"Mr. Caplan, our job is to investigate all claimsbeforedrawing conclusions,with all due respect," Mora replies. "But yes, we do have your statement. Again, at this point we are simply informing you of Mr. Forbes's story."
At this point?I swallow anxiously and Sam takes my hand, squeezing once.What if they believe Robin?Sam and Tuck could get in real trouble. Because of me. They could get arrested! I try to take deep breaths, but I'm too worried. If Sam gets arrested he could end up with a criminal record. It could destroy his college plans, hislife.
"He'slyin'," I repeat shakily. "Robin. He came after me, he tried tokillme! Sam just... hesavedme. What was he supposed to do?" I choke out, "Just let Robin-"
My anxious rambling is cut off when Sam stands suddenly, his chair scraping loudly against the concrete floor. I look up at him, but he doesn't meet my eyes. "Can I speak with you in private for a moment?" Sam asks the detectives.
I blink up at him, completely bewildered, but both detectives stand and casually follow Sam out of the interview room and before I know it, I'm sitting alone in here like some freaking criminal.
It's barely minutes before they return. Sam takes his seat beside me again and Detective Mora continues as if there was no interruption. She explains that there's no reason for me to attend the arraignment and that they will contact me when they need me if there is a trial. Sam asks why there wouldn't be one, and Karanek explains that if Robin is "smart" he will "plead out", and assures Sam that considering the circumstances and the violated Injunction for Protection, he doubts Robin will avoid jail time.
I can't help my snort.
Everyone looks at me and I blush and mutter a cursory apology. The detectives excuse themselves, but I ask if I can just sit there for a few minutes. Not that I really want to spend a minute more in this drab room, but I'm not sure my legs are quite ready to hold me up.
Sam asks if I'm alright and I shrug.Am I alright?I'm not sure I know what "alright" feels like anymore.
"I know what you're thinking," Sam hedges, and I give him a doubtful look.
How could he possibly know that I'm thinking Robin will get bailed out of this, both figuratively and literally, that Sam could get into serious trouble because of me when he should be partying on a freaking beach, and the fact is, I'm simply not worth it. My father's words haunt me.Small town girl. A dime a dozen.And for a moment I wonder what is wrong with Sam that he doesn't see it.
"He's not getting away with it, Ror."
This time I do suppress my snort, but Sam knows me too well. He laces his fingers with mine and begins to rub small circles on the back of my hand.
"He'snot. And he'snevergoing to hurt you again. I'm not going to let him, you hear me?" He is emphatic, and I believe he means what he says, but I also know he doesn't know the Forbeses. Or my father. And I don't want him inserting himself where he could get hurt or in trouble.
"Sam, you're just gonna have to let it play out. I don't want you any more involved than you already are. I've told you - I don't want you goin' after Robin."
"Ror-"
"No, Sam. Robin will get the minimal possible punishment. It's just how it works for people like him. But soon I'll be back in New York, and I can get back to my new life away from him. They're already accusin' you of assaultin' him! I don't want you in trouble and Robin's not worth it."I'm not worth it,I add silently. "And how are you so calm when he's accusin' you of attackin' him? You sounded like a freakin' lawyer."
Sam tucks a wayward lock of hair behind my ear. "No, Rory. That's not how it's going to go down this time. You were fuckingattacked. Don't you dare worry aboutme. My father, for the abusive, drunk asshole he was, is also a high powered attorney. I know the system, too. We are going to figure this out, you and me,together." He takes a deep breath before pressing his lips softly to my forehead. "I love you."
He wraps his strong arms around me and hauls me onto his lap, hugging me to his chest. I let him. I let the security I feel in his embrace wash over me and fool me into believing him. Into believing that somehow, for once, Robin will be punished for what he's done to me. That I will somehow, at some point, be able to put this horrible history behind me. But my scar stings with a phantom pain, reminding me of Robin's words and of their underlying truth. That I wear his mark on my soul just as surely as I wear it on my skin. That no matter how much I heal, no matter how frantically I try to give myself to Sam, a part of me will always belong tohim.
The only question left is how much of myself has been forever tainted, and is there enough left of me for Sam. Enough to make him happy, to outweigh all of the bad that comes along with Robin's constant shadow. Enough to beworth it.
But I'm afraid I already know the answer. That I've known it all along.
"Hey... why did you ask to talk to them alone?" I ask in a whisper. I resettle back onto my own chair, still in his embrace, and pull back to look at him.
His hand slides up to cup my jaw. "I just didn't want them upsetting you any more. You've been through enough."
"Me?They were accusingyou-"
"They were repeatinghisbullshit, and it was upsetting you, Ror. You know what they said to me out there?" He nods toward the door.
I shake my head.
"I told them if they were going to charge me with something they should do it so I can call my lawyer, and if they had any more questions they could ask me in private. Karanek told me that if, hypothetically, someone was to beat the living shit out of a rapist who was attacking his girl, theoretically, it isn't the kind of case they spend their time on down here in Florida. So don't worry, okay? Not about me."
Sam stands and holds his hand out to me. For a split second I just look up at him and soak in his perfection. Tall, lean and muscular. Strong, but protective in his strength. And his stunning face with its unnatural symmetry, sculpted jaw and defined cheekbones. But more than anything, those sparkling midnight blues - dark, hypnotic, and adoring.
"Our friends all went shopping in South Beach and there's still an hour or so of sun left, let's forget about that piece of shit for now and go make out on the beach," he offers with an irresistible half-smirk. An offer no girl alive could refuse, least of all me.
I let him lead me out of the interview room, allowing the alien feeling of hopefulness to seep in. Sam's hand holds mine tightly, giving me the illusion that I'm really all his, that he will make everything okay.
