Caged
Page 7
Chapter Ten
Preston
She can’t be serious. This woman thinks that she doesn’t deserve me? I need to marry her before she realizes how wrong that statement is. Never in my life would I have thought I would find a woman like Adeline. Even with everything going on she is still worth every minute of effort I have to expend to fix this. I’m worried though that this wasn’t her mother and that James had something to do with this. I need to check the cameras and not freak her out even more than she is already freaked. James has been too quiet. I look at her car and I want to comfort her, but I know she is barely holding it together. If I do that now she’ll lose it. God she’s so strong. Most women get upset over the littlest things, she actually has real issues to be upset about and still she focuses on being pissed off. Watching her father hit the ground because she put him there was probably one of the proudest moments in my life, and I have a lot to take pride in. I guide her back to my car and leave her sitting in there while I make some calls. I call Grant first because we need to file a police report and he has access to the cameras I had installed. Next up is my dad and Gavin. They will want to be updated and since I held them off about her dad showing they will probably be here any minute to check on Addy. I call Coach and let him know what’s going on and he said he would be down first thing in the morning. Wendy doesn’t want him getting too upset and if he leaves now she will worry. Grant pulls up first and we walk inside the office together. “Christ. Do you really think this is her mom’s deal? I feel like this is more James’ M.O.” “I was thinkin the same thing, but I don’t want Addy worried about this. Everything can be fixed I don’t need her stressin over James. You should’ve seen her today with her dad. I mean I know you saw the aftermath, but when I got there she put such a hurtin on him. It was awesome.” “Oh don’t worry I heard him gripe about his balls the whole way to the station. His neck is swollen and bruised too.” That’s my girl. “I’m going to marry her.” “You better.” “She’s agreed to move in with me.” “Way to use a situation to your advantage.” “What do you mean?” “She’s terrified. I’m sure she’s glad to not be on her own.” “She knows even if she weren’t moving in she wouldn’t have been alone.” “Yea, I’m sure you’re right.” I nod. I hope he isn’t on to something here though. Is that why she said yes? I can’t think about this right now. “So let’s fire up the camera feed. I need to get this shit handled.” I hear someone enter the building and look to see Gavin and my Dad walk in. Told you. “Hey guys, is she still settled in the car?” “Yea, mom’s in there with her.” The gangs all here. I give them a nod as they take in the scene. Lots of shaking heads. It is a damn mess in here. Grant is looking around while the computer fires up. Gavin speaks up first, “Look at this. It’s like they targeted the work.” “That’s why I think it was James. The mom if she was just looking to mess things up it wouldn’t have been this specific. But, I’m no detective.” I give him a half smile as he looks at my dad. “Well, I’m no detective but I’d say we’re about to find out.” We all turn to look at the computer and just as we suspected it wasn’t her mom. Her dad’s in lockup so the guy in the video has to be James. “His backs to the camera, but I can almost guarantee it’s him. I’ll fast forward.” He does and James turns around and gives the camera a great face shot of him. Fuckin great. Now this is one more thing Addy has on her plate to worry about. “You gonna tell her?” “Tell me what?” “Addy, I thought I asked you to stay in the car?” “Preston, when do I ever do what I’m told?” “Christ if that isn’t true.” She gives me a small smile that doesn’t reach her eyes and I can’t wait for this to be done just so I can see her genuinely smile at me again. I’m a total goner. “It’s not your mom, baby.” “What? Who is it?” “It’s James.” I hear her gasp loudly. “This is crazy. Why can’t everyone just leave me alone?” And then she was gone. “Told you she was on the brink of losin it. I’ll be right back.” I run down the hall where I find her curled in a ball in the corner of Ryleigh’s untouched office. “Baby, please get up. All of this can be fixed. We have him on camera. James is going down for all of it. All this stuff is just that. Stuff. Things can be replaced what we need to focus on is you’re here and you’re ok. That’s what is important.” She nods, but she doesn’t move. I move to her instead and pick her up off the floor. “I can’t do anymore of this. You shouldn’t be dealing with any of this. You are probably already rethinking your questions of asking me to move in.” “You’re not getting out of it that easily baby, you’re mine. I asked you to move in because I want you there. Not because of all of this stuff. None of this matters to me Addy. You matter to me. Bottom line. That’s it.” That is when she jumped, wrapped her legs around me, and kissed me. Hard. Christ my baby can kiss.