straight for the fridge and a cold brew. He flipped a couple CDs in the stereo just as the knock came at the front door.
Chapter 5
Ayden wasn’t in the mood to make small talk with Ryan and Dave. Maybe he’d be able to beg off their Monday night football routine. He wanted time to figure out the events of the afternoon and reassess the players and their relationships.
“Hey, guys…” The rest of the words stuck in his throat as he swung the door wide. “Deirdre? What the—?”
“ Austin, I’m sorry to bother you, I didn’t know where else to go.” She shuffled her weight between her feet, rubbing her hands up her bare arms. “Can I come in?”
“Jeez, yeah, of course.” Ayden stepped aside.
He did a quick scan of the lot. Was he being set up? Deirdre’s sudden appearance at his condo seemed to suggest it. Red flags had been popping up all day, now this. Ayden needed to stay alert. He said a silent prayer that his cover hadn’t been blown. That would mean the end of his career. In the DEA, two strikes, you’re out.
He couldn’t help but wonder if Deirdre was some sort of decoy. He shoved aside the pang of sympathy he felt for the pitiful woman dragging herself over his threshold. Ayden shut the door and closed off his heart. This woman would not get to him a second time.
But his resolve melted the moment he turned and saw her stoic expression crumble before him.
“I don’t … know … what to do … I didn’t … know where … they took my truck…” Deirdre’s words came out on hiccuping sobs. The tears she’d held at bay all afternoon ran in rivulets down her cheeks.
Gathering her in his arms, Ayden held her a moment, then led her to the couch. She buried her head on his chest, her fist latching onto his shirt, and she cried, hard, wracking sobs that shook her whole body. She continued to mutter incoherently, gripping onto him as if he were her only salvation.
“Shh, it’s okay, Deirdre. You’re safe with me.” But Ayden wondered how true that was.
* * * *
She hadn’t known where else to go. The police had confiscated her truck. She wouldn’t get it back until tomorrow, perhaps the next day. Something about processing it for evidence.
Deirdre hadn’t asked how Shawn had known she’d been arrested or why he’d thought to call his lawyer. But she’d been unbelievably grateful when they’d shown up at the police station. Shawn’s lawyer struck some kind of a deal with the Cutler police about the heroin possession. There was a fine or something, but she hadn’t been able to wrap her head around any of it. So nothing was clear. Tomorrow, when her brain wasn’t so muddled with the fog of disbelief, she’d figure all this out. Until then, she needed a place to gather herself together until she found the strength to call Emilio or Rachel for a ride back home.
Why she’d sought out Austin after the way he’d treated her today was still a mystery. Nothing was making sense. Shawn had offered a ride back to Delmont, but she was too embarrassed by the arrest to accept it. Deirdre hadn’t wanted to wait at the police station, so she walked out the front door, called the only cab in town and come straight to the condo.
“Deirdre, here, drink this while I finish up the spaghetti. You’re still shaking.” Austin leaned over the bar and handed her one of the glasses of scotch he’d just poured.
She attempted to smile, but her mouth, like every other muscle in her body, only trembled. Deirdre sat on the bar stool and sipped the scotch, hoping the liquid warming its way to her belly would take away the chill. Despite the heavy wool sweater Austin had pulled over her head, Deirdre was cold straight to the core. She knew it had nothing to do with the night air.
“What did Mark have to say when you called him?” Austin asked. He stood at the stove absently sipping the liquor and occasionally stirring the two pots.
“He thought it could’ve been one of the kids as well. It’s
Chapter 5
Ayden wasn’t in the mood to make small talk with Ryan and Dave. Maybe he’d be able to beg off their Monday night football routine. He wanted time to figure out the events of the afternoon and reassess the players and their relationships.
“Hey, guys…” The rest of the words stuck in his throat as he swung the door wide. “Deirdre? What the—?”
“ Austin, I’m sorry to bother you, I didn’t know where else to go.” She shuffled her weight between her feet, rubbing her hands up her bare arms. “Can I come in?”
“Jeez, yeah, of course.” Ayden stepped aside.
He did a quick scan of the lot. Was he being set up? Deirdre’s sudden appearance at his condo seemed to suggest it. Red flags had been popping up all day, now this. Ayden needed to stay alert. He said a silent prayer that his cover hadn’t been blown. That would mean the end of his career. In the DEA, two strikes, you’re out.
He couldn’t help but wonder if Deirdre was some sort of decoy. He shoved aside the pang of sympathy he felt for the pitiful woman dragging herself over his threshold. Ayden shut the door and closed off his heart. This woman would not get to him a second time.
But his resolve melted the moment he turned and saw her stoic expression crumble before him.
“I don’t … know … what to do … I didn’t … know where … they took my truck…” Deirdre’s words came out on hiccuping sobs. The tears she’d held at bay all afternoon ran in rivulets down her cheeks.
Gathering her in his arms, Ayden held her a moment, then led her to the couch. She buried her head on his chest, her fist latching onto his shirt, and she cried, hard, wracking sobs that shook her whole body. She continued to mutter incoherently, gripping onto him as if he were her only salvation.
“Shh, it’s okay, Deirdre. You’re safe with me.” But Ayden wondered how true that was.
* * * *
She hadn’t known where else to go. The police had confiscated her truck. She wouldn’t get it back until tomorrow, perhaps the next day. Something about processing it for evidence.
Deirdre hadn’t asked how Shawn had known she’d been arrested or why he’d thought to call his lawyer. But she’d been unbelievably grateful when they’d shown up at the police station. Shawn’s lawyer struck some kind of a deal with the Cutler police about the heroin possession. There was a fine or something, but she hadn’t been able to wrap her head around any of it. So nothing was clear. Tomorrow, when her brain wasn’t so muddled with the fog of disbelief, she’d figure all this out. Until then, she needed a place to gather herself together until she found the strength to call Emilio or Rachel for a ride back home.
Why she’d sought out Austin after the way he’d treated her today was still a mystery. Nothing was making sense. Shawn had offered a ride back to Delmont, but she was too embarrassed by the arrest to accept it. Deirdre hadn’t wanted to wait at the police station, so she walked out the front door, called the only cab in town and come straight to the condo.
“Deirdre, here, drink this while I finish up the spaghetti. You’re still shaking.” Austin leaned over the bar and handed her one of the glasses of scotch he’d just poured.
She attempted to smile, but her mouth, like every other muscle in her body, only trembled. Deirdre sat on the bar stool and sipped the scotch, hoping the liquid warming its way to her belly would take away the chill. Despite the heavy wool sweater Austin had pulled over her head, Deirdre was cold straight to the core. She knew it had nothing to do with the night air.
“What did Mark have to say when you called him?” Austin asked. He stood at the stove absently sipping the liquor and occasionally stirring the two pots.
“He thought it could’ve been one of the kids as well. It’s
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