The Hardest Part (34 page)

Lexi shook her head.
"I was there when she started waking up, but then the doctors came in and the nurses pushed me out before I could let her know. I wanted to stay with her, but when I saw the police officers, I came to get you."

Brandon came up from behind me.
"What happened? I go to the restroom and when I come back, it's like all hell’s broken loose."

"
Emily woke up." Lexi wrapped her arm through his. "But they won't let us in there. They're questioning her."

"
That's bullshit." He looked at me and I gave him an agreeing nod. I just wasn't in the mood to talk.

My phone buzzed and I pulled it out of my pocket. Robbins. Lexi and Brandon sat down and I moved a few feet away before I answered.

"
Robbins, talk to me."

"
Well, Reed, it doesn't look good. The last of the cops just left the premises. They don't have Mr. Terrell in custody. I haven't seen him again since he entered the building." There was a long silence. I could feel my anger building. I wasn't sure what I was going to do to control it. This just didn't seem possible.
How can this be happening?

"
Dammit! He's going to get away with it!" I yelled, causing the entire waiting room to look in my direction. Lexi's eyes fell when my gaze met hers. Brandon's arm wrapped around her and squeezed her tighter. I was thankful for him being there. A couple years ago, I swore on my life that I would protect Lexi from ever getting hurt again. From ever being scared again. Now, it seemed like I was the one scaring her and Brandon was there to comfort her.

Turning away from her gaze, I cursed a few times under my breath and then walked toward the doors leading outside. I wanted to speak freely without upsetting my sister or the entire waiting room again.

"
The detective just questioned me again. They told me that the son of a bitch has an alibi… five witnesses actually," I said through clenched teeth. "They're going to let him walk."

I heard what sounded like a low growl on the other end of the line.
"So we're going to have to be patient and let the cops do their job. Is that what you're telling me?" I hadn't heard Robbins speak in such an angry tone in years. Usually, he was the calm and cool one.

"
I'm not sure what else to do right now."
Well, except kill him myself.

"
I'll stay here and make sure he doesn't leave Vegas," he said and then paused for a moment before asking, "How's Emily?" My heart clenched at the sound of her name.

"
She's awake now, but I haven't been able to see her. The cops are questioning her and…"
And I'm not sure how to tell her that Jake is going to get away again.
That I broke my promise and I can't protect her.

"
Is there anything you’d like for me to do? Anything you need?" Robbins asked.

I pinched the bridge of my nose, frustrated more than I'd ever been in my life. When the attack happened to my parents and Lexi, at least I got justice. At least the monsters who did it were locked up behind bars. At least they would never be free to hurt anyone again. Jake, though, after he spent years hurting Emily and tried to kill us a few nights ago, he got to walk free?

I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to keep what I really wanted deep inside. I didn't want to say the words, but they came out anyway.
"I want the son of a bitch dead, Robbins. I want him gone so he can't hurt her again
—
her or our baby. I want you to kill him." My anger was controlling the words coming out of my mouth. I didn't even recognize what I was saying until after the words were spoken.

"
Reed, are you sure that's what you want? You know I can make that happen, but you need to be sure. It's not something I can take back."

I sat there for a long moment, breathing in and out, staring across the parking lot, watching a mother and daughter sitting on a bench. As I stared at them, I wondered if that was what I really wanted.
Is having Jake dead the only thing that will give me peace? Give Emily peace? Will it give her comfort to know the man who has terrorized her for the past few years is dead? Will it protect her and our baby? Will the asshole try to hurt her again? Will he terrorize her and force her to live in fear for the rest of her life? Or do I just want to clear my conscience, wanting to prove to myself that I can protect her because I had failed at protecting Lexi and my parents?

It became clear to me then.
"No, Robbins, I don't want you to kill him." I paused, closing my eyes tight before opening them again. "I want to do it."

JAKE

T
HE COPS
had been crawling all over the place for days now, but just as I knew all along, they had nothing on me. It had been fun to watch Miller squirm. He thought he had me, but I was always a few steps ahead of him. When I saw him yesterday, I could see the desperation and frustration all over his face. I knew it was just fueling the fire and probably driving him to find some evidence on me even more, but I couldn’t help but smile when I saw him. He had it out for me for years. He treated me like I was a nobody in this town when I actually owned this place. So out of all of this bullshit I had to put up with the last few days, it had been one silver lining.

The best part of yesterday was Rico telling me he had news of Emily. Through his connections he had found out she was alive. He couldn’t get all the details of her condition, but just knowing that she was alive was good enough for me. So even with the cops still sniffing around lately, today was still a good day. Today I got a renewed hope in getting Emily back.

For the first time in days, my heart relaxed a little. I just needed to wait a little while to let the cops trail run cold and then I could make my move. I wanted to give Emily some time to cool down as well. She was undoubtedly still angry with me. I would just have to explain to her why I did what I did. She would understand when I told her how much I loved her and that I only did what I did because I thought she was leaving me for another man. Then I would do what I should’ve done days ago. I would kill Reed Alexander. I would kill for what he’d done to me and Emily.

So tonight, I would sleep soundly knowing she was still here on this earth, knowing there was still a chance for us to try again.

I was in the bedroom, just about to call it a night when I heard the front door open. Rico knew better than to walk in unannounced. The guy was loyal, but he wasn’t very smart.

“Dammit, Rico. What is it?” I said darkly as I stomped back into the living room.

When my eyes met the man who was standing ten feet in front of me, I couldn’t believe it. My stomach tightened and I tried to convince myself that I was hallucinating. The days of no sleep and drinking myself into a stupor must have finally caught up with me. There was no way this guy was standing in front of me. He wasn’t supposed to be here. He was supposed to be dead.

“Surprised to see me?” The man smiled and fear ripped through every inch of my body.

REED

A
BOUT AN
hour later, Kim, the nurse that had been so nice to me, came into the waiting room. Her eyes locked with mine and she gave me a small smile, gesturing me over. I jumped out of my seat and practically ran to her, eager to hear any news she had to tell me.

"
The cops have finished their questioning." Her smile grew. "She's asking for you, but the doctor only wants one visitor at a time right now."

I let out a large breath.
She’s asking for me. That’s something. God, right now, that is everything.

Lexi and Brandon were beside me, and Lexi reached out to touch my arm.
"Tell her we're here and that we're thinking of her."

I nodded, gave her a big hug, and then followed Kim down the hall. I wanted to run past her, run right to Emily's room, but I walked as calmly as I could beside her.

Detective Palmer and his partner were standing across the hall from Emily's room and didn't even look in my direction as I approached. They both wore stone-cold faces and only seemed to be interested in what the other one was saying. As much as I wanted to stop and quiz them, ask them if they were going to get the bastard, knowing that Emily gave them the same story I did and probably even more information, all I really wanted to do was see Emily.

The two police officers, who had stopped me before, stepped aside and let me through. I gathered a breath, bracing myself against the door. I was scared and anxious but most of all, hopeful. I just wanted to see that she was okay.

Emily was lying in bed with her eyes closed, looking like she had the past few days. She looked peaceful as she breathed softly. My eyes roamed over her face. I saw no change. It felt like someone had punched me in the stomach. My chest ached. So many things went through my mind.
Why aren't her eyes open? Am I too late? Has she fallen asleep? Has she fallen back into a coma?
The only thing I wanted was to hear her voice. To see her eyes open. To see her smile. However, there was nothing.

I stood in front of her bed, just staring at her, not able to move another muscle toward her.
Dammit, I missed it. She woke up and I missed it. Does she even know I’m here? Or did she think I abandoned her?

Just as I was about to run out of the room and question the nurses, Emily's eyes fluttered open. She was looking right at me. I gasped for air, like I hadn't taken a breath since the last time I'd seen her eyes staring back at me. It was hard to hold back my emotions. A part of me was certain I'd never see them again.

"
Reed." Her voice was soft, hoarse.

My eyes fell closed for just a moment to savor the sound of her voice.
"God, it's so good to hear your voice and to see you with your eyes open. I've been—" I choked on the words, feeling my emotions burn in my chest. I cleared my throat, hoping to keep them from coming out completely. "I've been so worried about you."

"
I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm sorry you got involved in this. I should've told you. It's all my fault. I should've told you everything. I was just scared and I didn't want anyone involved. I thought I was protecting you. I'm so, so sorry for not telling you about him and about my past."

Making my way around to the side of her bed, I grabbed her hand in mine. I leaned close to her and said,
"Don't apologize. What happened was not your fault. I'm just glad you're okay."

"
I feel so stupid. I was such an idiot. I thought I could start a new life. I thought I could get away. It was selfish and dumb, and it almost got you killed, Reed. I would've never forgiven myself if anything happened to you because of me."

Her lips folded inward and her eyes closed, as if she were trying to hold in the tears. It killed me to see her so upset. The last thing she should feel right now was shame or guilt. Emily was a victim and she was acting like she had control over what happened.

"
Open your eyes and look at me." I tried to keep my voice soft. She did as I asked, tears rolling out of the corners of her eyes. "You don't need to apologize or feel guilty for what happened. It wasn't your fault. None of it."

She nodded and then closed her eyes again. As I sat there, I wondered if she knew about the baby. Had the doctors told her yet? With all that had happened, they might have thought it best to wait before saying anything. She had only been awake for a couple minutes before the detectives bombarded her with questions.

"
I told the cops everything," she said, reopening her eyes. "I told them it was Jake who did this to us. I told them what he tried to do to me before I got to your place, about how I barely got away. I told them everything about the last few years and how I had tried to get help in Vegas but couldn't." Her voice cracked and then she finally broke into tears.

Crawling on the bed and trying not to hurt her or mess with her IVs, I did the only thing I could think to do. I wrapped my arms tightly around her and told her over and over it was going to be okay. I told her I was sorry for not protecting her. That I was sorry he hurt her again. My mouth opened to say something about the baby, but I didn't because I wasn't sure she was ready to hear that yet. Instead, I promised her I would do everything in my power to make sure Jake paid for what he did and that I would die before I let anything like this happen to her again.