He stands behind me, holding me, kissing my neck. I stand still and luxuriate in his healing touch. He takes the soap from my hands, and begins to run it across my arms, back, br**sts and body–washing me then kissing each area he has washed before. We stay in the shower, hugging and licking and loving each other until the water begins to cool.
Stepping out, he wraps me in a robe, dries me off, and puts his arms around me. We end up in my bed, my head on his chest, as he holds and kisses me. He doesn’t seem to expect anything. He just wants to love me. I feel myself falling asleep, the warmth and safety of his love healing my deepest wounds.
Chapter 23
The sun streams bright into the window, promising me a new day. A day filled with hope, justice, and most of all–love. Today’s the day the wrong is made right. Today is when Lynx begins again. I will be at court at one o’clock and free from this terror by two.
Mark is setting the table for breakfast, has coffee brewing and smiles when I walk out, disheveled in a pair of sweats and a T-shirt all sleepy-eyed.
“Hello, beautiful you.” His smile immediately brightens my morning.
“Hello, Prince Charming. Can you tell me where reality is? I seem to have left it some time ago.”
“No evil wizards here.” He looks around the kitchen. I contemplate kissing him, even with my morning breath when a knock at the door shatters the moment.
“Oh god,” I say wondering what special package Blake has left us this time. Mark moves as if to answer but I reach it first.
I look out the peephole and see a face this time. Two faces actually, each wearing a frighteningly familiar hat.
“Yes, Officer,” I say, opening the door just wide enough to see their badges.
“Are you Julia Sharp?” The front one asks, the one behind him taking something from his back pocket. Mark walks toward the door.
“Yes,” I answer. Did they catch Mr. Clank’s friend stealing my car?
“Turn around and put your hands behind your back.”
“What?!”
The second officer began pulling out his zip tie.
“Julia Sharp, you are under arrest.”
Chapter 24
This can’t be happening. Today is not supposed to be like this. I am supposed to drive with Mark down to the courthouse to present evidence of Blake’s wrongdoing and sign the rejoinder. Today is supposed to be the day I get Lynx back. Instead, these two cops are here at my door, about to crush my hopes.
“Wait. What?” My mind reels as I feel the officer’s rough hands holding my wrists together and slipping the cutting hard plastic around them again. “I can’t be! I haven’t—”
“You have the right to remain silent,” the second office reads off a card. “Anything you say can and will be used against you—”
“Mark!” I scream as they begin to guide me into the hallway.
“Officer, I’m Mark Stone,” Mark says rushing to the door. He’s trying to play it calm but the look of shock and fear is in his eyes. “Can I ask what’s going on?”
“She’s being arrested, that’s what’s going on,” the first officer says brusquely as he blocks the door with an elbow, a polite but clear gesture that says wherever we’re going, Mark is not coming with us.
“If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided to you.” The second officer continues droning.
“I can see that part, Officer,” Mark says clearly but with severe tone I’ve never heard from him before. “I am Miss Sharp’s legal contractor and I have the right to know why she is being arrested.”
“Yes!” I gasp as he turns me toward the hall. I see the neighbor’s door crack open but I am far past humiliation at this point. “Tell him!”
Mark’s natural authority wins the day and the policemen stop, momentarily, my progression to the elevator. The officer puts away his worn little Miranda card and opens a notebook. Both men seem to be standing straighter when addressing Mark. Having been over his lap for a stinging rebuke, I can attest it’s the wise thing to do.
“Miss Julia Sharp is being arrested for New York Penal Code Violation 251.15, Criminal Contempt in the First Degree.”
“But I’m not even going to court until this afternoon!” I blurt my mind solely on saving Lynx. “It’s not possible.”
Mark stands silently trying to mentally work his way through the information. One of the many things I realize I love about him is the way he stays calm and strong, never wavering, always in control. I’m not sure if it is a learned discipline or an inborn talent but it’s amazing. It can’t be inborn though, because Blake certainly doesn’t… Oh my god…
“Blake!” Mark and I exclaim at the same time having both mentally arrived at the answer.
“Contempt of court is cited due to the violation of an order of protection issued to Mr. Blake Stone and the property known as Sandstone Ventures,” the officer continues reading.
Dammit! That bullshit restraining order he filed against me after my first visit to his office finally comes back to bite me in the ass. Honestly, the pig had it coming to him, and despite the predicament I’m in now, I don’t regret slapping him across his greasy face.
“But that’s not what happened!” I start, however, I feel the officer pushing me down the hall away from Mark in the doorway. Having dutifully satisfied Mark’s “right to know,” the second officer accompanies the first in dragging me to the elevator.
“Julia, I’ll call Paul Fries right now,” Mark yells down the hall, probably realizing that “legal contractor” isn’t really a position recognized by anyone and deciding to withdraw before the officers figure out they’ve been conned.
“Forget me,” I shout quickly twisting around to call over my shoulder as the elevator doors open. “Save Lynx!”
If they’re taking me downtown for booking, who knows how long it’ll take to get processed through the system? Maybe at least Mark can go to the courthouse and present our case that Blake’s seizure of Lynx is illegal.
Once the bell chimes, I am forcibly pushed forward, facing the back of the elevator. One officer faces me, the other faces forward to stop anyone from coming in as we make our way down to the waiting squad car.
Approaching the car, I think about how many times as a reporter I’ve seen people loaded into the back of these boxy caged vehicles, and how different it feels when it’s your head being pushed down as you’re put into the back of the car.