His words mirrored Ty's.
"So I've been told." I glanced in the rear-view mirror and panic immediately swelled in my chest. "Where is your seat belt?" I shrieked, gripping the wheel tight. "If we get in an accident, you'll die!"
Chase looked at me like I was crazy. "I never wear a seatbelt."
My mouth fell open. "You have to be kidding me!" Removing my foot from the accelerator, I stepped on the brake gently despite wanting nothing more than to stomp on the damn thing, bringing the car to a sliding stop.
But I couldn’t do that.
Because somebody would fly through the window if I did.
When the car had slowed enough, I pulled onto the shoulder of the road and slammed the transmission into park. "I can't control what you do when you're not with me, Chase Jacobs," I fussed. "But I will be danged if I let you ride in my vehicle without being strapped in."
"But—"
"Don't you but me!" I hollered, sounding exactly like my mother. "If you don't buckle your belt right this second, I will slap you so hard that you'll see tomorrow today!"
I meant every word.
Fury wasn't a strong enough word to describe the emotion causing my blood to boil. Regardless of what many thought, Chase was a smart guy, but when it came to common sense, he only had one oar in the water.
"Careful, Bug," he said, laughing and further pissing me off. "Your inner hillbilly is showing."
Unbuckling my belt, I took a page out of my mama's book and removed one of my sandals. Then I climbed to my knees on the seat, lifted my hand into the air, and whooped him right on his jean-covered leg, followed by his muscular arm.
"What the hell, Heidi!" he cussed, shielding himself from my—admittedly halfhearted—blows. "Stop hitting me!"
"Then put"—smack—"your seatbelt"—smack—"on!"
Growling, he ripped the shoe out of my hand and tossed it to the floorboard beneath his feet. "I'm telling my brother," he threatened, like that would scare me. “And I’m going to laugh when he spanks your ass for hitting me.”
A blush stained my cheeks.
Don’t think about being spanked…
Resting my butt on my calves, I crossed my arms and shot him a look that screamed, go right ahead. "You do that," I said, my eyes boring into his. "I'm sure he'd love to know why I did what I did."
I lifted my hand to my mouth and tapped my lips with my index finger. "Gee, Chase, I wonder what he'd say about you never wearing a seatbelt? Given that he's an EMT who's been to more than one car accident, I can't see him being real happy with that particular news."
Ashley remained silent, her eyes the size of saucers as she watched our exchange.
Face stern, I gave him one last pointed look. "Put on your seatbelt!"
He said nothing as he grabbed the belt and pulled it over him, buckling it into place.
I offered him a sweet smile. "That's better." My smile disappeared. "Now keep it on or else I swear to the good Lord above that I will—"
My stomach dropped when blue lights flashed through the back window, their steady rhythm reflecting off both Chase and Ashley's faces.
I blew out a frustrated breath. "See what you did," I said, gesturing to the police car coming to a stop behind us. "I had to pull over because your big ol' dumb self was acting like a fool and now I may get a ticket." I pointed at him with a shaky finger. "If I do, your no-common-sense having self is paying it."
He grunted something unintelligible as I turned back around and plopped back down in my seat. Reaching into my purse, I pulled out my driver’s license, followed by my registration card; both of which I kept tucked in my wallet, directly behind my debit card.
Bouncing my right leg up and down, I nervously watched through the side mirror as the officer approached, his movements slow and steady. Hand on his gun, he tapped on my window a second later.
Making sure to keep my hands visible at all times, I rolled it down and waited for him to bend at the waist and ask for my license and registration.
When he didn't do so right away, trepidation nipped at my spine as every fiber of my being suddenly became aware that something was wrong.
Like, a whole lot of wrong.
And though I tried to push the thoughts racing through my head back, I knew the cause of the fear that strummed through my veins and the source of the evil from which it came.
The Devil is here...
Chase unlatched his seatbelt in a flurry and leaned forward. Dipping his head to see out the window, he glared at the man standing less than a foot away from me, his hand grasping a weapon that could end my life in the blink of an eye.
Chest heaving from the terror seizing me, I squeezed the paper in my hand tight, crumpling it into a ball. "Chase," I whispered, feeling my heart drop to my lap. "Whatever he says, don't get out of the car."
"Fuck that," he growled, leaning closer to me. "Let me handle this, Heidi. He's here for me."
"No," I whispered, shaking my head.
"Heidi—"
I jumped in my seat as my door was pulled open, and a beefy hand circled my bicep. I yelped as Clyde Jacobs’ hold on me tightened, causing pain to shoot up and down my arm. "Come here, bitch," he growled, yanking me out of the car. "It's time you and I had a chat."
My mind blanked as my hip hit the asphalt, and I was dragged to the back of my car. The sound of my pounding heart filled my ears as I was lifted to my feet, spun around, and then slammed chest first over the trunk of my Focus, nearly knocking the air from my lungs.
Chase jumped out of the car and started toward me, his fisted hands visible from my point of view. "That's not a good idea, son," Clyde said, using the hand that wasn't holding me down to pull his gun from its holster. "Not if you want your brother’s little girlfriend to remain whole."
The terror consuming me made it hard to breathe.
Fighting to center myself, I clenched my eyes shut, and drew in a breath.
"Get your goddamned hands off her!" Chase hollered, his voice angrier than I'd ever heard it. "Ty will kill you if you harm one hair on her head!" He paused. "I'll kill you!"
Clyde chuckled. "Your brother isn't my concern," he said, his voice laced with toxic venom. "You are."
Opening my eyes, I focused on Chase.
I couldn't see his face to read his expression, but thanks to my new hearing aids, I didn't have a problem deciphering every word that he spoke. "Then let her go," he demanded, inching closer. "She doesn't have anything to do with this!"
"What about your little whore?" Clyde answered, pressing an elbow down into my back. I jerked from the pain and bit my tongue, refusing to cry out. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction. "Does she have something to do with this?"
At Chase's silence, the Devil chuckled once more. "Looks like I grabbed the wrong girl." Before I could register what his words meant, he sunk his hand into my hair and ripped me back, forcing me to stand straight.
I screamed as he slung me to the ground like a piece of garbage.
The scorching asphalt bit into my hands and knees as I landed on all fours, skin ripping from my limbs. I felt the warmth of blood trickle down my hands and shins, but I didn’t care the least bit.
My only concern was Ashley.
If he touches her...
Knowing that I needed to move, I shoved the pain radiating through my body aside and rolled to my butt. Forcing myself to stand, I latched onto the protective instincts that roared to life inside me, giving me the strength I needed to push past the fear that threatened to cripple me.
Taking a breath, I climbed to my feet.
But it was already too late.
In the mere seconds it had taken me to find my footing, Clyde had pulled Ashley out of the car, pressed her back to his chest, and wrapped a single arm around her, anchoring her in place.
Lifting the gun he still held, he pointed it at my face. "Don't you fucking move."
I didn't flinch.
As ballsy as I could be, I wasn't stupid.
> I may have acted like I was made of steel at times—thanks for that Daddy—but I wasn't bulletproof. With one pull of the trigger, it would’ve been over for me.
Knowing that Mama was waiting for me on the other side, I wasn't exactly afraid to die, but leaving Ty behind terrified me.
His father has stolen so much...
I won't let him rip me away too.
When Chase charged forward, Clyde moved his arm, aiming the gun at him instead.
"Chase!" Ashley screamed, her legs nearly buckling. "Don't!"
He froze mid-stride.
Face contorting into a mask of hatred that I'd never witnessed on him before, he crossed his arms, his nostrils flaring from the force of his breaths. "Go ahead, Dad," he snarled. "Fucking shoot me. Then you'll never see a damn dime."
Clyde licked his lower lip and squeezed Ashley tighter. Her face paled as she mentally checked out, retreating into the shell she hid inside each time her fears and panic became too strong.
It wasn’t a good place for her to be.
She’s come so far…
I won’t let her go back.
“Ashley,” I whispered, wanting her eyes on me. “Look at me, Dimples.” By some miracle, our gazes locked. “It’s going to be alright,” I told her, unsure if I was speaking the truth or not. “I promise.”
A single tear slipped from her eye. “Heidi…” My name was a whispered plea on her lips. At that moment, it became obvious that she was counting on me to protect her the way I always swore I would. “Please…”
I nodded. “It’s going to be okay,” I assured her once more, knowing that I had to do something. “I’m right here, and I’m not leaving.” I paused, fighting to keep my voice steady. “I will never leave you.”
The bark of laughter that erupted from Clyde could only be described as nothing short of evil. “This is rich,” he said. “The disabled bitch is comforting the town whore. I’ve seen a lot of shit in my day, but this truly takes the cake.”
His words hurt Ashley more than a sucker punch straight to the face.
Tearing her gaze from mine, she closed her eyes, mentally floating away.
“Out of all the girls,” Clyde continued, spewing his venom at Chase. “You had to choose this one.” He shrugged. “Hell, I can’t say I blame you. She’s a pretty little thing.” The smile on his face morphed, becoming more sadistic before my very eyes. “I bet Detective Moretti,” he spat, making his disdain for Anthony known, “just loves tucking her in at night.”
Acid churned in my gut; bile climbed the length of my esophagus.
I’m going to puke…
“So what’s the plan, old man?” Chase demanded to know with his arms crossed defensively, his eyes locked on the gun that was still aimed at his chest. “You just going to shoot us?”
His father looked at him like he was crazy.
“Of course not. Ain’t gonna do me a lick of good to get rid of my cash cow, now is it?” He nuzzled the side of Ashley’s hair, breathing her scent in. “Let this serve as a warning, Chase, one which I suggest you fucking heed.”
Clyde removed his aim from his youngest son’s chest.
Running the barrel down the side of Ashley’s face, he continued to smile, the twisted pleasure he received from our combined fear obvious. “You will let me have a taste of what’s been coming to me since the day you were born,” he said to Chase. “Or else I’ll have to find a different way to earn a little cash.”
Oblivious to Ashley’s past, there was no way for Chase to understand the depth of Clyde’s threat, but I did. Knowing the meaning of his words made me rage inside.
Thanks to being deaf, I’d spent my life being viewed as weak. But if the Devil came for my best friend, the girl I’d long since claimed as the younger sister I never had, he’d find out just how strong I truly was, and exactly how ruthless I could be.
He’ll never harm Ashley…
I’ll kill him myself first.
Unwrapping his arm from Dimples, he grabbed a handful of her hair and shoved her forward, just like he’d done me.
I lunged as she stumbled.
Catching her before she lost her footing completely, I pulled her into my arms, hugging her tight. Twisting to give Clyde my back, I ran my hands through her hair, trying my best to comfort her while simultaneously protecting her from any bullet that may be fired.
“Well,” Clyde said, his voice chipper and devoid of the malevolence from moments before. “This has been a nice little visit. We’ll have to do it again sometime.”
Gun still in hand, he walked back to his patrol car, whistling a jaunty tune the entire way. Upon reaching it, he turned, facing Chase once more. “Son,” he said. “The next time I call, I suggest you answer. If you don’t, well…” His words trailed off as he smiled at a trembling Ashley. “I’m sure you can figure out the rest.”
“Oh,” he said, popping open the car door. “And just in case one of you gets any funny ideas about reporting this to the authorities”—he pointed to the dash cam—“it seems I’ve been having technical difficulties all day. Such a shame too. Never know when a little footage may come in handy.”
“You sick son of a—” Chase started.
“And just to be clear,” his father interrupted. “If one of you breathes a word about this to any civilian—my oldest son included—I’ll be paying you a visit, Heidi Lynn Johnson.” His dead, vacant eyes bored into mine. “And my face will be the last one you ever see.”
I held Ashley close as he climbed into his car and turned off the blue lights.
“I’ve got you,” I whispered, running my hand up and down her back as Clyde pulled back onto the road and drove away, leaving us to deal with the fallout of the things he’d just done. “And I swear that I won’t let anyone hurt you ever again.”
It was a promise I intended to keep.
No matter the lengths I had to go to.
Thirty-Four
Heidi
My hands wouldn’t stop shaking.
Four hours had passed since our confrontation with Clyde, and in that time I doubted I’d taken a single easy breath. I’d tried to close my eyes, willing the hours to pass until Ty made it home, but every time my lids shut, flashbacks bombarded me, one after the other.
The gun he’d held...
The vicious threats he’d delivered.
No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get any of it out of my head.
I felt unsafe.
Violated.
Slowly losing my mind, I needed my anchor, the one person who acted as my calm amid a storm that threatened to tear me apart from the inside out. But I couldn’t go to him, and it was killing me.
I’d called him; he didn’t answer.
I’d texted him; he didn’t reply.
Logically, I knew that he was likely out on a call since he was on shift at the station, but I needed him more than anything, yet I couldn’t reach him.
I wasn’t coping well.
“Heidi…” I jerked my head up at the sound of Chase’s voice. Seated directly across from me at the kitchen table, he looked ready to lose his mind. “You okay?”
Sinking my teeth into my bottom lip, I shook my head. “No.”
Chase nodded in understanding and leaned forward, placing his elbows on the table. “I know I’m not my brother, but you know that I won’t let him hurt you, right?”
I did know that, and I told him as much.
“I’m not worried about him hurting me,” I said, telling a half lie. “I’m worried about Ashley. The things your father said to her, Chase. I just…”
Thinking about the threats Clyde had made and the memories he’d conjured where Ashley was concerned was almost my undoing. I’d fought so hard to protect her, to comfort her so that she wouldn’t slide back into the darkness from which she fought to escape, but I’d failed.
By the time I got her back in the car, called Shelby to let her know what had happened, and got Ashley home, she was emotionally checke
d out. It didn’t matter what I said or did, all she could do was cry, her fear completely overwhelming her.
It gutted me.
“Yeah,” he replied, tapping his knuckles against the tabletop. “Me and you are going to talk about the shit he said when stuff around here settles.”
Knowing exactly what he was referring to, I shook my head. “When she’s ready to talk to you about her past, she will. But I can’t be the one to do it.”
Dipping his gaze to the watch he wore on his wrist, he fiddled with the band, something I noticed he did when he was anxious. “I love her,” he confessed, his voice so quiet I barely heard it. “A helluva lot.”
“I’m pretty sure she loves you too,” I replied, knowing full well that I may be crossing a line. “But you’ve gotta be patient with her. If you aren’t—”
“I will be,” he said, interrupting me. “I swear it.”
That’s all I could ask for.
Blowing out a breath, I changed the subject. “Have you heard from Anthony again?”
He shook his head. “No. The last thing he said was that he had people looking for my old man. From what he told me, the son of a bitch’s shift had been over for almost an hour when he pulled us over. Makes me wonder if he’s been following each of us around this whole time, just waiting for a chance to do something.”
It wouldn’t have surprised me.
Not the least little bit.
“I told Moretti to check all the bars,” he continued, clenching his jaw tight. “Motherfucker is probably three sheets to the wind by now.”
I didn’t doubt that.
Glancing down at my phone, I stared at the screen, praying that Ty would call me back or at least message me. He had no idea what had happened, and Shelby had made Hendrix and Tuck both swear to keep their mouths shut until I got a hold of him.
Why she even told those two knuckleheads what happened to begin with, I haven’t a clue. Well, not unless she was recruiting them to dig the hole that she planned to bury Clyde’s body in after she shot him.
That actually makes perfect sense…
As for Ty, Lord knows if he heard that his father had pulled a gun on me, he’d hunt him down like the dog he is and kill him with his bare hands before I ever got the chance to try and reason with him.
Every Wrong You Right: A Redeeming Love Novel (Book 6) Page 26
