ADRIK
The front window is shattered. Glass litters the asphalt lot, shining like diamonds in the mid-morning sun. Half the compartments of my glove box are strewn across the roof.
"Do we have a problem, gentlemen?" I ask as I approach.
Emery presses herself tightly against my side. I'm not sure if it's for my benefit or hers.
During the interview with the fucking morons at the breeder, I let Emery massage my arm and pretend to calm me down. In there, it was a charade.
But now, her touch is the only thing keeping me tethered to even the pretense of calm.
Inside, I'm raging.
The nearest officer turns to me. His mustache looks like a single stray hair resting on top of his lip. "Who are you, sir?" he scowls.
"The owner of the car you're vandalizing," I snap. "Who the fuck are you?"
His hand falls to the firearm at his hip. Emery stiffens—ready for violence already. Perhaps she’ll make it in my world after all.
"We received a tip that this car was stolen."
I know it right away: Bullshit.
"Did you receive a tip about a broken window, too?” I drawl. “Or did your nightstick just slip and fall into it?”
The man has the audacity to look offended. “Why don’t you step to the side with me, sir?” He looks at Emery. “And you can—”
“Don’t move.” I pin her hand in place with mine. “She'll stay with me. And we’ll both stay with my car.”
The man blinks at me, not sure what to say. His mouth presses into a line nearly as thin as his mustache. "Hold on while we verify everything."
As soon as he turns and walks back towards the car, Emery exhales a shaky breath. "What is going on?"
"Not now."
"But, Adrik… are you in trouble? Have you done something?" she asks. "Is this about your… connections?"
My hand turns to an iron shackle around her wrist. "Not. Now."
She nods fearfully.
I release her just as a grizzled officer struts over to us, beer belly-first.
"Mr. Tasarov," he says confidently. "Sorry about this. We got a call about a stolen car and then found your vehicle with a shattered window. My men assumed the worst."
"Did they assume the thief might have been hiding in the glove compartment?"
"Standard procedure. They hoped to ascertain who the vehicle belonged to."
"Indeed," I say, sounding as unconvinced as I feel. "I guess license plates just aren't what they used to be."
The officer chuckles uncomfortably. "They're putting everything back in order and then we'll be out of your hair.”
“Good. Now, get your men the fuck away from my car.”
He wants to say something. I see it in the narrowing of his eyes, the flaring of his nostrils.
But he has the wisdom to restrain. Instead, he tips his head and backs away. “Have a good day, sir.”
“Rot in hell,” I mutter under my breath. I yank my phone out of my pocket and dial Stefan’s number.
“What is going on?” Emery whispers. “Who reported your car stolen? Why did the police break your window?”
I ignore her and wait for Stefan to answer. He does on the second ring.
“Hello?”
In the background I can hear someone giggling. Isabella, I assume, though with Stefan, you never really know.
“I need you to pick Emery up,” I tell him.
Emery and Stefan both respond at the same time. “What?”
“I thought you were with her,” he says. “I’m watching the girl.”
There’s another round of giggles in the background and then I hear the rumble of the go-karts.
“I have somewhere else I need to go now,” I explain. “The police are poking around.”
Stefan says something to someone on his end of the phone and then the line gets quiet. He must’ve stepped into the hallway. “What do you mean, ‘the police are poking around?’”
“I mean that these fucking idiots just shattered my front window in the parking lot and ran through my car to see what they could rustle up.”
“As if you’d leave incriminating evidence in your glove box,” he snorts.
“Apparently, they think I’m as stupid as they are.”
Emery pulls on my arm. “Adrik, what’s going on?”
I give her a warning look and yank away from her, spinning back towards the breeder’s building. A small crowd has gathered just inside the glass front doors. They scurry away like ants once they notice I’m looking.
“They’re desperate,” I say. “I’m sure our friend Senator Waters put them up to it.”
Emery gasps behind me. I’m surprised it took her this long to put the pieces together.
“So you’re going to pay him a visit?” Stefan asks.
“Yes, I think a little house call is in order. Which is why I need you to come get Emery and take her home.”
“And then check into Malcolm, right?”
There’s a reason Stefan is my right-hand man. He’s always one step ahead.
“Dig some shit up,” I tell him. “Whatever it takes to put the fucker out of his goddamn misery.”
There’s a long pause before Stefan speaks again. “This is about Emery, isn’t it?”
“Who the fuck knows?”
He hums noncommittally, which makes me roll my eyes. Drives me nuts when he gets nonverbal.
“Just spit it out, whatever it is.”
“Nothing. Nothing, it’s just… are you sure she’s worth it?” he asks. “Isabella is a sweet kid and all. And Emery makes a finefake wife. But… why make enemies with a Congressman over—”
“I didn’t make a new enemy. Nothing has changed.”
“Except the police are after you now. That’s new.”
“It happens. You know that.”
He sighs. “Yeah, maybe.”
“No maybes about it,” I tell him angrily. “But if you’re going to start doubting me, I’ll find someone with some motherfucking loyalty to do your job.”
I don’t have to put Stefan in his place often, but he still takes it better than most. He moves on without missing a beat.
“You sure you don’t want backup?” he asks.
“For one fat politician?” I snort. “Not necessary. I’ll be fine.”
“Okay. I’ll be there in a few.”