Embyr nods, catching a few tears before they fall. “From your email.”
I search the past few days. I don’t remember going into my email recently. “I didn’t do that Embyr, and if I’m being honest I don’t even have access to that video anymore. I wouldn’t even know where to find it! I promise you, I haven’t opened my email since…”
I think, and I think some more and then it hits me. The Lieutenant results. I checked them at the station. I search the memory further and try to remember if I logged out. I checked it. I told Reece. Reece attacked me. I got sent home.
I rise quickly to my feet. “That fucking asshole!” I roar.
Without thinking, I storm toward the door, throwing it open. Embyr is not far behind me. “Where are you going? Who is an asshole?”
I don’t wait for the elevator because I’m too fucking angry to sit still for a moment longer. Not until my fist connects with that fuckers face. “I’ll call you later, Embyr, but just know I didn’t do this. It was not me.”
The door to the stairwell slams against the wall and I take the steps two at a time. The day is cold but my whole body is heated with fury. I throw off my sweatshirt as I jump into my truck and head down the street toward the station.
Traffic is a bitch and with each passing second my anger grows. How could he do this? How could he be so fucking cold-hearted and send that video to her job? He had an excuse back in high school. A shitty excuse but at least that time was an accident. It had to take a lot for him to get that video to my email and send it off to all of Em’s coworkers. He’s supposed to be my best friend. We’ve been rocky the past month or so but this puts the nail in the coffin. We’re done.
Once I reach the station, I throw the truck in park and rip the keys out of the ignition. I’m late, which sucks but after what I am about to do I’m sure that Captain will send me home anyway. This time a report will definitely be filed.
I find most of the crew in the kitchen but Reece is nowhere to be found.
“Where’s Reece?” I ask as I walk past them.
“Gym.” Someone comments, but I don’t know who.
Turning the corner, I spot him lying on the bench, the bench press extended above him. He doesn’t see me coming, and I like it that way. I grab onto the bar and begin to push it down. His eyes grow wide as he tries to counter the weight of me.
“What the fuck, Casen.” He struggles to speak. A bead of sweat forming on his temple. “Get the fuck off it. I’m going to drop it.”
I push further, giving him more of my weight. “Not until you fucking admit what you did!”
“HELP!” he screams, but I don’t give a shit. I’m not sure anyone could out strengthen me right now.
“Admit it, you fucking prick!” I yell. “Admit you sent that video.”
His arms start to shake. It won’t be long before it drops onto his chest. Or worse, his neck. “What video, man?”
I shake the bar. “The one of Embyr in high school, don’t play fucking stupid.”
It’s a tug of war. He won’t admit what he did, and I sure as fuck am not going to let go until he does. His eyes begin to tear up. “HELP!” he screams again, this time louder and more desperate.
“Tell me, Reece. Tell me why.”
His elbows are giving way and his desperate eyes look at my furious ones. “Because you don’t deserve her. She is so much better than you and you don’t deserve her.”
I let go of the bar just as some of the crew finally make it into the room. Reece drops the bar to its side, the weights crashing to the floor, and jumps up. His chest meets mine. “What the fuck, Casen! You could have killed me!”
I shove him. “You think I don’t deserve her so you attack her at the place she works. How fucked up is that, Reece. You are so messed up in the head. Always have been. You have a warped mind and I don’t fucking get it. You’re mad at me, pissed at me for getting what I want all the time. Go after me. Not her. She didn’t deserve that!”
The crew is standing around us, none of them knowing what to do, waiting to step in should this turn bad.
“She didn’t, huh? All the fucking over she did to you, Wesley, Patrick, Ian, and Thad? You don’t think she deserved it? So, you’re okay that your girlfriend bent over Patrick’s desk and let him rail her from behind. Or that Ian got to fuck that sweet pussy first. You like your friends giving it to your woman? Hmm, maybe I should get a try.”
I don’t think. I just react. My right hand rears back, and I slam it so hard into Reece’s face that he stumbles back and falls to the ground. Blood begins to pool from his nose, and before I can jump on him, I have two of my men holding an arm each. Another one is tending to Reece.
I point his way. “That was fucked up, Reece. Even for you. Don’t you come near Embyr or me again.”
He’s still laying on the ground, blood starting to run down his neck. “Don’t worry. I won’t. You all can go to hell.”
“What in the ever loving fuck is going on in here?” Captain yells, taking in the scene. “You two again?”
