Page 86 of Hard To Stay

“With all due respect, Sir, I think you need to hear my side of the story before these two go and pollute my reputation and my good name even further.”

Mr. Manning raised an eyebrow. Colton wasn’t helping himself, but there was no way I was letting him know that. I took great pleasure in watching him dig his own grave.

“I’m not the slightest bit concerned about your reputation at the moment. So, if you will excuse me, I’m leaving.”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t let you do that. These two are going to poison you with their lies about me; I can’t allow that to happen. I love your daughter. I always have, but she needs help. That loser,” he pointed a finger in my direction, “can’t be trusted. He’s a dirty New York cop who has done nothing but turn Alexis against us. She’s been fooled by him. You can’t believe a word from either of them.”

“Shut up, Colton!” Laney’s loud voice echoed across the room practically shaking the walls. “Enough! Stop with all the lies!”

Colton was so focused on Lexi that he seemed unaffected by Laney’s outburst. In fact, he looked like a hungry wolf who was about to eat her up and spit her out.

“You sure you want to go there, Laney? Because I can assure you, you’re no victim.”

Panic pierced her eyes; she was practically twisting into a pile of nerves. I sprung forward, gripping him by lapels of his sport coat. I dragged him up against the wall and pushed him on the top of a nearby desk.

I leaned over him. “Don’t you fucking threaten her, you pussy.”

Colton’s hands gripped the edge of the cherry wood ledge and laughed maniacally. “What are you going to do about it?”

My chest heaved and my eyes glowed with rage. “I will shove this Size 11 boot of mine so far up your ass you will be pissing polish and shitting leather for a month. And when I’m done with that, I will fucking end you. Right here, right now.”

He laughed, and I watched his lips curl over his teeth. “Is that another threat, Officer?”

“You bet your ass it is. You know what, Colton?” I placed my face within an inch of his. “Being a cop has granted me access to some very confidential information. The kind of information that you prayed night and day would never become public. I know your kind. I’ve been arresting assholes like you for years. You think that your Daddy’s money and connections will always make all your troubles disappear. Well, this may surprise you, but even a simple street cop like me has a few connections of my own. I was able to get case files on you pulled that had been sealed for years.” He swallowed nervously. “Your daddy may be a fraternity buddy of the Mayor’s, but let me tell you about a good friend of my daddy’s. See, he ran a security business in D.C., protecting the lives of some very appreciative, powerful men. Sometimes it doesn’t come down to money.”

I bent low and whispered dramatically in his ear. “You’ll never guess which one of his most appreciative clients had hired him to run his security detail? Even saved his life once from a convict out on parole.” He stared at me but remained quiet. “Go ahead, guess, shit head.” I could see him start to sweat. “OK… give up?” I smirked. “The Attorney General of the United States. That’s right, asshole. They became close friends after my dad saved his life. So close, in fact, that he took a personal call from me at 3:00 this morning.”

The room remained silent as I continued. “I got my hands on a police report that was dated around the same time Lexi left town a few months ago.” I arched my eyebrow. “You don’t happen to remember that now, do you?”

I let him up as he stumbled forward. The color drained from his face as he looked at Lexi’s dad. “Sir, Alexis and I were having problems. Laney was jealous of our relationship and she wanted to hurt Alexis. I fought her advances every chance I could, but I made a mistake. I’m not proud of what I did, but it takes two to tango.”

Laney sobbed, wiping away the mascara that ran down her cheeks. “You’re out of your mind. I never hit on you. You attacked me, you asshole.”

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