The Fall

Chapter 23

Kyle, 1 week later

Thanksgiving came and went and my mind was on Sage. Is she okay? Is she taking her treatment seriously? Is she thinking about me like I'm thinking about her? Whoa there, buddy. She's your best friend's little sister and off fucking limits. She's also the reason I'm sitting in Arturo Lopez's office. I want answers and I want them for Sage.

"Not much to go on with the security footage. We know for sure there were three assailants and they knew the path to the pool house." He rubs his face, his eyes red with exhaustion. Artie has known the Hendersons for years and personally took this case on pro bono because he wanted justice for Sage as badly as the rest of us. So much so that he wasn't afraid to bend the law in his favor... Of course with the backing of Kingsley Henderson, Artie was untouchable.

"Any possibility Sage could've known them?" I ask as I bring my coffee to my lips. Artie sighs and runs his fingers through his already disheveled jet black hair, "You guys have a lot of parties and everyone in town knows Sage's reputation as a party girl." If that wasn't the truth, but still she didn't deserve to be raped for it. I clenched my jaw at the thought of what she went through all while she was overdosing and the rage was flowing through my veins like a volcano ready to erupt.

"And the toxicology report?" I ask, nodding to the stack of papers on his desk. Artie flicks his dark brown eyes at me and shakes his head, dismissively. "No traces of a date rape drug. The only substances in her system were cocaine, OxyContin and Vicodin; which according to her file are her common drugs of choice." He taps his chin with his fingers before grabbing his cell and placing a call. "Hey, Dom? It's Artie... Yeah, I know I've been busy, but I need a favor..." He shifts his gaze to me as he listens to this Dom person. "I'm working on the Henderson case and I need to know which one of your guys was working security back then."

I sat up straight as a fucking board as seconds ticked away before Artie grabs a pen and starts scribbling away on the pad in front of him. "I assume they're still local? Great! I'll pay them a visit. Tell Marta I said hey and send those pies over!" He ends the call and smirks at me in triumph. "It's a long shot, but the company running security at the time may have some footage or incling of who was on the property or who got through the front gates."

Disappointment settled in my stomach. There were hundreds of college kids and underage high school kids at that party. "That's a lot of names to filter through along with IDs, which I'm betting, are probably fake." Artie nods and stands, stretching his extremities, "We have no other leads unless Sage can somehow identify her attackers, we've got nothing to go on."

I grip the arms of the chair I sat in so tightly, I was likely to break it as I stood. "Any ideas on who her dealer is? Maybe he's got a motive?" Artie asks as he leans forward, pressing his hands on his desk. I seriously doubted Naz was going to drug and rape his biggest customer. "Nazaro Alvarez is her dealer, but he's least likely to be one of her attackers. The guy's been supplying to Sage for years and he values his customers."

My phone buzzed in my pocket and pulled it out and sighed, "I've got to go meet Lola for dinner and I'm already late as is." I raked my fingers through my hair and slipped my arms into my leather jacket as Artie's gaze narrowed on me. "What?" I snapped.

"I've never seen a guy look so disappointed to have dinner with his girlfriend. Everything okay?" His penetrating gaze sliding over me. I smirked at him and shrug, dismissively, "Everything's good, man. Keep me posted on your findings." I said, stepping out of his office and into the bitter November air. The weather called for snow this week and the skies were already darkening as I bundled up in my jacket and got in my car.

The drive to pick up Lola was shorter than I'd like, my mind on a certain blonde haired vixen and ensuring her future be bright and justice for her pain be swift. I didn't even notice Lola standing next to the locked passenger door until her frantic taps shattered my thoughts. Opening the door, I took in her beauty. Dressed in a pair of dark washed jeans and a navy sweater under her black coat, matching the boots I'd bought her before the holidays. Her brown hair was in French braids with a few strands framing her slender face.

"Are you okay, babe?" She asks as she leaned over to kiss me softly. The normal tingles of desire aren't there as her lips brush mine and I know I'm delaying the inevitable. I swallow down the doubts flowing in my brain and force a smile, "I'm fine, baby. Just had a long day." She frowned, her green eyes swirling with concern and she intertwines her fingers with mine, "We can always stay here. The roommate's at her boyfriend's so we can just order in and watch a movie."

I started to protest, but when she looked at me expectantly, I squeezed her hand and shut the jeep off with a sigh, "I just fucked up our date night, huh?" Lola plastered a smile on her face, but I saw the disappointment in her eyes and it ate away at me as we walked up her steps to her door. "Tell you what? Why don't I make you dinner while you get in the bath and then we can fully enjoy having the apartment to ourselves?"

"Mm, I like that plan, babe." I growl and pushed her into the door kissing her as she fumbles for her keys. Our lips stay locked as I kick the door close and she grabs the lights. "Bath. Now." I pulled myself away enough to shrug my jacket off and toe off my shoes. "Anything in particular you want to eat, babe?" I asked as I searched the contents of her refrigerator and pantry.

Lola materializes from her bedroom next to the kitchen in just her blue lacy bra and her unbuttoned jeans. Her hair was pinned up and her face free of make up. "There's leftover chicken and I'm sure there's pasta." She said before disappearing back into her room to bathe. After a few minutes, I gathered some chicken, veggies and pasta and got busy cooking.

I'm not chef Ramsey by any means, but I surveyed the chicken Alfredo and veggies with a sense of accomplishment. It's simple, but throw in the cranberry tarts Lola had to warm up and boom dinner for two. "It smells good in here." Lola says as she strolled into the kitchen in a white cropped tank top and booty shorts. Fuck me, I was a mess and my dick was as confused as me. "Let me get some wine and we can sit and watch a movie."

We snuggled up on the couch watching Avengers Endgame, our dinner eaten and two glasses of wine between the two of us with Lola's head in my lap and my fingers in her brown hair and like the asshole that I am, I'm picturing my fingers entangled in sandy blonde locks and the scent of citrus and vanilla filling my nostrils. "Baby?" Lola murmurs and turns in my lap to gaze up at me. "Everything okay?"

"Y-yeah, just a little tired tonight. You want to head to bed?" I fake a yawn and stretch, hoping I don't sound like the asshole I feel like. Lola reaches up and cups my cheek with warm hands, a faint smile on her lips. "I think it's the wine babe, but I could sleep after the day I had." I chuckle as she stands up and I follow her into her bedroom. The scent of gardenia fills my nostrils and I find myself gritting my teeth as I watch Lola shut her open windows. I know she does this for my comfort because she normally sleeps with windows open and her space heater on.

"You didn't have to close the windows, Lo." I sighed, pulling my shirt over my head and removing my pants. She shrugs her exposed shoulders, "It's fine, babe. Most mornings I wake just to turn the heater off anyway." I slide between her sheets, the smell of her lavender sleep mist mingled with the scent of gardenia as Lola snuggled beside me. "Are you sure you're okay?" She whispered, her breath tickling my chest. To soothe her, I pressed a kiss to her forehead, "It's been a long day and I have a lot on my mind."

It was the truth. It just happened to be filled with thoughts of Sage and the hell she went through that night. Lola squeezes me briefly before her breathing evens out in sleep. I lay there with my head and heart a mess, with thoughts of her. My firefly.