Behind me, Darren shrieks and struggles to get to his feet.
I cringe at Darren’s screams and Gambler’s growls.
I turn as he lashes out, kicking Gambler in the shoulder.
“No!” But my cry is useless. Gambler barely notices the kick and instead latches onto Darren’s ankle.
Darren screams and drags himself toward my closet door. He shakes Gambler off and as the dog goes back for another bite, Darren makes it into the closet.
My closet door thumps shut. Gambler hits it with his front paws. Furiously he scratches at the wood, eager for another chunk of the man on the other side.
“Good boy,” I wheeze out. “Come here.” I clap my hands, but the dog ignores me.
Instead, he sits in front of the door and whines.
“Never mind. You stay there while I call 911.”
“I’m going to fucking kill you, bitch!” Darren yells.
“Come and get me,” I shout back, feeling wildly out of control. “Oh, wait you can’t. Gambler’s waiting right outside the door.”
“He bit me!” Darren shouts, indignation coloring his words.
Maybe Darren’s right and I’m a bitch, but damn if I’m not grinning ear to ear.
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
Strike back is almost back to normal.
“Pass me a new roller,” Liam asks, holding out his hand.
“What the fuck are you doing that you’re going through them so fast?” Keegan wings one across the room.
“Hey!” Jake yells. “Stop throwing shit.”
“No, just a roller,” Keegan jokes. Then he throws one of the fluffy paint rolls at Jake’s head.
“Aren’t you happy we came by to help?” Liam asks with a big grin.
“Yeah, it’s a real treat,” I grumble and check the time.
“What’s wrong now?” Jake asks, clapping me on the back.
“Just thinking of stopping to see Aubrey.”
He rolls his eyes. “You’re like a desperate teenager, bro. Let the poor girl have a night hanging out with her sister.”
“Sully,” Brady calls from the currently empty weight room. “Come look at this.”
While I’m on my way over, his police radio crackles. I only catch the last number of the code the dispatcher gives. “—Nine at 33 Calloway Gardens, Apartment B.”
“Shit, that’s Aubrey’s address.” I’m already reversing direction before I finish the sentence.
“Sully!” Brady calls after me. “I’m on it.”
“What’s going on?” Jake asks.
“Aubrey.”
Brady’s radio crackles again, but I’m already headed out the back door.
I tear out of the parking lot with Brady on my tail, lights and sirens filling the air.
The road’s empty and he passes me.
It’s a short drive and I almost flip the Jeep making the turn into her apartment complex.
I’m behind Brady, pounding up the stairs and vaguely aware people are standing around the courtyard watching the drama unfold.
More sirens in the distance.
Aubrey’s door flies open before Brady even bangs on it. Her jaw drops.
“An officer’s here. Thank you,” she says into the phone.
“Aubrey.”
“Oh my God.” She throws herself at me. “What’re you doing here?”
“Reunion can wait. What’s going on?” Brady asks.
“Darren broke in. Attacked me. Gambler has him cornered in the closet.” She shivers and I hug her tighter.
Brady meets my eyes and raises an eyebrow. “Who’s Gambler?”
She points to the door across the hall. “My neighbor’s dog. He was barking like crazy when I got here, so I brought him over until Ty got home.”
“What kind of dog?” Brady’s hand grazes the can of mace at his hip.
“He’s a pit bull, but he’s very friendly.”
Brady grumbles something and heads toward the bedroom.
“Wait!” Aubrey yells. She turns in my arms, frantic. “I don’t want them to hurt Gambler. He’s done nothing but protect me.”
“He won’t,” I assure her. “Brady knows how to handle dogs.”
“Let go.” She squirms out of my hold. “I’ll grab his leash and take him out of the bedroom.”
Brady holds up his hand. “I can’t have you getting hurt. Stay with Sully.”
An outraged snort is all the warning she gives before ducking past Brady. He shakes his head but doesn’t attempt to hold her back.
She shoves the door open and claps her hands. “Gambler. Come on, boy. It’s safe now.”
A few seconds later she returns with Gambler wiggling and trotting next to her. “Good boy,” she keeps repeating.
She sits in the far corner of the couch. Gambler puts his head in her lap, happily wagging his tail while she pets him.
I’m torn between going to her or punching this motherfucker in the face when Brady finally drags him out.
Brady seems to sense my dilemma. “Wait here.”
Aubrey entire body trembles and I shrug off my hoody, wrapping it around her shoulders.
“I’m fine, Sully.”
Fine my ass. I crush my mouth against her lips. Her fingers cling to my shirt, keeping me close while she whispers some of what happened. “He…he wanted to take me with him.”
“I’m so sorry.” I press my forehead against hers. “I never should’ve let you out of my sight.”
“I can’t live like that,” she protests.
She could’ve been seriously hurt. Or that asshole could’ve taken her with him to God knows where.
I wrap my arms around her tighter, assuring myself that she’s safe.
“Get off her!” someone roars behind me.
Oh, fuck yes. Bring it on.
Aubrey reels back, eyes wide and focused on something beyond my shoulder. I turn to face the man who’s responsible for ruining so much of Aubrey’s life.
No time to plan a method of attack. Instinct takes over. I push Aubrey behind me and catch Darren with a hard left hook.
It’s almost comical how fast he hits the ground. Granted, he’s handcuffed, but hey, he came at me.
“Sully!” Brady shouts.
Darren grunts and plows his foot into my stomach.
“Back off,” I growl at Brady.
I grab Darren by his neck and haul him to his feet. “Contact her or come near her again and it’ll be your last mistake.”
“All right, Sully,” Brady says in the same tone he used with the angry pit bull a few seconds ago. “I got this. Take care of your girl.”
“If you got it, why’d he come charging at me?”
Darren stupidly opens his mouth. “She’s not his girl.” He glares at me. “You’re not good enough for her. She’s mine. She’ll always be mine.”
“You don’t listen very well, motherfucker.” I land a quick jab to his throat that finally shuts him up. It also closes off his air supply and he collapses in a fit of coughs and sputters.
“Oops.” I give Brady an unapologetic smile.
“Dammit, Sully,” Brady says with a smirk. “Now I have to fill out a report.”
“Make sure you use my full name.” I protected my girl and I won’t regret that.
Brady gives me a lopsided grin. “Clumsy asshole tripped on the stairs. Happens all the time.”
Behind him, another deputy sheriff laughs. “Bet he bangs into the car roof too.”
“Damn, you really are clumsy.” Brady snickers. “Maybe the jail infirmary can check that out for you.” He hauls Darren to his feet. The coward’s still wheezing and the two officers drag him out the door.
“Sully,” Aubrey whispers behind me. My eyes close for a brief second. I hate that I exposed her to more violence, even if it was fast and justified.
One of her soft hands presses between my shoulder blades and a calmness washes over me. “Are you okay?” I ask as I turn around.
She throws her a
rms around my neck and buries her face against my chest. “Thank you.”
“For?”
She shakes her head and burrows tighter against me.
“Paramedics are here,” Liam says from behind me.
I lift my head. “Where’d you come from?”
“Are you kidding? We were right behind you guys.”
I glance out the door and Keegan waves at me.
“Thanks.”
Gambler rubs his head against my leg.
“It’s okay, boy. They have him,” Aubrey says, trying to soothe him and probably herself.
A spot of dried blood on her neck catches my attention. “Jesus, did he cut you?”
Her eyes are glassy and unfocused. “I think so,” she whispers.
“I’ll get someone for her,” Liam says. He points my way. “You stay put.”
“Aubrey! Oh my God. What the hell?” Celia shouts from the hallway. Liam leads her inside and she rushes to her sister, hugging her tight.
Gambler nudges the sisters with his nose and whaps his tail against the couch, demanding acknowledgment of his heroics.
Tears run down Celia’s cheeks and she hugs Aubrey again. “Did he hurt you?”
“I’m fine.” Her gaze lands on me and she finally smiles. “I used that heel-strike sidekick we practiced. It’s pretty effective.”
Relief, pride, terror and so much love for this woman all tumble through me at once. “Good job.”
Celia sobs and then shifts, yanking me into a hug. “Thank you.”
I awkwardly pat her back. “Aubrey’s the one who did it.”
Aubrey leans forward and taps her sister. “That’s enough gratitude. Get off my man.”
Celia releases me and shoves Aubrey. “I almost had a heart attack when I saw all the cop cars downstairs.”
The paramedics show up and treat Aubrey’s cut. She refuses to go to the hospital and after filling out all their paperwork, they finally leave.
People will clomp in and out of their place all night.
“Come on. You two are staying with me.”
CHAPTER FORTY
Somehow my mother’s heard everything by the time the girls and I arrive at my house. She insists on making dinner, but Aubrey’s dead on her feet, so I tuck her in before wandering into the kitchen.
“Is she okay?” Celia asks, biting her lip. “I should check—”
“She’s asleep. Let her rest.” I place a hand on her shoulder and steer her into a dining room chair. “You too.”
“I’m way too wound up to rest.” Brittle laughter flows out of her mouth. “I can’t believe this.” She blinks up at me. “Did she…tell you the whole thing?”
I cast a glance in my mother’s direction. She’s busy pretending not to listen to our conversation. She’d been pretty upset when the gym was vandalized. Not that she blamed Aubrey, but I don’t feel like opening the door to her voicing any doubts about our relationship. Especially with Celia here.
After dinner, Celia’s phone beeps. “I need to run back to the apartment.”
Torn, I stand. I don’t want her to go alone, but I don’t want to leave Aubrey. She seems to sense my hesitation. “Darren’s in jail. I’ll be fine.”
My mother’s unusually quiet after Celia leaves.
“Thanks for making dinner,” I say, giving her a one-armed hug.
“Of course.” She braces her hands on the counter and shakes her head. “Sullivan—”
“Ma,” I warn in my don’t start voice, because I can already tell I won’t like whatever she has on her mind.
“Have you thought this through?”
“Thought what through?”
She blows out a frustrated breath and turns to face me. “I could see Jake dating her. But you have Madison to worry about. You can’t have some woman bringing psychopaths into your life.”
Deep breath. She doesn’t mean it. She’s worried about me.
“So I should abandon her when she’s having a rough time? Seems unfair. That’s not the kind of man you raised me to be.” The words come out a whole lot calmer than I’m feeling. “I’m surprised at you, Mom,” I say in a low voice.
“Don’t throw that in my face,” she warns.
“I’m not. Yet.”
“Sullivan.” She blinks and stares at the ceiling for a few seconds before speaking. “Did you blame me for what happened with Jacob Senior?”
“Yeah,” I answer honestly, “Sometimes. I wondered why you didn’t leave him sooner.”
“I never should’ve married him.”
No kidding. I force a smile. “Yeah, but then we wouldn’t have Jake.”
“Thank God he turned out nothing like his father,” she mutters.
“He’s trouble of a different nature for the ladies.”
She scowls. “That’s not funny.”
I take her hand, forcing her to look at me. “What’s going on?”
“I’m worried your childhood…that I gave you some white knight complex that will get you killed one day.”
When I stop laughing, I pin her with a stern look. “No white knight complex, Ma.”
“Bullshit,” she says.
“Well, I didn’t even know about this guy.”
“That’s another problem, don’t you think? She should’ve warned you.” She throws her hands in the air. “This is worse than what Lauren did.”
“Stop right there. This is not even in the same neighborhood of what Lauren did. She kept my daughter from me for years, Ma. Years. Aubrey had no idea any of this would happen. She was embarrassed to tell me about something that happened when she was a teenager.”
Her eyes snap to mine. “Teenager? I thought it was an ex-boyfriend?”
“He is, but she was fifteen and he was her teacher.”
“Oh my.” She presses her hand to her chest and takes a step back.
I wait, watching her closely. One of the ugly truths I’ve learned in all the self-defense classes I’ve taught at shelters and other programs is how judgmental women can be of other women in situations similar to their own. I don’t expect that from my mother, but honestly, I wasn’t expecting this reaction from her at all.
“Where were her parents?”
“Good question.”
“I—”
“It was a dark time in her life where the people who should’ve protected her didn’t. She’s worked hard to put her life back together.”
“You’ve worked hard too, Sullivan. Worked hard for everything you have. You can’t—”
“Stop.” I’m close to done with this conversation. My jaw tightens as I fight to remain calm. I don’t think I’ve ever been so pissed with my mother before. “She couldn’t know any of this would happen. Everyone has a past. She didn’t blow me off when I told her I had a daughter. Didn’t flinch when I told her I killed my stepfather—”
“Sullivan! You didn’t.”
“Why shouldn’t I? It’s part of my past.”
“But it’s my past too.”
Completely at a loss, I pinch the bridge of my nose.
“I never should’ve let them put you in that detention center,” she whispers.
Ah, now we’re getting somewhere. We’ve never really talked about it. When I was released, I came home and everyone acted as if I’d been away at summer camp. “What was a better alternative? You going to prison, so Jake and I could muddle our way through foster care? Thanks, but I did just fine.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize for—”
“I am sorry. For all of it. I should have protected both of you better.”
I wave off the apology. “I don’t think Jake even remembers half of it.”
“No, you took the worst of it trying to protect me and that never should’ve happened. That wasn’t your job.” She sighs and peers up at me. “You love Aubrey?”
“Yes.”
“Trust her?
“Yes, Ma.”
“Then I’m sorry I questioned her.
” Her hand strays to the pendant around her neck, twisting it back and forth. She blows out a long breath. “Ever since…I’ve just wanted to protect you and make up for all the awful—”
“You don’t have anything to make up for. You’re a good mother. Always have been.” I wobble my hand back and forth. “A little too up in our business sometimes, but good.”
She pushes my hand away and wrinkles her nose. “Fifteen, huh? Why is he even out of prison?”
I wake up disoriented with a pounding headache.
Sully’s room.
It all comes back to me in a rush.
Well, that explains the headache.
My stomach growls and I flip the covers off and go search for Sully.
I stop short in the hallway when I hear his mother’s low voice, simmering with anger.
“That’s another problem, don’t you think? She should’ve warned you. This is worse than what Lauren did.”
Ouch. That’s harsh.
Sully defends me. But cold doubt swirls in my stomach. Am I bad for him?
As quietly as possible, I retreat to his room and grab my cell phone. Sitting on the bed, I flip through my contacts, my finger hovering over Bree’s number. Maybe I should go stay with her and Liam instead of staying here and causing more trouble for Sully.
He’s close to his mom and I shouldn’t cause friction between them.
I spend a painfully long amount of time staring at my phone.
No. Fuck that.
I toss my phone on the nightstand and march back down the hallway prepared to tell Mrs. Wallace how much I love her son.
But by the time I arrive, she seems a little more on my side.
“Hey.” I lean against the wall just inside the kitchen and offer a weak wave hello. “Hi, Mrs. Wallace.”
To my surprise, she comes over and envelopes me in a warm, motherly hug. “Are you okay, honey?” she asks.
I can’t keep up with this woman. Pulling, back, I nod, searching her face for some sign this is an act. But her eyes shine with affection. “I hope you’re not upset, but Sullivan explained…a little to me.”
“No, that’s okay,” I whisper. My gaze shoots to Sully and he gives me a tight nod.