Chapter 14
fourteen
CHAINS
Daisy’s hands land on her hips, and an annoyed expression crosses her face. “Who do you think you are, telling me you won’t touch me again? Who made you the decision maker? Maybe I don’t want you touching me. Did you ever think of that?”
“No.” My flat-out answer gives her pause.
“Well, I don’t.”
“Okay. You don’t want me touching you. Noted.”
“Good.”
“Good.”
We stand facing each other. No one moving. I’m trying not to break my promise and take her face between my hands and kiss her until she forgets her own name, let alone Evan’s.
Something inside me says, ‘Fuck it, take what I want.’
I always get what I want. Why should I stop now?
Just before I take a step forward, Lincoln comes bursting into the kitchen.
“Chains, we have a problem.”
“Tell me.” All thoughts of having Daisy drop when I see the look of concern on his face.
“Natasha’s foster father is here. He’s demanding to take her home.”
“What the hell?” I race from the apartment and into the elevator, Lincoln and Daisy following close behind.
“How did Bruce find her?”
Lincoln shrugs. “Don’t know. But he’s pissed that she’s settled into a fancy-ass apartment like she’s the fucking queen.”
“Why did you leave her alone with him?” If Bruce hurts her, I’ll kill him and fucking Lincoln.
He throws me a glacial glare. “You think I’d leave her with that sick bastard? Ash is with her.”
A surge of guilt rushes through me.
The elevator is taking its sweet time getting to Natasha’s floor. Once it arrives, we race to her apartment. Raised voices and Remi’s cries sound out from the hallway.
I punch in the code and practically rip the door from its hinges as I fly into the apartment.
When I storm into Natasha’s bedroom, the room is a mess.
A chest of drawers has been knocked over, baby clothes are strewn across the floor, and a strong smell of beer and cigarettes coming from Bruce wafts through the air.
Asher’s forearm is pressed against Bruce’s chest, holding him against the wall.
The jeans and blue t-shirt Bruce wears have holes and stains, looking like he picked them out of a dumpster.
He bares his teeth as he yells profanities and pushes against Asher’s strong hold.
“If you don’t get your ass home, I’ll drag you there by the hair and beat the living shit out of you,” Bruce yells at Natasha.
“You can’t make me,” she yells back as she bounces a crying Remi in her arms at the opposite side of the room.
The nurse has her arm protectively around Natasha’s shoulders, aiming a look of disdain at Bruce.
Daisy rushes to Natasha’s other side, and Lincoln and I stand next to Asher.
A wall of solid muscle surrounds Bruce. His eyes widen for a beat. Yeah, you fucker. Be afraid.
“You have ten seconds to get the fuck out of our building,” I warn.
He tilts his chin up with false bravado. “I’m not leaving without the little bitch.”
“I’m sorry, I don’t know who you’re referring to,” I don’t hide the harshness in my tone.
He swallows hard. “I want Natasha to come home. Now.”
Lincoln folds his arms over his chest. “That’s not going to happen.”
“She’s my daughter. She belongs with me.”
Natasha yells, “You are not my father, you piece of shit.”
Daisy puts a hand on her back to try and calm her down.
“You heard her.” Asher presses a little harder on Bruce’s chest with his forearm. “You’re not her father. Now get the fuck out of here.”
“The paperwork says differently. I’m her legal guardian, whether she likes it or not. If she’s not home soon, the social worker is gonna start asking questions.”
And taken out of his home. That would mean no money for drugs and alcohol, instead of food and care for Natasha.
I step forward. “Time’s up. You need to leave.”
Asher hooks his arm around Bruce’s right arm, and Lincoln does the same to his left, and they drag him toward the door. Bruce resists and drags his feet, but he’s no match for the boys.
Over his shoulder, he sneers at Natasha, “You just wait. I’ll have social services here. They’ll take one look at how you’ve been whoring your body out to these fuckers, and they’ll have you placed with me again and them in jail.” He snickers like he’s told a funny joke.
I hold my hand up to stop Lincoln and Asher from throwing him out.
“Why wait?” I pull my phone from my back pocket and hold it out to him.
“Call the cops now. I’d love for them to show up.
We have a bunch of witnesses to tell them how you threatened her and destroyed her property.
” I wave my other hand toward the mess on the floor.
“Since you’re a little detained, would you like me to make the call for you? ”
Bruce’s face hardens. “No.” He knows his threat holds no value, and it won’t end well for him.
“Then I suggest you get the fuck out of here.”
He shrugs himself free, but only because Lincoln and Asher let him go.
“Alright, I’m going.” He narrows his eyes at Natasha.
“You were always a spoilt brat wanting more than you’re worth.
” His gaze travels around the room. “Looks like you got what you want. Enjoy it while it lasts. They’ll soon see that you’re not worth their time and money. ”
Lincoln shoves Bruce in the back and growls, “Let’s go.”
Bruce stumbles out of the room. I watch with rage burning as Lincoln and Asher follow him out. I know they’ll make sure he gets the fuck away from the building. If he ever shows his face here again, he won’t be so lucky to leave with it intact.
Natasha slumps into the rocking chair, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her shoulders roll forward protectively over Remi as she nuzzles her nose into her neck. Daisy kneels beside her, rubbing soothing circles on her back.
“Are you okay?” I ask Natasha. “He didn’t touch you or the baby, did he?” If he did, I’ll find him and make sure his hands can never touch anyone again.
Natasha sniffs and wipes her nose with the back of her hand. “No. Ash and Linc got here before he could. He did make a mess of Remi’s things though.” A sob escapes her lips as she takes in the mess on the floor. “He poured beer and put his cigarette out on her clothes. He’s such an asshole.”
“I can wash everything. They’ll be as good as new,” Daisy offers.
“No. I don’t want Remi wearing anything that fucker touched, even if it is washed. We’ll buy her new things,” I say.
“I can’t afford to replace everything.”
“How many times have I told you that you don’t need to worry about money?”
“And how many times have I told you that I’m not a charity case?” Her tone sharpens, and there’s fire back in her eyes.
I like the attitude coming from her rather than the scared, crying girl.
“You’ll work it off.” I don’t give a shit about the money, but if it makes her feel better to work for her room and expenses, so be it.
“The way I’m going, I’ll owe you money until the day I die.”
“Then you better get used to having us around.”
She rolls her eyes. “Whatever.” Behind the attitude is a tiny smile.
“Giselle,” I address the nurse who took over from Daphne. “Do you mind going to the kitchen and getting trash bags to put these clothes in, please?” The poor woman looks a little traumatized.
She nods. “Of course.” And scurries from the room.
I sit on the edge of Natasha’s bed. “How did Bruce find you?”
Rising to her feet, Daisy sits next to me; far enough away so our thighs don’t touch.
“I called Remi’s father to tell him he was a dad.
You know, in case he changed his mind and wanted to be a part of her life.
” I catch sadness in her eyes before she ducks her head.
“I gave him the address and code to come into the apartment.” From the little she’s told us about him, he’s nothing but trouble.
Fighting, stealing and doing drugs. A lot like me when I was a kid.
She’s better off without him. “I don’t know why he thought he should call Bruce to tell him where I was.
Maybe Bruce told him if he heard from me to let him know. ”
Now that Bruce knows where Natasha lives, I’m tempted to move her to a different building.
For now, I’ll have to change the code to her apartment and add cameras to the building.
We’ve never had to worry about security before because we’re big and bad enough to take care of ourselves, but now there’s a young woman and a baby to think about.
A few moments later, Lincoln and Asher come back.
“Where is he?” I ask them.
Lincoln grins and leans against the wall. “Put him in a taxi and paid the driver enough to drive him to Virginia.”
“If he knows what’s good for him, he’ll stay the hell away from Natasha,” Asher adds.
Soon, she’ll be out of the system, and he’ll have no hold over her. If Child Protective Services is already wondering where she is, it’s only a matter of time before they’ll want answers. We have to keep things as trouble-free as possible so that doesn’t happen.
Giselle arrives with garbage bags. “What do you want me to throw out?” she asks. “Everything.”
“But there’s some things that are still clean,” Natasha points out.
I pick up a clean, pink onesie off the floor. “He’s touched it, so it goes.”
Giselle starts putting clothes into the bag, and Daisy helps.
“What will Remi wear if she craps through her clothes? She’s already done it twice today. It went all up her back and leaked through her romper.” She screws her nose up. “It was gross.”
“Someone will go to the store tonight and get you new baby stuff.” I turn to face Lincoln and Asher.
“Don’t look at me.” Lincoln propels from off the wall and darts from the room.
Asher’s eyes widen like he’s been put in a cage with a lion. “There’s some place else I have to be… urgently.” He too scurries out.
“Cowards,” I yell at their retreating backs. I don’t blame them for running. The last thing I want to do is go baby shopping. What do I know about babies?
“Looks like it’s up to you,” Natasha giggles. “Can I go with you? I’d love to see you in a baby store.”
Her comment makes Daisy and Giselle laugh.
“For laughing, you get to come with me,” I aim at Daisy.
Her eyes widen. “Me?” She points to her chest. “Why me? Giselle was laughing too.”
“Giselle needs to stay here and help Tasha with Remi.” I’m supposed to be keeping my distance from Daisy. Not telling her to come shopping with me. Although, I need the help. I have no clue what to buy.
“Can’t you call the store and tell them to send over what Remi needs?” Daisy asks.
Yes, I could and I should, yet I say, “There’s no time for that.
Remi needs clothes now.” I shouldn’t be doing this, and yet, I’m walking toward the door.
“Let’s go,” I say, not giving her the option of saying no.
Not that she’d say no to helping Natasha and the baby. Look what she’s already done for them.