Breaking Free Read Online Free Page B

It’s the truth.”
    “Fine, let’s assume I believe you,” he said, looking amused. “How did you say you met again?”
    I clenched my teeth, wondering how many times I would have to repeat the same story. “I was part of a crew working on the pool house at her family’s estate.”
    “Right, and how long have you been seeing each other?”
    “A few months.” It felt like a lot longer. She’d confided in me, and I’d told her things I’d never shared with anyone. Once the masks came off in the bedroom, we were free to be ourselves. After rounds of exhausting sex, we’d lie in my bed and talk for hours. She told me what it was like growing up in a privileged family, and I told her what it was like being the son of a cop.
    “I like your old man,” he said, shaking his head. “He’s a damn fine cop.”
    I was surprised by the shift in conversation. I knew he was changing tactics, playing another card to try to get me to open up. I wouldn’t take the bait, but my stomach lurched at the mention of my father. A part of him had died the day we lost my kid brother. This accusation would put the final nail in his coffin.
    “I hate to think what this will do to him. He mentioned you’re into fighting. Mixed martial arts, isn’t it?” He chuckled as though we were old friends sharing war stories over a beer. “How’d you get into that?”
    “I got tired of being arrested for street fighting.” I wasn’t kidding, and he knew it. “This way I can beat the shit out of someone and go home to my own bed at night. It’s a win-win.”
    He smirked. “Except for the guys you take out.” He raised an eyebrow. “I watched some of your fights online. You’re merciless.”
    “I don’t step in there to lose.” I cracked my battered knuckles. “Winning’s the only option.” There was always money on the line, but my undefeated record had more to do with my pride than the paycheck.
    “I hear ya.”
    Before the detective could say more, a suit walked in and sized me up before he sat with a heavy sigh. “I hope you weren’t harassing my client, Jones. We’ve been down that road before, haven’t we?”
    Instead of appearing intimidated, the cop smiled. “No, we were just making small talk. Coop’s old man is one of our own. He and I go way back. Isn’t that right, Matt?”
    I cringed at his use of my first name. Only my parents and Maura called me by my given name. To the rest of the world, I was just Coop. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to have a word with my lawyer, Detective.”
    “Sure.” He stood, collecting his recorder and file. “But don’t worry, we’ll be seeing each other again real soon.”
    “Okay,” the suit said, sliding a business card across the table. “Name’s Michael Rhodes. You wanna tell me how the hell you got into this mess?”
    “A girl—”
    “Isn’t it always?” He twisted his lips, looking as if he’d just bit into something sour. “Don’t mind me. Ex-wife’s giving me a hard time about visitation.”
    I thought about reminding him I had bigger problems, but it wouldn’t do any good. He didn’t want to be here any more than I did. “My girlfriend was raped. They think I did it.”
    “Hmmm, so I hear.” He opened his briefcase and extracted a pair of glasses. “Seems they’re trying to pin more than that on you, but maybe you’d better start by telling me about the girl.”
    I recited the same story I’d told the detective. “I’m sure Maura will tell them the truth once-”
    “That’s part of the problem. She’s not sure who attacked her. She said the man was wearing a black ski mask. He jumped her while she was trying to hail a cab.”
    I swallowed, acid burning my mouth. God, this is my fault . I lived in a seedy neighborhood. I knew it wasn’t safe for her to be on the streets by herself at that time of night. With or without pants, I should have gone after her.
    “What’s wrong?” Rhodes asked. “You look a little pale. Something you