“Ma, I need you to talk to me so I can help Lilly.” It takes her a second to pull it together. She tells me where Lilly is and who to contact at the station, and the second I hang up, I'm on the phone with my dad, hoping that he knows someone who can help me out when I get there.
“What’s going on?” Trevor asks as I head out to my truck.
“Lilly’s being held by the police,” I tell him without thinking.
“What do you mean she’s being held by the police?” I hold up my hand when Dad picks up. I explain to him what Mom said, and he says he will meet me at the station where Lilly is.
“You gonna tell me what’s going on?” Trevor asks. I hadn’t even realized he got into my truck with me.
“I don’t know. Ma couldn’t tell me much; all she knows is that Lilly is being held, and the officer I need to speak to is Dan Pike.”
“Did she say what she was picked up for?”
“Nope.” I pull my hat off to run a shaky hand through my hair.
“It will be okay. Dad will meet us there and get everything straightened out.”
“Yeah,” I mumble, trying to calm down enough so I can drive the speed limit and get to the station in once piece. Trevor and I don’t talk during the drive; my mind is racing with question after question and coming up with nothing. When we finally pull up to the precinct, my dad is already there waiting for us outside the building. I shut off the truck, pulling my hat back on before hopping out.
“All right, son, I just talked to an officer and he was able to explain to me that she is being held for questioning. Now, I want you to be calm when I tell you what’s going on.”
“Is she okay?”
“I haven’t seen her, but I'm sure she will be fine. Now, she wasn’t arrested, but brought in for suspicion of check fraud, and they say they have evidence against her, but he couldn’t tell me what it was.”
“Check fraud?”
“That’s what they’re saying.”
“That’s bullshit.”
“I don’t know, son. They usually don’t bring people in without having a reason to.”
“Dad, you’ve been around her; she can’t even lie without fessing-up right after. I have a hard time believing that she would do what they’re accusing her of.”
“We’ll just have to wait and see,” he says, rubbing the back of his neck, looking away from me. I understand that my family is worried about me, but f**k, they needed to get over it already.
“She’s not Jules.”
“Son, I never—”
“Dad,” I cut him off, “Jules has made my life a living hell since the day she told me she was pregnant with Jax. During that time, Lilly was alone. Yes, she had her parents, but she raised our daughter by herself, and even believing what she thought I told her, she still told Ashlyn about me. She’s a good woman and a good mother; she’s also honest and kind. She wouldn’t do this, and if you’re not going to be on my side—which is her side—then I don’t want you here right now,” I say through clenched teeth.
“You would choose her?”
“Fuck yes, without a second thought. I love you all, but I love her. She has had enough things happen over the last few years, and I don’t know what’s going on right now inside that building, but I do know the woman I love wouldn’t do what they are accusing her of doing.”
“Your mom loves her; so does your grandmother.” His eyes light up.
“That’s good, ‘cause she’s not going anywhere.”
“All right, son, let’s go get your girl.” He pats my back before we turn to go into the building. Once inside, we’re ushered into a small waiting area. There is a man there around my age; his pressed, white button-down shirt and khakis make him stand out. When he sees my dad, who is in uniform, he goes right to him.
“Do you have any information about Lilly Donovan?” the guy asks, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. My hackles rise at the name of my woman coming out of this guy’s mouth.
“Who are you?” I ask without thinking. His head swings in my direction, his eyes meeting mine.
“David. Who are you?” he asks, looking me over.
“Her boyfriend,” I tell him, wishing that I could say fiancé or husband.
“Oh.” He shrugs like it’s all the same to him before turning to face my dad again. “So is she going to be okay? I mean, should I call a lawyer?” he asks, shoving his hands into the front pockets of his pants.
“Don’t worry; my son will take it from here,” my dad says, nodding in my direction. “He will have her call you when she’s out and settled.”
“Oh yeah, sure, of course,” David says before turning and leaving the room without another look.
“Not f**king likely,” I say under my breath and happen to look at Trevor, who is wearing a smug grin on his cocky face. If we weren’t surrounded by officers, I would punch him. We all take a seat, and it’s not long before someone comes to get us. We get to a section of the station that is a long hall with a few chairs spaced out. I see Lilly sitting in a metal chair; her face is tilted towards her lap, and even from a few feet away I can see the tears running down her cheeks. “Baby,” I whisper when I get close enough to touch her.
“I didn’t do it,” she cries softly as I pull her into my arms.
“I know you didn’t,” I tell her, pulling her closer to me.
“They said that I stole checks from an old woman and wrote them to myself and cashed them,” she cries harder, her body convulsing.
“Baby, you need to calm down before you make yourself sick,” I whisper into her ear while rubbing her back.
“I-I can’t ca-calm d-down. They told me that the wo-woman that this happened to d-didn’t even have m-money for f-food be-because of what they th-think I d-did.”
“It’s okay. We’re going to get this figured out; I promise,” I say, trying to calm her down while the rage inside me starts to burn hotter and hotter. The minute I find out who really did this, I'm going to rip off their f**king head and shove it up their ass.
“I feel so bad,” she whispers into my chest. My dad stands close by with a look of worry and understanding on his face, and Trevor looks like he is ready to help me hide the body.
“Did they say you could leave?” I ask her, pulling her small body tighter against mine.