“I’m sorry,” he whispers before the cop closes the door and hauls my twin away.

It feels as if I can’t breathe or think for a long time. How did this happen? He was just supposed to have a match with Rafe, and I honestly thought that would be the worst thing to happen tonight.

Rafe is still lying on the ground, alone, when one of the officers calls for an ambulance on his radio and kneels down next to Rafe.

By the time Rafe starts coming to, Ezra has been read his rights and is in the back of the patrol car. It feels like a cold brick laying on my chest, seeing him in police custody again. His eyes don’t leave me as they start to haul him away.

Dropping down next to Rafe, I feel his pulse and touch my hand to his forehead. He presses his hands to the ground and pushes up. As he shifts to sitting, I see the deep, bleeding cuts to his lip and brow.

“Slow down,” I say, putting a hand on his shoulder before he can stand.

“What are you doing here?” he asks, and I think he’s talking to me at first, but then his eyes meet the officer standing next to him.

“We got a call about noise. I told Hopkins to call you first, but you weren’t answering. This crowd was huge, Rafe.”

“Fuck,” he groans, then his eyes drift around the lot. His gaze finally meets mine when he asks, “Where’s Ezra?”

“He’s under arrest for assaulting an officer,” the officer replies.

“Oh, my God,” I blurt out. That’s a serious offense, and suddenly I’m eager to run to the station to be with him. Surely they understand it was a consensual fight.

“It was a boxing match, Griff. Let him the fuck go.”

“That didn’t look like a boxing match, Rafe. It looked like assault.”

“It was just a little amateur boxing. I’m not pressing charges, and I’m fine. Cancel the medic and turn the other patrol around, okay.”

“And the chief? You’ll handle him too?” The officer next to him asks dryly.

The one he called Griff steps closer to Rafe, and I’m close enough to hear the words he whispers. “You could lose your job for this, Rafe. We’ve turned our back long enough, but if you intervene with this arrest, it’ll cost you your job.”

Rafe looks pained at the thought. He glances at me again, and I can’t hide the pooling tears in my eyes. “I’ll handle it at the station, then.”

He touches my back, and I snap. Spinning to face him, everything from the past month...from the past ten years all comes spilling out of my mouth.

“You did this!” I scream through my clenched teeth. “You wanted him arrested. You always wanted him gone, but he’s my brother, Rafe!”

He doesn’t speak, even as I slam my fists against his chest. I’m filled with so much anger, I want to hurt him. I could hurt him.