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I know enough about restraining orders to know that they typically only apply in the state they’re issued in. But since Grant hasn’t seen me yet, I quietly try to tiptoe up the stairs to get to my phone. Maybe if I can call 911, they can at least get him for trespassing.
I’m about halfway up the stairs when I hear the sound of a struggle, followed by some grunting and groaning and what I think is punches being thrown. A loud thud that sounds like a body hitting the floor stops me in my tracks. My face is beaded with sweat, and my heart is pounding in my ears. I don’t want to turn around — I don’t want to see who’s laid out on the floor of the cabin. It’s not until I hear Joey’s voice that I can breathe a sigh of relief.
“It’s okay, Angel — I’m alright.” I turn around to see Grant knocked out in the middle of the common area, with blood trickling from his nose. “I need you to get me something that I can restrain him with in case he comes to before the cops get here. Can you do that for me?”
I nod frantically, my breathing still trying to steady itself out. I will my feet to move up the remaining stairs as quickly as I can, searching for anything I can use to tie Grant’s wrists together. I settle on a baggy t-shirt that I packed to walk around the house in, grab my phone and head back downstairs.
“Will this work?” I wave the shirt in my hand in Joey’s direction, mildly surprised that Grant hasn’t come to yet.
“It’ll do — thanks, Kels.” He catches the shirt when I throw it. He casually brushes the blood away from his lip with his thumb, seeming unusually calm for this type of moment. “Can you call the cops while I handle this?”
“Are you okay? I mean, what happened?” I ask from across the room. I don’t want to get too close to Grant in case he wakes up.
Joey’s eyes never leave Grant’s body as he explains. “I’m fine. I was unloading the groceries, and when I went back for the last of them, he was standing next to my truck. I tried to talk him into leaving, but he wouldn’t. He came looking for a fight — he ran at me and got one hit off on me. When he tried to go in for another, I punched him in the gut and shoved him to the ground. That was the thud you heard. Then I knocked him out with a few punches.”
I don’t know if it’s shock over the situation, or he really feels no emotion about what just happened, but it’s freaking me out. I watch as Joey lifts Grant into one of the dining room chairs and secures his wrists behind his back. Once I’m satisfied that he’s not going anywhere, I dial 911.
“911, what’s your emergency?” the dispatcher answers.
“We, um, we had an intruder at the cabin we rented for the weekend. He attacked my boyfriend, but we have him restrained. Can you please send a police officer?”
“Is anyone hurt, ma’am?”
“We’re fine — the intruder is unconscious.” My voice fails to hide the panic coursing through my veins.
The dispatcher asks me for the address of the cabin and assures me that an officer will be by as soon as possible. When I take a seat on the couch, Joey is right there beside me, wrapping me in his arms. I can hear a shudder in his breathing, like he’s now acknowledging the fear that he’s been dealing with since Grant showed up.
“I’m sorry, Kels. I thought you were being paranoid, but I should’ve listened to you.” There’s a crack in his voice, like he’s holding back tears.
Before I can respond, I hear Grant groan from across the room. When he realizes that he’s tied to the chair, he starts to rattle the legs beneath him. Joey gets up from the couch and takes a seat at the table, facing in Grant’s direction.
“I told you you were out of your league here,” Joey boasts. “The police are on their way. Have fun telling your boss how you got arrested for trespassing. We can probably get stalking thrown in there too. What do you think, Kels?”
Grant casts a cold glare over his shoulder at me. It’s the type of look he used to give me when he wanted me to drop an argument. It used to intimidate me, and I almost always backed down because I felt like it wasn’t worth the fight. Now, however, I have no reason to concede to him.
“I think we could definitely add stalking to the list. And once we can prove it, we’ll add breaking and entering and vandalism to the rap sheet. You might as well quit while you’re ahead here, Grant. Every time you pull a stunt like this, you dig yourself a deeper grave.”
The doorbell of the cabin rings, followed by a call from the other side of the door. “Lake Geneva Police!”
“I’ve got it,” I tell Joey with a silent look that says don’t take your eyes off of him. I greet the two officers as I open the door and usher them in. “He’s in here.”
“Do you know this man, ma’am?” Officer A asks as they approach Grant in the chair.
“Yes, he’s my ex-boyfriend. We have a protective order against him in Illinois, but he followed us here when we came up for the weekend.”
“Can you walk me through what happened here?”
Joey shares the same information with the cops that he did with me a little while ago — except this time, he had Grant’s manipulative mouth interrupting him and fighting his every statement.
“I’ve heard enough,” Officer B cuts them both off. “Grant Davis, you are under arrest for trespassing on private property.” He continues reading him the Miranda Rights as he cuffs Grant’s hands behind his back.
I watch in surprising satisfaction as the officers escort Grant out of the cabin. I suspect that this is not the end, but it’s at least a step in the right direction.
Chapter 50
Once the cops take Grant away, I let out a deep exhale. I’ve been trying to keep my cool for Kelsey’s sake, but I can’t hold it in anymore. I pull her into my arms and hold her so close it’s as if I’m trying to cement our bodies together.
“You have no idea how relieved I was that I saw him first, Kelsey. I can’t stand to think of what would’ve happened if he found you before I knew he was here.”
