“No,” Lachlan bit out angrily. “No, they’ll have to go through me and the ten thousand lawyers I’m about to hire.”
“Lachlan …” Arro gave him a sad smile. “You can’t protect me from everything.”
“He tried to murder you,” Lachlan hissed. “There is no way anyone is arresting you for defending yourself.”
“He’s right,” I added, pulling her close. “It’ll never happen.”
“I will note every one of your injuries,” Dr. Braemyre added, his tone kind, his gaze maybe a wee bit too soft on Arro for my liking, but I’d forgive him for it. “I’ll make sure it’s comprehensive enough that the police get a real picture of what you went through today.”
“Doctor, are you able to give us an update on the bast—on Lewis?” I asked.
He gave me a regretful shake of his head. “I can only give that information to immediate family. Now, I’m afraid the police have asked to come in and speak with you after my examination.”
“It’s fine.” Arro nodded, but she squeezed my hand until it was almost painful. I gently slid my arm around her, pulling her to my side.
We waited in silence for the police to come into the room. By that point, Arro nibbled the chocolate bar Robyn brought her, but just barely, like she didn’t have the stomach for anything.
Throughout the police interview, it took everything I had not to march out of that room and hunt that piece of scum Lewis down.
“So you fought him off and got into your vehicle?” the female constable asked gently.
“Yes. I was trying to reverse, swing the car around, and I clipped him by accident as I tried to drive out.”
“What was Lewis doing before you hit him?”
“He was coming for me.”
“So he was still in pursuit?”
“Yes.”
“Do you—” The male constable was cut off by his colleague when she said, “I think we have all we need.”
He pressed his lips tight and nodded in agreement.
The woman gave Arro a once-over, something flickering in her expression. “I’m sorry for what you’ve been through today, Ms. Adair. We’ll be in touch.”
“Can you tell me if he’s okay?” Arro asked, tears brightening her eyes. “I just want to know that I didn’t …”
The constable gave her a sympathetic nod. “Mr. Lewis has sustained some injuries, but the doctor said he’ll recover. He’s under arrest. We have constables stationed in his room. That’s all I can tell you just now.”
“Thank you,” Arro whispered, slumping with relief.
“Aye.” I reached out to shake the woman’s hand. “Thank you.” She’d been kind, not drawing out the questioning or coercing Arro into admitting some kind of blame for what had happened.
She shook my hand with an abrupt nod, and the constables left us alone.
Lachlan held Robyn by his side as he exhaled slowly. “Let’s see about getting you discharged and home. I don’t know about all of you, but I could do with a rather large whisky.”
I just wanted to be alone with Arro, but I understood that being around her family was probably what she needed. Nodding, I stood and helped Arro off the bed. She winced from some invisible hurt, and I forced myself not to think about the fact that Guy was in the hospital. Arro was what mattered. Not murdering that bastard. Though I’d like to, and I would without compunction … if it weren’t for her. She (and Robyn) needed me not to be in jail.
Sliding my arm around her slight shoulders, I held on to Arro as we searched for the doctor. It seemed to take too long to get her discharged, and as we waited, she leaned her entire weight into me and whispered, “Can you take me back to yours? I just want to be with you.”
Emotion thickened my throat as I pressed my cheek to her forehead and whispered, “Anything you want, darlin’. I’ll give you anything you want.”
* * *
Later, despite the protestations of her overprotective big brother, Arro and I found ourselves alone in my house, lying in my bed, arms and legs entwined. I kept a tea towel filled with ice pressed to her swollen eye as we held each other. For a long time.