She has the decency to wince. “Sorry. I’m not trying to be insensitive. Think of me as staying on the bright side.”
A slow rush of pressure eases off my lips. “Yeah, okay. Thanks.”
“What’s going on? Grady is gone?” Molly is still blocking my view.
Any semblance of calm shatters with her questions. I peek at my phone. The damn device is silent. Not a single notification wakes the black screen. “I refuse to believe he left me. He’s around here somewhere.”
Molly taps her chin. “Do you think they’re together?”
A chill slithers through me. “I highly doubt that.”
“Why not?” She fiddles with a perfectly coiffed curl.
“They don’t really get along.” I’m distracted, my brain scrambling over possibilities. Her gasp has me looking over. “What?”
“It looks like something big is going down.” She points out the window.
The flashes of red and blue catch my attention first. At least three police cruisers are lined up along the curb. That sneaking suspicion in my gut rips wide open and swallows me. In the next beat, I’m off my seat and dashing out the door.
Lance is the first person I stumble across. He’s sitting on the trunk of a squad car with an ice pack covering half his face. I slam to a skidding halt in front of him.
“Have you seen Grady?”
He removes the compress with a cringe. I gag at the sight of his busted nose. “I’m so sorry, Sutton. I tried to stop him.”
A cannonball drops in my stomach. “What happened?”
“He attacked me.”
I allow my jaw to fall open. “No way.”
His head bobs with rapid nods. The jerky move must bump a clot loose. Blood begins dribbling from his nostrils. “Yep, that’s how it went. He was in the alley spouting off all this degrading stuff about you—”
I hold up a palm. “Wait a minute. Grady was bad mouthing me?”
Lance grinds his teeth. “Yes, that’s what I’m trying to explain. He sucker punched me.”
“I don’t believe you. Where is he?” My tone is flatter than concrete.
He blinks and ignores my question. “What? Why not?”
This moron could’ve given me all types of explanations or motives as to why Grady socked him. I might’ve believed a select few. But to accuse him of talking shit about me? Yeah, that’s a big pile of horse crap. I cross my arms and stare him down. “You’re lying.”
“I was protecting you.” He wipes at his bloody nose. How attractive.
“From Grady? That’s not possible, or necessary.” I almost choke on a mouthful of bile from the thought alone. Lance lifts a hand as if to cup my cheek. I leap out of the way. “What are you doing?”
“Comforting you. I’m sure this is a huge shock.”
I rub my throbbing temples. Am I having a nightmare? “I’ll be fine once I see Grady. Where is he? I shouldn’t have to repeat myself.”
He coos at me as if I’m a simpering toddler. “You’re safe now, Sutton. I understand this is hard to accept, but your boyfriend is a monster. Let me give you a hug.” He holds his arms out and motions me in.
I shy away from his advances. “No, knock it off. Grady is the only one I need. He couldn’t have done this. There’s no way that’s the true story. Please tell me where he is, Lance.”
“You’re defending him?”
“Of course, and I always will.”
