“Yes, I was in a military hospital there for three weeks.”
“Drugs were located in your girlfriend’s purse. The RX matches the description of medication that was reported stolen a couple of weeks ago from the hospital.”
“That has to be a mistake. I came home with medication. It might be mine.”
“I know this might be hard to hear, but your girlfriend has a prior arrest for possession of a controlled substance.”
His heart was hammering, and he knew he wasn’t thinking straight. All he knew for certain was that the drugs found on Jane weren’t hers. He could believe that she’d had a prior arrest, as she’d hinted to things in her past, but those drugs were as much hers as they were his. There was no way he was going to convince the police officer otherwise. A second police car pulled up and parked behind the first.
“What happens next?”
“She’ll be arrested, detained, and booked at the station. She’ll be able to make a phone call and will be arraigned within seventy-two hours. After she enters a plea, the judge will consider the possibility of bail.”
“What about me? I was in the vehicle, too.”
“You’re free to go.”
He gave the officer a curt nod. Several hundred feet away, Jane was being led to the second police car by a female officer. “Can I talk to her first?” The officer used her hand to cover Jane’s head as she got into the back seat of the cruiser.
“We allow visitors at the county jail.” The officer unlocked the handcuffs, and they dropped from his wrists. The man gave him a pitying look. “Sometimes, we learn things about the people we love, and it’s a shock. I hope things work out, man.”
Sully didn’t bother to respond and went straight to his truck. He wasn’t sure what had happened, only that his brother was behind it. Once inside, he phoned Jude.
“I need your help.”
Chapter Seventeen
Jane couldn’t stopshaking. Her teeth chattered together as fear caused her entire body to convulse. The plastic seat of the cruiser was hard and cold against her back. Hot tears streamed down her cheeks as she fought against the flashbacks threatening to overwhelm her. The crackle of the radio. Gravel and dirt biting into her skin. The sharp, invasive pain. She squeezed her eyes shut, forcing herself to think of something else. Sully. God, what was he thinking right now? That was obvious. He probably thought she’d stolen the drugs from the hospital in Baltimore. That must be why he walked right to his truck, instead of trying to stop the officer from taking her. She didn’t blame him. Not when she had a prior arrest on her record for possession.
The female officer had been kind as she helped her sit in the back seat of the cruiser and promised the ride would be short. The scent of fast food made her stomach roll each time they hit a bump in the road. The wine she drank earlier, along with the food sat heavy in her stomach right beside the dread that settled in her gut. Hot bile rose up her throat, but she gulped it down, trying to take some deep, cleansing breaths. Her arms were beginning to tingle from sitting with them secured behind her back. A wave of dizziness swept over her and her heart was pumping at a rapid pace. She was terrified of passing out, but maybe that was the best thing that could happen to her at this point. It would stop her from reliving what had happened to her as a teenager. She barely noticed when the officer turned into the station and helped her from the back seat. She foughtto maintain a cold detachment as she was searched and given clothes to change into.
“You’re allowed one phone call.” The officer’s voice was static in her ears as she thought of Sully getting into the vehicle without a backward glance.
She simply shook her head, and the officer led her to a small cell. It wasn’t going to matter what she said. No one was going to believe her. The medication from the bag was stolen from the exact hospital where Sully had been an inpatient. Added to that, she’d been told the theft happened while they were there. Her career and livelihood were in jeopardy, and she was sucked back into a time when no one, not even her own mother, had believed her, choosing to side with authority. Having a person of power misuse it so deeply had left her shattered and distrustful of everyone and everything.
Then she’d met Sully, and in an intense situation, she’d offered him her trust. He hadn’t let her down. But this? He was a Navy SEAL. A hero. Honorable and trustworthy. There was no way he was going to stand by her side as she battled the legal system on a drug possession charge. She’d done nothing wrong, but her world was crumbling around her. The worst part was going to be Sully’s rejection. The look of disgust and mistrust in his eyes. When the door clicked shut behind her, she walked over to the metal bed, curled into the fetal position, and cried.
The next morning, another police officer roused her from the cell and placed her in the back of the police car. “You got lucky, miss. You have the first court appearance of the day.”
She barely glanced up as the car stopped before the courthouse and the officer walked her through the doors. She kept her face trained on her sneakers as she was led down the tile floor and into the courtroom. Her insides were churning and quivering, and her skin felt like ice. After a night spent in the cold cell on the metal bed, she was certain she’d never be warmagain. She breathed through her nose, willing her breathing to slow so she didn’t faint. When her case was called, a court officer led her to the stand. She stood in front of a small microphone as the judge read the charges against her. When asked her plea, her voice cracked as she barely whispered not guilty. They’d set bail next, but it didn’t matter. Who would offer up money to get her out while awaiting trial? She certainly didn’t expect Sully to. Her handcuff clinked as she shifted on the stand. A wooden chair groaned as someone stood. Papers rustled from the judge’s bench.
“The defendant is part of an ongoing investigation with the Department of Homeland Security and will be released into their custody while awaiting trial.”
She looked up for the first time, confused by the judge’s words. She and Sully had already told Jude everything they knew about the trafficking case. Something blurred in the corner of her vision, and she looked at the gallery at the back of the courtroom. Her throat tightened and she blinked rapidly. Standing front and center was Jude, Sully, Red, and Thalia. They formed a formidable line. Tears spilled over her lower lids and rolled down her cheeks, but she couldn’t swipe them away, not with her hands behind her back.
Her chest tingled as she dared to look directly at Sully. What she saw in his gaze wasn’t what she had expected. His face softened the moment their eyes locked. There was no sharp anger or accusation in his golden gaze. No disgust or contempt. She didn’t dare believe what was right in front of her eyes. If she was wrong, if Sully didn’t truly care or think she was innocent, it would break her. The court officer led her off the stand and unlocked the handcuffs around her wrists. She stood stock-still, unsure of what to do. Then Sully was pushing past his friends, rushing toward her. His arms came around her and the force of his embrace made her breath catch.
“I’ve got you, sweetheart. I’ve got you.” He kissed the top of her head and rocked her gently.
“Wh-what are you doing here? I didn’t expect—” She was trembling all over and she couldn’t seem to stop.
“Jane, I wouldn’t be anywhere else right now. I know those drugs weren’t yours. Even if they were though, I’d still be here.”
She glanced up at him stunned. “Why?” Her mouth was slack, but she couldn’t seem to close it as she waited for his response.
Twin lines formed between his brow as he stared down at her. “Because you’re mine and I’m yours. If you were struggling with something like addiction, I’d still be here because that would mean you needed help. I’m not going to disappear when things get tough. I love you.”
She went limp against him and sobbed into his shirt. She wasn’t sure how much time had passed before they were surrounded by their friends and led to the waiting SUV.
