Blurred Lines (Behind Closed Doors Book 2) (23 page)

“Julia,” William says gently. “I need to talk to them if it will help your case.”

“It won’t help my case. It’s not true!” I cry. Oh God. Wayne is going to kill me when he finds out about this. “I won’t let them talk to you. I have rights!” I can’t believe I let this happen. I turn on my heel and burst out of the waiting room. I can barely see but I know exactly where I’m going. “You can’t do this!”

I run down the hall and almost knock the officer standing outside Wayne’s room clean off his feet as I barge through him to get to Wayne. “She’s stitched you up!” I throw myself on him, hear him wince as I sob. “She’s telling people it’s your fault and that you’re abusing me.”

There are voices behind me, but I can’t really hear them as I sob uncontrollably against his stomach. Hands grab at my shoulders and pull at me. It only makes me cry out louder and sob harder as they pull me away. “You said she’d do this. You said she wanted revenge. But I didn’t believe you.”

“Wait!” Wayne commands. “Get your hands off my wife.”

“But, Lieutenant—”

“Let her go.” Suddenly, I’m free and fall back against him and this time he wraps one arm around me. “Now give us a minute.”

“But, sir—”

“Can’t you see she’s upset? Everyone out.”

“I’m sorry, Wayne,” I mumble into him. “I thought she was my friend.”

“Shush.” His hand smoothes the back of my hair. “Every thing’s going to be fine, precious. I promise.”

“She’s got proof. She’s tricked me into going to the McKenzie Center and they’ve kept records.” My head shakes against his hand. “I’m so sorry I didn’t believe you. And I’m so sorry I told you the test was negative. She got into my head. She made me believe you would become a monster and my life would be unbearable with you and our children would grow up scared of you because I’m scared of you.”

“You’re scared of me?” he asks. I lift my head and allow my gaze to meet with his. “You shouldn’t be scared of me, precious.”

“I … I …” I’m not sure what to say. I’ve never thought I was scared of him but I’m terrified of what he’ll do now. Now he knows what Ashleigh’s been up to all along. Now I’ve hurt him. Now his career could end up pushing papers instead of investigating. “I never used to be.”

“Then isn’t it only natural for Ashleigh to be concerned?” I frown. Why is he being nice about this? Why is he being so understanding? I don’t understand anything anymore. “As much as I hate her, so much I’d kill the interfering bitch if she was here right now.” I feel mildly reassured by that; he isn’t so understanding of her after all. “But she has only ever wanted what’s best for you. She’s wrong about me, and she’s wrong about what’s best for you, but she’s doing this because she loves you and doesn’t want to see you get hurt.”

My confusion deepens. Why isn’t he mad at her? I’m as mad as hell at her. “No,” I tell him, and then I repeat the reasoning he’s tried to get through to me for years but I’d never wanted to accept it. Until now. “She’s doing this for revenge because of what we did to her ten years ago. And look at us. I shot you. I didn’t mean to do it. Wayne. I’m so sorry.” Suddenly, the tears are falling fast and thick from my eyes. “How can you ever forgive me for hurting you like this?”

“Shush,” he soothes, pulling my head towards his uninjured shoulder. “Don’t worry, babe,” he says. “It was a misunderstanding.” He shifts awkwardly beneath me and winces. I look up. “Precious, I need you to do a couple of things for me.”

“Anything.”

“This is going to get worse before it can get better.” Panic fills my belly. How can this possibly get any worse? “They’ll have to investigate and I’ll do everything I can but this may have to go before a judge.” What? A judge? But— “I want you to listen to Ashleigh about this. She knows what she’s talking about. We have to be separate for a little bit.”

“What? No!” I pull away as my heart dies. He can’t forgive me for what I’ve done. He’s leaving me. “Please don’t do this.”

“Julia, listen to me.” His uninjured hand tightens around my wrist. So tight he stops me from backing away. “We have to do anything that will help you avoid prison. It’s not just you we have to think about anymore.” Instinct rests my palm against my tummy. “Go home with Ashleigh. It’ll only be for a couple of weeks.” I shake my head again. “I’m going to be laid up in here for a week or so anyway, and I’ll go stark raving mad if I don’t know someone’s looking out for you.”

Why Ashleigh? Why can’t I call Sean? Or … Or… there isn’t anyone else? Even if they would let me go to my parents in New York while they investigate, I don’t want to. How can Wayne ask me to leave him when he’s like this? He needs me. I’m his wife.

I don’t want to go with Ashleigh. I know I sound like a child mid-tantrum but honestly, it’s her fault we’re in this mess. No. I shake my head. It’s my fault we’re in this mess. I’m the one who listened to her. So if being with Ashleigh is what Wayne needs me to do then I’ll do it. I won’t pretend to understand any of this, but I’d do anything for him.

“Rylan will keep you safe,” Wayne adds, and suddenly his request makes sense. If he can’t protect me then who better than a former special forces agent? “And I want you to ask William for help.” Again I frown. “Babe, you shot me. They’re going to want to interview you. I know Gibson tried to trick you into confessing so I don’t trust any of them not to try again. I don’t want you there alone. William’s the best there is and he’ll protect you the best he can because you’re his daughter’s best friend.” Well, I guess that makes sense. “You can’t come back here until the case is closed, okay?”

I shake my head. I don’t want to live without him, not now that I know this was Ashleigh’s plan all along. “I can’t.”

“I promise it won’t be for long.” He runs his hand along my cheek and gives me a sleepy smile. “This was all just a misunderstanding, Julia. I’ll clear it with Captain Warren and pull as many strings as I can the first chance I … get. I’ll… I’ll make this go away. I … I promise.”

“Wayne?” I don’t like the sudden heavy droop in his eyes, or the way his speech is drifting.

“Don’t worry, precious.” He lifts a corner of his lips as he closes his eyes. “It’s the drugs.”

Oh—oh God. I shot him and look at me. I’m sprawled across him like he’s a piece of furniture. I swiftly move, try to pull away. “No, precious. Stay there.” He smiles. So I gently place my head back on his shoulder. “I love you,” he whispers. “You’ve made me the happiest man in the universe tonight.” What? After tonight? Now I know that’s the drugs talking. After everything that’s happened in the last twenty-four hours I’ve done nothing but make him miserable. “Have you been checked out?” I nod. “Is the baby okay?” I hesitate. Maybe I should have mentioned the baby to Soraya? But she would have only told me to come to the ER, surely? “Go home, have the baby checked out. We achieved the impossible. You must take care of you both.”

“I don’t want to talk to Ashleigh.”

“Then don’t,” he mutters sleepily. “I love you and you love me. That’s all she needs to know.” I smile because I know we’re going to make it through this after all. “I’m going …to…” His words fade. “…fix… it.” His sleepy eyes close again. “I… promise.”

I watch him for a few more seconds. His eyes remain closed. I gently place my lips against his and then I wipe my eyes. Not sure when I’ll see him next I’m reluctant to leave, but somehow I know staying here now will get me deeper into trouble. So I walk away.

Chapter Twenty-Four

There’s a small congregation on the other side of the door waiting for me. “He’s sleeping,” I tell them. The officer who stopped me from seeing him earlier nods at me. I turn to Ashleigh. “We should go.”

“That’s a very wise decision,” William says and the officer nods in agreement. “Would you like me to come with you or would you like some time to rest? You look exhausted.”

“I don’t mind if you want to stay here with Mimi. I’ll be at Ashleigh’s if you want to drop by later.”

“You will?” Ashleigh gasps. “From the way you ran out I thought you’d never talk to me again.”

“I might not in future but I don’t want to be alone right now.” I shrug.

I let her lead me out of the hospital and to the limousine waiting for us. I’m trying to find the courage to exploit her generosity because she’s cruelly manipulated our friendship. I have to. It’s the only way I’ll get what I want, what I need, if I’m to protect Wayne. “I want you to tell your dad Wayne is not and has never abused me and I want you to destroy whatever evidence you think you have. He loves me. He wouldn’t do that to me.”

“Julia,” Ashleigh says. “Listen to me.”

“I said no.” I cut her off. “We’ve been through this a thousand times. He isn’t abusing me. Now stop this nonsense. Or stop the car.” I don’t know where I’ll go if I’m forced to carry the implied threat out. Sean is in New York. I have nowhere else to turn, unless I go back to the McKenzie Center and won’t that make the whole thing a thousand times worse? I’ll never ever go there again. “You’ve gone behind my back for heaven knows how long and I have nothing but my word to prove otherwise. You really are a manipulative bitch.”

“I can’t. If Dad finds out he’ll report me and I’ll lose my license to practice law completely.”

“Then tell him you’re lying, Ashleigh! This is my husband, the father of my child, he’s my life. Why are you doing this to me? Do you really have a vendetta against us? All I did that night ten years ago was choose to be happy with a man you didn’t want anyway. And I’m sorry you were hurt in the process. Really I am. But you have to stop punishing me.”

“Fine.” She folds her arms and looks away from me. Has she always been this childish? “But if I do this you’d better hope and pray to God Wayne invokes his right of spousal privilege because they’ll charge you for aggravated assault at best or maybe even attempted murder, and if he talks, Julia, and you don’t, then you can kiss that baby goodbye because you’re fucked.”

“Wayne loves me,” I promise her. “He will protect me.”

“What if he doesn’t?” Ashleigh shakes her head and I glare at her. “I didn’t spend all that time in New York training to be a lawyer to ignore my instincts. Just think about it, Jules. Please. If Wayne tells them he did this he will lose everything he’s worked so hard for.” How many times have I said that to myself tonight? “He might end up the one in prison and they’ll eat him alive in there. He’s a cop. Full stop. What if he protects himself after I destroy everything I have? What then? It’s your word against his.”

Honestly, does she think I don’t know what she’s doing? A question like that doesn’t deserve a reply. The only purpose it serves is for her to crawl inside my mind and trick me into doubting my husband’s love and commitment. I don’t want to hear this. She’s manipulating me again. Wayne would never put his job before me. I know he wouldn’t. I decide not to answer her. Instead I change the subject. “I need to go to the fertility clinic.”

Her eyes widen as she brings her gaze back to mine. “What fertility clinic?”

“The one Wayne and I used to conceive our baby.” Her lips part. The color drains from her cheeks. And I can’t help but think that she’s put out by the knowledge I’ve excluded her from this. Worse, I rejected her offer of help. And because I’m pissed and I want to put this whole mess on her shoulders instead of mine I add, “We’ve been trying to get pregnant for two years.” I’m satisfied by the small sharp inhale of breath. “And now that I am pregnant I need to see the consultant.”

“You didn’t tell me you were trying for a baby.”

“No.”

“And you’re seeing a specialist?”

“Yes.”

“How long has this been going on?” she asks and I shrug. “You’re not going to tell me?” I don’t reply. “Oh real mature, Julia. The silent treatment? Really? Is that what we’ve come to?”

I look at her and hate myself, just a little bit, for hurting her like this. If this wasn’t what Wayne wanted, albeit temporarily, I’d have it out with her here and now. “No.”

“But I promised I’d do anything to help.”

“We didn’t need your help. Anna put us in touch with—”

“You called Sean’s bitch of an ex-wife?” I think I could have slapped her across the face and she wouldn’t have been more surprised, or offended. “You asked
her
for help before you asked me?”

“She’s a specialist in making babies, Ash. You’re not. In fact, you’re not a specialist in anything except make-believe.”

“Julia.” Her gaze locks with mine. “I swear on the life of the only man I have ever loved I did not, have not, and would not sleep with your husband, ever.”

I shrug. I wish I knew if I could believe her. “I didn’t need your kind of help.” But I do now. I know what I’m asking of her, in fact, payback’s a bitch. She can suffer the headlines. “Will you come with me?”

“Julia, if I’m seen anywhere near somewhere like that I—”

“Of course.” I feign my disappointment. “But I need to see a doctor and I’m not sure I want your dad or the police investigating to know I’m pregnant yet.” The car turns into the mile long driveway towards Ashleigh’s home. “They say it’s bad luck to tell people before twelve weeks.”

“You want me to be your cover story?” Ashleigh asks. Her eyes go so wide they look like they’ll pop out of their sockets.

“You said—”

“I know but Dex … he was caught out with Callie really early in the relationship with his ex. It’s not fair to him, Jules.”

Of course. She’s dating someone right now. This is why I shouldn’t try to do things on the fly. Actually, isn’t she seeing two people? She’s still seeing Darryl when she goes to New York so she doesn’t really give a damn about Dex Leighton. But then again, Ashleigh wouldn’t have two men on the go… would she? Honestly, I don’t know the answer anymore. I don’t think I even know her anymore.

“What about Darryl? Don’t you want to tell him?” I ask and I hope to catch her out with her lies.

“Darryl?” Her eyes widen. She stares at me as though I’ve stumbled across her guilty pleasure. “How do you know about Darryl?”

“Does it matter?” I shrug. “I’ve known for all most a year. So much for monogamy, right?” I toss at her.