“It’s going to be alright.” Ronan cups my cheek as he looks down at me. “I’ve got you. We’ve all got you. Okay?”
Behind him, Enzo, Max, and Knox stand silently. But their expressions are fierce. “We’ve got your six,” Enzo says. “That means we’ve got your back. For as long as you need us.”
Tears well up again.
I want to thank them.
But when I open my mouth, all that comes out is another broken sob.
“It’s okay,” Ronan soothes. He kisses the top of my head. “We’ll figure it out. I promise.”
CHAPTER 13
RONAN
It’s so much easierwhen the police aren’t involved.
Not that I have anything against them. We work with the police when a case calls for it. Local departments refer clients to us—domestic violence and stalking complaints, in particular—when red tape keeps them from fully doing their job. I’m friends with some of the local cops. I respect them. There are plenty of times when we work well together.
But right now? Having to wait on forensics and suspects lawyering up and all the bureaucratic bullshit when I just want to get to the bottom of this? Knowing how much faster we could get this shit done if it were left up to us?
It’s beyond frustrating.
When it’s just us working an investigation, we can get creative. Alec can hop on the computer and find out pretty much anything. If we have a suspect, we can interrogate them ourselves. A client in immediate danger? We don’t wait for a warrant. We find our own way in.
Is it one hundred percent legal? Not quite. But we never do anything with the intent to harm. It’s only ever to protect.
Have I wanted to beat the shit out of a suspect before? Absolutely. When I heard about what Winter’s ex did to her, and that asshole brother-in-law of Rory’s… Jail didn’t seem like nearly enough.
And speaking of beating the shit out of someone… I can think of two men I’d like to have some private time with.
First off, Phil. I knew he was trouble. I knew it before he shoved Angel, and after, I was even more sure of it. He claims he’s innocent. He claims he hasn’t touched any drugs or alcohol since that day at Blissful Brews. And heclaimshe’s sorry for what happened to Angel. That he never meant to hurt her.
At least, that’s what Patrick said during one of his updates. But all those statements came through Phil’s court-appointed attorney, which means nothing to me. If I had Phil in front of me, preferably in a remote cabin where no one could hear him scream,thenI’d be more likely to believe what he says.
And Justin. That piece of shit. He deserts Angel when she’s pregnant, blows off his own kid, and now he’s back? Ten years later, andnowhe thinks he can just stroll back into their lives? I don’t care if he allegedly has an alibi for the night Angel’s house was broken into. I don’t trust a thing that guy says.
It gives me a new appreciation for some of the tactics I’ve heard about other security companies using. Alec’s old Green Beret teammate, Ace, works for a branch of Blade and Arrow Security out in Oregon, and they don’t let things like laws stop them from protecting their clients. I’ve heard stories of what they do—breaking bones during an interrogation, forging evidence to ensure a guilty suspect is punished—and I can totally understand why they’d be forced into doing it.
Sometimes the law doesn’t ensure that justice is served.
Sometimes laws protect the guilty instead of the innocent.
And seeing what Angel’s gone through over the last twenty-four hours, I don’t think I care much about laws, either.
Case in point, the latest update from the police. Which was a big, fat nothing.
Analysis on the fingerprints in Angel’s house? Still working on it.
Phil’s interview with the police? Just a bunch of crap about how he’s innocent, and then he clammed up at his attorney’s advice.
Justin? A shitty alibi from a buddy in St. Johnsbury, where he’s currently living, saying that he and Justin were playing pool in his basement. As if friends have never lied to cover for each other?
Oh, and the cocaine. The damn cocaine that Angel would never dream of having in her house. That’s the most recent update Enzo just texted me about, since he’s been acting as liaison with the police.
Still pissed about it, I read his message again.
They didn’t find any fingerprints on the bag. The contents are with forensics, but according to Pat, they’re almost certain it’s the real thing. Pat says they’re not going to push the angle that it belonged to Angel. But he said they can’t completely rule it out, either.
