Rage On The Street
Max
My body quakes with her pain as I move both of us into an upright position.
What do I do?
Letting her go doesn’t seem right.
But there are tears pouring out of the corners of her eyes.
How do I comfort someone when I’m the thing that caused her distress?
“Dad, what’s wrong?”
Me.
Her.
The world that caused a woman to scream like that when a man protects her.
What I would love the most is to get my hands on the monster or monsters who did this to her. To slowly cause them to endure the pain she still endures.
“Um, Dad.” Hope’s voice trembles.
My sweet little girl is probably confused about the response. I’ll try to explain things to her after I figure out what to do with Fiona.
Gently and slowly.
Is she stable on her feet enough for me to let her go?
“Um, Dad, I think they want you to let her go.”
They? I twist my head around and find six guns pointing at me. Three of which are held by men who know me better than to pull out their weapons.
At least I thought they did. Fiona’s screams might have changed their minds.
The woman crying in my arms still hasn’t come back to reality enough to realize that they’re there.
“They won’t shoot me, Hope. They’ll wait for Jacko or Maddox to show up, and by then Fiona will calm down enough to explain to them that nothing happened.”
Saying her name seems to snap Fiona out of whatever haunted place she was in. Her eyes clear, but the pain doesn’t disappear with the clarity. “You can let me go. I’m fine,” she whispers.
That is quite obviously a lie, but hopefully she can stand on her own two feet. In small increments, I slide my arms away from her.
Her whole body trembles with the movement.
Killing the monsters would be too kind. Far too kind.
Will she fall if I fully let go?
One last movement leaves us not touching, but my arm hovers around her in case she loses her balance.
“Are you sure, Dad? They look kind of serious.” Hope doesn’t sound at all worried.
“I’m sure. Maddox or Jacko should be here in a few moments.” I smile down at Fiona. “Are you going to fall if I step away?”
“Probably not.”
Her breathless voice punches me in the gut like I’d like to punch someone else.
“What is going on?” Maddox’s voice echoes down the alleyway as I step back.
“It was nothing.” Fiona’s voice wobbles.
I wouldn’t believe her, and I was there.
“Max?”
Fiona steps forward. “I said it was nothing.”
Maddox walks up to her. “A woman doesn’t scream like you just did because of nothing. So, you’re going to go stand over by Hope while I have a discussion with Max.”
Maddox and I might be having words about how he just talked to Fiona. After we ‘discuss’ what just happened.
“What do you think you just said, Maddox Locke? Because I don’t think you, a smart, mature man who values women, would ever say something like that.”
“Fea,” Maddox pleads.
“I told you it was nothing. I tripped and was falling. Max saved me and in turn startled me. End of story.” Her eyes move through the group of men with guns still out. “You don’t pull guns on people who are acting like gentlemen.”
“That scream—”
“—Was nothing more than a startled response. You know how I am.”
How she is? After all these years, she hasn’t recovered from the abuse she suffered living on the streets?
Nonna seemed to think…It doesn’t matter what Nonna thought. What matters is that just touching her elicited a scream that made grown men shake.
How can I even contemplate the possibility of a relationship with someone that fragile?
Fiona leans in close to Maddox.
Are they—
No, Maddox is with Mindy, but this interlude feels intimate. Were they ever a couple? Could they have hidden it from everyone?
Why am I even thinking about this?
Fiona’s dating history isn’t any of my business.
Nonna put her in my head, and now I’m getting all territorial over a woman I’ve barely said twenty words to.
Foolish.
Utterly foolish.
“I’m sorry, Fea,” Maddox whispers as she steps back.
She nods. “Now all of you shoo.” Fea waves at the security team. “And thank you all for coming.” Pivoting on the heel that tripped her up before, she turns back to where I’m standing. “You must be Hope’s father. It’s nice to meet you. I’m Fiona Shaw.”
It’s hard to put a friendly smile on my face when it’s painfully obvious that she doesn’t remember me. Our fleeting meeting in the past was nothing to her. “Massimo Vincenti—”
“Dad’s name is actually Massimo Rage Vincenti. Isn’t that cool?” Hope chimes in, helping the situation so much.
If Fiona wasn’t already scared of me, she will be after hearing that.
“Totally. It’s nice to meet you. I’ll be mentoring Hope for as long as she needs to prepare her for opening her own place.
Her business plan is impressive for someone so young.
A testament to the care you gave to her education.
I don’t know what Dahlia has shared with you concerning my experience, but you don’t have to worry.
I’ve mentored hundreds of young people through the years. ”
“Dad isn’t worried about that. He knows how amazing you are.”
Oh really? What is Hope up to? She doesn’t usually interrupt or not let others speak for themselves.
Probably nerves.
“He’s just overprotective. Dad won’t let me go anywhere without someone to protect me. It’s absolutely ridiculous.”
There are limits. “Hope.”
“See? He’s going to stay the entire time I’m working unless you tell him that he can’t.”
And she just passed them. “Hope Vincenti.”
“Why would I do that?”
WHAT? Fiona just supported me.
“You agree with Dad?” Hope says what I’m thinking.
Fiona turns her gaze to Hope. Staring her right in the eyes.
“Absolutely. And I think after a while, you’ll come to appreciate what a beautiful gift that is.
” She shifts her attention to me. “As you can see, security is pretty tight around here. But you’re welcome to stay all day at one of the tables in the bakery or at this picnic table if you’d like.
Hope will probably be mostly in the kitchen today, learning the process we have set up to make sure everything flows well and some of our recipes—which you’re welcome to use at your place or modify them however you like. ”
“I was actually planning on using my great-grandmother’s recipes. They are the best.”
Fiona’s smile lights up her space. “You’re going to find a few of them inside. Let’s get started.”