Revenge Looks Good In Gucci

Secrets

 "Xavier?"

The voice cut through the chaos like a blade.

The officer paused, his grip on Xavier’s arm loosening slightly. Xavier turned his head, dazed, and saw him.

It was Chris, running across the street like his life depended on it.

  “Officer, wait! That’s my friend! Let him go!”

The cop narrowed his eyes. “You know this man?”

  “Yes! And he’s not a thief. He has never stolen in his life, that I can vouch for. He clearly looks like someone out on a jog with his outfit, can someone please explain what is going on here? 

Xavier blinked, still stunned. “Chris?”

Chris didn’t respond to him directly. Instead, he turned to the boys, eyes narrowed. “What did you say he did?”

One of them stammered, “He… he stole my phone.”

Chris scoffed. “You sure about that? 'Cause you three look like the kind of kids who go about looking for trouble.”

  “We’re not lying!” the first boy insisted, glancing nervously at the officer. “He had my phone. The officer saw it!”

All eyes turned to the cop.

  “Well…” the officer hesitated, then cleared his throat. “Yes, I did see the phone in the man’s hand when I arrived. And from my position, it looked like he was harassing them. It’s his word against theirs, but they’ve got the upper hand right now.”

Chris shook his head. “There’s no way. This has to be a misunderstanding.”

 “I’m in handcuffs, Chris,” Xavier finally said, voice dry. We both know what side the law’s on.”

 “Watch your tone,” the officer snapped. “I’m doing my job.”

He turned to Chris. “You can come down to the station if you want to support your friend. But he needs to answer a few questions first.”

Chris stepped back. “Uh… the station? I can’t right now.”

Xavier looked at him, hurt flickering in his eyes. “What do you mean by you can’t?”

  “I’ve got work. Was headed to the studio before I ran into you.” Chris scratched the back of his neck, avoiding his gaze. “You understand, right?”

Xavier forced a small nod. “Of course. Go.”

Chris shifted awkwardly, then turned to leave.

  “Chris,” Xavier called after him.

Chris turned halfway.

 “Let Amber know what happened. She’ll be at The City Roast Café.”

  “Sure, man. Anything for you,” Chris said over his shoulder, already walking off.

Xavier watched him go, heart sinking.

Anything for me, he thought bitterly. Except when it actually matters.

The ride to the station was dead quiet.

Xavier sat in the back of the patrol car, wrists aching from the cuffs, eyes glued to the blur of buildings speeding past. He’d stopped trying to plead his innocence. What was the point?

By the time they arrived, he’d accepted his fate.

They took his phone, wallet, and the little dignity he had left. Shoved him into a holding cell like a common criminal.

Thirty minutes later, an officer showed up at the bars.

 “You’ve got a visitor.”

Xavier lifted his head from his hands, eyes dull, only to see Amber.

She looked like she hadn’t taken a breath since she walked in.

  “Amber? You’re here already?” he asked, trying to sound casual, like he hadn’t been silently panicking for the past half hour. “Shouldn’t you be at work?”

  “I left. You think I’d be at peace knowing you are here?” she snapped gently, her face softening. “You’re not spending another minute in that cell. Just give me a second to fix things.”

Xavier tried to crack a joke. “So this is what jail feels like, huh? Kinda underwhelming.”

But Amber didn’t laugh.

She turned and walked out toward the front desk, heart pounding. Two officers were chatting lazily about the ‘delay’ in processing Xavier’s file.

  “Excuse me,” she interrupted. “Why is he still in there? He doesn’t have any record. You said it yourself.”

  “Yeah, but…” One officer shrugged. “It’s been flagged. We're waiting for a green light from higher up.”

Amber frowned. That doesn’t make sense.

  “Flagged for what? Harassment? You’re holding him like a criminal when you know this is bullshit.”

  “We’re following protocol, ma’am,” he said calmly.

She stepped away, heading toward the far end of the station fuming. When she got to somewhere quieter, she pulled out her phone, muttering under her breath. “Screw it.”

She hesitated, then dialed a number she hadn’t called in years with her regular phone, not the private phone she was supposed to use for anything related to them.

The line rang once.

Then…click.

A familiar voice answered, sharp and amused. “What part of ‘Don’t contact me until you’re ready to apologize in grand style’ didn’t you understand?”

  “I need your help. It’s urgent.”

A beat skipped.

  “…Huh. It must be serious, if you’re calling from your regular line and not the secure one.”

  “I left the burner at home. This couldn’t wait. Please.”

A dramatic sigh. “This is what I get for cleaning up your messes for years.”

   “And it’s why I can’t live without you.”

  “Flattery’s cute. Send me the details before I change my mind.”

  “It’s a friend. He’s been wrongfully arrested, I need him out. Like… now. Ten minutes tops.”

  “Wait. Arrested? By who?”

  “Local New York Police Department.”

A sharp intake of breath. “Amber…you know we don’t mess with them.”

  “I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important. Please”, Amber said, voice tight. “Do it for me.”

Another pause. A longer one.

Then...“You owe me. Again.”

  “I’ll text you the name. But this has to be clean and discreet.”

  “You know better than anyone that nothing stays hidden from him. Especially not issues concerning the New York Police Department. If you keep avoiding him like this, Amber, he will come looking.”

  “Don’t start, he gave me his word. He said he would let me be after I've done my own part of the deal. No more shadows.”

 “That was five years ago,” the voice said quietly. “He still misses you.”

  “This isn’t about him,” she snapped. “This is about my friend in trouble. Focus.”

 “Right. Your mystery friend .”

Amber pinched the bridge of her nose. “Please,” she said again, softer this time. “Focus on what I need right now, get my friend out. I’ll deal with the rest later.”

There was a pause.

Then... “Fine. Send me the details, you’ll get a call in five.”

  “Thank you.”

  “But Amber?”

She froze. “What?”

  “He misses you and if you don’t call him soon… we will come for you.”