“You broke my fucking nose,” he says and spits blood from his mouth.
“Hey, what’s going on in here?” Charlotte says with her brother standing behind her. Her brother the cop. Fuck.
“He broke my nose,” the creep says, pointing to me, and I lean forward to pick Denise up off the floor, who holds her wrist in her hand.
“He wouldn’t let me go.” Denise tries to intercept, but it’s too late, the damage is done. The phones are out as people start taping what is going on.
I hear someone say, “Holy shit, it’s Max Horton.”
I try to bring my head down and turn my back, but Charlotte’s brother puts his hand on my shoulder. “Sorry, pal, I gotta take you in. He wants to press charges.”
“Yeah, no problem,” I say and follow him out with my head down, and he holds my arm and leads me out.
Chapter Five
Allison
I’m about to walk into the living room carrying my takeout pizza box that I just paid for when my phone starts ringing. I see that it’s Doug.
“Hello,” I answer, fumbling with the pizza and the phone.
“There has been a situation that has come up. I think we should do damage control before the media gets hold of the story.”
I drop the pizza, running upstairs two at a time, getting ready to change. “Yes, where do you want me to meet you?” I say out of breath.
“I’ll be at your place in one minute with the situation. We just parked.”
Shit, I look down at my outfit. My pants are a light gray, almost a velour kind. With matching tank crop top, I’m wearing a long knitted sweater that I pull together just as the doorbell rings. “Fuck.”
I run downstairs, almost fucking tripping on the long sweater. I open the door and gawk as soon as I see who comes in after Doug. Fucking Max.
“I’m sorry we just came here. We have to handle this fast. It’s been forty-five minutes since it happened, and I think the news is going to run a story in fifteen,” Doug says, walking into the living room, picking up the remote, and turning on SportsCenter. Max doesn’t make eye contact with me as he walks through the door, following Doug. He doesn’t go to sit. Instead, he goes to stand and looks out the big window.
“So what’s the situation that we need to handle?” I ask, walking into the room, standing in the middle of Doug and Max.
“Max just got arrested of sorts,” Doug says, putting his hands in his pockets.
“Of course he did,” I say under my breath, shaking my head while his head snaps up. “Two days. I’ve been on the job two days. What was he sort of arrested for?” I ask, folding my arms now as my sweater opens.
“Aggravated assault.”
“Seriously. How old are you?” I ask him and turn to Doug. “What could I possibly do with this? He assaulted someone.”
“The man was high as a kite,” Doug says. “I don’t know what you need to do, but we have to put it out before the hounds get it and make it worse than it is.”
“Worse than it is, are you serious right now? This is what, his fifth arrest? I’m good, but I’m not that fucking good.”
“I’m out,” Max says, nodding at Doug. “My ride is here. I trust you to do whatever you need to do.”
I watch a car arrive and a girl gets out.
“Seriously, all this for a girl?” I shake my head. “Did you for once just think with your head and not your dick?” I throw my hands up as soon as Doug says my name.
“Told you before, princess, don’t worry about where I put my dick. Now do what you’re paid to do and make me the knight in fucking shining armor.” He slams the door on the way out and I watch him run down the stairs and take the woman in his arms, holding her head, and leaning down to kiss her forehead. I don’t stand here long before I turn around.
“You’re way off base here, Allison,” Doug says, sitting down. “He was arrested for protecting his sister, who was being roughed up by a drugged up man.” He punches in some number on his phone, then puts it to his ear. “What do you have for me?” he asks whoever it is on the phone and my head goes back to the window only to be met with the darkness from outside.
“We do as he says,” I say. “He’s the knight in shining armor. We don’t have to give his sister’s name, but he came to the rescue of a damsel in distress. Paint him as a hero.” I pick up my phone, calling my contact at SportsCenter. “Hey, Erin, do I have a scoop for you,” I say when she answers.