Chapter 39
Sloan
I tried to keep the smile on my face as I walked away from Magnolia and the group to head to the restaurant. Luckily, I was covering a shift at Yuliana’s and not Montgomery’s. I had a love for the bar that started everything, but slinging drinks and fried bar food all night was more chaotic. Yuliana’s was peaceful for me, even in the sometimes chaos. It was reminiscent of my childhood, of Magnolia.
“Hey, Sloan?”
I heard her voice call out, and I couldn’t help the way my heart seemed to be shocked with electricity when she said my name.
“Yeah, pretty girl?”
I turned to face her and I saw her cheeks flush, and I knew I had to leave or I wouldn’t be leaving at all.
“You said you have my number? Maybe you should use it.”
Fuck, yes.
I couldn’t help the stupid smile that spread over my face in earnest this time. “Maybe I will.”
Climbing into my car, I immediately called her.
Her laugh over the line when she asked me what I was doing caused my heart to sing, and I laid it out there, informing her I was doing what I should have done years ago. I was coming for her, for us, and I wasn’t backing down.
I hated the space I had put between us; it always felt like when we went one step forward, we took two steps back, and once the distance was put there, she had time to get in her head again. I understood it, but I hated it. I was doing my absolute best not to bulldoze my way into her life; however , I knew if I gave her enough time, she’d talk herself out of this, of us.
Frowning at that thought, I put my car in reverse, knowing that Remi wouldn’t have called unless it was an emergency. I just hoped I would make it back to Magnolia’s place before she went to bed. If not, she would just have to deal with the fact that she would be waking up to me on her sofa for the foreseeable future.
Pulling into the parking lot, I sighed, hoping it was a busy night so I could keep my mind off the girl I should have made mine years ago, but that was proving to be difficult since she was ingrained in my soul. I passed the pictures on the walls as I made my way behind the bar for the evening to help my staff, but taking in each one of them. Each one held a memory of us.
The black - and - white picture of the beach was the spot where we used to go and hide during her parents’ Fourth of July parties.
The black - and - white picture of the bench we used to sit and eat lunch during school.
The black - and - white picture of the path I used to teach her to ride her bike.
The black - and - white picture of her favorite ice cream shop she always demanded we go to.
One of the stars that reminded me of her bedroom ceiling.
I lost myself in the pictures and memories before one of my employees creeped up behind me,
“Hey, boss! Didn’t think you’d be in today?” Jed, my cook, said from behind me on his way into the back. “Your dad stopped by earlier and said something about you staking your claim and that you’d be around a bit less in the following weeks. He said for us to call him instead. Everything okay?”
I ran my hand through my hair, knowing Remi probably didn’t get the message, but also knew my dad would more than likely be at Montgomery’s and would have tried to be in two places at once instead of asking for help. I felt a bit relieved she wasn’t here when he said that.
“Remi’s boy is sick,” I said in a nonchalant voice. I really didn’t mind helping my employees; I only minded that I had to leave Magnolia behind.
Here I go, thinking about her again.
“I could just kill that guy.” His voice held venom, and it usually did when referring to Remi’s baby daddy, the piece of shit.
“He isn’t worth going to jail for, but I agree.”
“Remi is.”
His confession shocked me, and I looked at him in question, but he just shrugged me off and made his way to the back kitchen to get everything ready for tonight. I’d probably need to address that later.
The night started off steady, but it felt like it was dragging, since most of the customers were families or couples, leaving the bar relatively slow. I decided to get a start on some liquor inventory since I was here. I needed something to distract me as much as possible, or I was going to head out despite my staff possibly needing me later if it picked up. I glanced at the clock and groaned; I’d barely been here an hour.
With my thoughts distracted, I almost missed my phone going off in my pocket, but thankfully, I didn’t. I wasn’t even going to bother hiding the fact that I was thrilled it was Magnolia’s name flashing on my screen.
“Hey pretty gi—”
“I said keep your hands up!”
I heard a voice bellow over the line I didn’t recognize, and I pulled my phone away to make sure I hadn’t just daydreamed that Magnolia had called me.
“Magnolia!”
Fear gripped me at the words I heard next, and I started to put it together that she’d figured out a way to call me.
Where the fuck is Jace? Where’s Lexie?
“Show me where the drugs are kept.”
I heard a rustling after that, and then the phone disconnected. My feet started moving once my mind put together where she was. She’s at the fucking clinic, and I’d bet everything I own that she’s alone.
Terror like I’ve never felt before trickled up my spine, causing my entire body to be hyper-aware of my surroundings. I ran to my car, not stopping to tell anyone anything. I might have shouted that I had to go, but all I could think about was getting to her.
My tires squealed as I threw the car into reverse while dialing 911. After filling dispatch in, they told me to stand down until officers arrived. Like hell I will . I hung up on them and tossed my phone into the passenger seat, flying down the road as fast as I possibly could without being a danger to anyone else that might be coming.
It took me seven goddamn minutes to get to the clinic. Seven minutes while my mind played reel after reel of “what if’s” and worse case scenarios. I was close to tittering on the edge of a full-blown panic attack, but I knew I had to keep it together to get her safe.
She has to be safe.
I relaxed my speed and turned off my headlights once I made it into the clinic’s parking lot. I didn’t have a plan, but I didn’t care. If I knew her at all, then I knew she didn’t lock the door and she didn’t set the alarm.
Keeping my sound as quiet as possible, I quickly pulled open the front door of the clinic and the sight before me and the physical fear I felt had me almost falling to my knees. A man who might have been in shape once upon a time—however, it was clear the drugs had gotten to him—was towering over her, standing extremely close and pointing a gun at her chest. Magnolia had her body positioned so she was clearly standing between him and Peaches, and my heart lurched.
My girls.
Peaches barked and snarls filled the room.
“Get that dog to shut up!” he screamed in her face, causing her to jump in surprise. Her eyes met mine over his shoulder and rounded in shock and surprise.
Her jumping startled him, and he backed up a few paces, effectively giving me an in I wasn’t going to waste. I ran toward them and put myself between the girl and dog who owned my heart and the one thing that could take me away from them.