Outside The Ropes: OtherSide Of Fear Part 31

"Who are you, telling me how to do my job?" He gripped my upper arm, pulling me before I could get to Blake.

Blake was held by two of the men and hit by another.

"Get off of me and stop them."

"Theyll stop in a minute, when police get here."

My heart tried to race out of my body, and I jerked free, going for the door. All my thoughts on getting out before- Four police officers walked in, strolling through the door like they could have been patrons instead of here to do a job.

"Thats a record William. Took you less than ten minutes," a bartender yelled. The band had long ago stopped playing.

The police officer at the front tipped his hat with a smile. "We were on standby when we saw Blakes truck. Thats enough Blake."

Blake finished his swing, knocking the boy in front of him to the ground. He showed his b.l.o.o.d.y teeth when he smiled to the officer.

I felt like I was in a parallel universe. No one seemed to care.

But I wasnt pressing my luck. I walked a wide circle around the cops and made my way to the door as they stepped further into he bar.

"Wait," the bouncer who had stopped me earlier spoke up. "That new girl, she was part of it too."

I didnt turn around to see who he was talking about, or what everyones reaction was. I kept walking but was stopped when I tried to step through the door.

"Mam, can you stick around for a moment?" One of the officers stepped in front of me, blocking my exit.

I looked back. Blake was at a table with Breezy and a cop. They were all looking at me.

And so was the cop in front of me. His patience was growing thin as I hesitated.

Breezy waved me over and the cop swiped his hand in that direction.

"Sure." I stepped back into the bar, stomach clenching as I walked to the table.

"So youre corrupting a new girl now with your conspiracy theories?" The round cop at the table leaned back, laughing. "Sit down," he ordered to me and then looked back to Blake and Breezy. "What did you say her name was, Riley?"

They nodded and I sat. Blake glared at him as he continued to laugh.

"Now come on Blake, how many times are we going to do this?"

"Till these b.a.s.t.a.r.ds learn to stop messing with me."

The officer nodded. "And when will you stop coming into their town and messing with them?"

"Whats the deal? You going to take me in or let me go?" He leaned forward, wiping at the corner of his mouth with the end of his s.h.i.+rt.

All my muscles turned rigid.

"You have somewhere important to be?" Another officer slid up a chair. "Well drop the plans because youre coming in tonight."

"Well, w.i.l.l.y, can you give the girls a ride home? You know where it is."

"She lives at your camp too?" The officer slapped his hand on the table and looked between the three of us. "Who are you again? Riley? Riley what?"

"She was part of the fight tonight too. Threw Sam over her shoulder and hit Mason," The other officer added.

My mouth went sandpaper dry, and I wanted a drink. Bad.

"Riley, you got an ID on you?"

I shook my head. "No."

"No? How old are you?"

"Twenty one."

"Leave her be. She was just trying to keep me from getting ganged up on," Blake spoke up.

"She must be new if she thought you needed help."

He shrugged.

"Or drunk." The officer closer to me leaned in. "Shes been drinking. We need to see ID."

"I told you. I dont have any." My legs shook to run.

They were all asking questions at once, somehow all directed at me. I wasnt the one to start the fight, or even take a big part in the fight. But before I knew it, I was the main focus and they were pulling me into a police car, reading me my rights.

"I didnt do anything. Why are you arresting me?"

"For a.s.sault and disorderly conduct."

"Bulls.h.i.+t. Youre taking her in because shes with me and wouldnt answer your questions," Blake shouted as he was lowered into the back of another police car.

I stayed silent for as long as I could, hoping something, anything, would save me. But at the station they needed my social security number and name. They thought they knew it, Riley Rivers, but I didnt have a social security number for that, and they took my fingerprints when they processed me. I was cracking under the pressure and gave in. On the form they pushed in front of me, I wrote my real name and my real social security number.

I always knew I couldnt run forever. I just thought I had a little more time.

By any grace of G.o.d, I might. If they didnt hold me that long, I might. If the name wasnt released. I might. If. If. If.

But they did hold me-for the rest of the weekend. I had to see the commissioner before they would let me out, and he wouldnt be in till Monday. All my ifs went up in smoke because Blake had gotten out that night. Why wouldnt I? I already knew that answer. My time was up.

The only real question was who would be waiting for me? And was I ready?

32: Do It.

THE OFFICER FROM THAT NIGHT WAS THE one walking me out, down the single hallway this police station had, to the front lobby.

"We pushed up your release when the reporters started calling. We dont want that mess here, but theres already a few out front."

That could be a good thing. A form of protection.

"I dont know what type of game youve been playing at, but leave Blake out of it."

I wrapped my arms around my waist. My stomach was tumbling, and his statement only kicked it up a notch. I wasnt trying to include Blake in whatever was waiting for me.

He continued his slow walk, moseying along in front of me till he reached the door. He paused, turning back to me, hand on the n.o.b. "Hes a good man who served our country well, and hes paying for it in all the wrong ways. He dont need someone like you coming along and pulling the wool over his eyes. It aint right."

He raised an eyebrow at me like he expected a response so I nodded. I didnt have s.p.a.ce to worry over this man, not when my mind was consumed over what was on the other side of that door and what I could do about it.

Blake was standing at the front desk. He pushed away and stood up tall the moment I stepped through.

"Well about d.a.m.n time." He cleared his throat and focused on the officer at my side. "She free to go now, w.i.l.l.y?" At his nod, he continued, "Well, lets get gone, girly."

"Blake." I hadnt expected him, not after he found out I lied. "Breezy."

She rose from a seat against the wall and stepped next to him. She gave me a weak smile, and I could see the doubt in her eyes.

"Well talk later." He lifted his hand to silence me. "Right now, lets get outa here. This place stinks."

"Make that a reason not to come back." William nodded to Blake, giving me one last glare before we turned away.

But my feet froze mid step as my heart stopped. Gage walked in through the front door of the police station. His eyes. .h.i.t mine, vacuuming all the air from the room with the intensity in them.

Blake s.h.i.+fted, going for the door behind Gage. "Pardon?"

Gages eyes narrowed in on him, but he stepped to the side and let him pa.s.s. He s.h.i.+fted to block me, his body larger than my memory.

"Put this on." He shoved a hoody in my direction.

I hesitated but grabbed it, still adjusting to his sudden appearance. It had been so long and my initial urge was to grab him, touch him, but I couldnt. That would throw away the past few months, and the look in his eyes made it clear it wouldnt go over well.

I slipped on the thin zip up hoody, muscles shaking with nerves. I didnt know what to do. I couldnt do anything here at the police station. I didnt want anyone getting in trouble.

"Whos this?" Blake lifted his chin to Gage, questioning me as he stood with the door held open. Beyond him, past the sidewalk, I saw a small group of reporters with about three cameras.

"Her husband. You can go. Ive got it from here." Gage didnt fully face him, but his body was tense, his fingers curled at his side.

Blake dropped the door, letting it close as he stepped back into the station. His eyes narrowed in confusion. "Husband? Girly, whatever your name is, whats going on? Are you all right going with him?"

"Yes." I was quick to answer, wanting to kill the tension mounting between them.

"Are you coming back to the camp?"

"Yes," It was Gage that answered. "Now go. Youre not walking out with her in front of those reporters."

Blake eyes swept to mine, unfazed by Gages anger. "Youre sure?"

"She said yes." Gages knuckles turned white as his fist strained.

"Shes been hiding from something," Breezy stepped beside Blake, speaking so low I barely heard her.

"No." I grabbed Gages arm, to keep him back and to rea.s.sure them. "It wasnt him. Well talk later." I was all too aware of the other eyes on us in the police station.

Gage s.h.i.+fted so he was standing next to me, but also so I wasnt touching him anymore. I let my fingers drop, still tingling with the feel of him and his cold brush off.

We stood that way until Blake and Breezy were gone, giving them time to get past the reporters. Giving me time to steady my vibrating limbs and accept that I was about to be alone with Gage. A fizzy nervousness coursed through me, bursting in my veins when he slipped his arm around me and walked us out the door.

I pulled my hood over my head as we walked past the small group of reporters. They followed us with questions, but neither of us spoke to them as we rushed into Gages rental car. He opened the pa.s.senger side door for me to get in and then closed it, going to his side.

It made my stomach hurt to watch his body move as he pa.s.sed the front of the car with such a casual dominance. His jeans and hoody fit perfectly and moved easy with his long strides. I had missed him, but this pain was worse-being near him and knowing I had to push him away all over again.

"Whats the address?" Gage asked the moment he was in, his fingers pressing on the navigation system.

I closed my eyes, unable to think.

"Fine. Well just go straight to the airport."

"No. Here, Ill put it in." I typed on the screen. Its not like I could stay there anyways, not with my arrest drawing attention. I was a mess because I knew I had lucked out finding Blake and Breezy. It wouldnt be as easy anywhere else. I didnt even know if I could keep doing this, running. But I couldnt pull a solid idea from my brain. It was all s.h.i.+t.

"Who was that guy?" His voice was low and sharp as we pulled onto the road.

"My landlord, my boss, a friend." I shrugged, somehow keeping all my emotions from my words.

"Hes who you were with at the bar when you were arrested?"

I nodded.

"And where do you work?"

"A tattoo and gun shop." I needed a drink. I couldnt f.u.c.king handle him in person. Questioning me. I needed back to the camper, and I needed a drink. I didnt know what the h.e.l.l I was doing. But I knew I wasnt doing it right.

He dropped the questions and didnt talk the rest of the drive. Neither did I, until I had to give him directions the GPS didnt know. I kept them short, and he made the turns onto the gravel road silent. The pressure in the car threatened to erupt with the tiniest spark, and I didnt want to be the one to detonate it. Not yet. I wasnt ready.

"Park here." I pointed to the side of the path, wanting to avoid going by Blakes for now.

Gage pulled over. "Theres nothing here. What are you doing?"

I slid off my seat belt and opened the door. "We have to walk." I began the hike, not waiting for him.

I didnt get far before he caught up. The silence continued, thicker than the mud under our feet, louder than the bugs and animals calling around us.

After a few minutes of walking, Gage grabbed the fabric of my sleeve and turned me to him. "Is this some sort of f.u.c.king game to you?"