Chapter 356: Stealing From A Cop
Brooke stared at the morning light radiating on Thane’s face. He slept so soundly, so stilly, taking short breaths that she feared if it was a good or bad thing that he was so calm.
Was his sickness acting up? Or was this just the peaceful morning bliss couples shared.
She hoped the latter, because the past three days they had spent in the safe house meant the world to her.
Waking up in each other’s arms, showering together, making breakfast—however messy it sometimes turned out to be, and in the evening snuggling together on the couch, watching shows together.
Brooke knew better, she knew that this was a temporary fix, Dr Anders had strictly told her he was on borrowed time, that he needed to fly abroad for treatment.
But even still, she wanted to stay in this moment for as long as she could, and live out a dream where they could be together like this, without anyone getting in the way.
Thane opened his eyes, their gazes met and a smile danced from her lips to his.
"Good morning." he leaned in and planted a kiss on her forehead.
"Hey," she shifted closer, "How was your night?" she asked, tracing her fingers along his neck, along the greenish veins popping out.
Those weren’t there yesterday.
Or maybe she hadn’t noticed between all the kissing and laughing and cuddling.
He took her palm and kissed the back, "It was peaceful, "He kissed it again, "Because you’re here with me."
She chuckled, "That is so corny."
"Oh, really?" he raised an amused brow, his kisses snaking up her hand, reaching to her shoulder.
Brooke groaned as he shifted, now towering over her body, his passionate gaze locked onto the love bites splattered across her collar bone.
Her voice soft, she asked, "Are you truly okay?"
Everyday she had asked that, and everyday his answer had been the same thing.
"Yes, I am." he said, and even though she knew how much pain he must have been going through she closed her eyes, and allowed herself drown in the sweet torment of his touch.
Hoping that maybe they could stay in that moment a bit longer.
***************
Axel clutched the flash drive in his jacket’s pocket as he strode out of the police station, his heart pounding as he made for his car.
I got it.
Holy shit I got it!
He dashed into his car and took out his phone to place a call....
*********
Aaron tried to swing at Ethan, but Hannah got up and stood between them, her hands spread out.
She alternated her gaze from his furious glare to Ethan’s deranged look.
Both these men were becoming too much to handle.
Between Aaron coming in everyday to ask about Brooke’s whereabouts and Ethan’s sudden visit, she feared things would get ugly fast.
Her tone low she scolded, "My office is not the place for another one of your scandals."
Ethan hissed, "Do you just let anyone in here?"
Aaron kept his fist tight. "Why is this bastard here?"
"I don’t have to answer to any of you. In fact, I want the both of you out! Now!" Hannah raised her voice, alerting her assistant.
This time the woman returned with security details.
Ethan straightened his clothes, "Fine. I’ll leave today." He made long strides to the door, avoiding Aaron’s sharp glare.
At the door he said before leaving. "I’ll get that information out of you, no matter what means I have to go through."
Aaron went after him, but he was stopped by his phone ringing. He took it out to put it on silence, but the caller ID melted the anger boiling in his stomach.
He waited until he was in the parking lot, seated inside his car before answering the call.
"Do you have any leads, detective?" He asked breathlessly into the phone.
************
Dylan groaned when he returned from filming, only to find Axel’s car parked in the hospital’s parking lot.
Earlier, someone on set accidentally broke his phone, something he’d have to fix later. Not to mention how late filming had ran. All he wanted was to see his sister and rewind.
And not have to fend off a persistent cop who wouldn’t take no for an answer.
He stormed into the hospital, and immediately caught sight of Axel at the lobby speaking with his sister’s doctor!
The fucking nerve!
Just how far was he willing to go to close this case?
"What the hell are you doing here?" he yelled, drawing all eyes at him.
He was fully ready to take a swing at an officer, when the doctor greeted him with shell shocking news.
"Dylan! We have been trying to contact you all day! Your sister has finally woken up!" he announced, melting all of Dylan’s anger like butter.
"W-What?" he was surprised he even managed a response.
Axel held his shoulder, limiting Dylan’s gaze to him, "Your sister is out of her coma." he repeated, reinforcing what Dylan couldn’t bring himself to believe.
He still wouldn’t believe it, at least not until he stepped into her ward, and she was sitting upright, a nurse examining her.
"Emma?" He called out in disbelief.
His sister snapped her head at the familiar voice. Her eyes landed on Dylan’s watery gaze, and immediately matched his. Dylan ran into her arms, the two enveloped each other in a tight hug.
Emma was then examined further by the nurse, while this happened, Dylan and Axel were asked to wait outside.
Out by the lobby, Dylan thanked Axel for being around when her sister regained consciousness, however he made his boundary very clear.
"Thank you for being here, but I want you to know that I still stand by what I said earlier, that my sister and I will not help in this investigation." he insisted.
Axel nodded, "And I understand that-"
"Do you really?" he ran his fingers through his hair, "I almost lost her to that monster. I am sorry about what happened to your sister, but you should also understand that I don’t want a repeat to happen to Emma." he said.
Axel reached into the breast pocket of his jacket and took out the flash drive from earlier.
"This is what I snatched from the station tonight, I haven’t gone through it yet, but I’m sure the captain must have some incriminating evidence against Ethan."
Dylan’s eyes went round.
"You stole from a cop?"
Axel shook his head, "I acquired information regarding a case from a suspect." he rephrased.
"You are going to get yourself in trouble." he shook his head, "You could implicate my sister and me."
He sighed, "Listen Dylan, I’m not telling you this to paint you both as criminals or anything-"
"Then why are you?"
Axel answered, "Because, I agree, you and your sister are finally in a good place. You’re making a decent buck, and she’s improving. I’ve decided that I won’t be pestering you anymore." he said, however, Dylan could sense a but coming into the sentence.
And, as he predicted, Axel went on, "But, I wanted to ask, if you could hold onto a copy of the flash drive for me."
Dylan did not spare a second to shut him down, "Hell no! What part of I don’t want to be a criminal do you not understand?"
But Axel was insistent, "I know who we’re up against, he’s a murderer, and he definitely won’t miss the chance to get back at me. However, I want to have a fail safe, in case something ever happens to me."
Dylan eyed him suspiciously, "Something like you...dying?"
"If I die, and without having done anything, I want you to post this online, I’ll set everything up so you won’t be able to get back tracked. I just need you to promise you’ll make sure Ethan does not get away with anything. Even if I die."
He knew that Axel was far from exaggerating, the situation was dire, and even a faint connection to Axel could prove dangerous.
But, even in a time like this, he thought of Brooke, the man’s wife, who he had met, and was nothing short of an angel to him.
Then he pictured his sister, who had done everything she could to support him.
These two women were the kindest people in his life, and coincidentally both Ethan’s victims.
Even though he knew it was a bad idea, he asked, "It won’t be traced back to me?"
Axel nodded. "By the end of this week, if I don’t make contact, you’ll post the files online."
That meant in three days.
"But Ethan is very powerful, he could block everything from the public eye." he insisted.
Axel shook his head. ’"I’ve already made a plan before coming here with a big name in the entertainment industry. He hates Ethan just as much and is willing to risk it all to expose him."
The more he spoke, the more Dylan realized how serious he was about it all.
They really were going after THE Ethan Halton.
"In three days." Axel reminded him. "If you don’t hear from me in three days... leak this Intel to the public."
