Chapter 40
Jeremiah
Anderson sneered up at me from where he lay in the grass.
I knew he wouldn’t be down for long. I was ready for him, putting my fists up and staggering my feet in a firm stance.
Sadie scrambled from the bench, a horrified look on her face.
I tried to ignore the worry etched into her features as she put her hands to her mouth.
“Get up,” I snarled. The amusement in Anderson’s black, soulless eyes just pissed me off more. He was enjoying this. He wanted this.
He pulled himself to his feet and casually brushed off his suit. Using two fingers, he coolly plucked a blade of green grass from his shoulder.
He looked me up and down. “I wondered when you would show up,” he said with a smirk. “You really shouldn’t let her wander off like that. You never know who might be waiting.” He nodded toward Sadie, who stood behind the bench as if it were a shield, her red hair blowing in the slight breeze.
“Don’t talk about her. Don’t even look at her,” I growled, fists still up.
“I’ve already done both,” Anderson purred. “I like what I see.” His gaze turned to Sadie, his eyes wandering over her slowly.
She grimaced slightly as she wrapped her arms around herself, as if trying to cover herself from his hunger.
“What is it, honey?” asked Anderson, feigning worry. “We were so close to having a moment just now. Until this asshole interrupted us.” He threw his thumb in my direction.
Sadie just shook her head before looking at me.
There was a mix of worry and sorriness on her face.
I swallowed hard, trying not to let my emotions show.
While I had stopped Anderson from making a move on her, it didn’t make my stomach turn any less when I saw what was happening as I approached the park bench.
I hated that he had touched her. His hand on her shoulder.
Hated that he had even gotten the chance to be that close to her beautiful face, breathing her same air.
He didn’t deserve any part of her, not a word. A glance. A touch. A thought.
I should have known he would have snaked his way into finding her.
Just like I had hired a private investigator, I was sure Anderson had his own ways of keeping tabs on both me and her, though probably far more shady than the route I took.
It made my skin crawl that he might have put her in danger with whoever he was associated with.
If only I had run after her sooner when she stormed out of my office, this whole thing could have been avoided.
Instead, I sat stewing in my office over everything John had revealed and my argument with Sadie that followed.
I thought telling her everything about Anderson and the untrustworthiness of the whole damn world would make her see why we needed to keep us a secret.
But it only pushed her away. She wanted more from me, but I didn’t know if I could give her what she wanted without losing everything.
I had finally left to find her, trying the apartment, only to find it empty.
On the couch, I racked my brain trying to think of where she might have gone to.
I hadn’t met her friends and had no way of reaching them.
Thankfully, I remembered she had told me about this place in the park where she liked to watch the ducks.
After trying a few spots, I was relieved to see her on the east end of the lake, but then I saw she wasn’t alone. Anderson had gotten there first.
As I quickly approached, it pissed me off that she was sitting there.
I wondered how long they had been talking.
I could only imagine the lies he was spewing to keep her there.
To make her distrust me. Then he moved closer, his arm draping around her.
Where my arm should be. I wanted to scream.
Tell her to run. Then he moved in closer and I saw red.
The next thing I knew I was in a full-on sprint and he was on the grass.
“I don’t know why you’re keeping her hidden, Jeremiah. I sure wouldn’t,” said Anderson, cocking his head. “With an ass like that and lips I want to bite into.”
His words bit into me like bullets. I didn’t want to hear another word about her coming from his lips. I quickly stepped forward and shoved his chest with both hands. He stumbled backward, letting out a laugh as he regained his footing.
“Is that all you’ve got?” he sneered. “Maybe she’s not worth it after all. I’d have to fuck her to find out, though.”
“Shut the hell up,” I growled, approaching again.
“She looks like she tastes sweet.” Anderson ran his tongue over his teeth slowly as he glanced at Sadie.
She took an uncomfortable step backward toward the lake.
With his attention elsewhere and my rage boiling, I stepped forward and swung hard.
My fist met his cheek with a dull thud, and his head whipped to the side.
Sadie screamed and took a step forward. “Stop it!” She flung her hands to her cheeks in horror, her eyes darting from me to Anderson.
I could see passersby stopping to see what was going on, but I didn’t care. All I could focus on was Anderson and the anger that was pulsing through my blood. Anger that had been growing for a long, long time.
“There he is,” said Anderson, rubbing his cheek as he smiled at me. “There’s the Jeremiah I know. You’re from the streets. Let the world know it.”
He turned, his arms outstretched, as if inviting an audience to come watch a fight that had been years in the making. It was like he was the ringleader, but I was the fucking lion.
I circled him, my fists up and ready to strike again. He followed my movements slowly, his eyes lit with amusement as he put his own fists up.
“You took everything from me,” I said, my voice low as I continued to circle him like prey for slaughter.
“Ha! You were in that alley with me. No one fucking forced you to be there,” said Anderson, still watching. Waiting.
“You were supposed to be my friend. I trusted you. I took the fall for you.”
He casually shrugged, like what I did for him hadn’t costed me our friendship. My family. My life. And now, he was here to take more. My reputation. My career. And possibly, Sadie.
The last one had me hurling myself at him. My feet kicked up grass as they dug into the ground. I tackled him down. A grunt escaped his gut at the impact. Sadie’s audible gasp got lost in the shouts of the nearby crowd gathering.
Anderson’s hands shoved at my shoulders, pushing at me.
I kept my weight on him, trapping him. He thrust his knee up, pushing me off him.
I rolled to the side as he clambered over me, his fist raised in the air before it came crashing down to my mouth.
The impact made my teeth rattle. Immediately, the metallic taste of blood trickled against my tongue.
Sadie’s screams filled the air.
“Stop it! Get off of him!” She lunged forward, grabbing for Anderson’s jacket. She tugged at him, but he wouldn’t budge.
“Sadie! Go!” I commanded her. The last thing I needed was for her to get hurt. For the baby to get hurt.
The crowd around us had grown, gathering closer to see what was going on. Some were even cheering. Egging us on. Some had their phones out, no doubt taking pictures and videos for their own entertainment. Some looked terrified.
With my eyes on Sadie at his back, Anderson raised his fist again. I turned my head quickly, taking the impact with my jaw. A crack sounded through my skull as I bit back tears. Sadie clutched her stomach, backing away.
Anderson went for another strike, but I was ready this time.
Before he could land another blow, I blocked his hand with one arm as my other hand pounded into his stomach.
His breath escaped him in one whoosh, as he fell into the grass beside me.
He tried to roll away from me, holding his stomach, but I quickly rose to my knees.
I lifted my fist and pummeled his face into the grass, a crack sounding.
The sound reverberated through my ears like a dull melody I had been longing to hear for years. I wanted to hear it again.
My fist met his eye, leaving his body writhing in the grass at the impact. The impact sent pain vibrating from my knuckles up my arm, but I didn’t care. I wasn’t done.
Sadie’s shrill, pleading screams met my ears. “Jeremiah! Stop it! Please!”
If only I could stop. My anger fueled me and nothing could put out the fire. Anderson looked up at me, blood dripping from his nose. The left side of his face red and the right covered in green grass. There was no remorse in his eyes. Just pure evil. And a small smile across his lips.
I knew then he would stop at nothing. He would never stop coming for me. For my job. For Sadie. I wouldn’t let him take everything away from me again. I wouldn’t let him take her away. I couldn’t lose her.
I raised my bloody knuckles for one final blow of redemption, but before I could deliver it, strong arms wrapped around mine, pulling me to my feet.
“All right, boys. Break it up,” a deep voice grunted, struggling to pull me.
I suddenly had flashbacks from that night all those years ago, when we came out of the alley to find the cops waiting for us. Was history repeating itself all these years later?
“Let go of me!” I yelled, trying to wriggle free.
I looked on either side of me to see two men, grunting as they tried to hold on to me.
Hold me back. Another pair of men held Anderson to the ground, in case he tried to retaliate.
I spat blood in his direction as he was pulled to his feet.
He shrugged the two men off of him and put his hands up in surrender.
Watching me with that same smile, he brushed the grass off his suit.
“You stay the hell away from me!” I yelled, still struggling to get free from the solid grasps that held me.
He just chuckled before pushing his way through the crowd and disappearing behind the onlookers.
I was shaking with adrenaline and rage. After a moment, the men let me go, backing away carefully.
I took a long breath, running my hand through my hair.
My mouth pulsed in pain and my knuckles hung sorely at my sides.
The crowd began to dissipate. The show was over.
It was a wonder the cops hadn’t shown up.
As the area emptied out, I looked up to see Sadie looking at me with a tight expression on her face.
My eyes fell to the hand she had placed protectively over her stomach.
My heart sunk to the bottom of the lake behind her. Had I just scared her away?
Meeting her unreadable green eyes, I drug my hand over my mouth, blood following its path. I winched slightly, pulling it away. She took a few worried steps toward me.
“Are you okay?” she asked, reaching up and touching my chin. Her eyes inspected my busted lip closely before she took my hand in hers, then inspected the bloody knuckles that would surely be bruised by tomorrow.
I nodded slowly.
“Let’s get you home,” she said softly, taking my other hand and intertwining her fingers with mine. Maybe I hadn’t scared her off after all.