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“I’m going to stop Drew from leaving until the police arrive.”
She bit her lip as worry flashed across her face. “Promise me you won’t do anything stupid.”
I wasn’t sure I could promise her that. Not the way rage was lighting up my entire body.
“I’ll be fine. Please, go inside and do what I asked.”
She hesitantly nodded, shifted out of my grasp, and ran toward the entrance.
I turned in the other direction and sprinted after Drew, who was about to cross into the parking lot. He must have heard me approaching, but before he could turn all the way to face me, my high school and college football skills took over. I charged, bending at the waist as I lodged my shoulder into his side and tackled him to the ground.
We scuffled, both of us trying to get the upper hand. Finally, I pinned his stomach to the ground, my knee pressing into his spine as I secured one arm behind his back.
“You think you could put hands on Bella, and I wouldn’t find out?” I seethed.
“I don’t know what—” He stilled beneath my hold as one lip curled up and a menacing laugh escaped. “I told that dumb bitch you weren’t over your ex.”
I wanted to break his arm just thinking about what could have happened if Sarah hadn’t walked into the stockroom when she did.
“If you ever mutter Bella’s name or come near her again, I’ll make sure that jail is the least of your problems.” I dug my knee harder into his back. “Hear me?”
Anger pumped through my veins as he spoke between gritted teeth. “Bella was a cold, dead fish. You can have her.”
“And what about Sarah? Need to beat on women to make yourself feel like a real man?” I tightened my grip and pulled his arm farther behind his back until he howled in pain, giving him a little taste of his own medicine.
“That stupid fucking bitch tried to pass my baby off as yours. She needed to be taught a lesson.”
I tried to take a calming breath. The need to stay in control was important. As much as I wanted to destroy this piece of shit, I couldn’t get caught beating on him when the cops arrived. That wouldn’t help the situation.
“So when Bella wouldn’t willingly let you fuck her, you decided Sarah would?”
“Sarah knows the consequences of not giving me what I want.” He squirmed under me. “Get the fuck off me or I’m gonna kill you.”
The sound of sirens and flashing lights were followed by a commotion of activity as cops swarmed the scene and paramedics rushed into Sarah’s building while police officers approached us.
A hand landed on my shoulder. “I can take it from here, Rhett.”
I looked up to see Dylan, one of my close friends, and the sergeant of our local police department.
“He—”
“We know. Paramedics are with Sarah now.” Dylan waved over one of the patrol officers. I turned over my position while the officer yanked Drew to his feet, cuffing him and walking him toward the cruisers.
“Bella?” My eyes traveled to the glass door entrance as she exited. Blood stained her clothes, and all the color was gone from her face. Our eyes locked, and we were moving toward each other.
She ran into my arms, and tears soaked my shirt. “There was so much blood,” she choked out as sobs racked her body. “Why would he try to hurt the baby he thinks is his?”
I held her tighter, knowing there was nothing I could say to explain the evil in this world. We stood there in each other’s arms until the paramedics exited with Sarah on a stretcher.
Bella pulled out of my hold. “You should go in the ambulance with her. I can follow in your truck.”
“I—” My stomach lodged in my throat as I took in Sarah’s swollen face.
“Rhett, there’s still a chance that baby is yours. You need to be there. That’s the kind of man you are. Don’t let me stop you from doing what we both know is right.”
I nodded. “I know.”
She took the keys I pulled from my pocket. My fingers threaded through her hair, and I pressed my lips to her forehead before turning and jogging toward the ambulance.
