"Yeah, I guess."
"Let's get a drink," Quinn said, tugging him to his feet. "First one's on me."
"No, thanks." Connor reached into his locker and pulled out a clean shirt. The blue button-down he wore had splatters of blood on it. Not his, thank God. Their perp hadn't gone to jail quietly.
"You going home?" Quinn's voice softened. "Come have dinner with me and Tessa instead."
"Thanks, man." Connor punched his brother's shoulder. "But I'm not going home."
"Where then?"
"Tae kwon do match. Jennings dragged me there last week. It's the school team the precinct sponsors. Not sure Jennings is going – I haven't seen him today. Those girls should have someone there for them. And I promised I'd show up."
"You sure?" Quinn frowned. "Sounds boring as all hell."
"Yeah, I'm sure." He shouldn't go within a mile of Raine. She was cop kryptonite, and he'd screwed up. He needed to stay away from her.
But he'd promised the girls. Someone had to be there.
He wouldn't have to talk to her. He'd watch the meet and leave.
That was the coward's way. He knew it. But he didn't trust himself. He'd dreamt about her the last two nights. Woken up aroused and aching, remembering the sex they'd shared.
If he spoke to her, if he caught a whiff of her scent, he'd want her again. Hell, just watching her at the meet would drive him nuts.
But the girls needed someone there.
"Go home to Tessa," he told Quinn. "Give her a kiss for me. You're lucky you have her."
"Hey." Quinn took a step back and studied his brother's face. "Bachelor number one having second thoughts about his carefree lifestyle?"
"No way." Way. "Just meant Tessa's great." He forced a smile. "I'd steal her from you, but she's oddly attached to your ugly mug."
Instead of laughing, as Connor intended, Quinn studied him. His twin could always see through his bullshit. "If you want to come over after your tai whatever meet, we'll be home."
"Thanks, man, but you need time with Tessa." Connor slammed his locker shut and headed for the door. "I'm off tomorrow and the next day. See you in a few days."
"Take it easy, Con."
As his twin headed out of the locker room, Connor texted Jennings to find out where the meet was. Jennings texted him the address thirty seconds later.
Then he texted Raine. Not because he wanted to talk to her. He needed to let her know someone from the department would be there.
When he'd finished packing his stuff and headed out of the building, he checked his phone. Raine hadn't answered his text.
He stared at the phone for a long moment, waiting.
Nothing. Huh.
***
Raine stood on the sideline and watched her team go through their stretching routine. In a few minutes, they'd jog around the gym, then they'd practice kicks.
Her gaze kept drifting back to Bella. The girl had been quiet in the van on the way to the meet, and when Raine had glanced in the rear view mirror, she'd seen a sadness in Bella's eyes that made Raine want to cry.
Now she wore a heavy turtleneck beneath her dobok, and it looked as if she was having trouble moving. "Hey, Bella," Raine called as she walked over to the girl. "That turtleneck is kind of heavy."
Bella's hand flew to her neck. "I'm not taking it off."
"I have a thin one in my bag. Want to give that a try?" She'd wanted to make sure Bella had something to wear to cover up her bruises.
The girl raised one shoulder. "I guess."
Raine reached for her gym bag and pulled out a white, paper-thin shirt. "I think it'll be easier for you to move in this."
Bella looked at the shirt in her hand and her fist closed around it. "Thanks, Ms. Taylor."
"Go ahead and change." She rested her hand on Bella's shoulder for a moment. "Does your throat hurt less?"
"Yeah." She rubbed her neck. "It's better."
"Good." She touched the girl's arm and smiled. "You're going to do really well today. You always do at our meets." Bella had been focused during warm-ups. Fierce. She'd almost fallen several times from the force of her kicks.
After the meet, they were going to talk about the police. If Alex was here, she'd persuade Bella to tell the detective what her father had done. If she wouldn't...
Raine sighed. Bella probably wouldn't forgive her, but she'd tell him herself. She had no choice.
Raine watched as Bella disappeared into the locker room, then turned to the rest of her team. She was showing one of the younger girls a correct stance when she felt someone behind her.
"You Taylor?"
She turned to find a short, bulked-up man standing behind her. His hair and eyes were dark and his biceps bulged beneath the too-tight sleeves of a yellow polo shirt. The shirt was tucked into khakis that hugged muscular thighs.
Raine had noticed him walk into the gym with a thin woman and sit with the other parents. As far as she could remember, neither of them had been to a meet before today.
"Yes." She smiled and held out her hand. "Raine Taylor. And you are...?"
"Julio Abrietto. Bella's father."
Raine's smile disappeared. She shoved her hands into her pockets to hide the way they curled into fists. "I'm glad to meet you, Mr. Abrietto. Bella is a wonderful athlete. She's doing very well on the team." She forced a stiff smile onto her face. "We can always count on her for a win at our meets."
"Bella can't do this anymore."
Raine's stomach twisted. "Why not? Is she okay?" She knew damn well Bella was not okay.
"She's needed at home."
Raine studied the man in front of her. He looked like all the other fathers she'd met – overworked, stressed, trying hard to make ends meet.
He didn't look like a monster.
Had Bella told her father Raine wanted to call the police?
No. She was too smart to do that.
When she didn't answer him immediately, Abrietto's eyes darkened. "She's leaving with us. Right now."
She wasn't going to let this angry man take Bella home. She scanned the spectators. Alex wasn't there. She swallowed. It was up to her to prevent Bella from leaving with her father.
She stood straighter and squared her shoulders, and calm settled over her. Connor had shown her the other night that she wasn't as good or fast or strong as she thought she was. But she was good enough to make sure Abrietto wouldn't hit his daughter tonight. And hopefully never again.
"She's changing her clothes," Raine said quietly. "Go into the hall while I tell the girls I'll be right back. It'll be easier to talk out there."
"No talk necessary. I'll take my daughter and go."
"Before you take her, I want to tell you what a great job Bella has done," she answered.
She stared him down until he turned and headed toward the door. Then she called Renata over. "I have to talk to Bella's father," she said. "It might take awhile. There's a paper in my bag with the match-ups for the meet. If I'm not back by the time we start, could you tell everyone when it's their turn?"
"Sure." Renata's gaze drifted toward Abrietto, shoving the door open. "Is everything okay?"
"It should be." She squeezed Renata's arm. "I'll be right back."
On the way to the door, she texted Alex and asked him how far away he was. Less than a minute later, he texted back 'six, seven minutes.'
Okay. She knew how to defend herself. She could deal with anything for six or seven minutes.
Raine closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Counted to ten, then exhaled slowly. Nerves fluttered in her stomach, but she pushed them deep. As she opened the gym door, she scanned the hall for the security cameras she knew were there.
Abrietto stood directly across from one of them. Thank God. She wasn't sure she had enough time to maneuver him into position.
She positioned herself so the camera could see both of them. She didn't have to worry about what she said, because the cameras didn't record sound. "Mr. Abrietto, why are you really tak
ing Bella away from the team?"
"My business. Not yours."
"Is it because of the marks on her neck this week?"
A muscle twitched in his jaw. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Raine feigned surprise. "Really? Someone tried to strangle her. She's got bruises on both sides of her neck. She's been wearing turtlenecks, but I saw them when she had to take off her shirt for practice." She frowned. "Surely you noticed them."
Abrietto's eyes darkened. "Stay out of my business."
"Your business?" She stood a little straighter. "You were the one who hurt Bella?"
"She was being mouthy."
"So you strangled her? Your own daughter? I told Bella I was going to call the police, and she begged me not to. I don't have a choice, though. I have to report child abuse."
He took a step closer, his face flushed and his eyes narrow, angry slits. "You do that and you'll be sorry."
Her stomach jumped, and Raine took a deep breath. Calmed herself. You've got this. She could take this bully. "Sorry? Why? Are you going to hit me? Or do you only hurt children who can't fight back?"
"Shut your fucking mouth," he said. He clenched and unclenched his fists and leaned closer. "Or I'll shut it for you."
"Big talk, Abrietto." She hoped to God the security cameras were working. "But you're not going to hit me. You know I might hit you back. And that might make you cry."
The muscles in his throat tightened until the tendons stood out like cords. Raine's muscles were jittery, but she had to keep taunting him. Had to make him lose his temper and try to hit her. Then it would be on tape. And with any luck, Alex would show up and catch him in the act.
Taking another deep breath, trying to still her muscle tremors, she shook her head. "You think you're a big man? You don't deserve to be called a man. You know what they do to guys like you in prison? Assholes who abuse their kids?"
A muscle jumped in his jaw. "Shut up."
"That's where you're going, Abrietto. Prison. And you'll be some big dude's bitch. You'll be the one who's knocked around. We'll see how you like it then." She let her gaze drift over him. "I'm betting you'll cry."
His teeth clenched, his face bright red, Abrietto hauled back his arm and clenched his fist. Raine waited for him to commit, then danced out of the way of the punch. She could sweep his feet from under him, take him out now, but she needed more. Maybe she'd let him land a glancing blow to her arm. Just enough to get him tossed into jail.
Abrietto roared out his anger and swung again. Once more, Raine dodged his fist. She heard the door to the gym open. "Ms. Taylor? Oh, my God." Renata. "What's going on?"
She glanced over her shoulder, and Abrietto's fist slammed into her. It glanced off her cheekbone and her head snapped back. Pain exploded in her cheek, blurring her vision.
Her legs wobbled and she toppled into the wall. Flattening her hands against the rough, cinder block surface, she tried to kick Abrietto. Her foot brushed his thigh and did no damage.
Abrietto drew his fist back to hit her again. Raine put up her arms to block the blow, but her reflexes were off. Someone shouted, but she couldn't focus on anything but the clenched fist in front of her.
Abrietto's blow glanced off her arm and hit her shoulder. The force knocked her to the floor. That was a problem. She couldn't fight back from the floor. Raine curled in on herself, trying to protect her chest and abdomen. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her attacker draw back his foot to kick her, but suddenly Abrietto went flying.
A man had tackled him. Bella's father threw some punches as he went down, but Raine couldn't tell if they landed. If they had, they didn't stop the other man from retaliating.
The man swore steadily at Abrietto as he drew his arm back. His fist was a blur as it headed toward Abrietto's face, and something crunched.
Abrietto's attacker landed punch after punch. Raine struggled to sit up. The hallway with its green walls and brown lockers spun crazily, making her stomach lurch. Something wet dripped down her face. As she managed to get her feet under her, footsteps pounded down the hall.
"Stop, man." Alex's voice. He reached for the guy who was still pummeling Abrietto as Raine pushed against the wall. She pulled herself into a crouch, then slid back to the floor. Her legs shook. So did her arms. Bright lights flashed behind her eyelids every time she closed her eyes.
She would sit here for a moment. Get her body under control. Then she'd will herself to her feet. Go back into the gym. Supervise her girls.
Tell Bella she didn't have to be afraid anymore.
Raine drew a shaky breath and gathered herself to stand up. She made it about a foot before her legs shook so violently that she slid back to the floor.
Her face throbbed in time with her heartbeat, and the rest of her head felt as if someone was pounding spikes into it. The struggle between Jennings, Bella's stepfather and the unknown man continued, with Jennings trying to drag the man off Bella's father, and the man trying to throw more punches. Everything was fuzzy. Distant. Surreal.
"You've got him, man." Alex's voice came from far away. "You've got him. He's subdued. Under control."
Alex dragged the other man off Bella's father and shoved him to the floor. After he flipped Abrietto and cuffed him, he left him on the floor. Alex tugged on the other man's arm and helped him to his feet.
The man shrugged Alex off and lunged toward Abrietto. Alex wrapped the unknown man in his arms and threw him in the other direction. Then he stood between the agitated guy and Bella's father. "Enough, Donovan." He jerked his head toward Raine. "Take care of Raine."
Donovan? Connor was here?
The ceiling lights stabbed in to Raine's eyes. As she struggled to focus, someone knelt in front of her.
"Raine."
A blurred face hovered in front of her. She shook her head to focus her gaze, but that made the hallway spin.
Her stomach heaved, and she closed her eyes.
"Open your eyes, Raine," he whispered. He cupped her uninjured cheek, his hand barely touching her skin. "Oh my God, sweetheart."
It was Connor. She didn't need to see him to know. She recognized his voice. His scent. But she forced her eyes to focus. "Connor?" Without thinking, she reached for him. Her fingers slid over the soft material of his shirt, and she curled her fingers into it. Steadying herself. Anchoring herself.
Listing toward him, she closed her eyes and drew his comforting scent into her lungs. "Nice timing."
Chapter 11
In the suddenly silent hallway, Connor heard the wail of sirens in the distance. He ignored the cuffed man on the floor as he knelt in front of Raine.
He was afraid to touch her. Her left eye was already red and swollen nearly shut, and an ugly bruise bloomed on the side of her face. A cut near her hairline trailed red tears down her face and dropped splotches of blood on her bright green sweater.
Her uninjured eye was glassy, and Connor wasn't surprised. He'd seen her head snap back from the force of that bastard's punch, hard enough to cause whiplash. Thank God she hadn't cracked it against the wall.
He tucked her hair behind her ear, away from the blood. The silky strands were soft against his fingers, and he remembered how her hair had felt that night in front of Northrup's house.
No. Not going there.
Shoving those images away, he pressed his fingers against her scalp and tried to hold her head steady. He knew from experience how much it hurt to move your head after a hit like that.
She'd been holding onto his shirt, but when he shifted, her hand slid off. It shook as she lifted it, but she managed to grip his shirt again and hold on. She blinked twice, slowly, as if struggling to focus. "What...what are you doing here?"
"I came to watch your meet." He shifted so her head rested against his shoulder. He was afraid to move her any more than that. He'd seen everything as he ran toward her, but he had no idea how badly she was injured.
Raine was a strong woman. But sitting against the wall, t
ilted to the side and bracing herself on him, she seemed small. Fragile.
"What happened, Raine? Why was that guy hitting you?"
"Bella's father." Her eye began to flutter closed.
"Okay. Why was Bella's father hitting you?"
Her throat rippled as she swallowed and she opened her eye again. "Was going to tell Alex. Today."
She was going to tell Alex something about Bella's father? A hot flash of jealousy speared through him. Why wasn't she going to tell him?
Because you didn't call her, asshole. You fucked her against a tree and disappeared.
"'S okay now, though." Raine spoke slowly, as if searching for every word. "Got him on the security camera. Lock him up, right?"
"Tighter than a tick's ass," he assured her. Bella's father was going away for a long time. Assault, battery on Raine. Battery of a police officer. In a school.
Wait. "What do you mean, you got him on the security camera?"
Her head slipped from his shoulder and he pulled her tighter against his chest. "What do you mean, Raine?"
"Later. Tell you later." Her words were barely more than a whisper.
"Jennings!" Connor yelled. "Where's the bus?"
"On its way." Alex crouched on Raine's other side and took her hand. "Don't go to sleep, Raine. Okay? Look at me."
Her eyelids fluttered, and Connor held her more tightly. "Open your eyes, sweetheart," he murmured. "Stay with us. The ambulance is almost here."
She opened her good eye and glared at Connor. "Not your sweetheart."
Jennings' mouth twitched. "Nice try, Donovan, but I could have told you it wouldn't work. Our Raine's a tough woman. Even knocked half-silly, she won't give you anything."
She already had. Connor curled around Raine until her shoulder dug into his ribs. In spite of the blood and the sweat, her scent filled his head.
And what had he done?
He hadn't called to check on her. Hadn't even texted her.
Raine's eyes were closed and blood dripped down her cheek. The ugly purple bruise was vivid against her paper-white skin.
"Can you check on the bus?" he asked Jennings.
Trust Me (The Donovan Family Book 4) Page 9