by S. J. McCoy
That made her smile. “And what if I want you to? What if I want to rush you into bed?”
He stared at her. “You do?”
She nodded. “I do.”
He linked his arm through hers and started walking again. “Then we’ll have to see about that, won’t we?”
Tingles of desire went skittering through her. Did he mean it? Oh, how she hoped he did! She kept wanting to ask him as they walked. But at the same time, she didn’t want to ask. There was something exciting, a little thrill at not knowing. Her whole body was on high alert at the possibility that tonight might be the night. At the same time, she’d loved his words about wanting to wait, not wanting to rush her. She’d never have believed that of him not so long ago. She’d thought he was just a party animal, well, maybe not that. He was a good guy, but also a good-time guy. She’d thought he had sex just for fun, and she wouldn’t have minded that. But this, whatever it was they had going on between them, was turning into something more than that. If he didn’t make love to her tonight, the anticipation would build. The tension between them would grow—in a good way. So whatever happened tonight she felt as though she would win, either way. And that wasn’t the way things normally went for her—quite the opposite, in fact.
He smiled as they turned onto her street. “Are you sure about bringing me home with you?”
She nodded, but something else had already caught her attention. She was hoping it was just her eyes playing tricks on her, but it looked like her front door was standing open. She looked up at Eddie and clung a little tighter to his arm.
“What is it?”
“I don’t know. It might be nothing, but…” She stopped, not wanting to get any closer to the house. “Is my front door open?”
Eddie stopped and peered up the street. “It looks like it.”
April started toward the house, “Oh no…!”
Eddie caught her arm and pulled her back. She reacted instinctively, snatching her arm back and cowering away from him with a yelp.
He immediately held both his hands up in the air. “Hey. It’s okay. It’s me. I’d never hurt you. I just don’t want you going any closer to the house. You don’t know if there’s someone in there.”
She nodded, she was shaking like a leaf. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…it just…”
Eddie closed his arms around her. “It’s okay. I’m the one that’s sorry. I should have thought before I grabbed at you like that. I should know better.”
She shook her head. He shouldn’t have to, though. She shouldn’t be that way in the first place. “It’s him. I know it is. Guy’s in my house. He’s come to get us.”
Eddie frowned at her. “You think so?”
She was still shaking; she tried to make herself stop. Guy shouldn’t be able to have this effect on her. Not anymore. She’d escaped him. And no way in hell was she going back! “How many break-ins ever happen around here? And even if it was that, do you think they’d leave the door wide open?”
Eddie shook his head and offered her his hand. “Come on. Let’s get out of here.”
“No! I can’t just leave. What would I do? What might he do?”
“Please, let’s get out of here. We’ll call the police. If you need to get a restraining order, this should help. If we go in there, and he’s there, nothing good is going to happen, and I’d rather have him on record as the bad guy than me.”
April looked up into his eyes. “What do you…” She didn’t finish the question because she already knew what he meant. He’d stand up for her.
Eddie nodded and offered her his hand again. This time, she took it, and they started walking back toward town.
Eddie fished his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed a number.
“Hey, Colt. Can you check something out for me? No, we’re not playing tonight. It’s a friend of mine. We think there’s someone in her house. The door’s wide open. No, no worries. We walked away as soon as we saw it. Yeah. It’s number four, Maple Street. Thanks, Colt. It might be nothing, but it might well be her ex-husband showing up to cause trouble, and I’d rather have you go check it out than go in there myself, if you know what I mean.”
April listened. It sounded like he was talking to a friend, not a police officer.
“Yeah. We’ll be at my place.”
She gave him an inquiring look when he hung up. “Colt’s with the Police Department. We’ve kind of become buddies. I see him on the weekends sometimes if he has to come to the resort.”
She nodded, surprised that would happen in Summer Lake.
Eddie seemed to read her mind. “It doesn’t happen often, but we got talking one time, and he’s a good guy. It’s good to have a friend in the Police Department.”
“And we’re going to your house?”
He smiled. “Unless you’d rather go back to the resort? We can wait there if you want.”
“No. I’d like to go to your house.” She didn’t want to be out in public. She didn’t want to be any place where Guy might find her. And more than that, she did want to be at Eddie’s place. He made her feel safe. She’d trusted him to take control because, although she’d flinched when he’d grabbed her arm back there, she wasn’t scared of him. She knew he’d never hurt her.
~ ~ ~
When they got to his place, Eddie unlocked the front door and let April go in ahead of him. He locked the door behind them. His mind was still racing about what might be going on at April’s house. Was it really her ex? And if so, what was he doing and what did he want? Or was it simply a break-in? He found that hard to believe. Not here, not in Summer Lake. Things like that just didn’t happen.
April looked up at him with big scared eyes; she reminded him of the way Marcus looked. He hated that the two of them had lived a life that left them with so much fear. “It’s all going to be okay,” he reassured her. “Colt’s on his way over there. He’ll check it out, and he’s going to call me.”
She nodded.
“Do you want a drink?”
“Yes, please. I think I need one.”
“Do you want a beer or something stronger?”
She smiled. “Beer’s plenty strong enough for me, thanks.”
He grabbed two from the fridge and handed one to her. “Do you want to sit out on the deck?”
“Yeah. I’d like that.”
Eddie didn’t know what to say to her as she sat there sipping her beer and staring out at the lake. She seemed lost in her thoughts. Much as he wanted to be there for her, he didn’t want to intrude. He took a drink of his beer and waited. She’d talk if she wanted to.
Eventually, she turned to look at him. The fear was gone from her eyes. Her whole demeanor was different. She looked determined. Strong. “I’m not going to let him push me around anymore. I don’t know for sure that it is him, but I almost hope it is. I’m going to divorce him, and him pulling a stunt like this can only help my case, can’t it?”
He nodded. He wasn’t exactly an expert on divorce law, but he had to believe that Guy breaking into her house—on top of what he’d done to her and Marcus in the past—would go against the asshole in court, and in any decisions regarding custody of the kid. Surely no judge would ever think it was okay to make the boy spend time with a man who’d hit him? “I think you have an awful lot of things in your favor.” He didn’t want to spell out what he meant. He didn’t need to.
She nodded and sighed. “I just hope there’s going to be enough. I want to get started on the divorce as soon as possible now.” She lifted her chin. “It’s not going to be easy, but I need to do it. For Marcus and for me.”
He put an arm around her shoulders. “You can do it. You’re strong, and I’m here for you.”
She smiled up at him. “You have no idea how much that means to me. I…” She hesitated, and he thought she’d changed her mind about whatever it was she’d been about to say, but she nodded to herself and continued. “I’ve never felt like I was important to anyone before. You make me feel lik
e I’m important to you.”
“That’s because you are.”
“And you’re important to me, too.” She smiled. “I don’t want you to feel any pressure, though. I can stand on my own two feet. I like feeling that you’re there for me, but I don’t need you to be.”
“I get that. You can do this all by yourself, but you don’t have to. You’ve got me, and you’ve got friends in this town. You’ve got a whole bunch of people who want to help you.”
“I know.” She smiled. “But can you understand that it’s time I helped myself? I don’t want to be blown on the wind anymore. I don’t want to be at the mercy of a bad guy, or reliant upon a good guy. I want to be in charge of my own fate.”
Eddie smiled back. “I do understand, and I admire…” His phone rang in his pocket, cutting off the words he’d been about to say.
April jumped. For all her talk about wanting to be strong, she looked scared again.
“Hey, Colt. What’s going on?”
“We checked the place out, but there was no one there.”
April was watching his face, so he put the phone on speaker as Colt continued.
“There were no signs of forced entry. Nothing appeared to have been taken, but there was something that I think had been left there.”
Eddie looked at April, wishing he hadn’t turned the speaker on. “I’ve got April with me; she’s listening in.”
“Okay.”
He knew Colt had understood. Eddie didn’t want him saying anything that would upset her.
“How about you bring her by the station in the morning? I’ve closed up the house, but I don’t want her going back there tonight. Can she stay with you?”
Eddie raised an eyebrow at April, and she nodded.
“What did you find?” she asked.
“It appears to be a message from your husband.”
“Oh.”
“I’m going to be back at the station in about ten minutes. You could come by now if you prefer.”
“Yes.” She sounded strong again. Resigned to facing whatever it was she had to face.
“We’ll see you there. Thanks, Colt,” said Eddie. He hung up and looked at April. “Are you sure?”
“I’m absolutely sure. I won’t be able to sleep until I know what’s going on. I’d sooner get it over with than spend the night worrying and wondering.”
“Okay, then. Let’s go.” Eddie was glad he hadn’t had anything stronger than a beer as they got into his car, but he could certainly use a shot of something. He had no clue what Colt was going to show them, but he was pretty damned sure that neither April nor he was going to like it.
~ ~ ~
April felt strangely calm as they rode through town toward the police station. She’d gone through fear and panic and now, it seemed, she was out the other side. What could Guy do to her anymore? He could try to get Marcus, but she wouldn’t allow it. There was just no way on God’s earth she would allow that man to be near her son ever again. She’d take him and run if she had to.
Eddie looked across at her when he brought the car to a stop in the parking lot of the police station. “Are you ready?”
She nodded. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”
“Eddie.” The tall, dark, ridiculously good-looking cop greeted them with a grim smile. “And you must be April?”
She nodded and shook hands with him. “Thanks for going into the house for me.”
“That’s okay. Eddie did the right thing in giving me a call. Nothing seems to have been taken, but as I said on the phone, something had been left behind. Come through to my office.”
They followed him, and he gestured to the two chairs facing the desk. He perched on the edge of it and held out a large manila envelope. “This was on the kitchen table.”
April took it with trembling hands.
“And this.” Colt held up a piece of paper. “Was with it.”
April stared at it. The writing was in large bold red ink. It made her feel as though it was written in blood.
Sign this and you and the boy will be fine.
If you don’t…
She stared at it for a long time and then pulled out the contents of the envelope. They were divorce papers! He was divorcing her! She laughed, it sounded a little hysterical even to her, and from the way Eddie and Colt looked at her, they thought so, too!
She waved the papers at them. “He served me with divorce papers!” It couldn’t really be that easy could it?
“You should look them over,” said Colt.
April flicked through the pages, and it started to make sense. Guy wanted her to sign away her share in any and all marital property. He would grant her full and sole custody—as long as she didn’t request any alimony or child support. She looked up at Eddie. “I’m fine with this!”
Of course, poor Eddie didn’t know what it said. Colt looked at him. “He’s asking her to sign away any and all financial claims she might have.”
Eddie raised an eyebrow.
April smiled at him. This was wonderful! Guy thought he was screwing her over, but she didn’t care. She’d get what she wanted most. Her freedom. She didn’t want a damned thing from Guy other than that. She wanted him to leave her and Marcus alone. That was all.
“What about Marcus?” asked Eddie.
“He won’t fight for custody or even visitation.”
“As long as she doesn’t ask for child support,” said Colt.
“I won’t!” She smiled at Eddie. “I’m going to stand on my own two feet. I can take care of myself and Marcus. I don’t want a penny from him!”
“So everything’s okay?”
“It couldn’t be better.”
Colt shook his head. “That doesn’t seem right to me.”
“It does to me. If you knew, if you understood what we’ve been through at his hands…” She didn’t know how to finish.
Colt finished for her. “I think I’d want to make him pay. In every sense.”
She stared at him for a long moment. “It’s not worth it. Not to me.”
“And what about for your son?”
April looked down at the papers again. Guy had listed his assets and wanted her to initial by each of them that she relinquished any claim to them, for herself and for Marcus. She looked back up at Colt.
“That has to be millions of dollars’ worth of future that your kid’s not going to have.”
She hadn’t thought about it like that. She shook her head. Marcus wouldn’t want it either. They’d both rather have the peace of mind that Guy would leave them alone. “You don’t understand.”
“You’re right. I don’t. Would you do me a favor and think long and hard before you sign those? I’d hate for you to get screwed over, just because you’re too scared to fight for what’s right.”
That stung! She was doing what was right. And it wasn’t out of fear. Was it?
Chapter Eleven
April was quiet on the way back to his place. Eddie let her think. She had an awful lot to think about. It was obvious Colt’s words had blindsided her. They’d had the same effect on Eddie; of course, not to the same extent. He’d been feeling relieved. Thinking that her bastard of an ex hadn’t managed to get one over on her after all. She didn’t want his money. She didn’t need it. She was free.
Was Colt right? Would she be screwing Marcus over if she agreed? Should she be standing up and fighting for what was rightfully hers and Marcus’s? It had Eddie’s head spinning, so Lord alone knew how April must be feeling. He figured she needed the time with her thoughts. She’d have to answer her own questions, not be bothered with his.
She smiled as they got out of the car. “Thanks, Eddie. Whatever I said earlier about not needing help. I’m so glad you’re here.” She looked up at his house. “Or that I’m here, with you. That I’m not by myself tonight.”
He put an arm around her shoulders as they walked up the steps to the front door. “So am I. You shouldn’t have to go through this by yourself. Co
me on in. I’ll make up the spare bed for you.”
She shook her head. “You don’t need to do that. Please don’t.”
“No way are you going back to your house tonight.”
“I know.” She gave him a little smile. “I was hoping I could sleep with you.”
He sucked in a deep breath, then nodded as he slowly let it out. He could do that. He could be there for her. He could hold her and not leave her to stare at the ceiling by herself. He could keep a rein on his desire for her. He held out a hand and led her into the house and through to the bedroom.
He let her use the bathroom first and hoped that she’d be in bed and all covered up by the time he came out of there. Disappointment mixed with relief when he saw that she was. Even with just her face on view, she made him ache for her. He could make out the shape of her body under the covers. Damn! He’d better get under them himself. He was only wearing his briefs and his need for her would be pretty apparent if she happened to look that way.
He climbed under the covers and lay as close to the edge of the bed as he could. He didn’t dare go near her.
She turned her head and smiled. Damn, she was beautiful! She looked lost and confused, the pain in her eyes made him man up. He slid to the middle and held his arm out to her. She snuggled against him, making him close his eyes and grit his teeth. He could do this. She felt so good in his arms. He understood now why women bitched about men being unfeeling bastards who only cared about sex. Here she was in all kinds of turmoil; he wanted to be there for her, to help her through in her hour of need and his damned cock was standing to attention, so much so that there wasn’t just a tent in the sheets, it was a full-blown marquis! He needed to turn on his side before she noticed, but he couldn’t turn away from her—and if he turned toward her there was no way she could miss what was going on.
Her little hand came up to stroke his chest. What was he supposed to do? “Are you okay?”
He nodded. “Are you?”
“I’m going to be. I think my mind has worn itself out. I can feel my eyes closing.”
Thank God for that! “You get some sleep.”
