cut younger man to his left. “We’d like a word.”

“A word… about what?” I stare between the two cops, bewildered.

Officer Hawthorne softens. “Please, Ms. Locke. Let’s speak somewhere more private.”

In a minor panic, I glance at Bernie. She’s chewing her lip. “You should go,” she says. “I can, uh, stay here. If there are any updates, I can text you.”

“They won’t tell you. You’re not family.”

“I’ll stick around anyway.” Bernie hugs me tightly. “Just go talk to the police, okay, hon? It’ll be okay. I promise.”

She’s lying, but I love her for it. I turn to the officers, and suddenly Carson’s words ring through my ears.I’ll send someone.

Better the police than whatever thug Carson’s got working for him.

“I’m ready,” I say, stepping toward Officer Hawthorne.

“Right this way.” The police officers lead me away from the waiting room. I glance over my shoulder as we go, praying that my guardian angel really is out there, and she’s helping out my older brother.

Chapter6

Carson

“Chief Cross? This is Carson Crowley.”

“Carson.” Cross sounds pissed, like always. Being chief of the Boston Police Department will do that to a man. “My boys took the girl into custody like you asked.”

“Thank you, Chief. If they can hold her for a few hours, that would make my life a lot easier.”

“They can, but—” Chief Cross pauses for a long, pregnant moment. I’m too tired and angry to play any games, so I wait for him to say what he’s got on his mind. “Your family is running short on favors.”

“I’ll make sure you’re properly compensated.”

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