Interference

by Sophia Henry

  Fuck that.

  I spun around and started running back toward the bar. Because there was one thing I knew for sure.

  Tim would never have another chance with Indie. Or with Holden. They were my family, and I was finally ready to fight for them.

  Chapter 28

  Indie

  “Please, Tim, just leave me alone.” I wriggled out from under his heavy arm. “I don’t want to dance.”

  “Come on, Indie. Let’s just get it on like we used to. Rememmer?” Tim slurred.

  I could barely understand him, but I didn’t need to, since he grabbed at my arm and pulled me toward the dance floor. He slid his arm around me, squeezing my waist with his hand.

  “Tim, stop, please.” I twisted around, trying to break free, but his hold was strong. Every time I moved, his fingers dug into my skin. My heart sped up and my breath quickened. I had to get away.

  I had to get to Jason.

  I glanced around, looking for help of any kind. I couldn’t believe I didn’t recognize one face. College kids filled the bar, rather than locals, but I usually knew a lot of them from bartending at Peak City.

  “We should give it another try, Indie. I already talked to the cop. Told him to keep his dirty dick out of you.” Tim yanked me toward him and threw his arms around me, crushing me to him and pinning my arms at my sides.

  “What?” I asked, trying to break free of his hold.

  Tim talked to Jason? Was that why he suddenly wanted nothing to do with me? The reason for his abrupt decision to move to Detroit? Was that why he’s been so adamant about not getting in Tim’s way of being a father? Shit.

  Between Tim’s rancid body odor, beer breath, and the drops of spit that speckled my face every time he slurred, I wanted to puke. And if I could have puked, I would have. No better way to get out of someone’s hold than to blow chunks on him.

  He swayed from side to side, moving our bodies along with the crowd. Maybe an inebriated person would think we were dancing, but any sober person should be able to tell that I was not enjoying it. I threw my head back and tried to head-butt him, but he was so much taller than me that my forehead hit his chest and bounced off like it was a firm mattress.

  “It’s all coming back to me, Indie. You like it rough and dirty.” Tim lifted me off my feet and staggered toward the doors.

  I wiggled and writhed to get out of his grasp. I caught a chunk of what I thought was his leg and squeezed with all the strength I had, hoping to pinch his thick, disgusting skin. But I must’ve grabbed his pocket, because all I felt was something rectangular and hard, like a cellphone or wallet.

  “Tim, please put me down. I don’t want to go with you,” I begged. “Just let me down.”

  “It’ll be like old times. You and me in the back of my truck.” In his attempt to whisper, Tim’s slobbery tongue covered my ear with a thin layer of saliva. “Remember how I fucked you from behind and you loved it so much you screamed? That was an amazing time.”

  Oh yeah, that amazing time he made me get on all fours in a miniskirt and screwed me in the bed of his truck. The most romantic night of my life.

  “Just put me down. I’ll drive you home in your truck. Just like old times.”

  Maybe he’d let me go if I pretended to play his game. Hopefully, it didn’t sound like consent. There was absolutely no consent in my quavering tone.

  How did no one notice my fear? My anger? Did we really live in a world where people looked the other way if it wasn’t their business?

  I looked around, frantically searching for the face of one of the friends I’d come here with. I should never have come here. I’d barely spoken to any of my old friends from high school since graduation. Why had I felt the need to join them tonight?

  Because I’d been searching for something to take away the pain of losing Jason. The pain of being alone again. I thought rekindling old friendships would help.

  And now I was stuck battling my drunk ex-boyfriend on my own.

  Tim didn’t relent until we’d left the bar. In the empty parking lot, he released his grip and dumped me on my feet. “You’re not as light as you used to be, Linden. Too many Peak City brews.” He reached out to pinch my stomach and I grabbed his hand.

  But instead of pretending we’d stroll toward his car with our hands tenderly joined, I bent his fingers as far backward as possible, trying to inflict the most pain.

  “What the fuck, Indie?” He jerked his arm away.

  I lost my grip on his fingers and flew forward into the gravel of the parking lot.

  Tim stood over me with a disgusting, horrifying sneer on his face. “You’re already dirty. Ready to take it rough?”

  Scurrying up onto my hands and knees, I jumped to my feet before he could reach me. “I’ll call you a cab, Tim. I’ll call you a cab and we can forget all about this.”

  My heart pounded like a jackhammer about to burst through my rib cage. My palms beaded with sweat, despite the cool April night.

  I couldn’t cry. I was too scared to cry.

  “I can’t forget about all of this, Indie. I’m reminded every day since you fucking trapped me with that kid. ‘It’s your turn to watch him, Tim. Come get Holden, Tim,’ ” he said, mocking me in a high-pitched voice. “I didn’t want that fucking kid. You’re the one who kept him. I wanted you to get an abortion.”

  Complete shock took hold of my body. I stared at Tim, unable to move or speak, but I didn’t have to, because he continued.

  “Then you go and fuck that dirty cop. I came back here to try and do what everyone said was right. Have a family. Take care of you and the kid. And you fuck that fucking cop right under my nose.

  “Guess what, Linden? I don’t want you. That cop doesn’t want you. No one wants you. Because you are a crazy slut that traps guys with kids.”

  Four years of anger and pain that I’d kept bottled up for the good of my son and his relationship with his father came bursting out.

  A surge of superhero strength propelled me toward Tim. Unable to stop myself, I balled up my fists and pounded them against his chest, blow after blow.

  “Fuck you, Tim!” I yelled, finally finding my voice. “You are a fucking waste of space. A waste of air. I don’t need you. I don’t want you. Don’t act like you came back as a favor to me. All you’ve ever done is make my life a living hell. I didn’t keep Holden to trap you or bring you back to me, I kept him because I love him. A feeling I never had for you and never could, if you were the last man on earth.”

  Tim grabbed my wrists and slammed me against his body. I twisted and turned, trying to hit him anyway, but his hold was too tight. So I started kicking him. My slinky blue dress rode up my thighs every time I took a good crack. I jumped up, wheeling both feet in a bicycling motion to get one hard knee to his crotch.

  Just one.

  Strong arms grabbed me from behind and pulled me from Tim’s grip. I didn’t see who. Didn’t care who.

  All I felt was adrenaline.

  All I cared about was inflicting as much pain as I possibly could.

  So I kept kicking, ninja-style, until I knew I was safe.

  Chapter 29

  Jason

  “Calm down, Indie,” I commanded, hoping my voice sounded somewhat calm, while fighting back a Tarzan-style battle call and the urge to beat the shit out of Tim.

  It took a few seconds, and a few smacks to my sides and kicks to my shins, before Indie stopped flailing. I kept my grip on her, squeezing tighter to keep her back pressed against my chest. Every quick, heavy breath she took pushed her stomach against my arms.

  “Dirty pig to the rescue,” Tim chided. “You two look good together.” He brushed his T-shirt off and ran a hand through his hair. “Have a good night.”

  “You think this is the end?” I asked. Hopefully, Indie was prepared for me to let go, because it was time to give Tim what he deserved.

  “What’re you gonna do?” Tim asked. “You gonna kick my ass? Go for it. You’ll be kicked off the
police department so fast. You’ll have to head back to your hometown. Might as well take that dirty tramp with you.” Tim nodded toward Indie.

  And that was it.

  I leaned forward and charged him, socking him straight in the stomach with my shoulder. Tim took a few wobbly steps backward, thrown off balance by the impact. I used his surprise to my advantage, punching him without reservation. Without giving a shit. Kick me off the force. Put me in jail. This dude was going down. Hard.

  Within seconds, brute instinct took over and the world narrowed to flesh and blood. Literally. My swollen, slippery fists hammered Tim’s face until I couldn’t tell who was bleeding or where the blood originated.

  His nose? His mouth? My hands?

  “Jason! Stop! You have to stop!” Indie’s screams barely registered as I pummeled Tim’s face.

  But I didn’t stop. Couldn’t stop. Wouldn’t stop.

  Let his fucking father send me to Detroit. Send me to jail. I had zero fucks to give.

  I’d empty my locker with a smile on my face if I got kicked off the Bridgeland PD for beating the shit out of Tim Antonio, if it meant he would never touch Indie again.

  And I would do everything in my power to make sure Tim lost custody of Holden.

  Another punch made Tim moan and sputter. He would never be able to hurt anyone I loved again.

  “Jason!” Indie’s scream broke through my rage.

  I stopped pounding and leaned back, chest heaving.

  “Get off of him!” she screamed. “Get the fuck off of him!”

  Her words sunk in, and I finally stopped and looked at Tim. His face was covered in blood. I couldn’t even make out his features.

  My entire body shook. My hands trembled. My breathing was heavy and erratic.

  I climbed off Tim and stood up. The entire scene replayed in my head.

  I’d choose to beat him every time.

  “I don’t need you to save me!” Indie screamed. “I don’t need anything from you. Except for you to leave me alone.”

  “Well, that’s not going to happen.” I wiped my bloody hands on my jeans, adding to the smears of red already there from punching a tree. “I won’t leave you alone. Because I want you in my life. I was wrong. I was stupid. I was scared.” I paused to take a deep breath.

  Fuck.

  Indie didn’t speak, just stared at me with her arms crossed over her chest, looking badass and sexy all at once.

  “I talked to the wrong people and they got in my head and it freaked me out. I wanted to do what was right for you and Holden and I thought I had to sacrifice what we have to do that.”

  She stood silent, but didn’t walk away, so I continued.

  “Now I know why. I’m a fucking idiot, Indie. I know that. I should never have listened to Tim. To anyone. But at the time, he made sense. I didn’t want to be the guy who got in the way of Holden having a life with his biological father. I didn’t want him to have the life I had.”

  Indie took a step toward me. “Why not? You have a great life.”

  “That’s not—” I began.

  “No, you listen to me, Jason Taylor.” Indie took another step toward me and poked me in the chest. “You have a fucking amazing life with a fucking amazing family who love you so much. You’ve gotta ditch the hate you have in your heart for Valerie Berezin. She made a choice to give you a better life.”

  “I know.”

  “And you have to stop making choices for other people. I’m fine, Jason. I’m good. I know that I don’t want to be with him.” Indie gestured to Tim, still lying in a heap on the ground, moaning. “I know that getting back together with Tim would mess Holden up more than if I cut him out of his life forever. And I’m prepared to make that decision, no matter how you feel about it. And if you want to be with me, you have to understand that.”

  I nodded. Because I finally did understand it. I was an idiot for doubting Indie’s choices. For doubting my biological mom’s choices.

  Grief makes people do idiotic things.

  “I’m twenty years old. I know I’m still young and I don’t know everything.” Indie took a deep breath. “Believe me, I know that. But I don’t take decisions that involve the well-being of my kid lightly. Everything I do is for him. I’m always thinking about how I can make his life better.”

  “I know,” I whispered. “I’m sorry I let my personal issues get in the way. I couldn’t see your situation because I hadn’t dealt with the grief of my own. I should have trusted you and your choices. I’m sorry, Linden.

  “I’m pretty sure I love you.” I paused. “I mean, I know I do. When I close my eyes and think about the future, I see you every time. You and Holden are the people sitting around the dinner table in my dining room. You and Holden are standing next to me cheering for my brother at hockey games.”

  Some people think alcohol is like a truth serum. I don’t believe that. I believe it’s more like a disinhibition serum. It gives people the false bravery to say things they never would. Which isn’t necessarily the truth.

  It must have been the adrenaline and alcohol coursing through my bloodstream, making me say things I normally wouldn’t. But in this case, they were the complete truth. Things I’d been too chicken to say before.

  “Sometimes you’re helping me wash my truck in the driveway, wearing a sexy, white bikini.”

  I had to lighten the mood. I couldn’t handle the intensity. Must be coming down from my adrenaline high.

  “Really?” she asked, tilting her head and putting a hand on her hip. But on her lips was the smile I’d seen in the situations I’d described.

  I took a step closer to her. “Really.” Then I leaned in and kissed her, careful not to touch her with my hands. On top of everything else she’d been through tonight, she didn’t need my bloody paws on that gorgeous dress. “You’re in every single fantasy of my future.”

  “I can’t commit to a future with someone who’s going to use his past to question my parenting decisions. I don’t need another man in my life to fight with. Or who I can’t trust because he might back out any minute.”

  “I trust your decisions, Indie. You are the best mom I’ve ever met. Next to my own, of course.” I glanced at Tim. “And you won’t be dealing with him anymore. I’m never letting that jackweed around you or Holden ever again. I’ll fight right along with you. Every single step of the way.”

  I wiped my hands on my jeans again, pissed I couldn’t completely remove the blood. I just wanted to wrap my arms around her.

  When Indie stepped toward me, I jumped back and lifted my hands in the air. “I don’t want to get your dress dirty.”

  “Fuck the dress. I want you to hold me,” she said, closing the distance between us and laying her head on my chest.

  Disbelief sent a shiver through me, but I wrapped my arms around her and rested my chin on the top of her head, anyway. I’d buy her a new dress. One that didn’t have other guys salivating when she walked through the bar.

  “You’re an idiot,” she whispered.

  “I know.”

  “I want to go to Detroit with you,” she whispered.

  “Are you sure?” I asked, pulling back to see her face. I swept hair out of her eyes with my bloody hands.

  “Yes. I want to be with you. I know you don’t want to be here. And I don’t need to be here. I want to be where you are. I want you to be the father figure Holden is around. I’ll fight Tim. I’ll fight for my son.”

  She looked up at me with huge, brown eyes, so honest and open. I saw every image of the perfect future I’d shared running through them.

  “I’m not moving,” I admitted. “Not right now, anyway.”

  “I thought…” she began. Then she blinked away the thought and tried again. “You said you were moving back to Detroit.”

  “I just said that to get away from you.” I squeezed her. “Not to really get away. But I freaked out and needed an escape plan when I thought I was breaking up with you for your own good. You know, ba
ck in my idiot days.”

  Indie nodded in understanding and bit her lip. “Can we move?”

  “Are you sure you want to leave Bridgeland?” I asked.

  It’s not that I didn’t believe her, but after such an intense, emotional situation, anyone would want to flee the problem. I had to make sure moving to Detroit—or anywhere—was the right decision, made when she was of sound mind.

  “More than I’ve ever wanted anything,” she answered. “Except you.”

  I held her shoulders and looked into her eyes. “It’s not just about us. We have a lot of people to think about. Holden. Your mom. Damien. Let’s talk about it and make a logical decision for all of us. Okay?”

  Indie’s eyes filled with tears, but she blinked them away. “Oh, so now you’re the voice of reason?” she said, teasing.

  “Not very often, but I thought you’d appreciate that.”

  A low groan interrupted our moment as Tim rolled from his back onto his side.

  “I need to deal with him.” I nodded at Tim, his body crumpled in the fetal position on the ground.

  “Wait!” Indie pulled out of my grip and reached into her purse. She retrieved a thin plastic packet and held it out to me. “I have wipes.”

  I shrugged. “Better than nothing.”

  Indie squatted down, sat back on her calves, and began wiping Tim’s face.

  I stood frozen for a moment, watching her and contemplating the absolute ridiculousness of the situation. Indie wiping the blood from her loser ex-boyfriend’s face, whom I’d just beat the shit out of, defending her.

  I pulled out my cellphone and called Tyson, one of my closest friends in the department. Steve probably would’ve had my back, but it would come with a lecture, and I didn’t want to deal with that right now. Instead, I called one of the guys I trusted the most, who was around the same age and temperament I was. I wasn’t too worried, but I did just beat the shit out of Tim. And he seemed like the kind of guy who would go tattle to his mayor father.

  “Do you want to press charges?” I asked after hanging up. I slipped my cellphone into my back pocket.