Page 37 of Freed By Wrath

Isaac.

10

Isaac

How could they be so fucking reckless?

I rake both hands through my hair and resume pacing the length of the office.

It’s over.

Our careers, our futures… Every possible plan I might have thought about for a chance of walking away from tonight without consequences vanished the second they let Valerie recognize them.

And kissed her.

Correction. They fucked her.

Jesus Christ.

I stop in front of the desk and brace both palms against its surface, squeezing the edge hard enough that my knuckles blanch.

What the hell am I supposed to do now?

There’s no way I’ll be able to take us out of this mess or explain to Internal Affairs that one of my best friends kidnapped a woman, the other joined him, and somewhere between a panic attack and sunrise they all decided sex was the logical next step?

I let out a humorless laugh.

The office suddenly feels too small.

I shouldn’t have fallen asleep. I shouldn’t have left Slash alone with her.

Hell, I shouldn’t have let Fabien out of my sight either.

Those two have hearts far bigger than their common sense.

And I was stupid enough to think masks, locked doors, and a few hours of sleep would be enough to keep this situation under control.

I should’ve known better.

And what the hell is taking them so long?

I resume pacing.

My shirt clings uncomfortably to my back, my pulse refusing to settle no matter how many slow breaths I force into my lungs.

I need to do something.

Anything.

Standing here waiting for Slash and Fabien to explain themselves feels impossible.

Because what explanation could justify this?

I don’t even know whether I’m angrier at them… …or at myself.

I head for the office door, ready to find them before they find me, the lecture already forming in my head.

I yank the door open, and the moment I do so, I forget them. Because on the other side of it, it’s not Slash or Fabien.