Rich needed to not be home so I could make a clean getaway.
Driving to my house was nerve-racking, to say the least. Paul let me sit in the front while Gabe drove. The SUV was silent as I stared out the window, my heart pounding with each mile we got closer. I didn’t want to go back—I didn’t want to see Rich again. I wanted to wait and let the court or our attorneys decide how to divide everything up. Once the boys mentioned Rich could destroy my things, it made me realize he could hurt me further by ripping up my childhood memories.
Rich was like a ticking time bomb. Whenever I did something to piss him off, he’d explode out of nowhere. I had never recalled a situation where I knew I fucked up and deserved to be yelled at—except for leaving him.
“It’s going to be okay, angel.” Gabe grabbed my hand, lacing our fingers and held it while he drove.
I continued to stare out the passenger side window, not saying anything until we pulled into my driveway. “You’re not going to leave my side, right?” I looked at Gabe before we all opened our doors.
“Of course not,” he replied.
“I won’t either, Auttie.” Paul reached forward and squeezed my shoulder. I didn’t know what made these two men move from L.A. to Vegas, but I was grateful. Maybe it was perfect timing … or fate.
Reaching into my purse, I grabbed my keys and nodded. We opened the car doors and after stepping out of the SUV, we began walking up the stone path to the front door. With each step, my heart thumped. It was as if it stilled because I had no blood pumping until I took a step. I was certain it wasn’t beating the normal sixty to eighty beats per minute.
Before we stepped up to the door, Gabe reached out and took the keys from my hand. I hesitated before releasing my grasp on them. “Let’s just leave,” I suggested, looking into my reflection of Gabe’s sunglasses.
“We’re here already. I’ll go in first and see if Rich is in there. Paul can stay with you.”
I nodded and Gabe unlocked the door while I stood, looking out at the street every two seconds thinking Rich would pull up at any minute. Paul draped his arm over my shoulder and pulled me to him, making me feel as though he were my shield. Gabe walked inside and every second that passed felt as if it took hours.
Finally, Gabe came out and told us that Rich wasn’t there. When we entered, all the tables from the party were still set up, empty glasses sat scattered around and everything looked intact until I entered my bedroom to grab some of my clothes.
Gabe grabbed my hand, halting me before I rounded the corner to go to my room. “Your room doesn’t look like the rest of the house.”
I turned my head toward him. “What?”
“It’s not pretty.”
I nodded, preparing myself for the worst and after he let go of my hand, I continued to my room only to stop mid-stride when I saw clothes scattered in the entryway. I gasped and covered my mouth as I stepped in further. There was a hole in the wall, my cell phone lay on the floor, shattered into pieces as if Rich threw it against the wall. The lamps on each nightstand were knocked over and onto the floor, their lamps shades smashed and each light bulbs crushed.
Every drawer in the nightstands and dressers were thrown, the clothes were strewn around the room. Everything I had on top of the nightstands, the dressers and on the en-suite bathroom counters were on the floor. Most of the stuff broken, the glass from the picture frames and my perfume bottles.
And lastly as I walked into the closet, I stopped, avoiding stepping on all my clothes that were tossed from their hangers. I turned, ready to head back and to the guest bedroom to see what Rich had done in that room. Instead, the moment my gaze met Gabe’s, I froze, a lump forming in my throat.
“It’s only material things, angel. Everything can be replaced,” he reminded me, stepping toward me and catching me as I crumpled to the floor, tears running down my cheeks.
I tried to speak—to tell him I understood, but everything I’d once used or thought was pretty was now destroyed, and it was all because of my hasty decision to fly.
“It’s going to be okay,” he cooed, running his hand down my back and bringing me closer to him until there was no space for air to seep through between us. “I know you want to stay here on the floor and cry … I get it. But since Major Dick isn’t here right now, we should get what is salvageable and get out before he comes back.”
He held my head to his chest as my body shook and tears continued to stream down my face. Sniffling, I finally stood.
Paul walked in a second later. “All the other rooms look okay, Auttie. I found these bags,” he lifted a few duffle bags and a piece of luggage, “in the garage. There’s also only one car in there. I’m assuming it’s yours?”
I nodded, assuming the same, and turned back toward my closet. Gabe followed and we picked up all the pieces of clothing and stuffed them in the bags. I didn’t have time to see if they were ruined; I’d do that once I was back at Gabe’s.
“Can you fill those up with all the clothes that will fit? I’m going to go to the spare bedroom. There are a few boxes in there with my albums and stuff.”
They both agreed and I left the room. Grabbing a chair, I stood on it and reached for the boxes on the top of the closet.
“Why don’t you get your boyfriend to help you with those boxes, princess? Or is he not man enough to help you with the heavy stuff?”
I stilled at the words that rolled off the tongue of the man I didn’t want to see.
Before I could turn around, I heard Gabe say, “I’m assuming you’re talking about me, asshole?”
Rich was leaning against the doorframe, his arms crossed over his chest. He turned when I did as Gabe came up behind him.
“Tell me, Captain, did you think stealing my wife would somehow destroy me?”
My body tensed as I waited for Gabe to answer. I felt like a giant as I looked down on them from the chair I was standing on. My heart started to race as I looked on and my palms became sweaty. I wanted this to be a dream—to wake up in Gabe’s bed again and stay there until I met with an attorney.
“I can’t steal something that doesn’t want to be with you any longer,” Gabe barked.
Rich chuckled, still leaning on the wall. “Did you seek her out to get to me?”
“What?” Gabe asked, jerking his head slightly back in shock.
“You can’t tell me it’s a coincidence you two know each other and you’re helping her?” Rich pointed his thumb toward me.
Gabe chuckled. “You’re so full of yourself, even after all these years.”
“You always wanted to get me discharged.”
“This has nothing to do with the army, asshole. This has to do with Autumn!” Gabe snapped.
“And what about you, Lieutenant?” Rich asked Paul.
“I don’t have to tell you shit,” he hissed.
Paul stepped forward next to Gabe. I hadn’t seen him until he did so. Then I saw Remo come around the corner and take a step too. I felt like I was trapped in the room. The only exit was the doorway that all four men stood in.
Rich snickered and turned his gaze back to Gabe. “I’ve been waiting for the day to fuck up your world.”
Gabe stepped closer, getting in Rich’s face. “My world? Your wife is leaving you.”
Rich laughed again and looked over at me, pointing his thumb in my direction and said, “Her? I don’t give a shit about her. There’ll be others.”
It felt as if time stood still as I tried to process what Rich had said.
Gabe grabbed Rich’s T-shirt with one hand and stepped even closer, noses almost touching. “What the fuck does that mean?”
Rich shoved Gabe back a step. “You should know me by now, Captain. All my moves are calculated.”
Gabe shot his gaze toward me and I stared back, unable to say anything. “Enlighten us, Major,” Gabe hissed.
“Fuck off,” Rich spat.
“Then tell me!” I yelled. All heads turned in my direction.
“W
hy should I tell you anything, cunt?”
I sucked in a breath as Gabe grabbed Rich’s shirt again. Paul blocked Remo with his entire body the best he could and Gabe yelled, “Don’t fucking call her that, asshole.”
“I can call my wife whatever the fuck I want and I suggest you let go of me before my man here takes action.” Rich nodded in Remo’s direction.
“I’m not scared of either one of you.”
Rich snickered again and Remo went to take a step to move around Paul toward Gabe, but Paul wouldn’t let him pass. I stepped off the chair and begged for Rich to tell me what was going on. “Just tell me what you mean. If I’m replaceable, why are you even fighting us?”
“Because!” Rich yelled, snapping his head toward me. “It takes time to make the plan work. It’s been four years with your ass and you’re still giving me a hard time.”
“What plan?” I pleaded, a tear rolling down my cheek.
“You think your tears are going to work? I don’t love you, princess.” Rich shrugged out of Gabe’s grasp and Remo went to step around Paul again, but he blocked him.
“Then let me get my things and I’ll leave you,” I sobbed.
“That’s not going to work for me. See … you’re part of the plan. I need a wife to win votes, and I’ll be damned if I’m going to let your training go to waste.”
“If you think I’m going to let her stay here, you have another thing coming,” Gabe growled.
“Try something. See what happens when Remo knocks you out. You two assholes will be brought out to the desert and you’ll never see her again.”
“No!” I gasped, covering my mouth. This couldn’t be happening. This wasn’t the plan—my plan. Gabe was sent to protect me. He promised.
Gabe’s gaze landed on me again, and as he spoke, he backed up and never looked away. “All right, let’s go. Let me see what Major Dick has to offer,” he hissed, beckoning for Rich throw the first punch.
I saw Rich’s mouth curve, and before I knew it, Gabe landed a punch on Remo’s jaw, sending him back a step. I didn’t think anyone was expecting it. I jumped at the sudden movement and it felt as if my lungs collapsed and I couldn’t breathe. This was all my fault.
As Remo tried to gain his balance from Gabe’s unexpected blow, Paul rammed him, sending him to the floor. Rich rushed toward me, grabbing me by the hair and bringing his arm across my neck. I grabbed his forearm with both hands, trying to breathe as he tightened his hold.
Paul’s gaze darted to me and he ran, ramming into Rich’s side, and sending us slamming into the wall. Rich’s grip loosened at the contact and as hard as I could, I elbowed him in the stomach. He hunched over, trying to catch his breath as Paul punched him in the face.
The room felt as if it were getting smaller. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t cry. Four men fought, each of them with a different agenda. Gabe was dodging Remo’s punches, blood seeping from his lip as if Remo had landed one, though Remo looked worse as blood trickled from his nose and cheek.
I was certain they wouldn’t stop until someone was dead.
I ran through the doorway, dodging Gabe and Remo, who were spinning around. I expected Remo to attack me, but Gabe landed another punch on Remo’s face. Running as fast as I could, I opened the passenger side door of Gabe’s SUV and reached for my purse. Pulling the gun from its sleeve and setting it on the seat, I started to look in the console for anything that could give me the upper hand. I didn’t know what I was looking for. I had a gun I’d only used once and I was scared I’d miss.
There was nothing in the console. Then I opened the glove compartment and saw the gun Gabe bought. After grabbing both guns, I ran back into the house.
“Stop!” I shouted, but no one did. “Stop!” I repeated. Still nothing. “Stop!” I yelled once more and cocked one of the guns. Nothing. I cocked the other. At the sound of the gun being cocked, they all stopped and looked at me. I pointed one of the guns at Rich and the other at Remo. “I said stop!” I barked.
“Angel…”
“What are you doing, princess?” Rich asked, narrowing his eyes.
All four men were heaving, trying to catch their breath as I stood fuming, my arms shaking with adrenaline. “Don’t call me that!” I snapped, glaring at Rich.
I saw Gabe and Paul out of the corner of my eye, slowly starting to walk toward me. My gaze met theirs briefly, and then darted between Rich and Remo.
“Give me one of the guns,” Gabe whispered.
I shook my head, not wanting to give Rich or Remo a chance to act.
“Okay … I’m going to take it. Just keep looking at these assholes.” He reached out slowly, taking the gun from me, my gaze never leaving the other two men.
“Give the other gun to Paul,” Gabe whispered.
Paul reached out and did the same thing Gabe did to get the gun. My hands dropped to my sides and I waited for more instructions. For a split second, I felt in charge. I wasn’t going to shoot anyone. I just wanted them to stop fighting and let me leave. If Rich never loved me like he said …
“You never loved me?” I asked as I remembered what he’d said.
Rich laughed and wiped a drop of blood from his lip. “I loved how you let me fuck you whenever I wanted.”
Gabe growled next to me and my teeth clenched at the hateful words.
“So from day one you came up with this master plan?”
Rich rolled his eyes and laughed.
“Answer her!” Gabe spat, moving the gun a little as if to remind Rich he was held at gunpoint.
I saw the slight change in Rich’s face before he spoke. Before he laughed as if this were a game, but maybe there was something in Gabe’s tone told Rich that he wasn’t playing around. I just wanted answers, to get my shit and leave.
“Yes. When I saw you at the bank the first day, I knew you were the perfect woman to be my trophy wife.” He paused and I looked down at the floor trying to process how my life was apparently a sham. “I made you fall in love with me, making sure I did everything women wanted out of a man.”
I lifted my gaze back up to his. “Why did you become controlling after and not stay sweet? If you had, I would have stayed with you forever. I loved you.”
“I thought you were weak—too weak to ever leave me.”
“Why not find someone who you could actually fall in love with?”
He chuckled. “When you have power and money, you get all the pussy you want. I didn’t need love.”
I nodded, feeling as if I gotten all the answers I needed. I didn’t want to break down and cry and show Rich how much he was hurting me. The last four years of my life were a lie. I didn’t need to ask him if he was cheating on me the entire time. He obviously was.
Gabe and Paul continued to point the guns at them as I went to the closet and retrieved the two boxes I wanted. They weren’t heavy and if they were, I’d still load them into Gabe’s car myself. I didn’t want Rich or Remo to do anything. I wanted out.
Walking passed Rich with the last box in my hands, I stopped and stared him in the eyes. “You’re an asshole,” I hissed.
“I’ve been called worse, princess.” He grinned.
Narrowing my eyes and without hesitation, I kicked him in the balls.
“You bitch!” he groaned, doubling over.
I didn’t respond. Instead, I walked outside and put the last box into Gabe’s SUV. They walked backward until they got to the front door and I heard Gabe warn, “Just let us leave and this doesn’t have to go any further.”
“Whatever,” Rich replied.
I was going to find an attorney and fast because I was determined to take him for every penny he had. We’d see how much pussy he could get when he was broke and bunking with his man Remo.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Gabe
As we drove away from Autumn’s house, my heart rate returned to normal. When she came back into the house with the guns, I became nervous. I wasn’t uneasy as I fought off Remo
—he was slow like I’d thought. What made me tense was Autumn having two guns in her hands and the possibly of hurting herself. She’d told me before that she’d only been to the range once. There was no way she’d be able to aim both guns and hit Major Dick and Remo if something were to happen. Using one gun with little experience was bad enough.
I’d expected Rich to follow us. Instead, as I looked in the rearview mirror, there were no cars behind us. I hadn’t realized that Autumn had her gun with her nor that she’d find the one I put in the glove compartment. I was prepared to knock both Major Dick and Remo out and then leave with her stuff. I was certain I could take Remo. Yeah, he was big, but one cheap shot in the nuts and a right hook and he would have been out.
I was hoping that was the case because I really wanted to kick Major Dick’s ass. Autumn went all Lara Croft on us instead and now Jackson sat silent in the backseat, I was silent and Autumn was silent, each of us probably thinking how crazy the situation was.
“You okay, angel?” I asked, reaching for her hand.
She only nodded, not saying anything and not looking away from the side window. She let me lace our fingers and I couldn’t wait to be home and wrap her in my arms. Major Dick was a complete asshole and said things that shocked me. I couldn’t imagine what was going through her head and I had no idea how she wasn’t crying or at least yelling. I’d be yelling, hitting shit … probably would have shot him in the nuts instead of kicked him.
We drove in silence until we arrived at my house. Jackson and I grabbed Autumn’s stuff while she went to her room and closed the door.
“Should I go in there?” I asked Jackson as we set her stuff down in the living room.
He shook his head. “Just give her time.”
“Right.” I nodded.
We sat on the couch, both of us with our heads back. I was replaying everything over and over in my head. The moment I heard Major Dick’s voice when I was packing Autumn’s clothes, I became angry. And for him to accuse me of seeking out his wife to get to him was downright idiotic.
Angels & Whiskey Page 19
