Chapter 36

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"What the fuck!" Tex shouted, flinching and raising his hands in irritated and confused surrender.

I furrowed my brows. "Yeah, I'm with him here. What the fuck?"

Vanessa laughed softly behind me, but said nothing, instead pushing me to the side and out of the line of fire.

"No! Not uh. What the fuck is happening right now? This has all been a lie from the start?" I demanded answers, tapping my blistered, aching foot against the cement.

"Avery, not now." Vanessa warned me as she kept her fiancé at gunpoint.

Or I guess not her fiancé...

"But I've known you a decade! You've been a bitch the whole time! Has it all been for this?"

She rolled her eyes, squaring her shoulders and cocking her head daringly to the side when Tex tried to make a run for it at her slight distraction.

"God fucking dammit! I owe you an explanation, yes, but not now! Liam wasn't kidding. You are a brat."

Liam talked to her?

I sighed, my shoulders slumping forward under their own fatigue. "You're right, I'm sorry. It's just... it's been a trying few days and then this."

"Look. You have questions. Understandably so. And I promise you that I will answer them, just not-"

The sound of angry footsteps thumping over caught our attention, Todd raging down the rapidly darkening cement aisle towards us.

Well, shit.

Out of nowhere, a heavily muscled arm extended from behind one of the curtains, effectively close-lining my ex. I watched as he dropped to the hard ground below, slamming his head against the floor, knocked out instantly.

"Hawkins! That is not how you take down suspects and secure a building." Miles' chief berated Liam as she stepped out from behind the adjacent curtain, her palm against her forehead in irritation.

A simple shrug was his only response and I couldn't help myself. In my tired state of delusion, I busted out laughing, tears of relief rushing down my cheeks before I was swept off of my feet and twirled around in the air, surrounded by the warmth of Liam's arms as he held me tight to his chest.

"I'm sorry I didn't stay in the car." I whispered through my tears, clasping my arms around his back, holding onto his shoulders for dear life.

"Later. I'll punish you for it later. Where's Miles?"

I pointed to the door behind Tex, who was quickly handcuffed by Vanessa and steered out of the building.

Slamming the door open with his shoulder, Liam stepped over to Miles' chair and cut him loose.

"Well... you look like shit." Liam joked, offering his hand.

"Figured I'd let you be the attractive one for once." Miles laughed at his own playful words, standing on shaky legs and using Liam as a crutch to help him walk out.

I'd made it to the door, breathing in the fresh air with excitement before I stopped in my tracks, whipping my head back towards the other curtained makeshift rooms.

"Ms. Hensley?" Chief Sanders' voice was curious and filled with worry as she looked over to me, running her hands up and down the arms of the young girl I assumed to be Jenna's younger sister.

"Baby? What is it? Or who?"

"... My father." I answered Miles, turning back before anyone could stop me.

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