Page 173 of The Fractured

Dean

I was meant to go straight from the courthouse to get an ankle monitor fitted, but DA Anna Davis said she would buy me time — maybe an hour or two — when I showed her the contents of the envelope. She knew nothing about it, at least that’s what she said.

Shortly after that, Lily and I found Seb and Kira, waiting out in the courthouse foyer scanning the menu for the in-building café. We were just about to tell them about the envelope when Kira spotted someone in the swarm of people moving through the building. Her smile dropped, and then so did ours as we watched Aiden approaching on his crutch. Waiting nearby was his probation officer.

“He’s got a fuckin’ death wish.” I moved myself in front of Lily, partially blocking her from view.

“If he’s coming over here with someI need to get your forgiveness as part of my anger management therapybullshit, I’m gonna hit him with the menu board,” Seb said, rolling his shoulders, until Kira took his hand. His attention went to her and she smiled as she placed a hand on his cheek.

“I have a better idea,” she said before kissing Seb. As she did, she raised two middle fingers in Aiden’s direction.

Seb pulled his arms further around Kira’s waist, completely enveloped in her as he smiled onto her lips.

Whatever Aiden’s intentions had been, he seemed to forget. He stopped in his tracks, watching as the woman he broke put on a show of adoration and love for the man who had helped pick up her broken pieces.

Aiden miraculously got the hint, glowering a little and flushing red from embarrassment as he limped back to his probation officer.

Lily’s hand slid into mine, and the tension left my body as I looked at her. She had just finished her own sigh of relief when she said, “We should get going.”

“You know, we could leave right now,” I said with my arm around Lily’s shoulders in the backseat of the cab.

“You mean run away and breach your conditions?” She raised an eyebrow. “I don’t think so. I just got you back, and I’m not letting you become a…” She lowered her voice to a whisper, “fugitive.”

“I’m pretty sure I’m breachin’ those conditions now,” I whispered back, smiling.

“Bending the rules. Anna gave us two hours.”

I brought my lips to her ear. “There’s a lot we can do in two hours.”

“Focus,” she giggled.

As the drive went on, more and more Brownstone houses with tree-lined streets came into view. Eventually, the cab slowed in front of one of the few homes with a long, narrow driveway downits left side, leading to a garage and maybe a small courtyard garden in the back.

I leaned across Lily’s lap to get a better view of the place through the window.

It was two stories high — three including the basement beneath — and built with red brick and black trimmings. Everything about it was elegant but cozy, right down to its dark green front door.

“Are you gettin’ out or what?” the driver drawled.

“Yes, right, sorry.” Lily quickly paid and we climbed out of the cab.

Long after the cab had left, we stood on the sidewalk looking at the place.

“I’m assuming this is yours,” Lily said in awe.

“One way to find out.” I fished out the key from my back pocket and made my way up to the stoop. There were several potted plants at the top of the stairs, and ivy clung to the corner of the house, creating a green wall that stretched the length of the driveway.

The door unlocked, and I let it swing inwards while we remained on the stoop, peering inside.

There was no furniture, and it smelled of fresh paint and wood. Expensive wood, based on the original timber floors that were polished to the point I could almost see my reflection.

A hallway stretched out before us, with living rooms on either side and a bright kitchen and dining room in the back. A grand staircase with white carpet and black metal rails ran along the hallway, leading to the next level.

“Is this real?” I asked, taking a step over the threshold.

Lily took a few steps ahead of me to peer into the living room on the right. Her smile only widened, and she turned around. “There is an entire wall of empty shelves in there.”

My lips curved up.