Bending Steele

Chapter Forty-Three

"Excuse me, ma'am?" The cop raised a questioning brow at Abby, his notebook suspended in the air.

She flicked her eyes from his jaded stare to Adam's. His dark brown gaze looked at her inquisitively, but his face remained stoic and she was thankful. She hadn't intended to blurt that out. Nervously, she looked around. They had to get out of here. Dean was watching, she knew it. The hairs on the back of her neck rose and her skin prickled...she could feel it.

"I...I said I do have something missing," she stumbled, looking back at the cop. Her skin crawled at the sight of his uniform with the star blazing on his chest, but she managed to swallow back her revulsion. She needed to keep it together, if she didn't...they were all as good as dead.

"And what would that be?" the officer asked, licking the tip of his pencil and placing it on his pad.

"My purse is missing and my cloak." Reaching blindly out, she grabbed Adam's hand. His fingers entwining with hers gave her the extra bit of strength she needed as she proceeded to describe the silver clutch when all she really wanted to do was get the hell out of there.

"Was your wallet in it? Any missing identification? Credit cards?"

Abby shook her head. "No, just my cell phone."

The officer looked at her dubiously, but noted everything and turned to Adam. "Anything else, sir?"

"No, I think that's everything." Adam pulled Abby against him and she melted gratefully into his side.

"Very well, we will be in contact if we have any further questions." The officer slipped the notebook back into his pocket.

"When can I have my car removed?"

"I'm afraid I can't release it to you yet. It's still being processed and will be towed to our facility."

Adam made a disgruntled sound deep in his chest which vibrated through Abby's check, but said nothing. He merely nodded his head and started guiding her towards Erich and Jonathan who were waiting by the Mulsanne. Looking over her shoulder, she took one last look at the devastated Aston before she got into the backseat.

Jo Jo had been wrong. Dean was responsible for the fire. He left his proof on Adam's car. Abby bit down on her bottom lip to keep from screaming out in frustration. It may not have been his customary way, but there was no doubt behind the meaning of his little "note". For him, the game was on. Only this time...she glanced over at Adam's stiff profile...she wasn't alone. And she would be damned if she was going to give him the pleasure of making her run again.

Looking down at her hand completely swallowed up in his, she took a steading breath, batting down the panic that was trying to creep up around her. She wasn't alone, she reminded herself. That is if Adam would still have anything to do with her once she told him all her secrets. There was a possibility he would decide she wasn't worth the trouble. Turning her head towards the window, Abby's heart clenched painfully in her chest. She wouldn't blame him if he did decide to brush his hands free of her, but it would still hurt like hell.

"Do you want to get something to eat?" Adam's softly spoken question pulled her from her thoughts.

The mere mention of food made her stomach pitch. The sooner this was over, the better.

"No," she answered numbly.

He ran a hand through his lush hair and then over the stubble on his chin as he sighed deeply. She could see the events of the last 24 hours had been hard on him as well and guilt washed over her. It had seemed so long ago since she was in his arms. His warm lips on hers, her naked body wrapped tightly in his as he held her in his arms. Arms which could make the world disappear, leaving nothing but the two of them. It had felt so comfortable...so secure...so right. The heady bliss of the memory mingled with the real fear of him walking away and never seeing him again.