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I pulled back, studying the asshole as he fought to stand. “But you are, Jessie. Get out of here,” I told the guy.
“Who the fuck do you think you are?” James snarled as he took two long strides forward.
The moment he reached for Jessie once again, I kicked him hard in the gut, storming inside a split second later. With the bat in my hand, I returned to the porch, showing him I knew exactly what I was doing by raising it over my shoulder like a baseball player would do. “Someone who won’t allow Jessie to be hurt by scum.”
“Well, I’m Brittany’s father. I have every right to be here.” The jerk continued to huff and puff and I could swear the man was on drugs by the crazed look in his eyes.
“No, you don’t, James. I already told you that you’re not welcome here. Go away.” Jessie’s voice was shakier than I’d heard up to this point.
When he didn’t budge, I took another step closer, squeezing my hands on the bat in hopes of giving him the idea he wasn’t going to win this battle.
He glared at me for a full twenty seconds before backing toward his truck. Once at the door, he stopped and pointed his finger. “You’re not getting away with this, you little bitch. I will destroy you.”
Jessie remained behind me as he jumped onto the driver’s seat, starting then revving the engine. When he backed up, he did so with enough force the tires squealed, gravel dust flying from underneath them.
As she moved closer, I instinctively wrapped one arm around her waist, glad to see she didn’t try to pull away. The closeness wasn’t about anything but protection, something that up until now had been foreign to me. When the son of a bitch was finally out of sight, I pulled away, easing the bat to the deck boards as I turned toward her.
“You want to tell me what that’s about?”
She took a deep breath, the sound rattled. “James Jenson was a huge mistake in my life, one I paid the price for.”
“So, he is Britta’s father?”
After looking away briefly, she lifted her head, her eyes locked on mine. “He’s more of a sperm donor than anything. Once he found out I was pregnant, he shoved me aside, which was fine given the bastard was so abusive. He hasn’t paid a dime of child support. He’s never met Britta but suddenly, he wants to see her now after all these years? I won’t let him. I can’t do this. I can’t live through the nightmare again.”
I bristled instantly, throwing a look over my shoulder to ensure the fucker hadn’t decided to turn around. With what I knew about abusive men, I had no doubt James would return, taunting her before exploding in violence. That wasn’t going to happen.
“I’m not going to allow him to hurt you or Britta.”
“You can’t promise that, Sebastian. While I appreciate the sentiment, I think you just need to go. You don’t know me. You don’t know my situation and I can’t allow you to get in the middle of it. You could make things worse. That man is powerful. His family is powerful. He will stop at nothing to destroy my life.”
I crowded her space, remaining furious from the way her lower lip trembled. “You don’t know me or my family either, Jessie. Walter might not have told you much about me, but I assure you that James Jenson is someone I can handle with ease. My brother and I are extremely powerful, the world I grew up in necessitating crushing assholes like that before breakfast. You need to place your trust in someone. I’m not going to hurt you.”
“Trust isn’t easy any longer, Sebastian. I did that once and look where it got me.” She folded her arms, her entire face pinched from fear and disappointment in her life and the world around her.
“I might not know you very well, Jessie, but I can see the pain you’re going through and can feel the love you have for that beautiful little girl in there. You were given a bad hand, but you can’t allow the fucking idiot to derail you. You’re strong. You’re special. And I’d never seen such care taken as I have by you in such a short period of time.” I pinched her chin in my fingers, forcing her to look into my eyes. “He’s not going to stop until he gets what he wants. Is he?”
“No.”
Just the way her voice sounded, so sad and defeated made me want to track the man down, asserting my brand of punishment for what he did to her and her daughter. “Here’s what we’re going to do and I’m not taking no for an answer. You’re going to pack a bag for both of you and you’re coming to stay with me at the main house.”
“I can’t do that.”
“I’m not asking, sweetheart. I’m telling you. There are plenty of rooms and we’ll make dinner together. You can bring books, toys, whatever. It’ll liven up the place. Then we’ll figure out what to do but not until tomorrow. Deal?”
She shook her head, closing her eyes briefly.
I cupped her face with my other hand. “I might not be the best man in the world, but I watched my father beating my mother enough times to understand the long term effects abuse has on its victims. I’m not that kind of man. You have no car, no way of getting away from him if he returns. And your only protection is a baseball bat that I doubt you’ll use in front of Britta.”
“You haven’t seen how good I am directing my swings.”
While she allowed me to laugh, the pain remained locked in her voice. “I’ll take your word on that, but with a man like your ex, it won’t be good enough. He’s escalating his behavior.”
“That’s what I’m terrified of.”
“And that’s why you’re going to follow my lead. I’m not taking no for an answer, unless you’d prefer I track him down.”
Very slowly she opened her eyes, searching mine as if uncertain I was telling her the truth. When her features softened, I brushed my fingers down her face, fisting my hands seconds later.
