Page 30 of Edge of Heaven (Crimson Edge #2)
Mick
My phone lights up with messages as soon as I get off the plane. The Wi-Fi on the plane was broken so I couldn’t check in with anyone until now, and my blood immediately goes cold.
TATE: I need you to call me.
TATE: There’s been an incident with Taryn and Callum. She’s in the hospital.
TATE: Can you come to the hospital?
There’s an address and I practically run through the airport to the car service that’s waiting for me.
“We need to detour.” I give him the address and then respond to Tate.
MICK: What the fuck happened? Is she okay?
TATE: She’s in rough shape and she won’t tell the doctors the truth about what happened.
MICK: I’m on my way!
The blood thrums through my veins, my body tense as I try to contain my fury.
If I see that motherfucker, I’m going to end him.
It’s not a game to me; he’s hurt the woman I love.
I don’t care what it costs, or even if it upsets Taryn, but she’s done with him. Unless she tells me she doesn’t love me, doesn’t want to be with me, I’m ending this now. He might be physically larger than I am, but I’ve always been scrappy.
And the guys will have my back.
We get to the hospital and the driver offers to wait. Since I’m not paying for it, I tell him I’ll let him know if I’m going to be more than an hour or so.
Then I stalk into the emergency room area like a man on a mission.
“Mick!” Tate calls to me, and I hurry in that direction.
“Where is she?”
“Still in the E.R. The cops just showed up and she’s insisting it was an accident.”
“I’m done with this fucker. Take me to her.”
“Dude, for whatever reason, she doesn’t want to tell the cops.”
“Why the fuck not?”
“I don’t know.” He shakes his head. “I found her in the hallway, knocking on your door. She could barely stand up. There was blood on her face…” His voice trails. “The X-rays showed three broken ribs.”
I’m starting to see red and he can probably tell because he grabs my arm. “Easy. Don’t let her see how upset you are. She’s in rough shape and scared. I don’t know if it’s of him or something else, but you need to chill before you see her.”
I nod, trying to calm the fury racing through my veins.
The need to hurt him the way he hurt her.
That asshole put his hands on what’s mine.
I’ve done a shit job protecting her so far but that ends now.
“I’m good,” I say in a steely voice.
He points to where she is and I walk in that direction, trying to compose myself because I don’t want to scare her and I also don’t want the cops to mistake me for the guy who did this.
“Taryn.” My heart squeezes painfully when I see her.
There’s a black and blue mark forming around one eye and her lips are swollen, with a deep cut on one side, but it’s the bruises on her neck that almost make me lose control.
“I came straight here from the airport—what happened?”
“Detectives Ortiz and O’Shaunessy.” One of the two detectives standing outside the room approaches me. “Who are you?”
“Michael Lipson.” I turn to him accusingly. “Did you get the guy who did this? Callum Yates?”
The guy starts writing something on his pad.
“Who is Callum Yates?” he asks.
“Mick!” Taryn’s voice is hoarse but undeniably angry. “Mick, stop!”
“He’s not going to get away with this, Taryn. Over my dead body.”
“It’s fine! I’m fine.”
“Callum Yates, from Karnal Death?” The other detective narrows her eyes.
“That’s him.”
“Mick!” Taryn calls to me again, but I ignore her.
“This has been going on for a while, escalating. Her son is sick, and Callum is paying for the treatment, so she doesn’t want to get him in trouble. But this has to stop. He’s never gotten this physical before.”
“And what’s your relationship to Ms. Blakely?”
“I’m her…friend.”
Detective O’Shaunessy gives me a curious look. “Do you have any idea why Mr. Yates would attack her like this?”
“No, but he gets mean when he’s drunk or high. We’ve seen him get physical with her before, but it’s always been grabbing her arm, stuff like that. There was a bruise in the shape of a hand on her thigh a month or so ago.”
“Ms. Blakely, we understand you’re afraid,” Detective Ortiz is a woman, and her voice is gentle as she speaks to Taryn. “But we can protect you.”
Taryn gives me a death glare. “I said I was fine. I’m not pressing charges.”
“Taryn!” Callum’s voice echoes through the hallway and Taryn visibly finches.
“That’s him,” I say gruffly.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” Callum snarls at me. His eyes are bloodshot, hair sticking up on one side of his head. He seems sweaty, the armpits of his T-shirt stained, and he stomps in my direction.
“Mr. Yates.” Detective O’Shaunessy cuts him off. “We’d like to talk to you.”
“Taryn!” he yells at her, but the detectives are blocking his way.
“What’s your relationship to Ms. Blakely?”
“She’s my girl—unlike this guy!” He flicks a thumb in my direction. “He has no business here. I want him gone.”
“Mr. Yates, this is about you and Ms. Blakely. Do you know how your girlfriend got three broken ribs, a twisted ankle, and multiple cuts and contusions on her face?”
“What did she say?” he demands. Then he whirls on Taryn. “You stupid cunt! What did you tell them, you fucking coke whore?!”
He lunges in her direction, but Detective O’Shaunessy stops him.
“Mr. Yates. You need to calm down or we’ll restrain you.”
“She fucking deserved it, cheating little cunt!” He’s yelling, trying to break free from the police officer, spittle flying from his mouth.
“She’s a goddamn whore and a drug addict!
You hear me, Taryn? Your kid can burn in hell for all I care!
Stupid bitch!” He lunges again, and Detective Ortiz pulls out her taser.
Security has arrived, and suddenly there’s chaos.
Callum breaks free from the officers, heading toward Taryn.
She cries out, and I throw myself in that direction, taking Callum down before he can get to her.
We land on the floor hard, but I’m too pissed off to let him get in a punch.
I bring my fist up under his jaw, hitting him hard enough to stun him, and then the detectives are there, pulling us apart and putting Callum in handcuffs.
“Stupid little cunt,” he growls at Taryn. “Do you know what you’ve done? Do you? I’ll kill you, your kid, and everyone you’ve ever met! You hear me? No one fucking turns on Callum Yates!”
The place is crawling with hospital employees, more cops, hospital security, and Tate, Angus, and Ryleigh.
“Are you all right, Mr. Lipson?” Detective Ortiz asks me.
I nod, rubbing my hand. “Yeah. All good.”
“We’d like to get a statement from you.”
“Uh, sure.” I glance at Taryn, but she’s crying and Ryleigh’s next to her now, trying to comfort her.
The worst part is Taryn won’t even look at me.
There’s a nurse with her and I hear something about a sedative.
“Do I need to call an attorney?” Angus demands when the detectives take me into the hallway.
“Has Mr. Lipson done anything illegal?” Detective Ortiz asks.
“No, I have not,” I reply in a grumpy voice. “But you tell me.”
“You aren’t a person of interest at this time,” Detective Ortiz says. “Mr. Yates essentially just confessed so we don’t need to keep searching for the person responsible for Ms. Blakely’s injuries.”
“I was in New York,” I say. “I literally got off the plane an hour ago and came straight here when I saw the text that Taryn was in the hospital.”
“If you’ll give us your contact information, in case we have any follow-up questions, you’re free to go.”
I give them my phone number and then go into Taryn’s room.
“They just gave her something to sleep,” Ryleigh says softly. “She was really upset. I’m not sure what’s going on, something about leverage…I don't know what she’s talking about, but the doctor thought she’s been through enough today. She needs to rest.”
“I’m going to sit with her,” I say stubbornly. “At least until we have to leave for the arena.”
“There may not be a show if they don’t let Callum out. Getting arrested again is a violation of his original bail, so I don’t know what’s going to happen,” Angus says.
We look at each other.
“I’m going to call Sasha,” Tate says, pulling out his phone.
“Let me know what’s going on,” I say, “but I’m not going anywhere until I know she’s going to be okay. Or I have to head to the arena. Whichever comes first.”
“This is a clusterfuck,” Ryleigh whispers. “A ton of people took video of the altercation and everything Callum said. You can bet your ass this is going to be big news.”
“Fuck.”