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“First, I want to see how you are,” Anderson says, lifting a brow toward me. “Are you feeling up to answering a few questions?”
“Sure.” I nod quickly, though my mind still lingers on my hospital bills. It’s a distraction, I know, but it’s one I can’t shake.
“I know you gave your statement to the officers on scene, but I just wanted to clarify a few things.” Anderson’s eyes drop to the notepad in his hand. “You were alone with Mike in your apartment, correct?”
“Yes.”
“Did he say anything to you in regard to why he decided to target you?”
Caspian’s hand tightens around mine, and I grip back gratefully.
“He told me I’d rejected him so he wanted to create hell, so I’d turn to him for comfort. I guess in his fucked-up mind, he thought he was actually on my list of friends.”
“And you weren’t friends with him? Did nothing to lead him on?” Anderson asks.
Finn is on his feet immediately, hunching slightly from his cracked ribs. “You can’t be fucking serious. How much more evidence do you need that he was a psychopath? She just breathed in his direction and he became obsessed!”
“I understand that, sir,” Anderson says tightly, “but we have to explore all avenues?—”
He’s cut off as his partner shoves him out of the way with a sigh. Mosse looks at me and her thin lips twitch slightly.
“It’s a terrible question but all it attempts to do is evaluate how likely this was to be a psychotic break or a calculated targeting. Given the female underwear we found in his apartment, the hundreds of pictures of you, and multiple explicit works of fantasy that feature a woman of your description, I’m inclined to believe this was targeted.”
“Yeah, no shit,” Asher grumbles. “You gotta be insane to walk in here after he tries to kill her, and ask if she did anything to deserve it.”
“That’s not what I was asking,” Detective Anderson replies.
Caspian stands up and points toward the door. “Get the fuck out. You never believed her from the start. I don’t give a shit what you need, get the fuck out and send someone else in to question her. She’s the victim, in case you forgot.”
“It’s protocol?—”
“Fuck your protocol,” Finn snarls. “Get out!”
Mosse flashes me what might be a sympathetic smile, then she escorts her partner out and the door closes.
Caspian heaves out a sigh and slumps back down in his chair. Finn sits slower but mirrors the others’ irritation.
Watching them defend me so completely through it all, their line of questioning brought a strange thought to my mind.
Maybe they ask questions like that to soften the blow to Mike’s parents. Maybe it’s better for them to hear that it wasn’t all their son.
A pang of sympathy shoots through my chest and tears sting at the back of my eyes. “Thank you.”
All eyes slide to me. “Don’t you mention it,” Finn says, grasping my forearm. “It’s second nature.”
“Ain’t that the truth.” Asher sighs deeply. “I’m just sorry we didn’t get there sooner.”
“No,” I murmur, thinking back to Mike’s words as the sight of him surrounded by flames flashes into my mind. “I’m sorry.”
“Emma—” Caspian starts but I hold up one hand.
“No. I am sorry. Everything that’s happened has happened because of me. Your studio is ruined, Caspian. Asher, you’ve lost a friend in my father, and Finn? Those pictures threaten your livelihood, and you also nearly died. All of that happened because of me and I’m just…I’m sorry because you’ve all shown me nothing but love and compassion. And I—” Emotion swells like a balloon in my chest, forcing a deep, shuddering breath. Tears slip down my cheeks and I hastily wipe them away.
“What I’m trying to say is that I don’t deserve your kindness because what I offer in return is not nearly worth what you’ve all given me.”
“Bullshit,” Finn replies immediately. “I don’t know if it’s escaped your notice, Emma, and maybe it has because of everything that’s happened, but we’re here for you.”
“Because we care about you,” Asher says.
