AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Hearing her say my name brought me so much joy, even in the midst of arguing with her. Even in her anger, it flowed effortlessly off her tongue. I sounded right in her voice. I batted away the feeling of my blood rushing through my veins at the sound of it. It wasn’t the time to get excited. It wasn’t the time to flex my desire for her. I had to convince her to stay with me, to let me keep her close, because if anything happened to her, I’d never forgive myself.
I took a deep breath and showed my final card.
“Charlie threw a brick through my window last week.”
Her lips parted and her jaw dropped as she took a step toward the counter. “What?”
“I’ve still got the note and everything. Threw it right through the window of my kitchen while Audrey and I were eating lunch.”
“He did what?” she asked.
“Charlie’s a danger to you. Shoving everything else to the side for a second, whoever that man is? He isn’t a friend to you.”
“I know he’s not a friend to me. He’s a guy from high school who’s had an unrequited crush on me for years.”
“Well, he thinks he owns you.”
“No one owns me,” she said.
“Well he seems to think so. The note he attached to the brick told me to stay away from you unless I wanted something to happen to me.”
“Look, you must be mistaken. Charlie’s many things, but vandalism and threats are entirely different from petty pestering,” she said.
“Then come to my house and read the note.”
She barked a laugh devoid of any humor. “Do you think I’m dumb? I come to your house to see this note and you don’t let me leave. Is that it?” she asked.
“My only aim is to keep you and our child safe. I’d be doing that even if there wasn’t all this shit flying around our heads. Even if everything had worked out perfectly for us and none of this had ever transpired, I’d still take care of you and protect you because you’re carrying my child, and that makes you family. I do whatever it takes to protect my family. No matter the cost.”
My eyes hung on hers as she sank against the counter. I strode over to her and gathered her in my arms. She slumped into me like her body was so tired and about to give out while she stood there at her register. I smoothed my fingers through her hair as she sighed heavily into my chest, and I felt the last of her reservations spill from her body.
“I’m still upset with you,” she said.
“I completely understand.”
“This doesn't change the fact that I need time to process.”
“I know. You’ll have your own bedroom and bathroom, and you can run your own schedule.”
“Charlie really threw a brick through your window?” she asked. She tilted her head back and I resisted every single urge to press my lips against hers.
“He did,” I said. “He’s very upset and his behavior is escalating to a point that scared my daughter, Heather. This wasn’t a harmless threat. He came close to hitting her.”
She shook her head as she found her strength and stepped away from my arms.
“I can’t believe he did that. I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t feel bad. It’s not your fault,” I said. “I’d punch him in his teeth if he were here.”
“I don’t doubt it for a second,” I said with a grin.
“I take it you want me to come with you now?”
“Or I can stick around the shop until you close up.”
“Where’s Reb—Audrey?” she asked.
“I dropped her off temporarily at school. It’s not ideal, but I needed to see you. To talk to you and try to get you to see my side of things.”
