22. Reed
Reed
“Baby, how are things going?” Ma asks over the phone.
We’ve texted every day since I left, but this is the first phone call we’ve had. She said she doesn’t want to smother me because I’m a grown man, which is laughable because the woman has never really understood space.
But she’s not like the Gallos. They’re in a class all by themselves. Privacy is nonexistent.
“Good, Ma. I’m settling in.” I’ve been here a little over a week, and the time has flown by for me, but probably not for my family. “How are things there?”
“They’re the same. Lee’s taking on more responsibility, but I want to hear about you. How’s your apartment?”
“It’s nice, and Amelia lives right next door.”
Ma chuckles. “You weren’t kidding when you said you were going to live close to her.”
“Figured the closer, the better.”
“When the baby comes, it’ll be a good thing. Have you seen her at all?”
“A few times,” I lie.
We’ve spent every night together. It starts and ends the same way. I rub her feet, and she ends up with my dick buried deep inside her. It’s a win-win.
“Are you two getting along?”
“We are.”
I don’t want to give my mother any type of false hope that we’re going to end up together. I’m fully aware that I’m heading down a path that could end in real heartbreak for me if my grand plan to sweep Amelia off her literal feet doesn’t work.
“You’re not giving me a lot to go on,” she says softly. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“Nothing, Ma. Everything’s good. Amelia and I are taking things slow but getting along great.”
“Don’t screw it up, Reed. You’re not the only one with their heart on the line. Everything you do will impact your child’s entire life.”
“Way to make this conversation heavy, Ma.”
“Well, you didn’t take it slow to start,” she says.
“We were drunk.”
“So you say,” she replies.
I laugh and shake my head, even though she can’t see me. “We were.”
“I was thinking about coming out there next month to visit.”
“Your birthday is next month,” I tell her, like she doesn’t already know. “I was going to come home and visit.”
“I’d love that, but can you do me one favor?” she asks.
“Anything, Ma.”
“Bring Amelia with you.”
Fuck. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“I would like to meet the mother of my first grandchild.”
She’s good. She knows how to twist the guilt knife right in my chest. “I can’t make any promises.”
“Do you require being drunk to do that?” she teases.
“You’re mean, Ma.”
I can picture her sitting at the kitchen table, cracking herself up.
“Baby, you’ve always been my most responsible child. It’s nice to know you can let loose, but I wish you wouldn’t aimed for the stars the first time.”
“I can never do anything half-assed.”
“Your lips to God’s ears,” she whispers.
I peer up, staring at the sign for the bakery. “I have to go, Ma. I’m at Amelia’s bakery to walk her home.”
“She walks alone?” I can hear the disbelief in her voice. “That’s not safe, sweetheart. She’s vulnerable with the pregnancy.”
“She better not hear you say that,” I tell her. “She’s a city girl, Ma. She knows what she’s doing, but I’ve been walking her home every evening.”
“Good boy. I knew I taught you well. Go spend the evening with your girl.”
I don’t correct her about Amelia. She’s not mine. Not yet, at least. “I’ll text you tomorrow. Love ya, Ma.”
“Love you too, Reed,” she says before the call disconnects.
My gaze drops to the storefront window. Amelia’s in the customer area, backed against a table. But she’s not alone. A man’s in there with her, and he’s standing way too close. Even if she weren’t mine, he has no right to pin a woman in the way he is.
I’ve never been one to be quiet on my feet, but I peel open the door so slowly, I know he doesn’t hear me. But Amelia’s eyes land on me immediately. They’re wild and frantic.
“You’re nothing but a stupid bitch,” the asshole says. “Who doesn’t have cash in their drawer?”
He has no weapon in his hands, but he’s talking like he wants to rob her.
“We’re a cashless business,” she explains, leaning back to get more personal space, but there’s no escape.
I sneak up behind him, grabbing him around the neck in a choke hold. The man flails and struggles, trying to get out of my grip. “Get out of here,” I say to Amelia, pulling him to the floor.
“Be careful, Reed,” Amelia calls out, not leaving like I told her.
But I can’t concentrate on what she’s doing while I have this man in my grasp.
I have no doubt he would’ve hurt her if I hadn’t shown up when I did. Amelia isn’t safe here, especially when she closes the shop alone every night.
The asshole elbows me in the ribs, but his bony-ass elbow isn’t enough to make me release my hold. But he’s a slippery guy, tall and lanky. He twists and escapes my grasp. He throws a left hook, but I duck, missing the blow he so badly wanted to land.
He jogs to the side, acting not only aggressive, but weird as fuck. It’s like he’s on something. “Why don’t you mind your own business, fucker. This had nothing to do with you.”
I throw a punch, landing it along his jaw below his right cheek. His head snaps backward, but instead of hitting me back, he falls to the floor. I hit him hard, but not hard enough to drop most men to the ground in a single blow.
It’s like he’s momentarily stunned, but it doesn’t last long. He kicks me in the shin, his tennis shoe landing in a spot that would make most people howl. But I have on my boots, and they offer me more protection than I need from this scrawny fucker.
Just like the old-school wrestlers on television, I raise an elbow and drop my entire weight down on top of the guy.
“Fuck,” he groans, but it doesn’t stop him from fighting back.
I know I’ll win this fight. Hand-to-hand, he has nothing on me. If he had a weapon, that would be a completely different story. I just need to keep him busy until the cops get here and straighten shit out.
“A man who threatens women doesn’t deserve mercy,” I tell him before I punch him in the face again.
“And especially when that woman is my wife.” I hit him again.
He’s barely conscious at this point, but I don’t give a shit.
Let the fucker have a concussion and black out.
He deserves worse. “She’s fucking mine. Mine. ”
Not only my wife, but my soon-to-be-born child is growing inside her. She could’ve been hurt tonight. I can’t imagine walking inside, finding her in a heap on the floor, beaten or worse.
I lean forward, letting his entire blurry-ass world be nothing but my face. “If I ever see you again, I’m putting you in the ground,” I whisper.
“Reed.” Amelia’s voice breaks through my haze of anger.
I glance up, the man still underneath me, bleeding. “You okay?” I ask her, my eyes scanning her entire body to make sure she’s okay.
“Yeah. I think he’s passed out,” she says as her gaze zeroes in on the loser beneath me. “You can get up.”
I shake my head, my body humming with rage. “I’m not letting him get away.”
She takes a step forward, peering down at him. “He’s not even awake.”
“He can be in a hurry. I think he’s on something too. You ever been hit so hard you passed out?”
She shakes her head. “No, thank God.”
“Well, when he comes to, I imagine he’s going to start swinging.”
“Shit,” Amelia whispers as tears begin to stream down her cheeks. She stumbles backward, grabbing on to a table to stop herself from toppling over.
In this moment, there’s no other decision than to hop up and grab Amelia, making sure she’s okay.
“I got you,” I say, catching her before she drops to the floor.
I scoop her into my arms, carrying her to a booth.
I don’t set her down, though; I position her on my lap, holding her tight. “It’s all okay. You’re safe.”
Her body shakes, from shock or fear, I don’t know, but this entire event has had an effect on her. “I was so scared.”
“I know, sugar, I could see it on your face. I’m sorry I wasn’t here earlier,” I whisper against her hair, holding her tighter and rocking her slowly. “He’s not going to hurt you.”
“He was mad I didn’t have any cash in the register. We went cashless a few months ago. He became irate for no reason. It made no sense.”
“I think he wanted to rob you, sugar. It’s the only reason he’d care about cash instead of a card.”
She turns her head, her eyes wide. “Really? You think that?”
I nod. “Nothing else makes sense.”
“He was so angry.”
A police car pulls up, sirens blaring.
“I’ll talk to the cops,” I tell her, lifting her off my lap and placing her on the bench seat. “I’ll handle everything.”
“Thank you,” she says, capturing my hand in hers before I have a chance to walk away.
“Of course, M. It’s what I’m here for. I’ll take care of it.”
I turn and stalk across the bakery, stepping over the asshole who’s still out cold. The cops are inside the bakery a moment later, hands on their weapons, but thankfully, they’re not drawn.
They don’t miss the guy on the floor. He’s hard not to notice; the red blood pooling around his head against the white tile is a striking contrast and pretty damn eye-catching. But based on their stance, they think I’m with him.
I put my hands up. “She’s my wife,” I say, wanting them to know I’m not the threat. “I took care of him.” I tick my head toward the bleeding asshole on the floor.
The younger officer’s eyebrows rise like he’s impressed by the carnage. “I’ll need a statement while my partner secures the man.”
“I can give it to you,” I offer.
“We’ll need one from her too.” His gaze moves to Amelia, who’s still trembling in the booth. “The sooner, the better, before she has a chance to forget anything so we can determine the charges.”
Will the guy go to jail? Probably not. He was threatening her but hadn’t had a chance to do anything worse. Maybe a trespassing charge since she asked him to leave and he ignored her, but that doesn’t mean any of it would stick.
“I can do it now,” Amelia says, standing on shaky legs. “I want to.”
The other officer radios for an ambulance as the first one moves toward the booth where Amelia’s standing. I follow right behind him, not wanting her to be alone.
“Start at the beginning,” the cop says to her as she damn near collapses into the seat. “Whatever you can remember.”
Amelia’s gaze moves to me, and I give her a soft smile. “I’m here, sugar,” I say, moving to stand next to her and taking her hand in mine. “I’m not going anywhere.”