45. Chapter 45
Chapter forty-five
Laiken
“Congratulations, Albert.” I smile at the eighty-three-year-old man who just completed his final PT session. “Last time you have to do those bicep curls.”
He grins, his false teeth slipping with the movement. “Shame I won’t get to see my favorite girl.”
Albert is such a flirt.
“I’m sure I’ll see you around town.” I pat him on the back as I walk him back to the front.
His daughter places her magazine down, then pushes to her feet. “You ready, old man?”
“Born ready, darlin’.” He shuffles toward her, earning himself a kiss on the cheek.
She smiles at me over his head. “Thank you so much, Laiken. He’s improved so much over the last two months.”
“My pleasure.” She gathers his coat and fits it over his shoulders. “Y’all stay warm. Mother Nature decided to wake up in a bad mood today.”
We share a laugh as they leave the lobby, and I head behind the counter to tuck away his file.
My eyes veer out the window, my heart skipping a beat when I see Parker’s truck.
It’s been parked in the lot for the last two hours.
He insisted on waiting until I got off work so he could walk me safely to my car.
I shake my head, closing the file cabinet.
I only have about twenty minutes left until I’m done for the day.
I need to sanitize some of the equipment, then tidy up the lobby.
I’m reaching for the cleaning supplies when the door chimes. Peering over my shoulder, I see Parker storming into the lobby. I frown, noting the tight clench of his jaw. I drop the spray bottle.
“What’s wrong?” I move toward him.
He stops a foot from me. “It’s Rhodes.”
I stop breathing.
“He’s out.”
“What do you mean they let him go?” I pace one way, then back the other.
“I don’t know, Laik. His lawyer showed up. Jefferson couldn’t give me much,” Maddox says from the couch.
I’ve practically worn a hole in the floor of his kitchen.
Ivy is perched on a bar stool, her face grim.
Dakota is cracking open a beer, muttering profanities, while Cooper is on his phone across the room.
I’m pacing because I don’t know what else to do.
Parker has barely spoken and keeps going out on the back porch alone.
Thank goodness for Ari’s sweet soul. She took Trace up to Ruthie and Emmett’s to make cookies while we stood around and panicked.
He’s out.
And it doesn’t help that my mom just got back and has not a single clue about what happened. I’m sure her phone will be blowing up before dinner. Luckily, she said she needed to sleep for at least twenty-four hours before she would be fully functioning again.
I reach up, pressing my fingers to my throbbing temples.
He came onto private property. Attacked me. And they let him go. I plant my hands on the island. “I want to go to the station.”
Maddox pauses. “Laiken.”
“I want to go.” I wasn’t sure I wanted to before. But I just now decided I was done playing his game. “I want to file a restraining order.”
“Baby.” Parker’s palm lands on the nape of my neck. “If you’re not ready…”
I face him. “I am.”
He stares at me for a second before he presses his lips to my forehead. “All right. I’ll take you.”
I nod, then exhale. This is it. No turning back now.