Page 60 of Vicious Seduction
I was just as shocked at what I’d said. I hadn’t put words to the thoughts, but they seemed to be pouring out of me like they’d been plotting their escape for days. They came so unbidden that I didn’t have a chance to filter them. But now that they were out, I realized an explanation would be required, and I didn’t want to get into theCaitlin issue right now. The night had unfolded perfectly, and Caitlin would only fuck things up. I should have already told Lina and would have if I didn’t hate talking about it so damn much.
“If I thought you’d let me,” I offered instead. It was a risk. If she agreed, I would have to come clean, but considering how resistant she’d been to any sort of relationship from the beginning, I wasn’t too worried. I took Lina’s hands in mine and held them above her head, her back pressed against the metal wall. “I have an entire list of things I’d do to you if I thought you’d let me—some of them unwise and most of them downright uncivilized.”
Lips parted, she was on the cusp of begging me to show her when her gaze suddenly dropped to the floor.
“You wouldn’t feel the same if you knew the things I’ve done,” she whispered brokenly.
“Is this about that perverted bastard at the club? Because what he did to you doesn’t change the way I feel. Not even a little.” I wanted to kill the fucker all over again after hearing the pain in her voice.
She shook her head. “It’s not that. I wish it was—I wish I was the only person who’d been hurt by my bad choices, but I’m not. I’ve done things…”
Herbad choices? Being raped wasn’t a choice. Fuck, I hoped she knew that.
I needed her to know, not just that, but how much I wanted her regardless of whatever the fuck she thought she’d done. The intensity of my desire for her didn’t make sense. I knew she was keeping secrets and that I didn’t want that in my life, but it didn’t matter. None of it did where Lina was concerned. I needed her to understand that. I had to find a way to show her. I’d done shit she didn’t know about. Bad shit. And I still hoped she’d look past it just like I wanted her regardless of her past.
“You don’t believe me, so I’ll prove it to you the only way I know how.” I hit the button to engage the elevator. When the doors opened, I gave the waiting club members a warning glare and pressed the button for the ground floor. Message received—no one tried to join us.
I held Lina’s hand in mine on the way back to the car, my swift strides tugging her along with me.
“What about Conner?” she asked, growing winded. “Weren’t you supposed to open the safe?”
“This is more important.”
She didn’t ask any more questions, though I could sense her anxiety. She sat with her hands tightly clasped in her lap the entire drive to the police station. When she saw where I’d taken her, I wondered if she might dart down the sidewalk she looked so panicked, though she seemed to remember my purpose for bringing her by the time I helped her out of the car. She’d calmed somewhat, eyes wide with a wary hopefulness.
“Is Casper on duty tonight?” I asked at the reception desk.
“Not tonight.”
“What about Lieutenant Palmers?”
“Yeah, I believe he’s at his desk.” She motioned behind her to the open-area mass of desks.
“Thanks.” I led Lina back to where Palmers was stationed, relieved to find him at his desk. He sat tall when he saw me approaching, eyes doing a quick sweep of the room. Plenty of these guys worked with us on the regular, but none of them liked to admit it.
“Mr. Byrne, this is unexpected.”
“I just need a minute of your time,” I told him. “I need you to pull up someone’s record. Carolina Elizabeth Schultze.”
Palmer took a quick look at Lina, then got to work on thecomputer. After a minute, his brow furrowed. “There’s nothing there.” He angled the monitor so we could see it—Lina’s perfectly clean record. “No charges or record of arrest. Was I supposed to find something?” he asked, confused.
I didn’t answer, too focused on Lina as she processed what he’d revealed.
“You made me think…”
“I did what I had to do. No more.”
I saw the second she realized and accepted that I never intended her any harm—not even the risk of harm. Her eyes filled with tears as she nodded, unable to speak.
“That’s all we needed, Palmer. Thanks.” I took her hand again, this time leading at a more casual pace. She stopped me once we were outside, pulling her hand free and facing me.
“What does this mean, Oran?” She looked so fucking lost and confused. I hated it but knew it was necessary. She needed to know the truth.
“I suppose that’s up to you.”
Her eyes dropped to the ring on her hand. I swore if she took it off, I was going to lose my goddamn mind, but she didn’t. Instead, she covered it with her other hand. In protection or avoidance, I wasn’t sure, and I didn’t care so long as it stayed put.
“I don’t know what to think,” she admitted softly. “I don’t know what to do. I don’t even have a home anymore.”