Grind (Cal and Macy's Story 2)

She fucking shudders hard in my arms, and it breaks my heart. Makes me want to go slay all of her dragons, and yet... I don't know what to kill yet. I don't know a goddamn thing.

The elevator doors open and I release Macy, taking her hand back in mind and giving her a reassuring squeeze. I pull her into the car, and we silently ride up to the fifteenth floor. Just before the car comes to a slow, rolling stop, I turn and put my free hand under her chin. I push up gently until she's looking at me.

"I have no clue what's going on," I tell her in a low voice. "But whatever it is, you got me. Okay?"

She stares at me... almost blankly.

"Macy," I prompt her, my fingers pinching down a little more firmly on her chin. "You got me, alright? I'm not going anywhere."

Her breath stutters out over her lips, her skin pale and her eyes glazed. But she gives me a slight nod as the elevator doors open.

And there they are... two men who are clearly Feds standing outside of her apartment door that sits just to the left of the floor lobby. Dark suits, bland ties, and precision-cut hair.

I step out of the elevator and after only a moment's hesitation, Macy follows me. We approach the men, and the older of the two... graying hair, heavily tanned skin, and pale, watery eyes pulls out a badge.

"Miss Carrington," he says somberly as he holds it out for her inspection. Macy's eyes are blank, so I take a peek as well. "I'm Special Agent Chris Montford, and this is my partner, Special Agent Henry Nichols."

Macy nods, and I'm surprised she has a voice, although it's shaky. "What can I do for you?"

"We'd like you to come down to our office and answer some questions for us," Agent Montford says.

"About what?" I ask, not even giving Macy a chance to speak for herself. This is now getting into my territory, not as a boyfriend or whatever the fuck you call me, but as her legal protector.

"We've been investigating Quarter Mine," Agent Nichols says quietly, and surprisingly, with a little bit of empathy in his voice as he looks at Macy. "Indictments have been issued and arrests are being made."

"My father?" Macy whispers, even though she knows that's already been done since the reporters were asking her about it.

"Yes," Agent Nichols confirms. "As the CEO, he was indicted, as well as your uncle, Luke Carrington as the CFO, and some of the other board members, as well as Quarter Mine's accountants."

"For what?" I ask, not missing the fact that Macy starts pressing in tighter to me.

Agent Montford speaks in a monotone voice, and you can tell there's not an empathetic bone in his body. "Your father and his other co-conspirators falsely reported the company's growth and performance while completely masking the amount of debt incurred, causing the stock to inflate, and then sold out at a profit."

Oh, fuck... this was not good. This was major, white-collar prison time.

"What are the charges?" I ask.

"Giving false statements, insider trading, money laundering, wire fraud, bank fraud," he says smoothly. "Shall I go on?"

"And what do you want Miss Carrington for?" I ask.

"What's it to you?" Montford practically sneers.

"Because I'm her fucking lawyer," I say as I step up into him but keep ahold of Macy's hand. "And she's not going anywhere unless you have a warrant for her arrest or unless you treat her with a little more respect."

The minute I said "warrant," Macy lets out a fearful moan, but I keep my eyes focused on the federal agent. He only stares at me with cold eyes until Agent Nichols steps up. "Look, Mr....?"

"Carson," I say as I step back and turn toward the other man.

"Mr. Carson," Agent Nichols says. "Miss Carrington is not in any trouble as far as we can tell. She's not under indictment, but the prosecuting attorney believes she will be a witness. This is a formal request that she come in to give a statement... in the spirit of cooperation."

"What do you possibly think I could know to help the government? I have nothing to do with Quarter Mine at all," Macy asks.

"I'm not sure," Agent Nichols says. "We just have orders to bring you in for questioning, but my understanding is it's just to help our federal accountants account for some expenditures Quarter Mine charged off about eleven years ago for a trip your family made to Brussels."

"Oh God," Macy whispers, and that's when I feel her start to sag. My arm goes quickly around her waist to hold her up, and I bring a reassuring palm up to cup her cheek, which is pale and clammy.

I don't look at the agents but keep my eyes pinned on Macy. "Does she have to do this right now? She's just had a bit of a shock."

"I'm afraid so, Mr. Carson," Agent Nichols says and Montford heads toward the elevator, pressing the button to convey that play time is over.

"Come on," I tell her gently. "Let's go get this over with. I'll be right there with you, and you won't have a thing to worry about. After it's over, we'll go out and have a nice lunch... go take that drive in the country. It's all going to be okay."

Macy starts shaking her head, her eyes wild with a glaze of tears coating the blue irises as she pulls away from me. "No, Cal. It won't be okay."

"Sure it will," I say, pumping my voice with as much bravado as I can muster, even though my stomach feels like it's coated in thick grease. I know exactly what's going on and if she's a witness for the prosecution, she's getting ready to help put her father under. But still... I reassure her. "It's going to be fine, baby."

A single tear slides down Macy's face, and she makes no move to wipe it. She takes another step away from me and turns toward the elevator. She studies me a moment, and then in the most resolute voice I've ever heard, she says, "It's all crumbling, and you're getting ready to find out exactly why I'm no good for you."

I stare at her... utterly numb and paralyzed by the torment in her voice. I want to tell her that's ridiculous, but then her eyes go remote and cold. "You need to run, Cal. You need to run far away from me and don't ever look back."

***