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When Nikko entered the last room—her father’s office—his curse echoed in the hallway. Her gut clenched, threatening to bring up her breakfast. She’d left her father’s office as it was when he’d died, not yet ready to accept the loss of him, all the while harboring the insane hope that at any moment, her father would stroll into work and life would resume right where it left off a little more than a tragic month ago.
But all that was ruined now. Not a possession remained on his old wooden desk. Books were pulled from the shelves and strewn across the floor. File cabinets were overturned, nothing was left untouched—nothing deemed too sacred to destroy. A broken sob escaped her throat. She raised a shaky hand to her mouth in disbelief as her gaze fell on the family picture her father kept on his desk. It was the last one taken before her mother died. The memory now lay face-up on the floor, the glass spider-webbed across their faces. It was the perfect imagery of her life—shattered and in pieces.
Numbly, she shuffled farther into the room, stopping next to the photo. She bent, picking the sacred picture up from the floor. “Ruined . . .” she said, woodenly. “It’s all ruined . . .” Tipping the frame upside down, she dumped the glass onto the floor, adding the shards to the mess. Carefully, she slid the picture from the frame and hugged it to her chest. Oh, God, she was going to lose it right here in front of Nikko . . . “Excuse me,” she choked out, tossing the frame to the floor and rushing out of the room.
“Rya
She fled to the bathroom, the only door that didn’t have a window to break, and slammed the door behind her. The moment the lock snicked into place, she let go, crumpling to the floor in a heartbroken heap. Her job was all she had left—this was all that remained of her dad.
Rya
“Rya
Like a single ray of light breaking through the clouds, so was the sound of Aiden’s voice fracturing her grief.
“How long has she been in there?” she heard him ask, concern straining his voice, making it gruff and impatient.
“About an hour. I called you as soon as she locked herself in.”
“This wasn’t vandalism . . .”
“Nope. But I think someone wanted it to look that way. The whole place is trashed, but none as bad as her dad’s office. They needed it to look random, so they hit the rest of the place hard.”
“Fuck . . . I don’t think it’s a question of who did this as much as what did they want and did they find it.”
As Rya
“Rya
She didn’t want to open it. She didn’t want him to see her like this—out of control and emotionally broken.
“Can you open this door?” he asked Nikko impatiently. “Or I’m going to break the fucker down.”
A moment later, there was a chink of scraping metal and the soft click of the lock. The door opened and Aiden filled the entrance. The determined scowl on his face bore harsh lines of concern. Before she could move or say a word, she was in his arms, pulled into the shelter of his strong embrace. What little control she’d gained over her emotions was lost. Gut-wrenching sobs came from somewhere deep inside her, somewhere she didn’t even know existed. “It’s over,” she cried. “Every last bit of him is gone now, and I’ve lost everything.”
“Shhh,” he crooned, tucking her head beneath his chin and hugging her tight against his chest. “I’m sorry, baby. So sorry . . . but you’re not alone. You have me, and we’re going to get through this. I promise.” The weight of his cheek rested against the top of her head as he held her there on the bathroom floor and let her grieve.
CHAPTER
36
How close are you to making an indictment?”
Aiden sat across from the DA, hoping and praying the guy was going to have some good news. He’d had a hell of a long weekend and sure could use some good news right about now. Rya
More than anything he wanted to take Rya
“Any word on the immunity deal?”
“I filed the petition and am still waiting to hear, but it should be any day now. Jeez, Kruze, have a little patience. You know these things take time. I pulled the feds in to help build this case, but it’s not a slam dunk. We’re working as fast as we can. The problem we’re ru
“Fuck . . .” Aiden growled, dragging his hand through his hair.
“You’re just too damn good of a lawyer.”
Aiden didn’t miss the frustration and hint of accusation in his friend’s voice. He stared at Ike over his beer, paused halfway to his mouth, and grumbled “Thanks” with mirroring sarcasm.
“I’m doing what I can, as fast as I can. But unless you’ve got any new evidence—something rock solid and indisputable . . .”
“Trust me, I’m trying, but my clearance at the firm is restricted. Shit, I don’t know how much longer I can put on a suit every day and go into that office pretending I don’t hate every fucking second of it. This isn’t me anymore.”
“I’m sorry, man. If it helps, you know I’ve always got your back. I’ll push the feds some more and get back to you with an update. In the meantime—”
“Yeah, I know . . .” Aiden waved his hand dismissively. “I probably haven’t said it enough, but I appreciate you sticking your neck out like this. It’s no simple task you’ve taken on and if Moralli discovers what we’re doing here, either one of us could find ourselves chained to a cement block and tossed into the Atlantic.”
Ike grunted and lifted his glass, swigging down his beer. “Christ, Kruze, don’t bother sugarcoating it.”
Aiden chuckled. “Just giving you a little incentive, that’s all. We’re playing a dangerous game here, and it’s only a matter of time before luck isn’t on our side anymore.”