Page 80 of Demanding Mob Boss

The detectives drop my arms like I'm diseased. I feel dirty…infected by Grieves' horrible touch, but I don't hesitate to move away from them as fast as I can. I go toward the captain. One step. Two steps.

"I want to go home," I tell him. "Please. I didn’t do anything."

"Are you arresting her?" he demands.

Grieves and Samuels remain silent.

The captain's expression turns thunderous. "You brought a witness in to interview against her will?" he asks furiously.

"She agreed to come. She just started having second thoughts when we got here," Samuels lies.

I would argue, but my throat is closed. I've got to say something. I'm trying to force words out. They won't come.

"Second thoughts, third thoughts, it does not fucking matter. You cannot hold a witness against her will."

Samuels grits her teeth. Grieves glares menacingly at me. The other detective shifts his body so he's between me and them.

"You are free to leave, Miss Lake," the captain says.

Grieves and Samuels react to his use of my name like they've been tazed. I should get a taser. If these two come for me again, I'm not going quietly.

Maybe I should move out of Chicago, but I don't have the money and I can't leave Ini stuck with the full rent. My mind spirals and I can't make it stop. My rhyme stutters after one, two every time I try to say it now.

The other detective looks at me worriedly. "The captain said you can go, miss."

"Grieves, Samuels, in my office. Now," the captain barks.

They start protesting, talking over each other, but I don't wait around to hear how that's going to play out. My feet finally unstick themselves from the floor and I turn to rush from the police station. I don't even count my steps to the door, I just bolt through the doors to the outside.

Someone puts their hand on my shoulder. I scream.

"Fuck. Miz Lake, it's all right. It's just me."

I jerk my head up and see Eoin standing there. I shake my head and start walking away. The station is only a few blocks from my apartment building. I can walk from here. I'm not getting in another car with a man.

Remembering the ride here, I have to swallow against the need to throw up.

"Anna," I hear my name called, but I recognize the voice this time. It's Arlo.

I stop, but I don't turn.

"Let us take you home."

I spin to face him. "Take me to Cian." I want to see Cian.

Arlo grimaces. "I can't do that, Anna. He's in a meeting right now."

I nod and turn back around and start walking again. I hear footsteps behind me and realize one of them is following me. I look back over my shoulder. It's Arlo.

"It's hot out here. Let us drive you home. Walking ten blocks in this heat is going to give you blisters."

A vehicle is keeping pace beside me. I can hear the quiet purr of the engine and the whisper of the tires against the street. I look to my left and see that it's Tommy driving the SUV I was in earlier. Eoin is in the front seat now.

He shouldn't be going that slowly on the street. The SUV is barely moving. Other drivers will get mad.

"I'll walk with you, but I'd rather you got in the SUV," Arlo says.

I hear voices behind us and realize there are people coming out of the police station. Are two of them the detectives that took me?

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