Chapter 2 2

Gabriella sat on a hard plastic chair in the NYPD precinct lobby. A scratchy gray police blanket was wrapped tightly around her shoulders. She held a paper cup of hot tea in both hands, but her fingers were still trembling uncontrollably.

The heavy glass doors of the precinct pushed open. Eloise ran into the lobby, her high heels clicking frantically against the linoleum floor. She spotted Gabriella and rushed over, pulling her into a tight hug.

"Are you hurt? Did he touch you?" Eloise asked, her voice cracking with panic.

Gabriella's eyes were red and burning. She pointed her shaking finger toward the long hallway leading to the interrogation rooms.

"I am fine," Gabriella choked out. "But that psycho driver is in there. He locked me in his car."

Eloise followed Gabriella's finger. She stared down the hallway. The color completely drained from Eloise's face. Her mouth opened, but no words came out. She looked sick to her stomach.

Heavy footsteps echoed from the corridor. The thick metal door of the interrogation room swung open.

Rick Jennings, a senior detective at the precinct, walked out first. His face was stretched into a massive, nervous smile. His shoulders were hunched forward, his posture incredibly submissive.

Rick was holding a freshly brewed cup of premium Blue Mountain coffee in both hands. He offered it backward with extreme respect to the tall man walking behind him.

Emmett stepped out of the shadows. He had one hand shoved casually into the pocket of his tailored suit pants. His long legs ate up the distance of the hallway. He did not even glance at the coffee Rick was holding.

Rick pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the sweat off his forehead.

"I am so sorry, Mr. Kane," Rick said quickly. "We had no idea it was you. This is a complete misunderstanding."

Gabriella stood up so fast the police blanket fell to the dirty floor. Her brain could not process the absurd scene playing out in front of her.

She marched right up to Rick.

"Why isn't he in handcuffs?" Gabriella demanded, her voice echoing in the lobby. "Why are you serving him coffee? He kidnapped me!"

Rick coughed awkwardly. He looked around the lobby, trying to keep his voice down.

"Miss Henson, please lower your voice," Rick whispered. "Let's not make this a bigger issue than it is."

Emmett stopped walking. He turned around slowly. He looked down at Gabriella, his massive frame towering over her.

He let out a short, cold laugh.

"Is the NYPD taking orders from paranoid, hysterical women now?" Emmett asked. His voice dripped with pure arrogance.

Gabriella's blood boiled. Her chest heaved with anger.

"You drove a car with no plates! You locked the doors! You drove me to an abandoned alley!" she yelled, counting the offenses on her fingers.

Emmett lazily adjusted the expensive cufflink on his left wrist.

"Are you a cop? Or just nosy?" he asked smoothly, his tone dripping with condescension. "As for the doors, maybe I don't like my passengers trying to jump out. It's messy."

He suddenly took a step forward, closing the distance between them. He leaned down, his face inches from hers.

"And I changed the route," he whispered, his voice dropping an octave, "because your cheap perfume was giving me a headache. I needed to open the window."

The insult hit Gabriella like a physical slap. Her face burned hot with humiliation. Her right hand flew up, aiming straight for his arrogant cheek.

Eloise lunged forward and grabbed Gabriella from behind. She pinned Gabriella's arm down with all her strength.

"Gabby, stop!" Eloise begged, pressing her face against Gabriella's ear. "Please. That is my older brother. That is Emmett Kane."

Gabriella's brain short-circuited. Her body went completely rigid. Her pupils dilated in pure shock.

She stared at the dangerous, cruel man standing in front of her. She could not connect this monster to the man Eloise always talked about. This was the head of the Kane family.

Rick quickly stepped between them. He shoved a clipboard with a waiver of liability toward Gabriella.

"Sign this, please," Rick urged. "Let's just close the case."

Gabriella looked at Eloise. Eloise's eyes were pleading. Gabriella clenched her jaw so hard her teeth ached. The taste of defeat was bitter in her mouth. She grabbed the pen and aggressively signed her name on the paper.

She took a deep breath, forcing the air into her tight lungs.

"I'm sorry," she forced the words out. They tasted like ash.

Emmett raised an eyebrow. His dark eyes slowly dragged down Gabriella's body, taking in her wet clothes and shivering frame.

He let out a harsh grunt.

"Don't flatter yourself," Emmett said loudly, making sure everyone in the lobby heard him. "I only like women with actual curves. I have zero appetite for flat little girls."

A few young officers standing near the front desk snickered. Gabriella's face flushed a deep, angry red. Her stomach churned with embarrassment.

Emmett did not look at her again. A group of men in black suits surrounded him. He pushed open the glass doors and walked out into the night, leaving a trail of cold air behind him.

Gabriella stared at the empty doorway. She bit the inside of her cheek until she tasted blood. She swore to herself she would never, ever cross paths with that bastard again.