Page 110 of Love in the Storm

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LYRIC

Lyric’s hand shook as she placed it in Asa’s. The warmth was familiar and terrifying at the same time. The tears that had been stinging her eyes pushed free like a broken dam.

Asa wrapped an arm around her, and she buried her face into his chest. The vest he wore beneath his uniform was hard and unforgiving.

“Don’t cry. We’ll fix this,” Asa whispered.

“Officer Scott,” Jason barked.

Asa rounded on him. “Back off. You can go now.”

Jason huffed. “Not a chance.”

“You’re not taking her in. I am,” Asa said. His tone left no room for negotiation.

Lyric tensed even more. This was not happening. Her head was spinning. Could she hide in Asa’s arms until this was over?

“I said I’ll handle this,” Asa said low.

Lyric looked up enough to see Jason leading Ranger to a cruiser.

Dawson whistled. “Whew. I thought he’d never leave.”

Asa picked up the purse from the gravel and closed Lyric’s car door. He turned to Dawson, keeping Lyric tucked close to his side. “Meet me at the station. I need you to stick around. Call Olivia too.”

“Will do.” Dawson jogged to his cruiser, leaving Lyric and Asa alone.

Asa placed his hands on both sides of her face. “Everything is going to be okay. You just have to trust me.”

She was still crying, but the sobs had stopped.

“We won’t be able to talk for a while. Don’t say anything while we’re in the car or at the station. Okay?”

Lyric nodded. The only thing she wanted to do was talk to him, and she couldn’t.

“Don’t worry. I’ll figure this out. I’m hoping Dawson can stall long enough that you won’t have to actually be put in a cell.”

She gripped his hand that cupped her face. She’d been in a cell before, but she’d been either drunk or stoned. She didn’t even remember those hours. They hadn’t kept her long any of the times she’d been arrested.

“I’m scared,” she whispered.

“Don’t be. I’ll fix this.”

“How? Jason saw it. It was in my car!”

Asa straightened and lowered his hands, keeping one of hers clasped in his. “Let’s go. The sooner I can get things into motion, the sooner I can get you out.”

Lyric followed him to his cruiser and got in the back seat. He texted on his phone before getting in the car, but she couldn’t read his expression. Maybe he was letting Dawson know what he had planned.

The ride to the police department was only a few minutes, but it felt like an eternity. Not being able to talk to Asa had her questioning everything. Did he really believe her?

Jason would make sure she was charged. Lyric didn’t know him personally, but he was a few years younger than her, and they’d gone to school together. He’d always been stern and boisterous. Today, he’d wanted to be the one to take her in, and she had no doubt he’d have to make some kind of report about Ranger’s part in finding the drugs in her car.

Drugs. Wendy’s. She’d looked and sounded fine this morning. Lyric hadn’t asked her directly, but she’d assumed her friend was still clean. Had Wendy lied about the months she’d been clean, or had she recently relapsed?

Either way, Lyric had failed somehow. Wendy had come to her when she’d been struggling in the past. Why hadn’t she said something this time?They’d been together or talked almost every day since Jaycee died.

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