Page 67 of Dreams and Desires

“Zade Patterson?” One of the officers asks. His tone is formal, though it’s clear he knows exactly who Zade is.

“That’s me,” Zade replies, casually, like he’s confirming a dinner reservation and not responding to a police inquiry. His hands are in his pockets, and he looks about as concerned as someone waiting for their coffee order.

“We’re here to arrest you for beating up Mayor Brian Ellis,” the cop says, dead flat.

For a second, I can’t process what I’m hearing. Assaulting the mayor? Zade? My mind whirls, trying to catch up, but the words seem to hang in the air, refusing to make sense.

“Wait, what?” I finally manage to say, turning to Zade with wide eyes. “You did what?”

Zade just shrugs, his expression almost bored. “He had it coming,” he replies, as if that’s a perfectly reasonable explanation.

I’m staring at him like he’s lost his mind. “You punched the mayor?” I repeat, my tone rising with disbelief. This can’t be real. Not after everything that’s happened, after everything we’ve been through.

“He was running his mouth,” Zade tries to explain. “Someone needed to shut him up.”

The officers step forward. My grip tightens around Zade’s arm. “You can’t just go with them!” The words come out fast. “This is serious, Zade!”

Zade looksat me, and despite the gravity of the situation, he smiles. It’s that infuriatingly calm, reassuring smile that does nothing to ease the panic gripping my chest. “Juniper, it’s fine. They’re just doing their job. I’ll be out by morning.”

“But—“ I start to argue, but Zade gently cuts me off, his hand cupping my cheek. His touch is warm and solid, a total 180 degrees to the cold dread settling in my gut.

“Listen to me,” he whispers softly, his eyes locking onto mine with a calm that feels almost unnatural. “I’ll be fine. Get some sleep, rest, and for God’s sake, don’t worry.”

The officers move in to cuff him, and it’s like I’m watching a nightmare play out in slow motion. I feel completely helpless as they secure his wrists, the click of the handcuffs making my stomach turn. Zade doesn’t flinch, doesn’t resist—he just looks over his shoulder at me, that infuriatingly calm expression still on his face.

“See you in the morning,” he calls out, as if this is just another routine day and not the start of something terrible.

I watch as they lead him to the squad car, my feet frozen to the spot. My mind is screaming at me to do something to stop this from happening, but I can’t move or think. I’m left standing on the porch, the world suddenly off balance.

As the car drives away, the lights fading into the distance, reality crashes down on me like a tidal wave. How can I not worry? How can he expect me to just go back inside and pretend everything is fine when he’s being hauled off to jail?

I head back inside the cabin, the warmth of the fire doing nothing to chase away the cold that’s settled in my bones. I can’t sit still, pacing back and forth, my mind racing with a million thoughts. It makes me sick to my stomach to think about him in a jail cell, while Brian probably smirks somewhere, satisfied with himself.

I don’t know how long I sit there, staring at the fire without really seeing it. Minutes, hours—it all blurs together. But one thing is clear: I can’t just sit here and do nothing. The fear gnaws at me, but I push it aside. I won’t let Brian get away with this. I won’t let Zade face this alone.

As soon as the first light of dawn creeps through the curtains, I’m out the door, heading to the police station in Zade’s car. My hands shake as I grip the steering wheel and head to the station.

By the time I reach the station, the sky is still a dull gray, and the morning light is struggling to break through the clouds. I park and practically storm inside, my heart pounding so loudly in my ears that I can barely hear anything else. The police station is quieter than I expected, the early hour leaving it mostly empty. But that doesn’t stop the stares when I march up to the front desk.

“I need to see Zade Patterson.” I demand louder than I intended, but I don’t care. I don’t have time for pleasantries or protocols.

The officer behind the desk looks up from his computer, surprised by my sudden appearance. “Ma’am, visiting hours don’t start until—“

“I don’t care about visiting hours!” I cut him off. “You have no right to hold him. This is all a mistake, and I need to see him. Now.”

"Ma'am, please," the officer tries again, like he's talking to some upset kid, which just pisses me off more. I'm not getting brushed aside. Not today.

“No, you listen to me,” I snap, my hands slamming down on the counter as I lean forward, glaring at him. “Zade Patterson is innocent, and you’re holding him because of some petty grudge the mayor has against him!”

“Miss, please calm down,” the officer interrupts, but I’m past the point of calming down.

“Don't tell me to calm down!” I shout, my voice reverberating across the station. “This is ridiculous! You’re arresting a good man because the mayor can’t handle a little reality check. Do you think I’m just going to stand by and let you throw him in jail like some common criminal?”

The few people that are there start to take notice, heads turning, eyes widening as they watch me unleash my fury. I know I’m making a scene, but I don’t care. I can’t just sit back and do nothing. Not when it’s Zade.

I’m about to launch into another tirade when I feel a hand on my shoulder. It’s firm but gentle, and for a second, I think it’s another officer trying to calm me down. But when I whirl around, ready to unleash more of my anger, I see it’s Zade.

He’s standing there, looking tired and a little worse for wear, but he’s out. He’s free. Relief floods through me so quickly that my knees nearly buckle. I throw my arms around him, holding him tightly, feeling his solid warmth against me, and reassuring me that he’s okay.

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