Page 26 of Sharp Lies

“Though I noticed you haven’t bothered much with the report part.”

Layton just shrugged. “Got it all in my head, man.”

Warren leaned forward, his aura suddenly turning threatening. “That’s not how procedure calls for you to do it, Layton, and you know it,” he growled.

Layton drew back several inches, putting some space between them, and got a shade paler. He didn’t change his position, though. “Like I said, old man, I’ve got it all in my head. I’ll write a report later.”

I saw Warren’s hands clench into fists. “How are Lily and I supposed to sign as witnesses if you’re not going to write it until later?”

“Don’t see as how there’s anything for you to sign, Warren, as you didn’t actually see anything happen. And as for Lily over there...” Layton cast me a glance that told me exactly what he thought of me. “She hasn’t been in town for about five years now. Far as I can see, Tony was just stopping by to say hi. He evidently tried to do it at the bakery, and she got belligerent. Can’t say I blame him for trying again. Word is he missed her when she up and left him without saying goodbye.”

My blood started to boil, and I almost stood up and hit the man. When I up and left him without saying goodbye? When I became belligerent?

“Do men usually lift their hand and threaten to hit a woman when they’re just trying to say hi?” I asked quietly. “You’re telling me that’s how you say hello to Jenny, Jim?”

When he glanced at me again, looking surprised and at least a little bit guilty, I snorted.

“That’s right. I’ve known you my entire life, and I always thought you were one of the good guys. So I’m surprised to hear you think hitting a woman isn’t worth writing a report over.”

He leaned in and suddenly got nearly as smarmy as Tony himself. “Look, Lil, I know you and Tony had an argument before you left town, but we all know you left without even trying to fix it. Can’t blame the man for wanting to get some things straight now that you’re back.”

“Get some things straight?” Warren asked, his voice escalating. “Surely you’re not serious, man.”

“Serious as a heart attack,” Layton said calmly. “Now I suggest you folks get home. It’s getting late, and I don’t think there’s anything more to say here.”

I stared at him for at least a minute, too surprised to make my mouth move. He was actually just sending us away without anything. He was telling us to go home like the whole thing hadn’t mattered at all.

I couldn’t believe this.

When Warren stood up, muttering something about how he was going to talk to Layton’s supervisor, I stood up as well. He put his hand on the small of my back and led me out, his presence the only thing keeping me calm as we left the building where I’d expected to get help.

Actually, scratch that. When Tony and I first started getting into it, I’d thought it would be useless to ask for help from the cops. I’d been sure they wouldn’t believe me.

And evidently, I’d been right.

Though now I thought it was a whole lot more likely that the McCarthy family was paying them not to believe me. After all, they’d paid me not to complain in the first place, hadn’t they?

Evidently Warren was thinking the same thing because he was muttering to himself halfway through the parking lot. “Bastard has paid them off. That officer knows he’s not following procedure, and he doesn’t give one single fuck. Straight up breaking the law and helping that ex of yours break it as well.”

“The McCarthy men are the richest men in the area,” I told him. “I’m guessing they’ve paid the cops to look the other way.”

“That doesn’t make it right,” he replied. “None of this is right.” Then, to my surprise, he reached down and took my hand, squeezing it gently. “Don’t worry, Lily, I’m not going to let this go. I’m not going to let that man hurt you again, regardless of what the police do or don’t do.”

I looked down at the hand holding mine, shocked beyond words at this sudden sign of solidarity—from someone I’d been sure hated me—but then realized how good it felt to hold his hand. Sparks were shooting through me at his touch, and I felt like a fire had been lit in my belly, making me feel safer and warmer than I’d felt in years.

I’d spent so much time on my own that I’d forgotten what it felt like to depend on someone else.

But if Warren was offering...

There were worse things, I thought, than letting the hot older neighbor hold my hand and promise me he was going to keep me safe.

Hell, I didn’t even want to think of worse things. Right now, all I wanted to do was revel in the feeling of this man wrapping his protection around me and showing me that I mattered to someone.

CHAPTER 13

LILY

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