Total pages in book: 26
Estimated words: 24359 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 122(@200wpm)___ 97(@250wpm)___ 81(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 24359 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 122(@200wpm)___ 97(@250wpm)___ 81(@300wpm)
Then, the door slams shut and the vehicles take off with screech and another ear-splitting siren. Meanwhile, I stare after them in utter disbelief. What the hell just happened? Were my boyfriends just arrested before the most important professional event of their lives?
“This is a mistake!” I scream at the police officers who remain. “You have the wrong guys!”
But the unis ignore me.
“Ma’am, you need to calm down,” one of them finally says. “I assure you, everything that happened was totally legal.”
“Legal? What are you talking about? You have the wrong men!” I shout, stomping my foot. “Talon and Torment Creighton aren’t criminals! Now tell me what’s going on!”
The uni merely shrugs.
“I’m afraid we can’t do that, ma’am. You’d best go back to your event.”
I stare at him, my blood pressure off the charts.
“Don’t you see? There is no event without Talon and Torment!”
The officer shrugs. “That’s not my problem. Again, ma’am, please calm down. I don’t want you falling over the metal barricade in your state.”
With that, he and his friends climb into their cars and speed off, sirens blaring once again. Meanwhile, the heat and excitement overwhelm me, and my knees are shaky. I can feel the world wobbling before my eyes and with a sigh, I collapse onto the ground. Immediately, paramedics rush over because they were conveniently stationed at the entrance, but it’s no use. All I want is for Talon and Torment to return, but they’ve long since been whisked away.
“Ma’am, is there anyone we can call for you?” a kindly EMS asks. I try to think through my pounding headache.
“Yes, please call my roommate Diana Bentley. She’s familiar with the law, and she’ll know what to do.”
“Of course,” the EMS responds. “Will do.”
I know Diana’s working, but I need her right now. Talon and Torment are in jail, and we have to get them out. Even more, we have to get an explanation for this. After all, the arrest has basically wrecked a marquee MMA event, and the promoters are going to be out millions of dollars. Heck, even Talon and Torment are going to hurt financially, seeing that they’ll probably have to forfeit their advance, losing sponsors and the chance at future opportunities.
But right now, I can’t worry about that. As the EMS hands me an ice pack, I sit in the back of the truck to wait for my friend to arrive. We’ll figure this out because my boyfriends’ lives and careers are at stake and I’ll do everything I can to avert impending disaster.
9
Paisley
* * *
My head is pounding when I wake up. I barely managed to sleep all night, and the sun is starting to peek through the blinds. Grimly, I stare at the shafts of light that fall on the blanket, wishing that this weren’t happening.
But at least I have my best friend to stand by me. Diana came as soon as they contacted her, and now she’s sound asleep beside me. After we got back to the apartment, she made me eat something and insisted on staying with me all night. I’m glad she did because I was feeling terrible, and she’s also the only person I trust at the moment.
But where is everyone? I check my phone, and no one has called. Aren’t people supposed to get one phone call when they get arrested? Why haven’t Talon and Torment reached out to let me know they’re okay?
My heart is racing but I force myself to calm down by taking a deep breath. All of this stress can’t be good for the baby and I have to be smart for both me and my child. Reluctantly, I sit up and then swing my legs over the edge of the mattress. Goddamn, I feel about a hundred years old today and my bones creak. Meanwhile, my friend stirs slightly at my side.
“Hey, you’re awake,” she murmurs. “How are you feeling?”
I grimace.
“Like I got hit by a truck multiple times. I think my life is over.”
She shakes her head while rubbing sleep from her eyes.
“It’s not over, Paisley. We’ll figure this out, okay? I’m sure the Creightons have a good lawyer, and you’ll hear from them soon enough.”
I sigh. My boyfriends have tons of money, so they can hire the best legal representation in the city, but the problem is that I have no idea why they even need an attorney. What did they do? Why would no one tell me anything yesterday? Why haven’t Talon and Torment tried to contact me in order to put my mind at ease?
It must be really bad because otherwise, the twins would be here with me right now. They would wrap their arms about my shoulders while pressing comforting kisses to my mouth. They would stroke my hair all the while murmuring soothing words into my ears. But instead, I’m in a desolate apartment with my bestie trying in vain to cheer me up. Diana reads my mind and smiles.