Page 52 of Bent, Not Broken

There were more conversations I didn’t understand or hear because the pain grew so intense that the only thing I heard was my own yelling.

Agony. That’s all I felt. Would I ever get the chance to apologize to Madden? Say the fucking words like a man and not scamper away like a coward?

I couldn’t die. Not yet. I had too many things I actually wanted to do with that smug bastard of a lawyer.

Darkness finally took me, and I went, even though I tried to fight it away.

Chapter 14

Madden

“Can’t believe they kept us so late,” River grumbled.

My briefcase felt like it weighed a ton as I exited the courthouse at his side. The black leather nearly slipped out of my grip. Together, we went down the stone steps toward the sidewalk, slipping between the long shadows the late-afternoon sun striped across us. I unknotted my tie with one hand and groaned as I rolled my neck. None of my muscles loosened. River didn’t usually show anything on his face except confidence in the courthouse, but his cheeks were lightly flushed. His glasses caught the reddish sunset and flashed as he tried to shove them higher onto his nose; however, they were already sitting on the bridge, and he ended up grunting in what sounded like pain.

“I’m sorry,” I groaned, stopping to hug my briefcase to my chest. My face exploded with heat when he swung around and crossed his arms. The shoulders of his suit jacket pulled tight, and my brain ping-ponged along to wonder how much he’d been working out lately before I flinched under his steely gaze. “I’m usually better prepared.”

We were eye level this way. He blinked fast and shook his head. “What was that in there?” River wasn’t loud, but he was stone-cold serious, and I shivered with his steady attention. He was fucking pissed, and he was very clearly my boss right now. If he were only angry, he might yell, but he was beyond that.

“I….” For a second, I fought with myself. All I wanted to do was stare at my feet like a little kid. The last few days were an unhappy blur, and all I’d been thinking about was Evan, even when I knew better. “I can’t believe I looked at the wrong building codes. The zoning committee thinks I’m a fucking idiot, so at least if you take over after this, we can salvage it.”

“I fucking hope so,” River hissed. He climbed a step so that he was closer, and I had to look up to hold eye contact with him. “King will fucking lose his mind if this doesn’t go through the way it should because of us. All he wants is his zoning to go through for one measly motherfucking building.” He let out a sound so close to a growl I almost toppled over in surprise, and he put out a hand to grab my arm, steadying me.

“I’m sorry. That’s all I can say. I won’t let it happen again.” My face scalded and the fire crept up to the tips of my ears.

“You’re okay, right? There’s nothing else—”

“Excuse me, Mr. Polunin?”

River dropped his hold on me and we both turned toward the bottom of the steps. Standing there about ten feet away was a familiar blond police officer, spinning his hat around in his hands. It was Evan’s partner, the one who had seen us at Sinful, the one who looked at me like I was the last kid at a party without a balloon. Paxton was his name. If it was possible, the expression on his face was even worse now.

“Uh…. Oh, yes, hello. I’m not under arrest, am I?” Forcing a laugh, I stepped around River, who seemed torn between politeness and continuing his tirade.

“What?” Paxton slapped his hat back onto his head, and I hadn’t expected him to think I was hysterical or anything, but the blank look he gave me was strange. “No. I’m here because there’s been an incident.”

“What the hell does that mean?” My gut began to churn as his gaze softened. I came to a stop next to him, and River followed to stand beside me, but he listed from side to side like he was trying to get a bead on the situation.

“Slater’s at Walnut Creek.”

“The hospital? Why?”

River’s arm went around me, and I was stunned to realize I’d almost tipped over. He held me firmly in place, and the officer gripped my shoulder.

“He was shot, but he’s alive. He’s in surgery right now. I tried to reach you by phone—”

“We were in a meeting,” River said. I startled as he hugged me.

The officer fixed a sharp look on River, and huffed out a long breath before he shrugged. “That’s what your receptionist said too, so here I am.”

Paralyzed, I stood there, absently noting the way River rested his chin on the top of my head in what I’m sure he thought was a soothing manner, but it wasn’t helping. My stomach hurt and my mind blanked for once. I wanted to rush over to the hospital but wasn’t sure what I should do.

“I’ll drive you,” River said immediately.

“He wouldn’t want me there.” My eyes prickled with heat and the back of my throat burned. I hated that I wanted to turn into River’s friendly arms and hide there. I wasn’t that guy. I didn’t cower against other men when I had problems. Except… this seemed so out of my hands. “He wouldn’t want me there,” I whispered again.

Paxton let out an irritated sound that I barely heard, but it made me glance up at him. “He specifically asked for you when he was…. He asked for you. You’re Madden, right? He was talking about you before it happened, too. I think he wanted to try to make things right with you.” His face went all concerned and scrunched, and I hated that too.

“Yeah.” The bottom dropped out of my stomach and absently I felt my briefcase slip from my fingers to clatter to the sidewalk. Paxton bent and picked it up, held it out toward me, and River snatched it away from him.