Chapter 35
Chapter Thirty-Five
Brynn
Jack’s hand is on the small of my back as we step out of the restaurant, his touch warm and steady. It’s a simple gesture, but something about it makes me feel protected. Claimed, almost. I shouldn’t like that as much as I do, but I let myself enjoy the moment.
It’s so nice to feel protected, to feel like my nervous system is at rest. I don’t know that I’ve felt that in a very long time.
The night air is crisp, and I tilt my head up to glance at him, a soft smile tugging at my lips.
“I had a really nice dinner,” I tell him.
“Me too,” he says as he forces a smile back at me.
What’s that look for? Did he not have a good time? Why does he look so tense?
“Jack!” a woman’s voice, sharp and laced with anger, screams.
He stiffens beside me, his fingers pressing more firmly against my lower back as he pulls me in tighter.
He leans down, his breath warm against my ear. “Keep walking.”
The venom in his voice sends a prickle of unease down my spine. I don’t question him, but my senses are suddenly on high alert. The woman doesn’t stop. She calls his name again, louder this time, and I can only assume that it’s his ex-wife.
My gut clenches. I figured she might still be in town after showing up at the ranch yesterday.
Maybe she stopped to visit his mother? Are they still close? No, not possible. Joanne says they all hate her after she cheated on Jack.
I shake my head, pushing the thoughts away. None of that matters right now.
“Who is it?” I ask, even though I already know the answer.
Jack exhales sharply. “It’s my ex-wife.” His voice is tight and controlled. “If we stop and engage with her, she’ll cause a scene. I don’t want to deal with her drama, and I don’t want you roped into it either.”
Right on cue, Savannah’s voice rises behind us, sharp and slicing through the night air.
“You homewrecking whore!”
“Shit,” Jack sighs.
Is she serious right now?
My eyes widen, and I instinctively start to turn around, but Jack’s grip tightens, stopping me.
“Don’t listen to her, Brynn,” he says firmly. “It’s what she wants.”
Rage fills me. I want to rip the woman’s throat out just for how badly she treated Jack, but now she’s calling me names and doesn’t even know me? Really?
I swallow the lump in my throat and keep moving, but Savannah isn’t finished. More insults fly from her mouth, her voice dripping with rage and something unhinged.
“Is this your little slut? I knew you were cheating on me! I knew there was a reason you were so quick to come back to this hellhole! Have you been fucking this bitch the entire time?”
My eyes flit to Jack’s, and he meets my gaze.
“I’m so sorry,” he mouths.
Jack reaches the truck first, opening the passenger door for me. Just as I step up, something small and hard whizzes past my face, hitting the side of the truck with a sharp clink.
She’s throwing things at us. Is she five?
I barely have time to process that before another rock flies past, bouncing off the hood. My hands clench into fists as I whirl toward her.
“Don’t engage. Ignore her. It’s only going to get worse. She’s unhinged. She wants to look like the victim.” He rambles as he shakes his head. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”
He closes the door and is already moving to the driver’s side, his expression stone-cold. He doesn’t react to her accusations—cheating, stealing, whatever nonsense she can come up with. He just keeps walking, ignoring her. She’s still throwing things at him.
“Fuck this,” I groan out loud.
I pull out my phone and dial the non-emergency number for the sheriff’s department. I give them our location and tell them there’s a drunk female causing a scene. Maybe it wasn’t the right thing to do, but I think it’s the only way to protect Jack.
“You’re worthless! You never loved me! You cheated the whole time we were together,” Savannah is screaming shrilly.
Jack continues not to reply and that only makes her angrier. He grabs the door handle, trying to get into the truck.
She shrieks likes a banshee and charges at him, her hands clawing for his shirt. Jack barely flinches as she shoves at his chest, spitting venomous words in his face.
I don’t know how, but I manage to keep my fury in check—until Savannah raises her hand again.
“How can you choose that bitch over me?” Savannah screams. “You think I don’t know about her? You think I don’t know about her little bitch daughter and…”
I will end this bitch for calling my daughter a name.
I don’t think. I act.
I shove the door open and step out, scurrying around to the other side of the truck.
I’m barely containing my fury, my fists clenched at my sides.
I’ve never actually been in a fight before, and I don’t know that I even know what to do, but I will not allow this crazy woman to call my daughter a bitch in front of the whole town.
She’s gone too far.
“Walk away,” I hiss coldly.
“Damn it, Brynn, no,” Jack snaps, his voice cutting through the chaos.
But it’s too late.
Savannah’s wild eyes lock onto me, and she lets out a feral scream before lunging.
I don’t move. I don’t have to.
Her foot catches on the curb, and she goes sprawling face-first onto the pavement with a sickening thud.
Silence hangs in the air for half a second. Then she groans, pushing herself up with shaking hands.
“He is my husband. You are a homewrecking whore. I bet your daughter—”
“You’ll shut your mouth, now,” I hiss.
“Brynn, please get back in the truck,” Jack says.
His words sound like both a plea and order. My eyes go to his, his brown eyes boring into mine with a silent plea to not engage with her anymore. He gestures for me to look around, and I notice about twenty people have congregated with their phones, watching it all unfold.
The last thing I need as a small business owner is to be filmed hitting a woman or getting my ass kicked; I’m not sure how this will play out. As crazy as she is right now, she’s probably been in at least one fight.
“You get in the truck, too,” I say with a sigh. “I just want to go home and fall asleep together.”
Okay, so maybe I was being a little petty with that response.
Jack’s eyes close, and he sighs.
I’m not proud of the words that came out—they just kind of did. She doesn’t have to know that we’re not a couple yet, but Jesus, I can’t let her continue verbally assaulting Olivia, Jack, and me without getting in a verbal slap.
Her gaze snaps to mine, murderous and blazing with humiliation. “Are you kidding me?”
“Just go home, Savannah. There’s nothing in Hick’s Creek for you,” Jack says flatly.
“You’re here. I’m not leaving without you.”
“I’ve moved on.”
She’s glaring at me now as if I was the reason for the demise of our marriage. She’s throwing invisible accusatory daggers at me, and I’m not sure what’s about to happen next, but I’m on the defensive. I’m ready if she tries to fight.
Please don’t try to fight.
I can hear the sirens and see the flashing red and blue lights in the distance, and I can only hope that she hears them, too, and decides to leave. She smirks, then throws a glance back at Jack.
“You’re such a pussy. Did you really call the police?”
“I feel like no one has ever slapped you in the mouth before,” I say with a sigh, surprising myself.
“I’ll end you,” she cackles as she rolls her eyes.
She takes a step forward, eyeing me up carefully.
It’s almost like she’s daring me to be the one to swing first or take a step toward her.
She may have charged at me earlier, she may have even been throwing things, but as I look back at her, I realize that she only did those things knowing that Jack wouldn’t hurt her and that he wouldn’t allow her to hurt me.
But she could definitely play the victim and cause a scene if she caused enough chaos, and Jack or I reacted.
Damn, chaos demon in the flesh. She and Clay would be perfect for each other.
As the thought makes me giggle internally, I hear a noise and look up. Savannah is charging at me again.
Oh, shit. What do I do now?