Chapter <b>589 </b>


    <b>“</b>You sure are high–maintenance,” Rachel said.


    Tyler chuckled. <b>“</b>Next time you want to tell me you love me, just say it straight. No need to beat around


    the bush.”


    Rachel pouted, but deep down, she felt strangely reassured. She couldn’t exin it herself. Howard’s


    situation was still unresolved, and Steven definitely wasn’t going to just let it go. But as long as Tyler was


    there, the weight on her heart didn’t feel quite so heavy.


    Still, Rachel knew she couldn’t let herself get toofortable just because Tyler was always stepping in


    to shield her.


    She turned serious. “Tyler, when ites to Howard, I’ll take responsibility for what I’ve done. You don’t


    need to carry this on your back. You’ve got too much at stake to get dragged into this mess. And besides, Howard got hurt because of me. It’s only right theye after me.”


    “In that case, I should be holding Howard ountable, too. He had people beat me up so bad I almost lost


    a leg. That’s something I fully intend to settle with the Ziegler family.”


    Rachel caught on to what he was implying.


    <b>“</b>You mean you want to treat your injury and Howard’s injury as an even trade?”


    Tyler spread his hands. “Why not?”


    Rachel didn’t see it as that simple. “Think about it. Yours is just a superficial injury. At least you weren’t seriously hurt. Howard’s injury is different.”


    Tyler leaned back, refusing to concede the point. “Then let’s talk about what he did–kidnapping, assault,


    attempted rape. Those are all major felonies.”


    Rachel could already see how messy this would get. She took a deep breath.


    “This is going to drag out a <i>lot </i>ofplications. I don’t want you mixed up in it.”


    Tyler looked at her seriously. “Rachel, the moment you decided to be with me, I was already mixed up in


    it.”


    “But you know we’re not actually a real couple.”


    They were only bound by a contract. Once it ended, so would whatever this was.


    Tyler suddenly leaned over from his hospital bed so that they were facing each other–only a narrow aisle separating them. He reached out, hooked an arm around her neck, and rested his forehead against hers. His breath brushed against her skin, making her feel warm.


    With an almostzy tone, he said, “Rachel, you’ve already slept with me, and now you’re telling me we’re not a real couple? Then, what are we? Friends with benefits? Because if that’s the case, we’re acting way


    too intimate for that.”


    Rachel realized she kept getting tripped up by Tyler’s arguments that sounded ridiculous but somehow


    still made a bit of sense.


    Normally, she thought she was pretty quick–witted. But when it came to Tyler, it was like her brain just stopped working.


    Suddenly<b>… </b>


    “Hello, we’re police officers. We’re here to get your statements.”


    Rachel narrowed her eyes slightly. She had expected the police would get involved.


    Honestly, the fact that they weren’t all being hauled in was already a huge relief, and it was probably only because they were injured.


    After giving their statements, Rachel asked one of the officers, “So, with what Howard did, will he be facing prison time?”