I squint at the blinding light and wait for my eyes to adjust as I protect my face from any sort of attack.
"Get up." The cop demands as he grabs my arm and pulls me to my feet.
"Am I going back to my regular cell now?"
He doesn't answer me as I let him pull me down the corridor. I yank my arm out of his hold and glare up at him.
"Keep your grubby hands off of me, Pig." I spit out and he shakes his head.
"Just follow me."
I'm slightly shocked at the changed demeanor. Where are the threats of violence? Or better yet, the slipping of appendages?
I'm led into the intake room and I look around. A cop stands with the clothing I arrived in and a bag with my phone, shoes, and engagement ring. I’m relieved when I see that last item.
"What's going on?"
Of course they don't bother to answer me as they throw me my belongings and tell me to hurry up.
So I do because I am not looking a gift horse in the fucking mouth.
I knock on the door once I'm dressed and a cop leads me to the front where I can see the outside world through the glass. I want to weep at the vision in front of me.
"Sign these." The female behind the counter says as she slides papers toward me.
I read through them and my breath is lodged in my throat. These are release papers and a few others that state the terms of my 'acquittal'. One being I am never to speak of what happened here.
"I would just sign it for now and we can look over everything later." A female's voice says from behind me. "I think it would be prudent to get out of here quickly."
I don't recognize her but that's because she wears a scarf over her hair and her face is obscured by large sunglasses. She's short and petite but the air around her is charged with authority.
I do as she says and sign the papers. "I want copies." I tell the girl behind the counter and wait until she finishes photocopying them.
I turn to the woman, "are you working with my lawyer?"
"Something like that." She nods.
I'm handed back copies of the forms and I follow the woman outside. I can feel autumn in the air and I know it'll soon be time for Vin to begin school.
"Who are you?" I ask as I turn around.
"I'm the one who sprung you out of here." She says with her hands on her hips. Something about her feels so familiar.
"Why?" I ask slowly.
"I have many reasons but one stands out above the rest." She chuckles. "I miss having you trying to chase me down, life is utterly boring without it."
Her words hit me like a fucking freight train.
"Jennifer Talia?"
"Ding ding!" She sing-songs and I am left fucking speechless. "I think we need to have a lengthy conversation."
"Are you insane?" I ask her, shock lining my words. "I should just fucking kill you."
"You could." She nods. "But then my men here would kill you and then we'd never have the answers we both seek. Not everything is as it seems, Miss Craven or should I say Torres?"
"It's Craven." I snarl.
"One is just as bad as the other if you ask me." She shrugs, she fucking shrugs like I'm not standing here imaging all the bloody gruesome ways I want to kill her.
"It's imperative we talk, Emberlise. It's been a long time coming."
"We do need to talk." I know exactly what I need to ask her. "I need some clarification on a few things."
"I know." She nods. "Can we call a truce? At least for today? And if you decide you still want to kill me, we'll continue as normal tomorrow."
"Fine." I grit out.
"Excellent." She claps her hands and points to a guy standing in front of a stretch limo. "He's been instructed to see you home safely. You now have more enemies than before, astonishing really."
"How do I know he won't kill me on your orders?"
"You don't. You can walk home." She says coolly. "But again, you have a lot of enemies." She pointedly looks behind me and when I follow her sight I see a few cops watching from the window.
The fucking bitch has a point. I turn my back on her and approach the limo to which the man hurriedly opens the door. Trained dog.
"I will come by and see you later." She calls out. Of course she knows where I live.
I just flip her the bird over my head and fume as I hear her laugh. This world is a fucking mindfuck sometimes.
We pull into the driveway and I know I'm about to be bombarded. Everyone's phones are pinging right now, alerting them to the fact that a limo is approaching.
Sure enough, as we stop beside the front door, my family is standing outside with varying degrees of annoyance on their faces. They don't know it's me yet because I haven't called ahead to let them know I'm out.
I take a minute and look each of them over. Adri looks like she hasn’t slept in weeks, her hair is greasy and her skin an unnatural gray colour. Travis has a fucking beard and his hair is shaggy and unkept… he looks like he needs a bath. Emmett looks sickly and pale, the slouch of his shoulders relaying the stress he’s under.
Then there’s my Vin. He’s standing with his arms crossed across his chest and his face stone cold, not betraying any of his feelings. But I see it in his eyes, he’s sad and he looks like he’s about ready to snap.
“This is the correct address Miss Craven?” The driver asks.
“Yeah.”
I open the door and stand, watching the expressions on each of their faces.
“Ember!” Adri is the first to react and for once I welcome that squeal.
She slams into me, throwing us both back against
