Alyssa
Present Day
We were seated in the small café down the street from the motel. With the rain pouring outside, the place was packed. I still wasn’t used to crowds. When you heard your own voice for as long as I had, which was mainly in my head anyway, being near a lot of people was overwhelming.
Across from me, Luke was running a search on his cell phone. He’d tried to convince me we should contact his brother, a detective, and that he’d have a few contacts who could help us, but I’d refused. There was no way in hell I would place the life of my daughter in the hands of the police. I had my own reasons—the disadvantages of having a husband who owned a brothel. It’s what I call it now because it was what it was.
A high-end brothel.
It was a hot spot for businessmen, politicians, and, of course, law enforcement. They’d created an escape. That is what Malcolm had said to me when I had confronted him about it during the last dinner we’d had together.
“What are you thinking about?”
“Nothing important,” I answered. “You shouldn’t be here, you know. You should be out there actually living your life.”
“What makes you think I’m not?” he countered, taking a sip of his coffee.
“Well, you’re here, a fugitive from justice, all for a woman who is practically a stranger and a murderer to boot.”
He laughed. “You’re far from any of that at this point.”
“What’s your story anyway?” In truth, I was interested to know what made Luke tick. I wanted to know all about him and what made a seemingly normal man do something this risky.
“It’s a long story.”
“We have time.” I motioned to the weather outside and the fact we weren’t going anywhere for at least a while. “You know everything about me. Don’t you think I deserve a glimpse into your world?”
He narrowed his eyes, and I could tell he was trying to find the right words.
“Well, I’m getting divorced after a three-year mess I called a marriage. I’d like to blame it on her, Audrey, my wife, on her infidelity, but I know I had at least some role in it all.”
“There is no excuse for someone to cheat, Luke. She could have walked away instead.”
“I know you’re right, but there are always two or more sides to a story. My work sometimes got in the way. I tend to get overly committed when I work on a case.”
I shook my head, smiling. “So, how many Alyssa Morgans have you saved?”
“Oh, just one…” His unsaid words hung between us.
“Have you always wanted to do what you do? Work, I mean?”
He took a deep breath. “For as long as I can remember. My parents were murdered when my brother and I were very young. They were shot by a robber who wanted their car as a getaway vehicle. My father must have fought him, and he shot them. The guy they convicted didn’t do it. He’d simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time. He had pleaded not guilty, and nobody believed him. The guy who did, came forward a few years after it happened, but by then, it was too late. The person they convicted had committed suicide.”
I didn’t expect a story like that. It made me understand his need to save me, even if it was from myself.
“I’m sorry, Luke, nobody should have to go through that.”
“That was part of the reason both my brother and I went into law enforcement.”
“I can understand that.”
“It’s why I’m here, Alyssa. You shouldn’t have to pay for something that wasn’t your fault. You were trying to protect your daughter. You deserve a fucking medal for that.”
I felt like a hypocrite hearing him saying the words. Yes, I intended to protect Gracie, but in the process, I exposed her to dangers far beyond what was anticipated.
“Alyssa, what did happen that night?”
ChapterThirty
