Chapter 32 Chapter 32
The sheer scale of Kai’s screw-up hit me like a train. He isn't some all-powerful genius criminal. He's just a violent, possessive idiot who made a massive mistake and murdered the wrong person. And because of his mistake, I was basically back at zero, danger-wise, but now I had an obsessive psycho stalking me too.
The elevator ride down was silent, and the air felt thick and horrible. I refused to look at the two giants flanking me.
When we got to the lobby, they hung back a little bit.
"Where are we actually going, Ms. Jansen?" Jax asked, really quiet.
"We're going to find out how badly your boss screwed up," I said, not even slowing down. "I need to talk to someone who can tell me if he…. If it's the wrong person. And you two are going to let me do it, because if you don't, I'm going to start screaming bloody murder," I said.
I walked fast towards the police station. Detective Ryan. He was the only person who knew the truth, even if he was too scared to admit it.
The city was a blur of noise and lights. I walked faster and faster, thinking about those roses. Kai's "protection" was an absolute joke. He hadn't kept me safe; he just kidnapped me and replaced one hunter with another.
I finally got to the precinct. I stopped outside the door and spun around to face Jax and Rob. They stopped instantly.
"I need to talk to Ryan alone," I said, trying to sound tougher than I felt.
Jax stepped forward, zero expression on his face. "We have to keep eyes on you. Boss’s standing order."
"Kai's standing order is shit!" I yelled, finally losing it. "He killed the wrong guy! He forced me back here under a lie, and the person who actually wants to kill me is still out there! I'm in danger because your boss is a huge asshole and failure! You guys seriously want to bring me back to that apartment to wait for Alex to find me?"
Jax just stared. He didn't say yes, and he didn't say no. He just waited.
"Fine," I said. "Wait out here. If you come in, I'm going to tell them about the murder and everything. Have fun explaining that mess."
I knew it was a bluff, but I was so desperate, I was ready to try anything. I went inside. The station was depressing: horrible lighting, a weird smell, and a tired-looking desk sergeant. I asked for Ryan. Ryan looked like he was about to collapse from exhaustion, surrounded by files. When he saw me, his face totally dropped.
"Tessa? What are you doing here? I thought you were... gone." I walked right up to his desk and leaned in close, whispering so only he could hear.
"Ryan, I need the real story. Now. I saw Alex die; I was standing right there. Was it Alex?" He went pale, rubbing his eyes like he had a massive headache. "Tessa, seriously, you need to disappear," he whispered.
"I got yellow roses tonight," I whispered. "Alex's thing. It was Mark, wasn't it? Alex is still alive?" He closed his eyes, let out a sad sigh, and just looked defeated. When he opened them, he looked terrified. "Go, Tessa. Just go. you have and vanish. I don't know which one of them it is. They were identical, and the other one is missing. I still haven't figured out who it was that even raped you. The police can't help you. Just go home." That was the answer. Alex was alive. Kai was a murderer and a liar. I was being hunted by the original psycho while being held by the new, terrifying one. I felt sick. I backed away slowly. I bolted out of the station.
I ran until I hit this noisy overpass. I just needed to stop and breathe. Alex was alive. Kai screwed up. Big time. I heard Jax and Rob catch up behind me. I didn't even turn around right away. I couldn't breathe properly. This was a nightmare. Jax pulled out his phone; someone was calling. He looked at me, then at Rob, then answered.
"Boss," he said, his voice completely flat. He held the phone to his ear, waiting for the king's command. I just stood there, shaking, watching the wet pavement.
Jax’s face didn't move. "Understood." A pause. "Yes, boss."
He hung up. "Let's go," Jax stated. "We have orders to take you back to the tower; he will handle it," Jax said. The taste of fear and failure was thick in my mouth as I walked back to the car. Ryan was useless, the police were useless, and Jax had just confirmed my fate: he will handle it. Kai the shadow, the psycho, the murderer, was waiting. The fact that he killed the wrong guy didn't buy me freedom; it just bought me a worse problem. I started walking back towards the building, and all I could focus on was the Athena Tower looming ahead.
“You tell him,” I managed, staring straight ahead. “Tell him he failed. And tell him that doesn't mean I'm just going to sit here and wait for Alex to send me more flowers or until he finds me.” They walked in silent formation. The private elevator ride up was a blur. When the doors opened, Jax stopped me. “He’s waiting.”
I pushed open the door to the apartment. The place was dark. Every single curtain was drawn tight, and the massive living room was a pit of shadow. The only light was a thin light creeping from the edges of the windows. The air was cold, heavy, and absolutely silent.
I shut the door behind me. My heart was going a mile a minute, but the rage was fueling me, keeping the panic from taking over.
He was here sitting in the far corner of the living room, completely shrouded. I couldn't see a damn thing, just his silhouette. He looked like the physical manifestation of all my nightmares.
“You left the building,” he said, his voice a low, cold vibration. “Alex is alive,” I shot back. “You lied. You staged a murder, gave me a few months of fake hope, and didn’t even kill the right man. Now I get yellow roses. You promised safety, Kai, and you delivered a huge goddamn failure!”
He stood slowly from the chair, a dark form gaining height and mass. He walked toward me, silent and deliberate.
“You went on your run, and I allowed it,” he growled, the rough texture of his voice making me want to run. “I gave you time. And you decided to thank me by involving the police.”
“Involving the police?” I laughed, harshly. “I went to the only person who knew the truth! You killed the twin! You murdered Mark! You want to talk about failure? I am trapped here because you messed up!”
His hand shot out and grabbed my chin, pulling my face toward the shadow where his head was. I could feel the heat off of him, but his face was still hidden.