Chapter 94 Chapter~94~Meet the press.

Chapter 94 Chapter~94~Meet the press.
Nick~

Harley's body remains stiff beside mine as I lead her out of our room. Down the hall, she's dragging her feet across the carpet runner while her breath gets shallow. Enough of this. I stop us and wrap my arms around her. "What's going on, Amante? Are you having second thoughts? It's ok if you are."

"Of course not," she traced my jaw with her fingers. "Facing these people again isn't as easy as I thought, that's all."

"It will be different this time, and on our terms. Harley, I trust Seth."

"If you do, then I do too," she tossed her hair over her shoulder and linked her arm through mine. "Let's get on with it," she took a deep breath. That's my girl! We continued into the den, where everyone was waiting for us.

Kyle had two desks and chairs moved together, facing each other in front of the fireplace. The three newsmen already sat at one of them, locking their eyes on us. So what if we're late for the party?

One man fiddles with his pen, and they all have notepads. Seth is standing at the end of the other Harley, and I took the two remaining seats beside him. Kyle and Becky sat to our right on the loveseat.

Seth cleared his throat, unbuttoned his jacket, and then seated himself. "Before we get started, I'd like to remind you all that you are guests here and expected to act as such. Harley, Nick, this is Jack Carter, Channel 5, Bruce Potter, Channel 11, and Tajah Simmons, Channel 7."

"My wife and I brought you here to set a few things straight," I said, my jaw clenched as I met each man's eyes with a nod. "There's been some misinformation fed to you all,"

Bruce is the first to speak up. "We all saw your 'wedding' footage." He flexed his fingers in the air into quotation marks. "Some believe the two of you faked it. What, if anything, would you say to those people?"

My free fist clenched under the table as my boot heel went to tapping. "That I don't give a damn what they think!"

Harley's shoulders tightened as she stared down Bruce, her voice held steady when she spoke. "Bruce, my husband, meant everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Our marriage certificate is a public record, so you can easily confirm it."

'Nick, you need to get a grip, we're only one question in!'

'That guy really pisses me off, Zeek!'

'Do you think the other two will be any different?'

Tajah is next to sound off; he raised his pen and pointed it at me. "Speaking of public record, Agent Reins," why are they picking on me?! "How do you respond to DA Heith's civil suit against your wife for a paternity test?"

"I'd tell him he's wasting his time because the baby is mine."

Jack's turn; he's focused on Harley. "Do you deny the affair as well, Detective Gibson?"

For a moment, it doesn't seem Harley intends to respond. Her stone's face matches her chiseled posture. I'm about to call it a wrap when her right hand heats inside mine. "It wasn't an affair, and my husband knows that Mr. Heith and I were in a relationship before our marriage."

"Isn't there yet another candidate, Detective?"

"No, Jack, there isn't. If you're referring to my alleged rape at the hands of the Stalker, that is a vicious lie that never happened."

Son-of-a-bitch, that's hot! Reflex takes over, but it's no use trying to pull my hand out of the furnace. 'Harley!' She's blocked me out, but under the table, our joined hands are glowing red.

'It's Etta Nick, you need to end this, but don't let go of her hand.'

Before I could, Bruce had to give the tripwire one more tug. "Detective Gibson, we all have sympathy for your ordeal. Aside from the allegations, are there any facts you care to give about being alone with Mr. Ballance for days?"

"We're done here," I said, looking over at Seth. He stood, and Kyle joined him at the end of the desk. "Our attorney will give a full statement on our behalf."

Kyle steps around and stands in the space between the desks. "We thank you all for coming, but the interview is over."

As soon as Seth has them up, out, and headed toward the door, I get to my feet and bring Harley up with me. Now what? The fireplace is closer than the back door; choice made, we move hearthside.

Kyle's voice rose another octave when he joined us and got a look at our hands. The red has deepened to an intense scarlet, and our skin has a blotchy, raised pattern taking over. "What the hell is that, Harley?!"

She only stared at him with her eyes, lost and searching. "Your niece is the culprit," I said as I removed the fireplace screen, placed her dead center, and then removed my hand. They heat leaves me, forming a fireball in Harley's palm. "Throw it into the fire like you did the dagger of air."

Her eyes widened as she lifted the fireball in her hand and cupped it with the other. Her voice is almost inaudible: "I can't. What if I miss?"

"You won't now focus, Harley."

Harley's eyes were locked on the dancing fire in her palm, her face painted orange by the glow. She slung the ball of flame into the smoking embers. A new fire flared, consuming the oxygen with a loud whoosh.

The bricks in the chimney popped as the flames roared toward the exit. Harley doesn't budge, so I lunged to pull her back, but she went entirely limp, falling against me like a rag doll.

Her skin is shockingly cold against the heat radiating from the fireplace. "Get the door!" I yelled, Kyle moved around us, and Becky was hot on my heels as we sprinted toward the bedroom.

Kyle goes in first, pulls back the comforter, and adjusts the pillow. She doesn't flinch when I lay her down or call her name. Becky goes into the bathroom and flips on the light.

A moment later, she came back with a damp cloth. "I've never seen anyone drop as Harley did." She folds it and hands it to me over my shoulder. "Of course, I've never seen someone hold fire either."

"Neither have I," I glance back at Becky, "the best for her now is rest."

"Let us know if you need anything." Kyle and Becky leave.

Within a minute and a half, I've stripped to my boxers and crawled into bed in front of Harley. She doesn't open her eyes but snuggles into my chest. 'Are they ok, Zeek?'

'I believe so, just tired.'

Soon, her even breathing echoed through the otherwise silent room. It takes on a rhythm of its own, and I listen for a while, closing my eyes and stroking the hair down her back.