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Spotting Ayden as soon as we entered the doors was easy as could be She was pacing back and forth in a franticon the linoleum floor She jerked her head up when Rowdy called her nah force that it rocked hiirl looked exhausted and harried, but over all of that she looked furious

"Asa didn’t do this" Her golden eyes gleamed with such certainty that if I had had any questions about Asa’s innocence before, Ayden’s zealous faith in her brother was enough to squash theht the kid started shit with hih her dark hair and pulled at it in frustration "Asa has gotten into all kinds of trouble since he could walk, but he isn’t stupid He wouldn’t put the bar or Roulped "When I accused hi involved in that robbery a while back and he shut down, pulled away froed I can’t believe this is happening all over again"

Rowdy ran his hand up and down her back soothingly "We’ll get it figured out, Ayd We got him a lawyer that doesn’t mess around and there were plenty of witnesses there that can give state Asa not the other way around"

Ayden barked out a bitter-sounding laugh and started pacing again "All I can keep thinking is ould’ve happened if I was in Austin when this happened? Who would be here to get him out? Who would be here to believe that he was innocent? It’smy heart hurt and sto herself out of control and Roas at a loss as to how to get her back on track I stepped around hirabbed her wrists to pull her hands out of her hair

"Ayden, breathe for a second" Her whiskey-colored eyes flashed atto take a swing at me, but she did what I said and took a series of deep breaths and I noticed her hands unclenched "We’re here We know he didn’t do this and we are ready to help hiht to prove it He won’t be alone"

"I’ve been here for over three hours waiting for theaveyour brother or anyone you love in handcuffs sucks"

"I know, honey, but this tiht happen from time to time and it wouldn’t matter if you are here, in Austin, or on the moon Your brother just has that way about hirin and effortless charm Boys that pretty and that smooth were bound to end up in hot water fro to avoid it

I think she was going to say so back, but just then Rowdy called her nauided Ayden’s brother to where aiting Royal wouldn’tat me I could see in her dark eyes a hundred different levels of tur the paperwork together took longer than it should have" She sighed "You’re lucky they let you bail hie first"

Ayden gasped and Rohen Asa stepped around the police officers and the dae to his face became clear One of his eyes ollen entirely shut, his lips were puffy and swollen, and there was a gash across his chin that looked gory and nasty It looked like it probably could have used a stitch or two to hold it shut

"Oh ht Ayden before she could plow into hied hio to a doctor, or let Saint look at you" She sounded like she was going to cry

"Naw, it’s nothing that won’t wash off" His eyes flicked over to Rowdy and they exchanged souy look that clearly co on "Thanks for gettingfat tears started rolling off her inky lashes, and even though it obviously pained hi

"It’s fine"

"Why didn’t you tell them you didn’t do it?" Rowdy asked the question to Asa, but he was looking at Royal and I saw her wince Her partner scowled at the lot of us and crossed his arms over his beefy chest

Asa didn’t answer but he looked over his sister’s head right at Royal The two of theot sick of it and instructed all of us, "He has a court date in a few days Try and keep him out of trouble until then" Heto pull strings to spring hied Royal as he turned to walk away She bit down on her lower lip and looked at ly How I becaainst her She was nor her sort of reserved and al ood at I knew that even though I had only spent a handful of hours in her co to reassure her but her gaze had locked on to Asa and I don’t think she was talking to the rest of us at all

Ayden pulled away from her brother and looked at the redhead balefully "I can’t believe you tossed hi like that and kept hiht"

I saw a pink flush race up Royal’s throat and she opened her mouth to defend herself, but Asa cut it all short

"Stop If I was soin with, none of us would even be here I used to know better than to underestimate a slick kid with a lot of hate and entitleized when she put the cuffs on ood eye "Let’s get out of here I don’t need to spend any more time in a police station than necessary" He smirked, at least I think that’s what it was supposed to be, but considering the current led state of his handsome face, it was hard to tell "Even if they are like a second horitted her teeth and told hiize to Royal for biting her head off

We were all ready to be anywhere but here, so I gladly followed Rowdy as he headed toward the front doors of the station Ayden was right onAsa tell Royal before he followed us, "It’s a shame, Red, you, me, and handcuffs could be a whole lot of fun in a different context" Only Asa would be throwing out lines while he looked like crap and still sht I saw Royal blush again and I know for sure I saw her jaw drop open just a little bit, and i for trouble Asa was a careless flirt and obviously not going to be interested in a girl that had arrested hiuy like him Royal was lively and full of spirit, but I had seen the hint of vulnerability in her when she walked the sexy southerner out to us, and a guy like Asa would devour that, and her, if he got the opportunity I thought it was probably for the best her badge and gun were enough to keep hieous and wonderful she was underneath the was all said and done Ayden was arguing with Asa about going to the ER or at least letting her to ask Saint to give hi hi, exhausting day and hadn’t ended at all the way I expected afteron the dock with Rowdy