“Joy, please. I need you to go outside.”
Joy was finally on her feet but she moved so slowly she might as well have been crawling. It was clear she was hesitant to leave. Worry carved lines in her beautiful face.
“It’s okay, Joy,” Hayden assured her. He wanted her outside, safe, away from the hate Brock was spewing. “Just please wait outside.”
She gave Hayden a longing look when she reached the threshold of her open door. “Be careful,” she whispered.
“I will, I promise,” he said, his eyes staying with hers until she finally shut the door and disappeared.
Brock clucked his tongue. “You shouldn’t make promises you can’t keep.”
“I don’t.”
“Are you sure?” Brock asked. “Because you don’t look like you want to be careful. You look like you want to kill me.”
“Not everyone gets what they want, asshole.”
“If I were you I’d kill me,” Brock taunted. “If you don’t I’ll never stop. I’ll never let her be with you.”
That was it, Hayden snapped. He punched Brock in his ugly mouth so hard he felt something in his hand snap. The pain didn’t even faze Hayden, but when he pulled back to swing again, Brock was ready. He’d been expecting it and he used the opportunity to break Hayden’s grasp.
Brock rolled onto his back and tried to get away, but Hayden was on him too quickly. The two grappled at each other across the hardwood floor until Hayden regained the upper hand. He straddled Brock, pinning him with his weight while he struggled to restrain Brock’s arms as he swung wildly at any part of Hayden he could reach.
Brock landed some good punches before Hayden restricted his arms. But Hayden didn’t care about pain. He was beyond feeling. He was beyond reason. All he knew was he wanted to wipe the shit-eating grin off Brock’s face.
“What the hell is your problem?” Hayden hissed, choosing to restrain Brock rather than punch him.
“You! You’re my fucking problem. You think you can just show up here and screw up my life without any consequences? Not gonna happen, bruh. I protect what’s mine.”
“Joy is not yours, bruh.”
“Yeah, well she would’ve been. We had a deal worked out until you came and made her reconsider.”
“A deal?”
Brock smirked. “Yeah. She was gonna marry me.”
Hayden laughed. “You truly are crazy, aren’t you?”
“Not even close,” Brock said in an icy tone that whipped the smirk off Hayden’s face. “You probably didn’t know our girl, Jo, has a custody deal worked out with my mother, did you? You also probably didn’t know Jo’s been violating it by not letting my mother see Kai as much as the courts ruled necessary.”
Hayden did not like the direction this conversation was going. “Get to the point, douchebag.”
“If I go to the judge, poof, Jo loses Kai. So yeah, she’s gonna marry me. She’s gonna do anything I want her to do.”
Hayden’s heart pounded faster as the truth settled over him. Brock wasn’t lying. He truly was blackmailing Joy.
Oh, Joy, why didn’t you tell me?
I could help you, Joy.
God, I hope you’ll still let me help you.
Brock’s snicker brought Hayden back to the present moment. “It’s fun learning new things, isn’t it?”
Hayden broke. “Here’s something I want you to learn about me,” he roared as he slammed his head into Brock’s face.
Brock’s nose erupted like a volcano of blood. He tried to shout, but he only made a gurgling sound that managed to spray blood all over Hayden. But Hayden was beyond seeing what his own fists were doing as he hit Brock over and over.
All he saw was Joy’s face on the beach when she played with her son.
Joy’s smile in his bed.
Joy’s lips on his scars.
Hayden swung harder as each memory of Joy hit him like an arrow to the heart. There was so much good and bright about her, and Hayden refused to let anyone take it away. Especially some sadistic asshole like Brock.
Hayden wailed his fists into Brock until he couldn’t feel them. At some point, Brock stopped fighting back. But not even that gave Hayden pause, because not one single bone-cracking blow made him feel even the tiniest bit better about what Brock was threatening to do.
Finally, fatigue started to slow Hayden’s rage. He forced himself to take a breath and the world came back into focus. What Hayden saw terrified him. Brock lay beneath him, covered in blood and unmoving, his face a patchwork of battered flesh.
Realizing he’d gone too far, Hayden reared back, scrambling off of Brock’s chest while taking in the damage he’d inflicted. The skin on Brock’s face was already swelling. His left eyebrow was split and bleeding into his engorged eye socket. Both his eyes were shut and puffy. Brock looked like he’d gone three rounds too many with someone well above his weight class. Technically, he had. But Hayden wasn’t a prizefighter. He was just a boy regretting that he couldn’t help the girl he loved.
Hayden hesitantly checked to make sure Brock was still breathing. He was. Hayden’s uncertainty on whether he was glad that Brock was still alive frightened him. He didn’t trust himself alone with him any longer, it was time to leave.
Hayden walked over to Piper and gently lifted the dog into his arms. She whimpered slightly and tried to wag her tail. A mixture of warring emotions pierced Hayden’s heart. Seeing Piper wag her tail filled him with relief, but her whimpers stole it away again. The dog was alive, but she was in severe pain. “I’ve got ya girl,” Hayden crooned. “You’re safe. I’ve got ya now.”
Joy
When Hayden walked out of Jo’s apartment with Piper in his arms, she wanted to collapse with relief. Piper’s tail was wagging and Hayden was still standing. All was right with the world. Jo forced her legs to carry her to meet them as the wail of sirens grew near.
Jo’s words came out on an exhale. “Hayden, are you okay?”
He nodded.
“And Piper?”
“She’s in a lot of pain. We need to get her to a vet.”
Jo nodded. “Give me your phone, I’ll call them right now.”
“I have a better idea,” Hayden said, gently setting Piper on the ground so he could reach for his phone.
He fired off a text and Jo reached for his hands. They were swollen and bloody.
“You’re hurt.”
“I’m fine.”
Jo knew he wasn’t. His left hand definitely looked broken. But she also knew she was in no position to argue with him about an injury he got protecting her. She took a deep breath and finally asked the question eating at her. “Brock?”
“He’ll live.”
Melancholy and guilt mixed in her stomach when she realized that wasn’t the answer she was hoping for. Brock would never stop. She would never be free.
Hayden’s hands gently brushed Jo’s windblown hair from her face. He lightly traced the swollen part of her cheekbone and she tried not to flinch. “Joy, I know about the deal he offered you.”
She stilled and shame burned her entire body. “I was never going to take it,” she whispered.
“Good, because I never would’ve let you.” Hayden pressed a kiss to her forehead, letting his hand move to the back of her neck.
She let him pull her close and wrap his arms around her. She let herself sink into his warmth, holding onto it for just a moment. She was so relieved that he was standing there, safe and sound, holding her in his arms that she buried her face in Hayden’s chest and breathed him in as the flashing lights of the police cars turned her quiet beach into a crime scene.
51
Joy
The night dragged on forever. Jo and Hayden answered a million questions for the police—some at her apartment, some in the ambulance, more at the hospital. Thankfully, before they’d been whisked away for medical evaluation, Kendall had shown up to take Piper to the vet.
It turned out she was Hayden’s ‘better idea’. Jo
was surprised, but grateful, Hayden had thought to call her. Having a fierce hug from her badass best friend was priceless after what Jo had just been through.
Kendall’s hug was the thing Jo held onto as the night progressed. It was the part she wanted to remember. She didn’t watch when Brock was removed from her apartment on a stretcher. She didn’t watch when Hayden placed Piper in Kendall’s car. She didn’t watch when Hayden got stitches or his hands bandaged. She didn’t watch when the nurse came in with the rape kit.
Jo knew from experience there were some things a person couldn’t unsee. And those were the things that would haunt her—visiting in the night, thieving dreams, murdering happiness.
She’d learned that sometimes it was better to look away rather than let the ugliness bury itself inside, where it would feed off her forever.
Sometimes, looking away wasn’t weak. Sometimes looking away was the toughest thing she could do, because it protected her and gave her strength. And right now, Jo needed all the strength she could get.
Hayden
Hayden only left Joy’s side once at the hospital, and it was because he was forced out of the room by the wretched nurse with a rape kit.
“She doesn’t need that,” he argued.
The nurse raised a cocky eyebrow in his direction.
“Really, I don’t,” Joy confirmed.
“You were physically assaulted and you’re filing charges. A sexual assault kit is standard procedure. And that means you are gonna have to leave the room,” the nurse said, directing her impatience at Hayden, who was still defiantly sitting next to Joy on the exam table.
“It’s okay,” Joy whispered.
Hayden shot the nurse a glare for good measure, then kissed Joy’s hairline. “I’ll be in the hall if you need me,” he whispered.
Once he was out of the room, Hayden put his time to good use. He called his lawyer and Kendall. The conversation with Kendall was easy.
“How’s Piper?”
“Alive. How are you two?” Kendall asked.
“Alive.”
“Good. Piper can come home in an hour. Where should I bring her?”
“The Four Seasons. Room 108.”
“Got it.”
The conversation with Hayden’s lawyer was a little more difficult.
“Hayden, you know I don’t practice that kind of law.”
“I don’t care, Warner. This girl needs my help. It’s my fault she’s even in this mess.”
“Care to clarify that for me?”
“Listen, just look into her case. I guarantee you she was a minor without parental or legal representation when the arrangement was made.”
“Fine, but I can’t make you any promises that this is an easy fix.”
“That’s fine.”
“Now, about the assault charges . . . I’m going to have to make your father aware of this situation.”
“Do whatever you have to, Warner. I just want Brock Keller behind bars for a long, long time.”
“I’ll do my best.”
Hayden sighed. “Thank you.”
“Is there anything else?”
“Actually yes. I have a proposition for you. And it’s something that I’ll need you to keep from my father.”
“I’m not sure I like the sound of this, Hayden.”
“Warner, all I ask is you hear me out.”
“I can do that.”
Warner was silent while Hayden laid out the specifics of his plan. It was risky and would require a great deal from Warner, but he was Hayden’s last hope.
When Hayden was finished speaking, Warner gave a weary sigh. “I’ve known you your whole life, Hayden. I know things haven’t always been easy for you, but are you sure this is what you really want?”
“Positive.”
“Then consider it done. My part anyway.”
“Thank you, Warner. That’s all I can ask. See you tomorrow.”
Hayden disconnected the call and brought the phone to his forehead. He closed his eyes and pressed the phone between them. There had to be a way out of this for Joy and he wasn’t going to stop until he found it. He’d made progress just now with Warner, but there was more to do.
There was still so much left unsaid between Hayden and Joy, but regardless of how she felt once he admitted the truth about his transplant, it still wouldn’t change Hayden’s mind. He was in love with her. And even though Hayden had no real experience with love, he knew that it meant never giving up.
So that’s what he planned to do. He would make sure Joy’s future was safe and secure, and that Brock would never bother her and Kai again. The only uncertainty was if Hayden would be a part of that future or not. But that wasn’t up to him.
Hayden would do his best to prove to Joy that he’d be there for her, but maybe that wouldn’t be enough. Maybe Brock was right. Maybe he was just too late to make a difference.
Joy
When Hayden and Jo had been thoroughly poked, prodded and questioned, a doctor finally signed discharge papers and told them they were free to go. Hayden hired a cab, throwing a wad of cash at him, promising there’d be more if he drove quickly, silently and didn’t repeat that he’d seen them to anyone.
Hayden carefully helped Jo into the backseat even though he was more injured than she was. Her only reminder of the hell that Brock had unleashed tonight was a fat lip and what promised to be one hell of a black eye. But Hayden had a broken hand, stitches and bruised ribs. He’d probably have some bruises on his jaw tomorrow, too. But the way he doted on Joy made it seem like he was oblivious to his injuries.
Hayden settled next to her in the back of the cab with worry etched across his handsome features.
“I’m okay,” Joy whispered. “You can take a breath.”
“I need to ask you something.”
“What is it?”
“Was I too late?”
“Too late? What are you talking about? You saved my life tonight, Hayden.”
He closed his eyes and pulled in a strangled breath, like whatever he was about to ask was causing him physical pain. “The rape kit . . . Did he . . .”
Joy’s eyes widened. “No. Oh my God, Hayden no. You weren’t too late. Nothing happened.”
He stared at her hard, weighing her words, looking like he wanted to trust them. Joy couldn’t take the pain etched across his face. She crawled carefully into his lap pulling his face to hers. Their foreheads met and Joy made long soothing strokes down his cheeks. “Nothing happened with Brock, Hayden. He didn’t violate me. You weren’t too late. You were right on time.”
His hand came up and traced the puffy outline of her fat lip. “Not quite.”
Jo involuntarily licked her lip and swallowed the longing building in her throat. She wanted to kiss Hayden so badly, but she couldn’t. Tonight had been too much and kissing him would only confuse her more. The feelings filling her chest were already overwhelming her.
Being there, in Hayden’s lap . . . it made her never want to let go. She loved the feel of him pressed against her. She loved the rhythm of his heart beating through his shirt. She loved the way his smell seemed to cloak her in safety. She loved . . . she loved . . . Oh God, she loved him, didn’t she?
The answer seared itself in her heart but Jo couldn’t face it. Not now. Not with everything that had happened tonight. She tried to crawl out of his lap, but Hayden didn’t let go. He exhaled and pressed a kiss to her forehead. It was the nail in her coffin of resistance. She collapsed against him, letting him hold her tighter. Hayden readjusted her in his lap until he cradled her with her head rested against his chest.
She gazed up at him, his silhouette fading in and out with the passing street lights. He was beautiful. Every single part of him. Especially the part that had fought for her tonight. “Hayden . . .”
“Hmmm?”
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For coming, even when I gave you every reason not to.”
He looked down
at her and smiled. “I’ll always come for you, Joy.”
Her heart grew tiny arms and squeezed itself to brace for impact. Because that sentence had sent her into a free fall. There was nothing else she could do. She was falling for him. All she could do now was pray her parachute opened because there wasn’t enough of her left to survive another broken heart.
Jo squeezed her eyes shut and let Hayden settle her against him. She listened to his heart and sunk into his warmth, letting the last bit of fear flood out of her. Her adrenaline was waning and she couldn’t think of a safer place to rest her eyes for a moment.
52
Hayden
Kendall’s eyes widened when she saw Hayden carry Joy into the hotel room in his arms. They’d come in through the patio door she’d left open and from Kendall’s startled expression, Hayden realized he’d probably nearly given her a heart attack.
Kendall was on her feet, trailing behind them. “What the hell? Is she okay?”
Hayden nodded. “She will be. She just fell asleep in the car and I didn’t have the heart to wake her.”
“How did you get here?”
“Took a cab,” he replied, before turning his attention to settling Joy in his bed.
He laid her down gently in the center of the plush mattress once Kendall took the hint and pulled back the covers. Piper was already resting comfortably in the king size bed. The dog whimpered softly, but didn’t get up. Piper took a moment to lift her head and sniff Joy’s hair. Seemingly satisfied, the dog let her head settle back on the pillow, closing her eyes.
“Is she gonna be okay?” Hayden asked motioning to Piper.
“Yeah. She has a concussion and a few bruised ribs but the vet said she was pretty lucky considering.”
Relief swept through Hayden. The last thing Joy needed was to lose her dog on top of everything else she’d been through. “Good. Can I have the name of the vet?”
The Summer Boyfriend Page 27
