Figure Eight (Celtic Knot Book 2) (3 page)

“Shut the fuck up, Russell.” I growled.

“Dominic, don’t stoop to his level,” Toby warned me, but it was really hard not to want to punch the smug look off of Russell’s face.

“I just came by to tell you that it is time to go to your bond hearing, but I wouldn’t get your hopes up on getting out of here any time soon.”

I gritted my teeth together to stop myself from responding to him when Toby sent me a warning look not to open my mouth. Before Russell slid the door open, he had me turn around so that he could place handcuffs on my arms and shackles to my legs. I had to hold back the thought that cut me to the core—the restraints that had me tethered were like knots that Ashley’s betrayal had placed around my heart once more. It was in that moment that I came to the conclusion that I had learned my lesson. There was no such thing as true love and all that sappy shit. The only thing that could come from love was destruction, pain, and heartache. As I was led down a hallway that would take me to a vehicle to go to the courthouse, I promised myself that I would never again allow myself to be that vulnerable again.

Curled into the fetal position on my bed, my heart and body reminded me constantly of the damage I had caused. I ached all over. The physical pain of what I had to do to the people I loved was more than just heartache, it was an all-consuming pain that I wouldn’t wish on anyone.

I’d never forget the look on Dominic’s face when I told the police that he had paid me for sex. It wasn’t his disappointment or his anger that gutted me the most; it was the hurt that was written all over him. I had spent so much time trying to tear down his walls, only to have him build them back up again possibly even stronger than before. He had fallen in love for the first time in his life, and all I did was destroy him and proved to him that love truly wasn’t worth it.

Kelly hadn’t said a word to me since we fought the night before, after the club was shut down. I let her scream and vent every hateful emotion she was feeling towards me. I didn’t blame her one bit because I am sure I was feeling much worse about myself than what she was expressing. I hugged my knees into my chest harder as I recalled the words she said to me last night.

“How could you do this, Ashley? What the hell is wrong with you? You know it isn’t true!”

“I finally found a guy who I could actually see myself being with and you rip him away from me by having him arrested?”

“I thought you were my best friend? I thought you were like a sister to me. Please, Ashley, I am begging you! Stop this insane accusation!”

I forced myself to stop thinking about all the words she threw at me as the tears were forcefully falling from my eyes. They were already red and swollen from nearly twenty-four hours of unrelenting crying. Being forced to hurt people I loved made me angry. I indignantly wiped the tears off of my cheeks as I tried to sit up in the bed. The heavy weight that constantly pulled down on me made it difficult, but after a few attempts, I finally made my way to a seated position. I placed my elbows on my knees and my face in my hands, as I once again had to try to stop the tears that were in constant supply. I would be shocked if my body was not severely dehydrated from the loss of liquid that gushed constantly from my eyes.

There was a soft knock on my bedroom door, and I turned around to see Kelly standing in my doorway. I couldn’t look her in the eye and tell her the truth of why I lied and that the men we loved were in jail because I was trying to protect them all from a sadistic son-of-a-bitch who had threatened to kill them if I didn’t. I turned back around to look out the window in my room and watched as life passed by outside, but inside my life and heart were in a standstill.

“Ashley, can we talk?” Kelly asked softly and I could hear her trying to hold in her sniffles.

“Why would you want to talk to me?” I remarked as unaffected as I could make my voice sound.

I felt the other side of the bed dip as Kelly sat down. The creaking of the frame and springs were the only sounds in the room to be heard other than our breathing. We sat there with our backs facing each other for several silent moments before I felt the bed dip even more and her hand clamped over mine.

“Ashley, whatever it is you are going through, you don’t have to go through it alone. I saw how you looked at Dominic, and I know for a fact you are in love with him. I know you didn’t do it on purpose just to hurt him and Knox. Something else is going on.”

My lip quivered as I fought harder than I ever had in my life to hold my emotions in. Kelly’s safety was just as important to me as Dominic and Knox’s, so I had to do everything I could to keep the charade going.

“Nothing is going on, Kelly. I did what I did to teach guys like Dominic and Knox a lesson that they cannot just play with women’s emotions and then dump them. Now, they know how it feels,” I lied.

“That is bullshit and you know it, Ashley. There is something you aren’t telling me and I swear to God, I will find out what it is. Even though I am pissed off beyond all reason at you right now, I still love you and I am not going to let you destroy your life and mine because you are in some sort of trouble and won’t let anyone help you.”

Kelly got up from the bed and walked over to the door to my bedroom, but turned around before she exited.

“I love you, Ashley. Just...just remember that,” and then she left. Before I even had a chance to start crying all over again, my phone chirped from the table next to my bed. With a tentative hand, I picked it up and swiped the screen to see the text awaiting me.

Asher: Good girl.

What??

My head snapped up and I looked out of my bedroom window. I couldn’t see his actual face due to the glare of the sun, but I knew it was Asher staring back at me. We both stared for what seemed like a million seconds, neither one of us willing to back down before he finally shoved his hands into his pockets and walked away. I picked up the vase from the table next to my bed and threw it against the wall, and I watched as each shattered piece of glass fell to the floor as if it were my own heart breaking before my eyes.

It was misery in the purest form. I felt like screaming at the top of my lungs until my voice gave out and I could no longer speak, so I wouldn’t have to continue to say words that hurt the people I held close to me. It all felt like a sick dream.

How could this happen to me?

The nightmare was so torturous that I could barely stand it. Would I ever heal from it?

The pungent staleness of the courtroom was the first thing I noticed as Russell led me to the bench where I would sit and wait to hear my bond. The second thing I saw was Knox on the other side of the room wearing the same bright orange state issued jumpsuit and shackles on his hands and feet. His head was bowed as he sat and stared at the floor. Anger rose up again not only for me, but for a man who had been with me through thick and thin, only to have to fall with me as well.

Victoria sat a few rows behind Knox, and I was grateful for her support. I knew she was the one who would post our bail for us and that she had to be here, but I was still thankful all the same. She had helped me out so much over the years opening numerous clubs and finally settling in Chicago with us after a jealous ex-boyfriend threatened to harm her in Reno.

I took small tentative steps towards the front of the courtroom, mostly due to the limited motion of my legs from the shackles, but also at the nervousness I felt about the situation. The sound of the chains echoed through the stark silent courtroom with each step and Knox lifted his head to look at where I was coming down the aisle. He gave me a curt nod before he clasped his hands together and began to twiddle his thumbs back and forth, fighting the same nervousness that I was feeling.

What if we were denied bail? What if I never got to find out the reasons why Ashley lied and it landed Knox and me both in jail? All of the questions revolved in my brain as I finally reached the front of the room and sat on the hard cold bench of wood. Even though the wood was cold and hard, it was still softer than the bed back at my cell, and I welcomed the comforting change.

Toby made his way into the courtroom and took a seat at the table in front of me before glancing back to give me a reassuring look and motioned for Knox to join me on the bench.

“All rise for the Honorable Judge Hudson,” the bailiff called out into the room and everyone made their way to a standing position. The judge adorned in the standard black robe made his way behind his bench.

“You may be seated,” his raspy voice called out to the room.

“Mr. Michaels and Mr. Tanner, you are being charged with operating a business under false pretenses and prostitution. The prosecutor has recommended that you remain incarcerated. Mr. Johnson, what do you have to say on behalf of your clients?”

Toby stood to address the judge and all I could think about was how the prosecutor wanted Knox and me to remain in jail. None of this made sense. Prostitution charges, even though they were completely untrue on our part, were not a serious enough offense to not allow bail and to keep someone locked up. My mind began to wonder about the entire situation in general and how all the pieces didn’t add up as Toby pled our case to the judge.

“My clients have not committed violent crimes, Your Honor. In fact, they haven’t committed any crimes at all and you will see that after the investigation. They are not flight risks and are upstanding citizens with merely a traffic violation or two between them. That certainly doesn’t constitute the continuance of their incarceration.”

“Duly noted, Mr. Johnson. Under the circumstances, I must say that I agree with you and am posting bail at one hundred thousand per defendant. The Celtic Knot is to remain closed pending the investigation and trial. Dismissed,” the judge said as he slammed the gavel down onto the bench. The sound echoed through the silence of the courtroom, and I exhaled a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. I turned around to look back at Victoria, and she nodded in understanding before she slung her purse over her shoulder and ran in search of where to make the payment to post our bail.

I hadn’t talked to Knox since we were taken away in handcuffs the night before. He hadn’t said anything to me, only sat next to me as his leg bounced up and down with rapid, nervous speed.

“You ok?” I asked him. He continued to bounce his leg as he rubbed at the cuffs on his wrists.