Page 122 of Beyond the Badge: Nox

Goddamn it!He would’ve come home immediately if she reached out to him. He would’ve either taken her to the hospital, if warranted, or at least kept an eye on her for any changes.

Instead, they both slipped away while he went through his day like it was any other fucking day.

Unaware that his life was being flipped upside down.

Unaware his life would be changed forever.

Unaware that his wife and baby girl were gone.

Things might have turned out differently if he had been home taking care of his own family instead of staying later than normal to process some motherfucking wife beater.

A simple text was all it would’ve taken.

He would’ve rushed home and had someone else finish processing the arrest.

He might have been able to save them both.

He should’ve fucking been there!

“Goddamn it! I should’ve been there!” burst from him, slamming Nox right back into Liyah’s kitchen.

“Where?”

Liyah’s question barely penetrated his brain. His world was spinning out of control and he couldn’t get it to stop.

“I found her!” He slapped at his chest. “Me. I came home and fucking found her like that.”

“Holy shit,” Liyah whispered, putting her fingers to her gaping mouth. “Nox…”

“And not just her…” He ground the heels of his palms into his eye sockets. An attempt to keep from getting sucked back up into that memory. “Not just her.”

“I don’t understand. Was she with a lover?”

He dropped his hands and his brow furrowed. “What?”

“Did you find her with a lover?”

A lover?

“She wasn’t cheating on me,” he spat out.

“Then, who did you find her with?”

Jesus fucking Christ.She wanted him to say it.

“I didn’t just lose Jackie that day.”

“I don’t understand.”

He didn’t want to say it. “Don’t make me say it.”

“Say what? Who was she with? Who else did you lose?”

ChapterTwenty-Seven

Aaliyah hadno idea what the hell was going on. Was this a breaking point or a breakthrough?

Either way, Nox was unraveling right before her eyes.

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