Ride With Me (Paige and Jace) novel Chapter 69

CHAPTER 42-1

The first police cruiser rolled into the Lawson Customs parking lot less than five minutes after the sound of sirens reached the garage.

Blue and red lights washed across the workshop walls while officers spread through the property with practiced efficiency. Two moved toward the broken rear entrance, another secured the front of the garage, and a fourth immediately began checking on the injured Black Reaper lying on the concrete with a gunshot wound through his leg.

The others had vanished. The surviving attackers had fled before the police arrived, disappearing into the night and leaving their injured behind.

I leaned against my workbench while one of the paramedics checked the shallow scrape along my forearm.

“It barely broke the skin.” I said.

“I know. I’m checking it anyway.” The paramedic replied.

“I figured you would.” I said.

Across the workshop, Jace stood beside Derek with his arms folded tightly across his chest.

Neither of them had taken their eyes off me since they arrived. I couldn’t blame them.

An hour earlier they had expected to rescue me. Instead, they had walked into a workshop that

looked like the aftermath of a small war.

One unconscious man still lay beside the motorcycle lift. Another sat against the wall holding his

broken arm while glaring at everyone around him.

The man I had shot was already being loaded onto a stretcher. An older police officer approached

me holding a small notebook.

“Miss Lawson?” He asked.

“That’s me.” I said.

“I’m Officer Harris. I need you to walk me through exactly what happened.” He said offering a polite

smile so I nodded.

“No problem.” I said as he clicked his pen.

“Start from the beginning.” He said and I took a slow breath.

“I finished work, locked the garage, and went upstairs to shower. I heard noises outside about

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twenty minutes later, so I came back down to check.” I explained.

“You were alone?” He asked.

“Yes.” I said.

“What happened next?” He asked.

“I saw several men forcing their way into the yard.” I said.

“Did you recognize them?” He asked.

“I’d never met them personally.” I said.

“But?” He asked.

“They were wearing Black Reaper colors.” I said as he wrote several notes.

“They attempted to kidnap you?” He asked.

“I believe so.” I said.

“How did you escape?” He asked and I looked around the workshop before answering.

“I used whatever was nearby.” I said.

His eyes drifted toward the heavy wrench lying on the floor.

“The wrench?” He asked.

“It seemed practical.” I said and a faint smile crossed his face before disappearing again.

“You also fired one shot.” He said.

“One.” I said.

“You aimed for the leg.” He said.

“I wanted him to stop advancing.” I said and he studied me carefully.

“Most people wouldn’t stay that calm.” He said.

“I didn’t have much choice.” I said and he nodded slowly.

“I suppose not.” He said.

25 Poins

The questions continued for another fifteen minutes. I explained how the attack unfolded, how they entered through the rear door, and how the Iron Vipers arrived shortly afterward after a neighbor called emergency services.

I deliberately left out one thing. Training. I never claimed luck. I never mentioned Uncle Will. I

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+25 Posing

simply described my actions without explaining why I knew exactly what to do and the officer eventually closed his notebook.

“Thank you, Miss Lawson.” He said.

“I hope it helps.” I said.

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