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She barely managed to hold onto her temper long enough to shut the door, set her work computer in its usual place in her bedroom, and deposit Hallie in her crib—where she wouldn’t have to see Mommy tear Daddy a new asshole.
Once the baby had a teddy bear and some soothing music, Tessa closed the door and made a beeline for the living room, gathered up as much of his stuff as she could find, dumped it all in a giant trash bag, then lugged it to the front porch.
Then she stomped back into the house, slamming the door behind her.
Predictably, Cash jackknifed up, looking red-eyed and disoriented. “What?”
“I’ve had it with your excuses and your bullshit. Get up and get out.”
“Jesus… Don’t do this, babe.” He wilted back onto the sofa, tuning her out.
Tessa wasn’t even a little bit surprised. Her words didn’t mean anything to him because she didn’t. She never had and neither had their daughter. He wasn’t co-parenting in any meaningful way, and she’d be damned if she was going to keep picking up after him and making excuses for him when the only thing he’d done to help her was pay the rent and child support. She still needed the money, but it wasn’t enough to buy her sanity.
She took hold of his arm and tugged. “Too bad. This isn’t working out. All your stuff is in a garbage sack on the front porch. I want you gone now.”
“Stop being ridiculous. I’m not going anywhere. Leave me the hell alone and let me get some sleep,” he mumbled into the sofa, unmoving.
“No!” She rolled him onto his back and leaned into his face. “You’re drinking again. When you moved in, you promised you wouldn’t. You’re violent when you’re drunk, and I won’t have you here. Now get up and get out.”
He glared at her with bloodshot eyes. “You can’t make me.”
That rat-bastard son of a bitch. “I can. And I will.”
Tessa grabbed her cell phone and dialed Officer Mills. He’d helped her back in March, and she’d been really grateful he’d given her his card and direct line afterward. She’d programed it into her phone…just in case.
“Mills here,” he answered.
She identified herself, then rushed to explain. “My ex—the one you helped me boot from the house before—won’t leave and I want him out.”
“You lifted the restraining order, ma’am.”
“I did when he swore he stopped drinking and said he wanted to be a father to our daughter, but—”
“Put the phone down, Tessa.” She whirled to find Cash standing behind her, crowding her personal space.
He looked not just furious but violent. She’d never imagined he was capable of hurting her…until now. Had she miscalculated?
“I won’t.” She backed away, frightened, as she murmured into the phone. “Please come quickly. He’s scaring me.”
“Has he hit you?” Mills asked.
“No, but—”
“Has he threatened you?”
“Not verbally.” But the look on his face promised retribution and pain.
For the first time, she was genuinely afraid of Cash.
“Then I’m sorry, ma’am. If he hasn’t committed a crime or threatened to do so, there’s nothing I can do.”
“Please.” She backed up through the living room, into the kitchen. “He’s going to hurt me.”
Cash didn’t reply, just prowled after her with a cold smile.
Sober, her ex never behaved like a bully. But drunk? She didn’t want to know what he was capable of.
“But he didn’t tell you that?” the officer asked.
“Not in so many words—”
“Then I can’t help you. I got my ass chewed for removing him from your house last time, so unless he’s actually assaulted you or threatened to…my hands are tied.”
“Officer Mills, I—”
“His uncle is a bigwig with the power to get me fired. He’s not afraid to use it, and I’ve got a baby myself.”
This was going horrifyingly wrong. “Would you leave your wife and child with someone they were afraid of?”
He hesitated before sighing with regret. “I’m sorry.”
Then the officer hung up.
Cash laughed, something low and cold, as the silence on the other end forced her to pocket her phone. “Did you really think you could just get rid of me? No, babe. I shut that shit down a long time ago.”
Cold dread slid through Tessa. She was trapped. He hadn’t hit her—yet. But the tension in his body and the violence on his face had her bracing.
“What are you going to do?”
“Whatever the fuck I want, and you’re going to take it.”
The hell she was. Tessa refused to be anyone’s victim, especially his. She had to consider all her options. Surely she had some…
Yes, she could fight back. But physically, he was stronger. And angrier. Of course she’d try to talk him down, but when he was drunk, he didn’t hear reason. Maybe she could call the colonel again…but he’d ultimately send the person she should probably break down and call in the first place.
