I walk on my knees toward her and hold on to her calves hanging on the side of the table. I look up at her. “Say you won’t leave me. That it doesn’t matter. It was before you, Little Dempsey. She didn’t mean anything to me. I promise you that.”
“Don’t say that.” Aara shakes her head as tears flow down her face. “She’s the mother of your child. Don’t say anything you can’t take back.”
“No.” My stomach roils. “Just give me a few days. Please. That’s all I ask.”
Standing slowly, careful of her ankle, I place my hands on her knees and lean in. The urge to kiss her so strong I wouldn’t care if the whole world watched while I did it. First, I kiss the tear on her cheek. Then the one on the other side. Then the one on the corner of her upper lip.
She pushes me away, holding me at arm’s distance. It’s worse this way, my body weight leaning toward her, and her strength keeping me away. Her beautiful eyes wet with anguish I caused.
“You just asked for way more than a few days. This room is covered with cameras, Hart. You already ruined your life, and you just ruined mine, too.”
On cue, the door storms open and I jump away, pressing my back against the wall. The commanding officer first, then the doctor and my chief. Their expressions are knowing, sorry, angry.
“Hart, get up to the office and wait for me there.” To Aara, he says, “Dempsey, are you okay? Did he do anything to hurt you? Harm you? Anything at all?”
She swallows, and it looks painful as she weighs her options. She could demolish me with a few words, right now. I wouldn’t blame her if she did.
“No. He was…comforting me.”
My chief groans. “For Christ’s sake, Hart. Go!” He whispers a string of curse words meant to be under his breath, but we all hear them. I want to move but I am frozen to the ground. Marissa pops her head in and sees the scene.
“Dempsey, someone just said you hurt your ankle. Are you okay?” Marissa looks petrified, face red.
The doctor is fumbling for supplies, fixing his hair and his coat. He’s disheveled.
“I’ll meet up with you later. I’m okay. Thank you for checking in.” In front of our superiors, she is the picture of professionalism.
I walk out the door after Marissa nods and leaves. Hanging on the railing, I scream out, “Fuck!”
“She found out.” It’s a statement, not a question.
“You knew too?” Of course, Dagger told her.
“Everyone knows everything, Hart. You’d do well to be more honest.”
“Where were you just now?” I fire accusingly.
She licks her lips. “Nowhere. The office.” Her eyes skirt away from mine.
I shake my head. “Liar. You’d do well to be more honest too.”
Marissa stammers. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I love Aarabelle. Everything I’ve done is to protect her.”
Her eyes narrow. “I love her too, and I know what’s best for her. It’s not you. You don’t know what love is. You are a rich, self-centered prick with rocks for brains!”
Spinning on my heel, I start off to the office. Over my shoulder, I toss, “Tell Doc his fly is down. Even people with rocks for brains see stuff like that.” I shake my finger.
Marissa’s face is priceless as I uncover her secret. Or maybe it’s not a secret. Dagger might even know. I’m so tired of the fucked-up shit surrounding me. I get into the office and await my fate. Luckily it doesn’t take long for the scalding water I’m in to boil.
The officers enter, Aara trailing on crutches moments later. Her foot is wrapped. I wonder if that means it’s not broken. It would be shit if she didn’t get to go on tomorrow’s mission because she fell on the stairs.
“Tell us the nature of the relationship right now,” Chief says, pulling at the collar of his uniform. His face is beet red and he is pissed off. “Dempsey wanted to be here for the conversation. This is it. Jig is up.”
Aarabelle sits in a chair across from me, still wiping at her red-rimmed eyes. Her low bun is usually tight and slicked back. Right now, it’s frazzled. This is a mess.
The Officer in Charge dials up my dad and Liam Dempsey. When their faces are up on the large teleconference screen, larger than life, I look away.
