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“Did you let the sheriff know?”
“No. They’ve told me repeatedly all they can do is send a patrol around. But they won’t intervene until he does something.”
“I assumed as much since they can’t act preventively in domestic disputes. Which seems asinine given the horrendous outcomes.”
“I’m praying we make it to court tomorrow.”
Hugging her tightly, he thought about how much weight she bore on her shoulders. “Call me if anything develops.” He opened the door to the office. “Go forth and be amazing.”
“Always.” She leaned up at kissed his cheek. “See you later, lover boy.”
“Love you.” He watched her walk into the office and blow him a kiss then mouth, love you too.”
This was the life he wanted and the one he would defend with every breath in his body. He spun on his heel and headed for his studio, knowing they had everything they needed to succeed with a full toolbox at their disposal.
Nothing was going to get in their way, including DC. If Tancy found it necessary to join the firm, they would find a way to navigate a future that worked for them both.
He crossed the street, thinking about how they could make a commuter relationship work. His schedule was undoubtedly flexible, but Tancy’s wouldn’t be if she went back to lawyering full time. Unlocking the door to his studio, he let out a breath and reminded himself not to make a problem where there wasn’t one.
Several hours later, gunfire erupted, and Teague’s heart surged into overdrive. Taking a second to ground himself, he checked his surroundings, making sure he was still in Greenville and not Mosul. When another shot rang out, he sprinted toward the front of his studio. His brain told him there was more than one possibility, but his gut told him that the man who was about to lose the right to see his family was the one emptying the chamber of his gun.
Crashing through the door, he sucked in a long breath. “What the hell?” Tancy stood in front of the legal aid office with an irate man waving his gun wildly. “Has to be the ex,” he muttered, quartering the surrounding area. It was desolate, and he guessed the civilians made a run for it after the first gunshot.
Moving slowly, he approached from the east and prayed the man didn’t catch his reflection in any of the store windows.
“You have a choice,” Tancy said in a low strong voice. “And this isn’t the only one.”
How the hell was she keeping it together. He couldn’t see the man’s eyes, but it didn’t take a genius to surmise that he wasn’t open to a reasonable solution.
Where the hell are the sheriffs? Someone had to have called them.
Keeping his footfalls light, he moved closer, knowing that it was up to him to subdue the man before he took another shot. When he got within a foot, the office door slammed open, and Laura emerged.
Damnit, that’s gonna make things complicated.
“David put the gun away. We can talk. Let’s figure something out.”
“Sure, wife. Like you’re interested in that.” He rubbed the gun against his thigh. “You’re taking my family away.”
“Laura is telling the truth.” Tancy put up her hands. “We can talk about it now. All you have to do is give me the gun. It’s the only way you can see your kids again.”
David laughed hysterically. “We both know that’s not going to happen.”
Teague saw sweat drip off the man’s temples and guessed he was about to snap. He was just about close enough to relieve David of his gun when the sound of screeching tires filled the street. One squad car came from the north and another from the south.
Was he distracted enough? Before he could decide, Laura moved toward her ex-husband, and Tancy pulled her behind her back. “Fuck me.”
“If I can’t see them, then neither can you,” David yelled, pointing the gun at Tancy’s chest.
Eliminating the space that separated them, Teague approached from behind, grabbed the arm that held the weapon, and twisted. The firearm clattered to the ground. He kicked it away, pushed David to the cement, and subdued him. “Not today, you son of a bitch.”
Several deputies rushed them and cuffed David. “Thanks for stopping by,” Teague muttered before he pushed himself to his feet. Shaking out his limbs, he felt anger replace terror. Why the hell would Tancy put herself in the path of a bullet?
“Teague!”
Looking up, he shook himself out of the angry fog and quickly strode in her direction. “Are you both okay?”
“Of course,” Tancy replied in a shaky voice. “Thanks to your quick moves.”
