Stranded with My Stepbrother Chapter 153

McKenzie

Light stabbed my eyes, and I tried to close them again, but someone was holding my eyelid open.

“Come on back to us, McKenzie,” a kind female voice said. “You had quite a knock to the noggin. I need to make sure you’re okay.”

I licked my dry lips. “Will….”

“He’s with the police, love. They need to ask you a few questions before we can let him in,” the woman said with the same even patience.

That woke me up. “Police?” I wanted to say more but started coughing instead.

“Mitchell, could you get some water?” the doctor asked.

At least I assumed she was a doctor. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and she wore a white coat.

Mitchell, dressed in scrubs, trotted off and came back with a mug with a straw in it. “Here you go, Dr. Allen.”

She maneuvered the straw into my mouth, and I drank greedily. I hadn’t realized how thirsty I was!

“Why is Will with the police?” I finally managed to ask.

“Well….” Dr. Allen patted my hand. “When someone comes in, beaten like this, our first assumption is always that it was their partner because that’s the most common thing to have happened. Mr. Masterson has basically cleared all that up. The police just need to hear from you so that we can make certain we are doing our due diligence in protecting your safety.”

“Will didn’t do anything to me!” I insisted, my head ringing at how loud my voice was in my ears. “It was Bran Lockwood!”

“Shh, yes love. We know. Mr. Masterson was drugged, and we have a tox screen to show it. This is really just a formality.” She reached over and slowly brought the head of my bed up so I was sitting up more. “I can tell them they can come in and interview you.”

“Yes, please do,” I replied. “I want Will in here with me.”

She nodded and went to the door.

Two uniformed police officers walked in.

“Hello, Miss Kent. My name is Officer Pence, and this is my colleague, Officer Edwards,” the shorter of the two said. “Might we have a quick word?”

“Please,” I said. “I want Will here as soon as possible.”

“Of course.” Officer Pence approached the bed while Officer Edwards hung back by Mitchell, Dr. Allen, and the door. Officer Pence pulled up a chair. “How are you feeling?”

“I have a bad headache,” I admitted. “And I’m a bit dizzy…. How's Will? The doctor says he was drugged.”

“He was.” Officer Pence winced sympathetically. “And honestly, I wish he’d gotten an ambulance instead of driving here. On what he was given, that could have been a very tragic decision, indeed.”

I shrugged and regretted it, my world swimming. “He got us out of there. That was the main thing.”

“Yes. I have some questions for Mr. Lockwood.” Officer Pence didn’t look happy.

Good.

“Bran hit me. He was trying to rape me, and I wouldn’t cooperate,” I said.

He was silent for a moment. “Was he… successful? Should we order a rape kit? That is entirely your choice, of course, I’m just considering the evidence we can collect against him—”

“He wasn’t successful. He didn’t even get my panties off, thank God.” I shuddered. “He tried to bribe his way into my pants. When that didn’t work, he grabbed me and started hitting me when I fought back.”

“I’ve had officers dispatched to his estate,” he informed me. “So far, Mr. Lockwood is being seen by his private doctor for a rather nasty stab wound.”

My shoulders drooped. “He’s not dead?”

Officer Pence grimaced. “No.”

“I suppose you can’t add ‘unfortunately’ to that because of your job,” I said bitterly.

“You’d be right about that. How did he end up getting stabbed?” he asked.

“I stuck my hand in the knife drawer in the kitchen while he was chasing me around the island and grabbed what I could. A paring knife unfortunately. I slashed him, then stabbed him in the chest. He said he was going to kill me,” I explained.

“And you defended yourself,” he said.

I raised my chin proudly. “Yes sir, I did.”

“Brave girl.” He began to stand. “I see no reason to keep Mr. Masterson holed up in an office any longer. I think he’ll be very happy to see you. He’s been falling all over himself trying to say he stabbed Mr. Lockwood if it will get you out of trouble, but I don’t think that will be necessary. I know this might all get swept under the rug because… that’s what tends to happen when very rich people are involved… but I don’t see you getting into any trouble for it.”

“You don’t think Bran’s going to be arrested?” I asked.

Officer Pence sighed. “No, Miss Kent. I don’t. I just want to be honest with you. I’m very sorry for your ordeal, but I think things will probably end right here.”

“Oh.” I looked down at my hands, which had an IV and pulse monitor attached to them. “I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised. Thanks for being honest and not getting my hopes up.”

“You take care. I’ll have Mr. Masterson brought in.” He left with Officer Edwards, Mitchell, and the doctor. I could hear them muttering in the hallway, though I couldn’t understand what was said.

The door swung open not two minutes later, and I sat up straighter, straining to see Will around the curtain.

It was not Will.

“McKenzie.” Ike Freeborn waltzed in like he owned the wing. Maybe Masterson did? “I’m so sorry to see you like this. What a terrible misunderstanding you and Bran must have had.”

“Go away. I already know nobody’s going to listen to me if I try to press charges,” I muttered, waving him off.

Instead, Ike sat down in the chair Officer Pence had just vacated. “True. But that doesn’t mean there won’t be consequences. He’s a very silly boy if he thinks Mr. Masterson will simply let this go.”

“One, he’s at least thirty, so that ‘boys-will-be-boys’ bullshit isn’t going to fly,” I said with a scowl. “Two, Bran seems to think he’s untouchable because he’s Bran Lockwood the Fifth.”

“Yes. That’s what makes him truly silly. He can peg as many numbers on the end of his name as he wants. Or pad his wallet with as many dollar signs as inflate his ego. But he doesn’t know what real power is.” Ike smiled.

I’d never seen him look so dangerous, and it chilled me to the bone.

“He’s about to find out,” he added.

“O-Okay, that’s good,” I said with a swallow.

He handed me my water. “Drink up. We need you healthy. I do think we will need to postpone the engagement arrangements until you’re looking better. Make-up will be a definite necessity over the next few weeks. And it is, of course, completely inappropriate for Bran to host your engagement party now, so we’ll have to find another suitable venue. But these are things you don’t need to worry about. You just get well.”

I cautiously sipped my water. “What is Mr. Masterson going to do to him?”

“Hm? Oh, something painful and creative, I assure you. We haven’t worked out all the details yet, but he has been apprised of the situation. We are both quite impressed with how scrappy you are.” He chuckled. “You have more than a bit of your parents in you.”

“Yeah, I do come from scrappy,” I agreed. I hated Ike. I hated him like hell. But I also sensed in him the kind of darkness that could make Bran shit himself, and I wanted that to happen. I wanted to see that happen. So maybe, just right now, Ike was an ally in that particular quest?

The curtain rustled, and I looked up. It was all I could do not to burst into tears, which I didn’t want to do in front of Ike. “Will!”

“Will, so good of you to join us,” Ike said.

He ignored Ike and went around to the other side of the bed. Mindful of my cords and tubing, Will slid onto the bed and wrapped his arms around me. He was still in his swim trunks, though they had gotten him a T-shirt, while I was in a hospital gown. It was almost comical.

“Your grandfather sends his best and has also asked me to assure you that Bran will be dealt with,” Ike continued as though reading off a grocery list. “I’ve already told McKenzie that the engagement arrangements are off until she’s healed up some. The cameras, you know. Optics, etc. You understand. There is a gallery opening Thursday evening—”

“Cancel it,” Will interrupted flatly.

Ike paused. “I will arrange an excellent make-up artist for McKenzie—”

“Cancel it,” Will repeated.

With an annoyed sigh, Ike took out his phone and began smashing his fingers across the screen. “That is most disappointing, Will, but I’m sure your grandfather will understand.”

“What is being done?” Will asked, looking over me to spear Ike with an intense gaze.

I would not have wanted to be on the receiving end of that look.

Ike, to my shock, actually shifted uncomfortably. “Your grandfather has not yet instructed me, but I expect I will know within the next two days.” He recovered himself and mused with a slight smile. “Maybe he’ll want to finish the job of twisting Bran’s balls off.”

“Finish the job?” Will asked.

I blushed. “I sort of grabbed and ripped.”

Will looked down at me and grinned. “You did an impressive amount of damage.”

“Yeah, well, maybe he’ll think twice before coming after me again.” I grumbled.

An expression he must have inherited from his grandfather crossed Will’s face, and I shrank back a little. “He won’t be coming after you again.” His words were cold, measured. A promise, not a threat.

“We can definitely agree on that,” Ike said, almost as cold.

“I almost feel sorry for him,” I murmured. “I don’t think he quite understands what he’s dealing with.”

“Who, dear. He doesn’t understand who he’s dealing with. And, after all these years, he should,” Ike corrected me.

“Will we get to see it happen?” Will asked what I was thinking.

Ike chuckled. “In your shoes, I’d want the same thing. We’ll see. Like I said, I need to work out the details with your grandfather.”

With a nod, Will went back to cuddling me. “Thank you, Ike,” he said after a long pause.

Ike’s eyebrows shot up, and his smile widened. “You’re welcome, Will. You see? When we all work together, great things can be accomplished.”

“Yes,” Will answered softly. “I see.”