Fool Me Once

“It’s him,” Dad says as Officer Nunez announces, “He’s confirmed his name is Miguel Sanchez,” while dragging the piece of shit down the sidewalk and over to his vehicle.

Dad’s radio goes off. “Maxwell Travers has been taken into custody. Positive for drug possession.”

“Fuck yes,” I murmur.

Dad nods in agreement. We got all three.

I open the car door so they can put Miguel inside. As I’m closing it, I feel someone watching me—Blakely.

My eyes find her staring right at me. The officer is explaining to her that he needs to bring her in for questioning, only she isn’t responding because her eyes are locked on me. He continues to try to get her attention, calling out, “Ma’am,” but she doesn’t move an inch.

Her eyes drag down my body, and I hold my breath, knowing what she’s about to see: my badge.

Her eyes widen, and she screams out my name, getting Brenton’s attention.

He curses, realizing who—or I should say what—I am. Only he’s not shocked like Blakely is. He’s pissed.

“What are you doing here?” Blakely asks. “What’s going on? Are you… a cop?”

“Motherfucker!” Brenton yells, fuming that he’s been had, which makes me deliriously happy.

I shoot him a you’re fucked look and tell the officer to get him in the car. Then I take a step toward Blakely, who takes a step back. Officer Duncan, who’s walking with her, grips her shoulder, mistaking her stepping back for running.

She ignores him, though, completely focused on me.

“Answer me,” she says, her voice full of hate and hurt. “Are you a cop?”

“Yes,” I tell her, “I’m a cop, and your friend here is under arrest for drug possession with the intent to sell.” I take another step forward, needing to touch her, to hold her, to tell her everything. But she glares and takes another step back.

“Keegan,” my dad says, “we need to get to the station. Now is not the time.” He’s right. I know he is. But fuck, I don’t like having to let her go. Especially when she’s looking at me with a mixture of hurt, confusion, and deception.

Blakely

“To the station?” Everything hits me at once.

Brenton has been arrested for drug possession.

Another guy has been arrested.

I was inside the house.

I was searched for drugs and weapons.

Oh my God.

“Keegan.” My eyes fill with hot liquid, forgetting how mad and hurt I am at him. “Am I in trouble?” My first thought is Zane. My entire world. Are they going to take my son away from me? Put him in foster care, like they did to Sierra and me?

My second thought is my future—our future. I’m supposed to graduate in a few months with my degree. I can’t work in the school system if I’ve been arrested. It was different when I was a minor and made stupid choices. Thankfully, when I turned eighteen, the arrests were wiped off my record and I was given a clean slate. But that won’t happen if I’m arrested as an adult. The school system will run a background check, and as soon as they see I’ve been arrested, they won’t give me the time of day. All these years of schooling will be for nothing. I won’t be able to support Zane and myself.

“No.” Keegan shakes his head, stepping toward me. This time I let him. Because I need him more than I hate him.

“Are they going to take Zane from me? I swear…” A huge lump fills my throat, and I have to swallow hard to make it go down so I can talk again. “I didn’t know.”

“Blakely, it’s okay,” Keegan says softly. “Nobody is going to take Zane from you. I promise.”

I want to believe him, but I don’t think I can trust him. He lied to me. He never once mentioned he was a cop. Who knows what else he’s lied about.

“I don’t believe you.” I wipe the tears out of my eyes so my vision is no longer blurry.

My eyes bounce over to Keegan’s dad, who’s also wearing a badge. He gives me a sad smile and says, “Blakely, I know right now you’re confused, but I can assure you that you are not in any trouble. Officer Duncan is going to bring you to the station for some questioning and once we have everything we need, you’ll be free to go home to your son.”

“You lied to me too,” I tell him, realizing I’ve been lied to by everybody in Keegan’s family: his mom, his dad, Keegan, and Kolton. Does Sierra know? Did Kolton tell her and she’s been lying to me too? I finally thought I had a family, only to learn they’ve all been keeping secrets from me.

Just like my father…

Paul’s face falls, but he doesn’t argue. “Go ahead and take her in,” he tells Officer Duncan. “We’ll meet you there.”