Fatal Attraction (Love Kills Duet #2)

7. Seven

Seven

Charlotte

I sat outside of Captain Burgess’s office, my nerves shot and burning hotter than these goddamn tears still spilling down my swollen cheeks. I’d already given my statement, and no sooner than Peter arrived, Cap refused to let me talk to him. Peter was currently enclosed in the doors behind me, giving Cap and Chief his statement.

Minutes passed, and my legs anxiously bounced the longer Peter remained in there. I’d bitten my nails down to the point of drawing blood, and I couldn’t stop thinking about Carter and how the hell I was supposed to tell him his wife was dead. I hadn’t a damn clue if Blaire’s body had arrived to be autopsied yet, and I was certain nobody here would tell me even if I could scrounge the courage to ask.

Blaire’s gone.

My best friend is…gone.

The door opened just before I broke down again, and Peter stepped out, his eyes downcast with a heavy frown weighing down his face.

“I’m so sorry, Charlotte.” He reached out to hug me. I willingly got to my feet and hugged him back, struggling to keep the waterworks at bay.

“Thank you for coming in, Peter,” Captain said from behind him. “You and Charlotte need to go down to the lab now and submit your DNA.”

“Will do,” he replied, holding me tighter with his chin resting against my head. “Whatever you need, Cap.”

As we turned to head for the elevator, Harley rounded the corner, and I would’ve walked straight into her if it weren’t for Peter grabbing ahold of my arm and lightly tugging me back in time. My eyes lit up when they lifted and fastened over her shoulder at Spike and Phoenix, who’d just departed from the elevator and were heading our way.

“Sorry, Charlotte,” came Harley’s soft, but gruff voice. “We have a lot of ground to cover and it’s best we get started. Whatever you need to talk to them about will have to wait.”

“Charlotte,” Phoenix desperately called out, and I knew I shouldn’t have done it, but I just couldn’t help myself. I maneuvered around Harley and ran right over to them despite her and Peter indignantly scoffing behind me.

“Don’t trust anyone ,” he whispered in my ear, his arms wrapped around me and squeezing gently. “Not even Peter. Don’t tell him anything , okay?”

My head rose and my eyes met his, my brows crinkled in confusion.

“Just trust us,” Spike muttered quietly. “We’ll explain everything as soon as we can.”

I parted from Phoenix, wondering what the hell was going on and why he and Spike were shooting Peter looks that had an uneasy chill snaking down my spine. Peter returned the gesture, and for a moment there I thought he’d say something. Instead, Peter let out a frustrated sigh and stalked towards me. He grabbed my hand, and then yanked me along behind him, refusing to speak until we were safely inside the elevator.

“Is there something going on between you and Detective Rhodes?” he asked, pushing the button to take us down to the lab.

“No,” I lied. “Why?”

“Don’t lie to me, Char. I’m not blind. I mean, first the guy shows up at your house with flowers, and now he’s holding you and whispering God knows what in your ear. Clearly something’s going on.”

“It’s none of your business even if there is,” I grumbled uneasily. “Does it really matter? ”

Peter opened his mouth and then closed it, his jaw irately set. He chewed his inner cheek for a moment before the words, “No, I guess not,” hung in the air around us.

But then the elevator opened, and when I stepped out first, ambling closer towards the entrance to the lab, Peter’s next words had me freezing mid-step and my body twisting around to face him, my pupils blown wide.

“What did you just say?”

“I said, I love you , Charlotte.” His voice trembled, his face paling, tears in his hazel eyes. “I’ve been in love with you for so long… Since college.”

My heart sank. “Wh-what?”

“Do I have to fucking spell it out for you?” he scoffed, his arms raising slightly just to fall desperately back against his sides. “For so long I’ve been waiting… Just waiting for you to open your eyes and see how much I care about you. That I’d do absolutely anything for you.”

“Pe-Peter—”

“Am I not good enough?” he asked, his tears slipping out and gliding down his cheeks. “Will I ever be good enough?”

I opened my mouth, silenced by his raised hand. “Don’t bother, because I already know the answer. I’ll never be good enough, no matter how hard I try.”

“Peter—”

“I shouldn’t have even said anything.” He wiped his face and then drew in a powerful breath, releasing it. “I’m just wasting my time.”

And then he walked away, right past me, entering the lab and leaving me standing there, frozen and utterly stunned.

Peter wouldn’t speak to me, much less look at me while the lab techs were busy swabbing the inside of our mouths with a giant Q-Tip. When we were finished, I’d called out for him and begged him to wait so we could talk things through, but it was no use. All he did was shake his head before fleeing the room, rejecting to spare me a glance.

What the hell was happening right now ?

It was bad enough Blaire was dead, but this, Peter confessing his love for me, was not only extremely unexpected but couldn’t have happened at a more inconvenient time.

I couldn’t deal with this shit.

Not now.

Not whenever Blaire’s killer and Delilah and Amber’s rapist was still out there somewhere doing only God knows what.

I needed to know what Peter told the captain and chief, but since he was long gone—his car wasn’t in the parking lot when I’d walked out—and was so hell bent on not answering my phone calls, I sighed and said fuck it , having no choice but to let it go. I had no idea when I’d get to see or talk to my guys again either. Perhaps later tonight, if I was lucky. They’d fill me in on what Peter had to say about Blaire. I was sure of it.

I didn’t know what to do.

My heart hurt so much it was all I could do not to fall to my knees in the middle of the parking lot and scream. I kept telling myself to just pick up the pad in my purse and keep moving forward. To keep my promise and do everything I possibly can to help clear Karl’s name.

But I couldn’t. Right now, all I wanted was to go home, crawl in bed, and cry myself to sleep.

And so, I did.