Free Empire Part 3: A New Adult and College Billionaire Romance Series (Empire Billionaire Romance) by Bella Love-Wins

Chapter One
    Jonathan
    What we touch has a tendency to touch us right back. And that fact sucks.
    The time at the precinct with Rocko is a chilling welcome to the real world. It’s a reminder none of us can live by our own rules—my dad in particular. And that sometimes, the people around us—in this case, Rocco—end up almost paying for our transgressions. I also learn Detective Robert Bateman is an asshole.
    After we get Rocko out, thanks to Rebecca, Bateman walks up to me outside the precinct. The fucker catches me off guard. I have no idea why, but he comes up to me and decks me, right across the jaw. I ask him what the fuck his problem is. He tells me I’m trouble and he’s coming for me. That response tells me nothing, and I still don’t know what the guy’s problem is, but no one touches me and gets away with it. I’m so mad I return the favor with a punch to his gut.
    Rocko pulls me off him when Bateman doubles over, and Rebecca stands between us, shouting for us to calm down. Rocko practically drags me to the limo and pushes me inside. I see Rebecca tell Bateman something, and then she comes to the limo and gets inside. I ask her what it’s about and she says she doesn’t know. 
    I drop Rebecca off at her house—she’s tight-lipped the entire ride over—and take Rocko to my dad’s condo. Dad wants to know what the fuck happened. Rocko gives him the rundown.
    My dad is irate about how Matheson treated Rocko. Matheson is supposed to be one of his guys to help take care of things like this. Instead, he stands by and let some eager detective take Rocko through the ringer for no good reason.
    Rocko smiles broadly after his talk with Dad. I ask him what’s got him smiling like it’s his birthday. Rocko pulls out a digital recorder from a pocket of his windbreaker coat. “They patted me down but the fuckers never touched my jacket. And I think we can bury Matheson and his goon of a partner with this.”
    “What’s on it?” Dad asks.
    “I turned it on before we got to the station. It has the whole time I was in their interview.”
    “Let’s hear it. And then we have to set Matheson straight.”
    “Here’s the part that you need to hear, Mr. Sloan. It’s Matheson tag-teaming with his goon partner, Miller.” Rocko advances the recorder to where the police begin to harass him. He sets the recorder on the table in front of Dad and presses play. We all listen.
    Miller: You want to cooperate with us.
    Rocko: What the hell do you want? I don’t know anything about any Rushton girl. Why haven’t you brought my lawyer in?
    Matheson: Just tell us what you know. My coworker here is not threatening you. He’s just asking for your help.
    Rocko: And I just said I don’t know anything.
    Miller: We can make this easy, or we can make it harder for you.
    Rocko: You have nothing on me.
    Miller: We don’t want you. We want to know about Sloan.
    Rocko: And I want my lawyer.
    Miller: Was Doreen Rushton in Solomon Sloan’s condo last Saturday night?
    Rocko: Lawyer.
    Miller: Tell us. You think we don’t know about your son’s little racket in Brooklyn? We can make things difficult for Junior. Or you can cooperate and tell us what we want to know, and we’ll leave Junior out of it.
    Rocko: Don’t you fucking bring my family into this.
    Miller: It’s up to you how this goes down, Virocci.
    Rocko: Lawyer. Get me my lawyer.
    Miller: It’s pretty fucking simple, Virocci.
    Rocko: I have nothing more to say.
    Matheson: Alright. Miller, the man asked for his lawyer.
    Miller: And I don’t think he understands how bad we can make it for him. When the evidence comes back and we find out it’s Sloan, it’ll be too late for Rocko here. Rocko, we have video surveillance that proves you were in the building when Doreen Rushton died.
    Rocko: Where’s my lawyer?
    Miller: We have camera footage of Solomon Sloan at a restaurant with Doreen three hours before she was found dead. Don’t wait until more evidence comes up,