Page 28 of Outlawed

He grins, not giving a fuck. “Talking of immature assholes⁠—”

“That’s not what I said.”

He ignores me, of course, and carries on. “Where’s Austin? I thought he’d have been here in case you go nuclear.”

“I’m not going to go nuclear, and Austin isn’t some damn kryptonite you guys can just whip out when I become unstable.”

“Of course he is. What else is he good for otherwise?”

I rub my eyes and sigh, done with this conversation. There is a hard tone in Riggs’s voice whenever Austin’s name comes up. He understands on a logical level, like I do, that Austin isn’t the bad guy in this. He didn’t set out to defile me. Everything just spiraled out of control. He’s a victim too, in his own way. But knowing things and feeling things aren’t the same. To Riggs, Austin is still the guy who hurt me in the worst possible way, then retraumatized me—not once, but twice—since I returned. It would be so much easier for both Riggs and Shepard if I could hate the guy.

Maybe part of me does, that dark and broken part that can never be fixed, but loves him too. I don’t know if that’s natural or because of the bond, which I still don’t understand. Perhaps it’s a mix of both. In the end, I don’t know if it matters when it can’t be changed. Things were always going to be complicated when it came to us. We’re all too similar. We’re all too different. Life’s funny like that.

I don’t doubt that Austin will put in the work. If the bond really does work both ways, then cutting me out and walking away isn’t an option for him either. I just don’t know where we go from here.

“Does that mean you don’t know where he is?”

I snap out of my thoughts, confused for a moment before I remember his question.

“I’m just saying, after everything, I thought he’d try and glue himself to your side.”

“Says the man who tied me to him last night while we slept.” I shake my head. I look into his eyes, my hand lifting to his face, thumb gliding over the edge of his eyepatch. “Where do you think Austin is, Riggs?”

I might have asked him to find Porter, but I’m not dumb. He’d have done that anyway because he views Porter as a threat to me. For him, it has little to do with finding Dawn’s killer and everything to do with keeping me safe. On some level, I know that’s the real reason Andy is dead. Not because of what he did to us all those years ago, but because he was a threat to our relationship now.

“He’s hunting down Porter, too?”

I nod.

“Good. I don’t care who catches him as long as he’s caught. Though if I’m honest, I think I’d prefer it to be Austin. At least that way I know Porter will finally get the punishment he deserves.”

Oh, he will. I’ll make sure of that.

“Hey, Calliope? They’re ready for you,” Sarah steps into the hallway to tell me.

I blow out a shaky breath. “I’m ready.” She offers me a reassuring smile before heading back in. I look at Riggs and nod. “Let’s do this.”

He bends down and presses a soft kiss to my lips. “Proud of you, Opie.”

“Let’s hope I don’t throw up.”

“Meh, wouldn’t be the first time you puked on me,” he teases, making me snort. He wraps his hand around mine and leads me inside.

We walk down the aisle, somber stares boring into us as we pass. I have to fight the urge to run, but Riggs’s thumb draws circles on the back of my hand, keeping me in the here and now. He walks me all the way up to the front and then stands beside me. People’s eyes move to him with interest, which helps deflect their attention from me. I can’t blame them for ogling him. Riggs looks like he’s stepped right off a movie set, only he gives off more of a villain vibe than a hero one. Judging from the women fanning themselves, most of us here have a thing for bad boys.

He kisses my temple just as the doors crack open and Shepard slips in. Riggs chuckles. “I fucking knew he wouldn’t be able to stay away.” Before he can say anything else, the door opens again, and Austin slips in. He stands beside Shepard with his arms crossed, making Riggs snort before he takes a step back.

I blow out another breath and let my eyes move around the room, finding it a far less hostile environment than the other day. “Thank you all for coming to another meeting on such short notice.”

I chew my lip, trying to get my words in order. I spot Jen, Jackie, Sarah, and Henry together in the front row, smiling in support, while Mary and Doyle sit behind them.

“As I’m sure most of you are aware by now, the sheriff and his team are investigating the tragic death of my friend Dawn. I’m also sure that most of you have figured out that the prime suspect is her ex-husband, Mark Porter.

“Now, Shepard has told me to point out that he is innocent until proven guilty. But before any of you consider harboring this man out of some misguided loyalty, you should know the facts about him. Mark Porter is not a good man. He drugged an eighteen-year-old girl, and while she was incapacitated, he raped her and impregnated her, then coerced her into marrying him. He then beat that same woman the entirety of their marriage. The day she came to me for help was the first day he hit Hannah. That was Dawn’s breaking point. Not the fact that she was covered in bruises from where he’d beaten and raped her again. But because he hurt her baby.”

I swallow and let them take that in before I continue.

“She was free,” I whisper. “And he couldn’t stand it. She knew he’d come for her. She told me, and I so badly wanted her to be wrong just this once, but I forgot the extremes this man was willing to go to. Mark Porter was a bad man. He’s also a liar because Mark Porter doesn’t exist.”