Part 24 (1/2)
I slip my arm back around her shoulders, wis.h.i.+ng I could just pull her in my lap and protect her from the world.
”No. They use the victim's weapons when the gun they brought jams.”
”What?” I ask, again releasing my hold on Ash as I lean up to focus solely on what he said.
”We found the same gun that shot Ms. Branderwood in the street drain not far from the house. The gun hasn't ever been cleaned, and it looks to have jammed, which most likely led to the use the kitchen knife. We believe she dumped the gun when running away from the scene.”
I shake my head in disbelief, and then my brow furrows as something he said halts my train of thought, forcing a s.h.i.+ft in direction.
”She?”
”Yes, we found DNA at the scene suggesting the suspect is indeed a female. Right now, I need you to send me a list of any and all scorned women who might have a grudge against the two of you.”
That's a long list just for me.
”First of all, a guy called me. He told me Ash would be dead before I got home.”
Her breath hitches beside me, and I lean back and finally unclick her seat belt and pull her onto my lap, forcing her to snuggle against me.
”We found a phone dropped with the gun. Most likely, the suspect was ditching all the evidence. It took the techs a while, but they finally repaired the phone enough to turn it back on. There's an app that allows for voice change while talking. Furthermore, the DNA found residing in the phone's crevices matches the DNA found at your house.”
What if this is my fault? What if some b.i.t.c.h I blew off is now after the woman I love as a form of revenge.
”I'll compile a list of any girls I can remember who might have a grudge.”
Ash starts shaking her head, and then she tugs the phone from my ear so I'm forced to listen to her.
”No, this started before you-months before you. It's pointless for you to make a list. I'll do it. You can start with Rene.”
s.h.i.+t!
”Rene?” the detective muses, obviously overhearing Ash's declaration.
”Rene Ballinger. She's obsessed with Ash and me, but she knew Ash before I did.”
”I'll get right on it,” the detective adds before hanging up.
I lean back, uncertain of whether or not I should still keep Ash in my lap now that my c.o.c.k has awoken. I shouldn't be craving s.e.x right now. I should be focused on keeping her alive, but it's been so d.a.m.n long.
”Did you hear all that?” I ask curiously, my body s.h.i.+fting awkwardly to try to hide the d.a.m.n hard piece between my legs as her a.s.s slides around in my lap.
”I heard enough to piece it together. At least it makes sense why the guy was so short now - since it's no guy at all,” she murmurs while leaning into me a little more, making my d.a.m.n c.o.c.k ache to be inside her.
If she'll kiss me once she isn't under the influence of the painkillers, I'm going to spend days in the bedroom with her.
As.h.i.+ara His erection is digging into me, and I want to free it and pull it inside me so badly that it hurts. I want to tell him I love him, and I want to tell him I'm sick of all this bulls.h.i.+t.
”I always knew that b.i.t.c.h was crazy,” he huffs, his breath falling down the side of my neck.
”I wish I had known. Ash, I'm so sorry,” Billy chimes in with a double dose of guilt.
”Billy, it's not your fault some chick hates me. Besides, we don't know if it's even her.”
Tag's neck is inches from my lips, and I know he can't resist me if I start kissing it right now.
My lips start moving toward it, but the car stops as it finds the entrance of a gate. I look up to see the ocean in view, and there's a man standing outside his car, getting frisked by security.
Tag's face is suddenly ashen as he stares at the man I'm worried is secretly a ghost, given the ghastly expression on Tag's face.
”You know him?” I ask curiously.
He hesitates to answer, seeming to pale all the more.
”Unfortunately,” he says at last. ”I hope you're ready to meet my father.”
Tag My erection is completely gone now as my father's car follows behind us down the long driveway to my beach home. Ash's jaw drops as she stares at the house in disbelief.
I've been excited to show her this place, and now Damon has ruined that.
”Ash, take Trip and go on inside. I'll deal with my father, and I'll come check on you later.”
She looks at me as if she's confused, but she doesn't have time to escape before the staggering fool meets us outside the house, his arms stretched wide, his breath reeking, and his clothes a wrinkled mess.
His suit looks to have been worn for days on end. One tail of the front of his s.h.i.+rt is tucked in, while the other wrinkles in front of his pants. His tie is as crooked as his f.u.c.ked-up head.
”What are you doing here, Damon?” I growl.
”Is that any way to greet your old man?” he says with stammering annunciation. ”What do you think I'm doing here? I came to meet my grandson.”
”How did you know about my son?”
Ash pulls Trip closer to her as she starts walking away, but Damon chases after her.
”I've been reading about you, kid. Since you rarely speak to me, it's the only way I can keep up.”
Ash forces a smile, her eyes darting to mine for a second before falling on Damon's hand that is touching the cheek of our child. I want to rip his arm off and beat him with it, but I hold my breath.
Being a father now, I'm just hoping Damon is here for the right reasons. He smiles as he pulls out a stack of tabloids from his briefcase, all of them with mine and Ash's faces plastered on the fronts.
”See?” he says while showing them to us.
Ash gasps, and I sigh out loudly.
s.h.i.+t.
Tag ”How f.u.c.ked up are you right now?” I ask as I stand alone with Damon in the kitchen of my beach home.