Rebel (Wolfes of Manhattan 1)

“I’m pretty sure one has already been found—the one used to off my father. We need to figure out how it got there and who fired it.”

She nodded. “We will.”

“Damn right we will. I’ll put the best in the business on it.”

“For once, I’m not going to object to you throwing money around,” she said, still not smiling, though.

I was the world’s biggest jerk. Lacey was scared. Freaked. She’d been cuffed and nearly arrested—would have been if I hadn’t pulled a gun on the dirty fucker. So what do I do? I tell her my deepest darkest secret to add to her fear.

“I’m sorry, Lace.”

“For what?”

“For…everything. All of this. Dragging you into it.”

“You didn’t drag me into anything.”

She didn’t sound convinced.

“I’m sorry anyway.”

“Look, I’m a big girl, okay? I could have said no to you. I could have…”

“Could have what?”

Nothing. Silence.

“Could have what, Lacey? Not fallen in love with me? Is that what you’re thinking?”

Again, silence.

“Fuck.” I rubbed my temple, my head beginning to ache.

“What’s done is done,” Lacey said.

“I wish I could change who I am,” I said. Then, “Fuck that. It’s a lie. I don’t wish I could change who I am. This is me. Everything in my past has made me what I am today.”

She seemed to soften then, as if my words had finally penetrated the hard shell she’d formed around her heart. She took my hand and entwined her fingers around mine.

“You’re right,” she said. “You are who you are, and I’ll never ask you to be anyone else. You’re the man I fell in love with. You, Rock.”

I pulled her to me, and this time she didn’t pull away. We stood together, embracing, our bodies melded together, her warmth seeping into me.

I’d put myself out there for this woman, told her things no one—save my mother—knew about me. She could have run away. Indeed maybe she should have, and for a few tense moments, I’d feared she would.

“I was afraid you’d leave me,” I said into her hair.

“No. I won’t leave you. I love you, Rock.”

“God, I love you too. I love you so fucking much. More than I’ve ever loved anyone.”

How long had it been since I’d allowed myself to fully feel something? Too damned long. Riley. My baby sister. My love for her was what had propelled me to protect her. I’d failed her.

I wouldn’t fail a person I loved again. Ever.

Lacey pulled away again, but this time she wasn’t rigid. She met my gaze. “Who else knows why you were sent away?”

“Only my mother, as far as I know.”

“Okay, then. Damage should be minimal, unless your mother has talked.”

“Connie Wolfe? Talk? Not a chance. She’d look less than perfect in the world’s eyes if she knew her son had attempted murder at fourteen and her dead husband had molested his only daughter.”

“Are you sure Riley is the only one he molested?”

“Yeah. Well, I think so. He never touched me sexually. And Roy and Reid never said anything. The bastard used to kick Reid’s ass on a regular basis. He pretty much said he was the new target after I got shipped off.”

“And all your siblings have alibis?”

“As far as I know.”

“I can see now why you think your mother is behind the deputy trying to arrest me.”

“I’m still not convinced otherwise,” I said. “But we’re not going to leave any stone unturned. We need to solve this, Lace.”

“Yeah. Before I get arrested.”

“You won’t get arrested. Let’s go talk to the doorman right now.”“Who?” I demanded. “Who’s been asking questions?”

The doorman went pale. “A detective, Hank something.”

“Morgan,” Lacey said.

“Yeah, that’s him. And another guy.”

“Who?” I demanded again.

“I…can’t. He had a…gun. Said he’d kill me.”

“If you don’t give me the name, I’ll fucking ki—”

“Rock”—Lacey grabbed my arm—“that isn’t helping.” She turned to the doorman. “Bobby, someone is trying to implicate me in a crime. We need to know who it is.”

“He didn’t tell me his name.”

“Of course he didn’t,” I scoffed.

“Can you describe him at least?”

“He wore a black overcoat.”

“Yeah, that’s helpful,” I said.

“The guy had a gun on me. I wasn’t exactly noticing the details.”

“It’s okay,” Lacey said to Bobby. “I know you were on duty that night when I got home. Do you remember?”

“Yeah. I think so.”

“You were also on duty the next morning, when I left the building. Remember?”

“Yeah. But I wasn’t on during the night.”

“I know,” Lacey said. “We’ll talk to the night guy. I rarely see him. What’s his name?”

“There are two. Blaine and Humphrey. I don’t remember who relieved me that evening or who was there the next morning.”

“That’s easy enough to find out,” Lacey said. “The main thing is that you remember me coming home and leaving the next morning. Would you be willing to tell the police that?”

“I…”

“Sure, he’s willing,” I said, staring Bobby down. “Right?”