Chapter 69: Chapter 69

CHAD

May 22nd 2018

The loud crackling sound of fire echoes in my ears as burning phantom pains lick my skin. My eyelids feel heavy as I look through clouds of tears that haven't subsided in multiple days.

They say time heals all wounds.

Whoever said that needs a bullet between the eyes the lying bastards.

I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to concentrate on elevating my breathing.

With every passing day, my screams of remorse fill the rooms in my home. My sense of seclusion in my house has been shattered as the terrors of that fatal night that claimed Layla, Maddie and my Club haunt me day and night.

"Chad? Did you hear what I said?"

I slowly draw the curtains up, revealing my brown eyes as I look at detective Evie.

"No, sorry," I admit, brushing a hand over my face as I release a shaky breath.

"Are you sure you're up for this? We can always do this another day when your mind is clear." Her voice is kind and resonant with comprehension.

I sit up in the world's most uncomfortable chair I've ever sat on. Funding must be intensely low as I look around her office and spot the wallpaper in the corners peeling off. Her desk looks like it belongs in the Stone Age and her computer....

Gods!

I think the piece of junk is sitting on her desk just for decoration as she holds a mini Ipad in her hands taking my statement.

"That's the problem, detective. I dont know if my mind will ever clear the haze that consumes me." My voice comes out in a strained tone and when I raise my gaze to hers, she's looking back at me with sympathy glazed irises.

"Do you want me to organise someone from the Victim Support Team to reach out to you?"

I open my mouth to decline her offer. I hate looking weak and pathetic in front of the female species.

"Look." She cuts in before my mind can process what I want to say. "There is no shame in getting help after everything you have been through. I myself, have had to sit down and open up to a complete stranger expressing my deepest torments. I like to consider myself as a very private person but after my three sessions were over, I felt like the weight of the world had been removed from my shoulders and I was able to finally breathe again. The air may not have been as pure as it once was but it was a helluva lot fresher than before."

I slap my hands on my legs and let out a curt chuckle. "I think all I need is a healthy dosage of liquor and to bury myself deep inside a woman or two."

"Even after you've done all that and find you may need to talk to someone... The offer will still be there." She slides a business card across the table towards me and I make no effort to retrieve it.

"Now, what I asked you previously was whether you believe Nikki shot Layla Slater on purpose or in self-defence, as she so adamantly claims?"

"She shot her point-blank."

"Do you care to elaborate?"

"We were in the bar with the lights offs. Nikki went on and on about Layla and Jimmy for hours, until the air began to smell strongly of rubber. She ordered Layla to turn on the lights; upon doing so, we noticed a shadow cast off the corridor wall, and she simply..." I gesture with my finger. "Pulled the trigger."

"She shot Layla."

I scoff. "She blew Layla away." Leaning forward in my seat, I jab my index finger into the top of her desk. "That bitch was going to shoot Layla regardless. She rambled on and on about it." I growl through clenched teeth.

"Okay, what I really want to know is why Maddie got involved when she was the one that set fire to your club." She asks with her brows knitting together.

I sigh, leaning back in my chair and rub the side of my jaw.

"I've been trying to wrap my head around her involvement as well." I take a moment of silence to remember her exotic island girl face and my blood boils. "She was a tough cookie who always walked the halls with a certain spring to her step." One side of my mouth curves up. "Always a little chaotic, loud and deeply misunderstood. I'm not trying to sugarcoat her actions but I highly doubt she intended to hurt anyone."

"And what makes you say that?" She asks me curiously.

"Well, August told me that Maddie made contact with her and flicked her $200 to confirm the closure of the east wing and to let her know when the building was clear." A surge of irritation runs through me as I mention August's name. If she would have told Maddie to get lost none of this would've happened.

Well.. My club would still be standing, Maddie would still be gracing the earth with her sassiness, and Layla could possibly still be here too. I shoot up out of my chair and start pacing the room.

Dread, remorse, anger, and misery cling to me like a second layer of skin.

I did this!

It all started with me and my conscience is roaring to confess. "It started with me." I stop and turn to Evie.

"I'm not following.."

"I made Maddie search for Mal's fathers-"

"He wasn't her father, Chad." Her voice was heavily coated in disgust.

"I didn't know that at the time. Amar was gradually taking over my business using his status to scare the shit out of me. He made me fire Maddie because she got mouthy, told me to stop making Mal suck dick-"

" I should arrest your ass for that."

I groan with frustration digging myself a deeper hole to bury myself in.

"To cut the long excruciating story short, I just wanted Mal and Amar gone so I could hire Maddie back and the club could run like normal. But, I should have known better that nothing is as simple as it seems where Amar Diamandis is concerned." I sneer.

Silence dances between us as she scrutinises me for what seems like a lifetime.

"You are providing me with pieces of a puzzle that I am not attempting to solve here. The more pieces you provide me, the more compelled I am to investigate you. Therefore, if you are going to continue speaking, I strongly advise you to go confess your sins and seek forgiveness before you are placed on trial." She declares firmly and I snap my mouth shut.

I sit back down on the cheap metal chair like a naughty kid who's just been scolded.

"Look, I get it. You're hurting and you're rambling. But if you were to look at things from my perspective you'd want to round every single one of you up and throw away the key. You're a menace to society, Lisa has skipped town, Mal is held up with Amar and Im pretty sure Caddie isn't an innocent bystander in-"

"You leave my sister out of this. Besides... If I recall correctly you're the one who mentioned something along the lines of 'Dont drink and fry." I hiss in a whispering tone.

"I did and I still stand by my gesture. But, with everything going on I'm not entirely sure I'm going to be able to keep the wolves at bay. Especially, if Nikki starts talking." She warns me and I rise to my feet with my hands clenched into tight balls.

"Charge Nikki for murder and forget about Lisa. There's no evidence left that will link her to Jimmy's death. You have Laylas confession and I thought you were going to save Mal from Amar." My breathing becomes shallow as I mention the Greek bastard's name.

Mal communicated with me earlier. She is choosing to stay with Amar after all, and if I come within ten feet of her, I am going to be buried under piles of Amar's litigation. And, very frankly, I am incapable of saving people while assigned to desk duty." She responds in a casual tone. "After many years on the job. What I gather from her background is that she intends to pursue Amar's grandfather and will either provoke a war or join forces with Amar to lead the Mafia."