Highest Bidder Collection - Lauren Landish Page 0,334

door echoes in the foyer.

“Zander,” Arianna pulls on my arm, begging me to look at her. She swallows thickly, looking at the door as the banging continues.

“Sweetheart,” I tell her with the semblance of a smile on my face. “It’s okay,” I lie to her. It hurts to do it. “Just go back to bed,” I say and my voice cracks. I brush the hair away from her face and cup her chin.

Bang! The knock at the door sounds so much louder.

“Coming!” I call out and at my voice, Arianna hunches forward, tears falling down her cheeks.

I lean down and kiss her lips, tasting the salt before resting the tip of my nose against hers. “You’ll be alright," I tell her in a soft voice. It’s meant to comfort her, but it only forces a sob from her throat.

She cries quietly behind me in the middle of the foyer as I unlock the door and open it, stepping aside. Each beat of my heart seems slower.

Four cops stand at my doorstep, the first pushing the door open wider as he steps through.

“Zander Payne?” the man asks. He has dark skin and dark eyes to match. Tall and broad shouldered, his voice doesn’t match the intimidation of his presence. The man is deadly, that much is obvious, but his voice is calm and level. Professional even. “I’m Officer Richter, and this is Officer Lawson.”

I nod my head, meeting his eyes and waiting for the arrest.

The man behind him, Officer Lawson, comes in with cuffs already out. “Turn around sir, we have a warrant for your arrest.” The second officer speaks this time, a much shorter man, with tanned skin but lacking the same forceful presence as the first man. His voice still echoes authority though. And I listen, turning around and putting my hands behind my back.

I don’t ask what I'm being arrested for, maybe I should. I should have prepared this better. But the truth is, she was never a part of my plans. None of this was supposed to happen.

“Zander,” Ariana's voice is full of pain as the metal brushes against my skin. It’s cold and the clinking of the cuffs is loud as the metal closes around my wrists. A strong hand rests on my shoulders as I’m pushed against the wall. My cheek is flat against the drywall as the man pats me down.

“You have the right to remain silent. If you do say anything, it can be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to have a lawyer present during any-”

“I did it!” Arianna calls out. I can’t see her with my face still pressed against the wall. My eyes pop open, and my heart races as her words hit me. I try pushing back against the man holding me, but his hold is unforgiving.

“I killed Daniel Brooks. I did it!” Ariana shrieks and runs forward, toward the cops. I can hear the commotion behind me. I push against the man holding me, and this time I’m forceful. “I shot him. I can tell you everything. Please don’t take him.”

“Keep quiet!” I yell at Arianna, whipping my body around. I’m so off-balance I fall over, tripping over the cop’s boot as Arianna’s being turned around by Officer Richter.

“Don’t say anything!” I wrench my head around, craning my neck as I lie awkward on the floor with the cuffs tight on my wrists, the cold metal digging into my flesh and shooting sparks of pain up my shoulder, begging her to look at me as I scream out. “Arianna!”

“Take 'em both,” Officer Richter tells the other cops.

I stare at Arianna’s back, watching as they cuff her.

“Don’t touch her!” I scream out so loud my throat hurts. “She didn’t do it!” I shout at them.

“If I were you, I’d wait for your lawyer,” Officer Richter tells me as one of the cops ushers her away. My heart is beating so loud; the sound is deafening.

“Arianna!” I scream for her as I’m heaved off the floor and shoved against the wall as I try to run to her. “Stop!” I scream out. My face is shoved against the wall, and the harsh crack bruises my cheekbone.

“She didn’t do it,” I breathe out the words. “Leave her alone!” The sounds of them walking her out of the house mixes with the blood rushing in my ears. “Arianna!” I scream again, but she doesn’t answer me, instead I’m left with silence. Only the two officers and