Page 125 of The Other Side
I had nowhere to go. She had me trapped.
“I don’t think he’d fare too well in prison, do you?” She half-laughed as she paced toward me.
As if on cue, Chance’s tall frame appeared in the doorway.
I gasped, surprised by his sudden appearance.
Jolene foolishly turned to see what had startled me, which gave Chance the perfect opportunity to shove Jolene hard, forcing her to stumble backward, deeper into the room, where she fell, tripping over her feet.
With one hand, Chance yanked me out of the room, and with the other, he pushed the door so forcefully it slammed closed, taking the heavy stone door stopper with it, locking the stone and Jolene in the records room.
“You okay?” he panted, hands braced on his knees, his gaze turned up to look at me.
“You came back…” I muttered.
Without another word, Chance pulled me into a crushing hug. “You better not have believed a single word I said down here,” he growled. “I told Jones exactly what she wanted to hear. I was trying to save your job.” He released me tentatively, looking me up and down. “Of course I fucking came back for you. I love you, Violet.”
Tears spilled down my cheeks.
“Muse.” He used his fingers to wipe them away. “I gave you the signal. I thought you saw. I thought you understood.”
“They disconnected your phone…” I hiccupped through tears. “I wasn’t sure.”
“I’m sorry.” He hugged me again. “I’m so sorry.”
Jolene banged against the door, startling both of us. “Let me out!”
“Fuck!” Chance hissed. He let me go for a moment to turn on the lights in the main room. “Oh shit—I forgot.” He pulled a different phone from his pocket. “Did you get all of that, Wayne?”
“Squad cars are en route.” The voice of Wayne Davies came through the speaker. “Keep me on the line until they arrive, son.”
“Yes, sir,” Chance replied into the phone before turning to me to explain himself. “When I was packing, I realized that Jolene was the one who took the pictures—she knew everything; she knew about me and about the lounge. I figured she had taken the pictures and sent them to try to discredit me and run me out, or, best-case, both of us. I was scared to tell you, but I suspected she might be Daniel’s source—”
“It was Marilyn,” I interrupted.
A look of fascination crossed his face.
“I figured it out too. I found where she got the photos in the lounge.”
“If I thought she would hurt you, I never would have left.” He cupped my face in his palms. “You know that, right?”
I nodded, blinking back more tears.
“I drove straight to the police station, but they called the headmistress to try and verify some of what I was saying, and she told them I was a disgruntled employee and not to listen to anything I said.
“So I called Wayne, and he helped me figure out a plan while he tried to go through back channels to get someone to take meseriously. I parked my car outside the gates and walked through the woods. I saw you go into the building, and I followed, but hung back when Jolene found you first.”
“You’ve been here the whole time?” I slumped against Jolene’s desk. The distant sound of sirens helped to slow my hammering heart.
“I was trying to get evidence. Wayne heard everything. When Jolene made her move, so did I.”
“I really thought I’d never see you again.”
“I’m so sorry.” Chance stepped forward, gathering me into his arms again and pressing my face against his chest. The warmth of his body soothed me as much as his embrace. “I fucking love you. I’d do anything for you.”
“I love you too.” I sniffled.
“I know.”
I looked up at Chance, confused.
“You talk in your sleep. You said it weeks ago.” He smirked.
