by Lea Hart
“Whatever.” Pete started to walk away and then stopped. “You can call me if you need backup.”
“Thanks, man.” Lifting his phone, he called Lilly and prayed he could come up with a way to tell her without scaring her. Not that she would ever admit to it. The call went to voice mail, so he called her landline and repeated the process. When that call went to voice mail, he wondered where she was. She hadn’t said anything about her plans, so he had no idea. Which pissed him the hell off.
He quickly texted her and asked her to get in touch with him ASAP. If he was lucky, she would get back to him right away. Leaning back, he wondered how cooperative she was going to be with his ideas about security. He’d already started securing her house and was waiting on the visual and audio equipment to arrive this weekend. Once he installed that, it would be very difficult for anyone to get at her. That is if she stayed in the house. Which wasn’t going to happen.
Maybe he could talk her into a second dog. One that was trained to protect her and Popcorn. As much as he loved the dog he’d gotten her, he wasn’t very effective in deterring anyone from harming Lilly. The dog was a lover, not a fighter, which wasn’t going to help anyone if Ruth decided to get in touch with Lilly again.
The best thing he could do was gather as much information as he could. He had no idea what the procedure was for someone being released from the forensic unit. Opening his email, he read the contact information that Pete had sent. Better start there and see what they were dealing with. The best scenario would be that Ruth was under twenty-four-hour supervision as a condition of her release. She should at least have an ankle monitor. He wrote a quick email and sent it off. If he was lucky, he would hear back today, and then he could formulate a plan to ensure that Lilly was safe. The hard part would be getting her to agree with it.
He was fairly confident that his idea of safety measures and her ideas were light-years apart. The only hope he had in getting her to agree was to make her as satisfied and as happy with him as he had last night. The discussion of safety measures would definitely start with them naked.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Wednesday Afternoon
It seemed to happen every time she got in the groove of writing. Distractions. Nothing would happen for days, and then the moment she sat down and words were flying, someone or something would demand her attention. She’d successfully ignored several calls she’d gotten earlier and was planning on doing it for a while longer when the sound of her doorbell bounced off the walls. Popcorn greeted the sound with a bark, and she threw up her hands.
“Fine,” she muttered to herself. Saving her work, she closed her laptop and stretched. Some places were sore that had nothing to do with being hunched over a computer for hours. Several knocks on her door told her whoever it was wasn’t going away. Sometimes if she took a long while to answer, people just gave up. It wasn’t like her family or friends were at the door.
Everyone knew to call before they showed up at her house. If she didn’t respond, that meant she was writing and didn’t want to talk to anyone. The only person who ignored that rule was Brock. He came whether he’d been invited or not. Which, surprisingly, didn’t bother her.
Must have something to do with what he did when he got here. He brought her yummy treats, or fixed something, or kissed her until he stole her breath. Now that they were intimate, he made her body sing, her mind relax, and her heart feel full. As far as she could see, there wasn’t any downside to him showing up whenever he wanted. Not that she would tell him that. Come to think of it, he probably already knew.
Walking slowly to the door, she saw the face of the last person she expected to see. What in the hell was Drew doing at her house? He was not welcome and not anyone she wanted to waste time on. The only person she wanted to see less was Ruth.
She grabbed her phone. A conversation with Drew might require her calling 911, and she wanted to be ready. Underneath that polished façade lay a temper that he couldn’t always control. The last thing she wanted was to put herself in danger if he decided today was the day he gave up civility. Though why he had anything to be angry about was a mystery.
She did not want to open the door, but it might be better to see what he wanted and get it over with. Popcorn stood at her feet, and she patted his head. “If you want to take a bite out of him, I give you my permission. I know that you don’t like him, so feel free to growl.”
Opening the front door, she stepped out with Popcorn on her heels. She blocked the entrance because there was no way she was letting him in. This was going to be over before it started. “Yes?” she said firmly.
“Hey, Lilly. I wanted to stop by and talk.”
Crossing her arms, she heard Popcorn growl. Seemed he’d taken her advice and was going to let Drew know that he’d protect her. “My attorney has instructed me not to communicate with you without her presence. I’m confident that your girlfriend or attorney or whatever she is would feel the same way.”
“Did Loren call you this morning?”
“Yes, but I haven’t had time to listen to her message.”
“Can I come in to have a civilized conversation?”
Throwing her head back, she let out a loud laugh. “You have lost your ever-loving mind if you think I would let you into my home. What you and Tina have done over the last year is disgusting. Asking me something like that makes me think you’ve mistaken me for a woman who will take your shit.” Watching his shoulders tense and his eyes get hard told her that whatever this was needed to end. Popcorn moved in front of her and growled again. Couldn’t blame him. He saw an asshole and acted accordingly. “There is nothing to say.”
“Yes, there is. I’m going to tell you whether you want to hear it or not.”
“Spit it out, then.”
“Why are you being such a bitch? I came over here to tell you that I dropped the lawsuit.”
“First off, don’t call me a bitch. I don’t owe you my good manners. You sued me because you wanted to make your girlfriend happy. We both know you had nothing to do with my books. You never even listened to me the few times I talked about them. In fact, you told me that I should go out and get a real job. The last year we were together was a disaster. And we both know it.”
His face grew red, and she recognized that his anger was about to get the better of him. He didn’t like hearing the truth, especially when it conflicted with his view of reality. Whatever carefully constructed reality he’d created allowed him to believe the lies he told himself. If anyone or anything came along that didn’t support those lies, he lost his mind.
He hadn’t always been like that. In fact, he was a decent guy in college. But something snapped when they graduated, and she believed it was the pressure his parents put on him. Which sounded lame, considering he could walk away from their demands anytime he chose. But that would mean giving up the money, and that wasn’t something he was ever going to do. So he ended up acquiescing to their rules and was pissed at the world. Which made him miserable to be around.
Looking at the angry man in front of her, she realized that she probably never really knew him. He ended up being exactly what his parents wanted him to be. An uptight jerk who was more worried about money, social position, and power than being a good human being. Why he was still in her life was one of life’s cruel jokes.
“None of that matters,” he said, “because I’ve withdrawn my claim.”
“Did your mama and daddy make you? I bet they didn’t like the negative publicity their money-grubbing son was getting.” When he took a step forward, she realized that now would be a good time to shut her mouth. Her anger and frustration over his actions did not need to be expressed here on her front doorstep. He’d become physically aggressive once before, and she didn’t need to put herself in a position where it would happen again. Popcorn butted his leg and growled, and she took hold of his collar.
“Shut up,” Drew said slowly. “Why can’t you ever do what you’re supposed to do and act like
a lady? I could’ve given you a nice life and you never would’ve had to work. All you had to do was behave.”
A hot wave of anger slowly spread through her body. What he was saying made no sense, and the best thing she could do was end this conversation and get in the house. No good would come of this, and she needed to get away from him before things escalated further. She silently admonished herself for opening the door in the first place. Taking a step back, she nodded. “Let’s agree to disagree. No need to keep rehashing the past. We’ve both moved on and have happy lives.” Popcorn moved quickly enough that she lost her grip on his collar. He jumped up on Drew and growled again.
“Get him off me,” Drew shouted as he batted the dog away. Popcorn lost his footing and skidded on the slick stone.
“Don’t touch my dog.” Just as she was about to lean down, Drew backhanded her across the face and hit her nose. The phone slipped from her hand and she fell back against the door. The sharp pain from her nose made her eyes water as she tried to grab a breath. When he loomed over her and blocked out the last of the winter sun, she knew he wasn’t done.
Blood flowed down her face as Drew grabbed her arms and dragged her up. The palpitations of her heart made it hard to focus. What had caused this? How could she make it stop?”
“Why can’t you ever keep your mouth shut?” he shouted in her face. “You made me do this!”
As the wind picked up, she felt her hair brush across her face and stick to the blood that continued to flow from her nose. “Leave, Drew.”
“Don’t fucking tell me what to do. I came over here to give you good news and you ruined it, just like our relationship. You were supposed to be mine.”
There was no way to respond to his statements. Whatever she said would inflame him, and that’s the last thing she wanted to do. Somehow the facts had gotten twisted in his mind, and he believed their college romance meant more than it did. He was never a possessive boyfriend, and she wondered what had tripped the switch for him. How had that kid turned into the monster before her? “It’s time for you to go,” she said with more calm that she felt. Maybe if she kept repeating it, it would work. “Don’t make this worse.”
His grip tightened and he shook her with all his might. “Don’t tell me what to do. I’m so tired of people telling me what to do.”
Her body banged against the door frame as Popcorn danced around her feet, barking and jumping. Maybe a neighbor would hear him and see what was happening. Breath was stolen from her body when a particularly hard shake had her head hitting the wall. Her vision clouded as blackness crept in at the corners.
***
Brock took the last turn fast enough that two of his tires lost contact with the road. Eight years on the front lines didn’t prepare him for hearing the call that came over his radio five minutes ago. A domestic disturbance was reported as Lilly’s address, and his worst fear had come true. He didn’t know if it was Ruth or some other sicko. Crushing his foot against the accelerator, he roared down her street and slid to a stop in front of her home.
A white-hot rage took over his body as he slammed the car into Park and flew out the door. Watching Drew shake Lilly so hard that her head flew against the wall made his last thread of control…snap.
Running across the lawn, he grabbed Drew, which caused him to release his grip on Lilly. She slid against the wall, and he saw blood flowing down her face. An emotion he couldn’t name took over as he flipped the man over. He let him crumple against the ground as he cuffed him. Moving to Lilly, he ran his hand over her face. “Honey, I’m here. Open your eyes.” One second, two, then three and her eyes finally flickered open. “Thank God.” He clicked his mic and asked for an ambulance and backup.
“I’m okay,” she mumbled.
Running his hands over her hair, he felt a large bump on the back of her head. Popcorn ran back into the yard, barking like mad, with a neighbor following. When he leaped up the steps, he parked himself next to Lilly and whined. He covered her body with his and pushed his head into her stomach. “Good boy,” Brock said.
When Drew started moving around, he turned. “Stay the fuck down.”
“She made me do it,” he managed to get out.
Snap. That was the last thread breaking. Brock was off the porch in a second and lifted Drew by the arms. “I’m going to kill you and do the world a favor. There’s nothing more inexcusable than a man raising a hand to a woman.” Lifting his hand, he cocked it and slammed it into Drew’s angry face. As he connected with tissue and bone, he knew there was no coming back. So when Drew crumpled and fell against the concrete, he kneeled with an eerie calm. The problem with knowing so many ways to kill a man was deciding which one he wanted to employ. Moving his hands to the place that would end the miserable son-of-a-bitch’s life, he let out a breath. Pressing his fingers, he saw a look of panic cross the sorry excuse for a human being’s face. “Feel that?” Drew nodded. “Good. That’s what Lilly felt when you put your hands on her. I don’t know how many women you’ve threatened, but it ends now.” Increasing the pressure, he knew it wouldn’t take much, and it didn’t bother him a bit.
“Stop,” Lilly yelled. “He’s not worth it.”
Looking over his shoulder, he saw the woman he loved more than life. Her eyes were pleading with him. For a second it was enough to pull him out of the dark place. Then he turned back and saw the angry, defiant look Drew was giving him and pushed his thumb down.
“You promised me,” Lilly added. “You’re supposed to be with me and not in jail.”
Lifting his hands off Drew, he sat back on his knees and let out a breath. He had almost killed a man, and it was Lilly who saved him. Before he could process that thought, sirens filled the air and the street was filled with vehicles.
“Brock, I don’t feel good,” Lilly moaned.
Moving to her side instantly, he kissed her head. “Oh, honey, I’m so sorry I let him get within a hundred feet of you.” Before she could respond, several sheriff’s deputies jumped out of their cars, and that’s when hell broke loose.
Drew lay on the ground and managed to make enough noise that one of the men walked over. The moment “police brutality” came out of his mouth, Brock lost his temper. He bellowed like a lion on the nature shows they liked to watch. “You God damn son of a bitch! How fucking dare you say a word about brutality.” Lifting Lilly, he faced the gathered crowd. “You hit a woman.”
Pete roughly lifted Drew to his feet and shook his head. “Going to take him down to the station and book him.”
Brock nodded and was about to turn into the house when Pete stopped him. “Let them take pictures before the paramedics arrive. They should be here any minute.”
“Roger that,” Brock responded. Looking into her eyes, he felt his heart break. How had he let this happen?
“I’m alive, Brock. You got here in plenty of time.”
“Oh, honey, I surely didn’t.”
One of the deputies approached slowly. “Hey, Fred,” Brock said. “You got your camera?”
“Yes. Let me get pictures and then you can take her inside.”
“Thanks, man.”
“I’m okay,” Lilly said. “I’ll just have some colorful bruises.”
Brock held her within the circle of his arms. Why was she pretending this wasn’t a big deal? “Nothing about this is okay.”
“I probably sustained more injuries when I tried to jump off the roof of the house into the pool when I was twelve.”
Brock shuddered and let out a rough laugh. “For such a smart person, you sure make some interesting choices. I still can’t believe you thought that was going to work.”
“It almost did. Had my entry been better, I probably wouldn’t have broken my arm. The one good thing that happened is that I realized a career of diving off cliffs wasn’t in my future. Had it gone well, who knows what would’ve happened.”
“Brock, move over so I can take some pictures,” Fred instructed him.
He knew her
banter was her defense against the enormity of what just happened. If she could make a joke, then she wasn’t a victim. He helped her stand and then watched as she straightened her shoulders. God damn, he wished he had half her strength. She was her mama’s daughter, and a man beating the shit out of her wasn’t going to make her crumble. At least, not in front of anyone.
As Fred took pictures, he noticed the trembling that had started to take over Lilly’s body. She was a minute away from the adrenaline draining away, and there was no way she wanted that to happen in front of anyone. “Do you have enough shots, Fred?”
“A couple more,” he responded.
Brock gave him a look and Fred nodded in response. When tears started to gather in the corners of Lilly’s eyes, he shook his head. “We’re done.” He picked her up. “Let’s get you inside.”
“What about the paramedics? Do they have to examine me first?”
“They can do it inside. You don’t have to stand on your porch.” He carried her into the house and closed the door with his hip.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Wednesday Evening
Pressing her bloodied face into Brock’s uniformed chest, she felt herself on the edge of a breakdown. Too many emotions were warring. Which one would win? Utter despair, physical pain, anger or shame? They all had a place. His deep voice rumbled against her being and held the threads together. “Thank you,” was all she could manage. Tears started to pour down her cheeks as her heart cracked open for what had just happened, for the man holding her, for the person he’d proved himself to be.
People always talked about what choices they would make if life tested them. But they never really knew until they found themselves in the very situation that would demand an honest answer. Brock had just proved to her exactly what kind of man he was. He’d managed to pull himself back from the brink. When faced with a very real choice, he’d made the one she could live with.
