Rescue Me (18 page)

Erin looks shocked.

“Wait. There’s more. There were also pictures of your daughter.”

At that, I stand up and the sound of my chair scraping across the floor makes everyone’s attention turn my way.

“Tonya, spit the rest of it out please so we can all get the hell out of here,” I growl. I don’t care if my tone is scaring anyone or hurting anyone, the only thing I care about right now is getting home to MY DAUGHTER.

“There were also pictures of you, Adam and when I saw pictures of Erin and Joel and Sierra from years ago, that’s when I knew he had to be your ex-husband. I swear to God I knew nothing about him attacking you until I got here. The only reason I came here in the first place was because there was a gun and bullets and a note that scared me so bad when I read it that I dropped it, picked up my bag, and drove straight here.” Her eyes are wide as she looks at the three of us.

“Tell them what the note said, Tonya.” She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath and when she opens them she stares directly at me.

“It said...the note said that Erin and Sierra are his and that he is going to kill you, Adam.”

Chapter Twenty-Two
Erin

I would have thought my first reaction to what Tonya just told us would have been fear, but it’s not. I am straight up pissed.

“My ex-husband is a worthless piece of shit!” I scream after Adam and I walk out of the station. Since no crime was committed, the police were not able to put Tonya under any kind of protective custody; however, she was so terrified of what Joel might do if he suspected she discovered what he was up to that Luke arranged for security to watch her house until he was found. I feel so bad for her, but knowing he didn’t do anything to physically hurt her took a huge weight off of everyone’s shoulders. I saw the guilt and remorse written all over Adam’s face when we first walked into that room. This whole thing is all kinds of messed up. Joel is even more warped and perverted than I ever thought he was. I just want this nightmare to end and to finally live like a normal person.

Luke suggested that neither Adam nor I leave the house until they were able to locate Joel, which did not sit well with Adam. I have never seen him so furious. I can still see his brows furrowed together and the rage written all over his face as we climb into the truck.

Adam starts the truck and turns down the music as we sit in silence. We haven’t had a chance for him to tell me how he feels after learning about Joel’s threat.

“You know, I really should be scared hearing he wants to kill me, but the funny thing about this is that I’m not. I am not one bit scared of him.”

Adam’s response is shocking to me. Even though I am angry after everything Joel has done to me, I am still afraid of him.

“Well I will be scared for the both of us, then.”

“No, you won’t. And neither will I. I am not the type of man to let a piece of shit just threaten me and then sit around with my tail tucked between my legs, and you know it. I have a life to live and a damn good one, now that I have you and Sierra.”

I turn to face him as he pauses.

“Adam, what is it?”

“This may be farfetched, but I think I know what his real problem is, besides the fact that he’s a drug dealer and a junkie.”

“What’s that?” I ask with trepidation.

“He wants what I have, what he has never had, and what he will never get because I won’t let him take you away from me. Ever.”

Adam reaches across the middle console of his truck and without a word unsnaps my seat belt.

“Come here, sweet cheeks.”

I climb over and instantly feel his warmth and strength. His arms envelop me as I straddle his lap.

Adam gazes into my eyes with confidence as his hands cup my cheeks, and with feather-like strokes he caresses the sides of my face.

“He has never had
this
,” he says as he removes one of his hands and places it over my heart. “He has never owned your heart, Erin, and I do. You have handed me the most sacred part of your body and he has never had it. And he never will. Every part of you is mine.”

“You’re right,” I say as I tilt my head and lean into his soft touch. “I didn’t know what love was until I fell in love with you. I am in so deep and drowning in your love. If anything were to happen to you, I don’t think I could survive.”

The thought of losing Adam makes me shake inside.

“You will never lose me, Erin. Never.”

He takes his hand away from my heart and gently traces my bottom lip with his thumb.

“You know what the saddest part about this whole thing is?”

I shake my head.

“It’s simple, really. He doesn’t even realize what he’s lost. He has lost the strongest and the bravest woman I know. My girl is a survivor. And she did it all on her own. I love you, Erin and once this is over I am going to show you and our little girl more love and happiness than the two of you could ever imagine.”

Among all of those beautiful words, there’s only one part I disagree with.

“I didn’t do it all on my own, Adam. You rescued me. You showed me what love is and my heart will always be yours.”

His gaze searches my face and with a slight tremble to his lips he tilts my head and kisses me. Here we are in the middle of the police station parking lot baring our souls to one another and sealing it with a promise that we will survive.

“Busted by the cops,” Adam laughs as Luke and two police officers knock on the window.

“I hate to interrupt that porn show in there, man, but these officers are the ones who will be following you two home and keeping an eye on the house.”

I know my face is every color of red right now as I crawl back over into my seat.

“You’ll be in an unmarked car just like we were told, right?”

“Yes sir, we will. You won’t even know we’re there.”

“Appreciate that. We have a little girl who knows nothing about this and I would like to keep it that way.”

“We understand, sir.”

Adam nods his understanding as well. We say our goodbyes to Luke and pull out and head for what I hope is a very short time of being cooped up in our home.

************

“They’d better find that asshole like, now, because this is no way for any of us to live. If I had a gun I would shoot that prick myself.” Shelby yells when we tell her everything that is going on.

“Trust me, I would too,” I reply.

“What did they say about Sierra going to school?”

“She is still going to go to school and we have to act like nothing is wrong around her, Shelby. She has no idea who Joel even is. She knows she has a real father out there somewhere because of her grandparents, but they never talk about him and she has never brought him up. I sure as hell don’t want her to find out about him this way.”

Slumping back in the couch, I think long and hard about this horrendous situation Joel has put us all in, but the one who could get hurt by this the most is my daughter. Doesn’t he care about her at all? She’s his flesh and blood; his child. When the day comes that she does ask about her biological father, what the hell do I say?

“Hey, what has you in such deep thought over there?” asks Shelby, her anger softened a little.

“This is going to kill her when she gets older and asks about him, you know that, right?”

“No. I don’t know that. What I do know is, you are one hell of a good mother and Adam is one hell of a good man, and when and
if
that time comes you will figure out together the best way to tell her about him.”

My eyes start to form tears as my baby sister pulls me into her arms and holds me.

“This is so damn scary, Shelby. No matter what Joel has done to me in the past, my heart hurts for the man he has become.”

“I know, sis. I know.”

“So where are Adam and Sierra, anyway?” Shelby asks as are putting together one of the many salads we have made for tonight. Since my lunch plans with Jen were ruined and we are stuck in the house until further notice per orders of Luke and the police, we decided to have everyone over to our house in hopes of getting everyone’s mind off of what’s going on.

“He’s teaching her how to play pool in the basement,” I answer as I flutter around the kitchen.

“I’m happy for you both, Erin. And you know Grandpa and Grandma would be, too.”

A feeling of warmth spreads through my body at the mention of our grandparents. I do know the one thing they both wanted desperately was for both Shelby and me to be happy.

“Yes, they would have loved Adam and they would have loved Antonio too, don’t you think?” I say slyly.

She points her finger at me. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves here now, missy. It was one night.”

“One night you have failed to tell me about since I have been back here, so come spill. And don’t leave anything out, either.”

Shelby hesitates a few seconds before speaking. I swear I can almost see a hint of a pink flush spreading across her face.

“Nothing happened, really. I mean, we went for a walk after dinner and we just talked. He told me all about his move to California and how happy his entire family was when they decided to move back. He told me about his job and I told him about my restaurant and, I don’t know. We just talked for the longest time. It was nice.”

This is the first time I have ever heard my sister talk about a man. She is radiant and I love that look on her, but it vanishes just as quickly as it came.

“Shelby, what’s wrong?” My big sister instincts kick in and I am by her side as her head falls and she tries hard not to cry.

“I finally find someone I really like and who I can relate to, and he lives thousands of miles away from me.”

“Oh, Shelby. Come on. That’s an easy fix. Marco can manage your restaurant just fine and you know it. You could move here and start another restaurant. Besides, I am kind of getting used to having you around here and I would love to have you live close by.”

Her expression is torn when she looks over at me. I know my sister so well that I can tell her answer just by looking at her. I give her my best fake smile and place my arm around her shoulders.

“You have to do what you think is best for you, and if going back home to Texas is what you need to do, then so be it. Did you tell Antonio what you just told me?”

“I did, and he pretty much said the same thing I did about finding someone he really likes. But you know what? It’s okay. It really is.” She shrugs.

“Did you kiss him?” I ask playfully. She smiles and then heaves a heavy sigh.

“Yes, I did and I have never been kissed like that in my life. He’s like addictive. God, and he smells like a rainforest, I don’t know... fresh. Does that make sense?”

“Yeah, Shelby. That makes all kinds of sense. Just don’t let yourself fall any further if you’re leaving, for both of your sakes, okay?”

“I know. We both agreed we’re friends and nothing more,” she says with sadness in both her eyes and her voice.

“I love you, Shelby.”

“I love you too, Erin. Now we have about an hour before everyone gets here, so enough of the sappy sad talk. We need some happy shit happening around here. It’s gotten so damn gloomy.” I could not agree with her more.

************

The whole gang is here and every single one of us is laughing our asses off except for Jen who looks utterly mortified, as Bubba has just farted.

“Hermie Morris Williams. That is absolutely disgusting,” Jen remarks with shame.

“Wait? Your name is
Hermie
?” Shelby hollers through all of the laughter.

“Yeah, that’s my name, and I am damn proud of it, too,” Bubba says with a straight face.

“Oh. Okay. I am so sorry, Herrrrrrmmmmmmiieeeee.” Shelby bellows his name.

“Oh my God, if you guys don’t stop I am going to pee my pants. It’s hard enough with this baby sitting directly on my bladder,” Shayne wails.

“Well then you and Hermie over there would make a good pair tonight,” Luke slurs.

“What’s that supposed to mean, Mr. Schavone?” Shayne retorts.

“Well, if you piss your pants and Bubba shits himself...”

“Oh my God. You did not just say that!” Shayne is trying her hardest to overcome her laughter but she can’t help it as the rest of us burst out laughing so hard and loud that we could wake up the dead. The laughter starts to die down when all of a sudden Shayne bolts up out of her chair and sprints frantically down the hallway. We all start laughing again as we hear her slam the bathroom door shut.

“Anyone want another beer?” Bubba finally asks after we have all gained control of ourselves.

“Not from your skanky ass, I don’t,” Antonio fires back.

“What the fuck ever. Here, take it.” Bubba reaches into the fridge and starts handing them one at a time to Antonio. When we all have a fresh beer and Shayne saunters back into the room, we all turn her way as she stands there with her hands on her hips.