The front door opened, and John hurried to get out of the car. Ethan raised his eyebrows as he waited for him to walk into the house.
“I thought you were going to sit out there all day,” Ethan said.
John shook his head and walked right by him to the living room. Julie was sitting on the couch with a smile plastered on her face. He sat down next to her and pulled her into a hug.
“How are you?” he asked.
“So damn scared,” she said. “I think I'm driving your brother crazy. You're the only two that know everything about that day and what happened before. He keeps telling me they won't let Jason out of jail. I don't know. I don't want to have to watch my back every moment.”
“Ethan won't let that happen. He'll protect you with everything he has. So will I. You're my little sister now. Between us and Gavin, you'll never have to watch your back. We will all be there for you today. You know that. That fucker won't get anywhere near you.”
“I'm worried about what they are going to say in front of all of you. What my brother and the rest will hear. Will they treat me different or think bad of me? This isn't who I am. I don't let anyone run my life. He's not even here, and I'm letting him control me. It's bullshit. You know that's not how I am.”
John saw tears forming in her eyes. Ethan watched them from against the wall. John could see how much anger was in his eyes and noticed Ethan's fists clench with his arms over his chest. John gave him a sympathetic look. He hadn't been with Sandy in so many years, and the thought of her husband controlling her every move made him angry. He couldn't imagine how his brother felt. He was the one that found that ass hurting her. John knew he had to watch Ethan in court. There was no way he wanted to have to bail his brother out. It was very possible.
Ethan was on his knees in front of Julie as soon as the first tear fell from her eyes. He pulled her into his arms and held her. John could hear him telling her that nothing would ever happen. He would be there no matter what. It was his job to protect her forever. She calmed down quickly in his arms.
That was what John wanted. He wanted a love like theirs. He wanted that kind of connection. The kind he used to have with Sandy. He would have done anything for her. If he had known how her situation was, he was would have begged her to leave. He would have loved her and her daughter. John knew he was wrong as well. He should have told her how much he loved her and that he wanted to marry her before he left. Why had he given up so easily? He should have fought for her to go with him. If they had talked about it, they could have agreed that she finish her classes and then join him. She wouldn't have been at that party. They were kids moving into the adult world. They were so young.
John drove so Julie and Ethan could sit together on the way to court. It was a good idea after all that he was there. When they pulled up, he heard Julie gasp. All of their friends were there already. They all stood outside waiting for her. Gavin, Becky, Josh, Lisa, and Heath were all there. They had busy lives, but none of them would let her down. Heath had been missing in action lately. It wasn't the easiest thing for him to see Lisa married with a child. He was even there for Julie. Jason was better off behind bars after what he did. If they released him, John knew there would be five guys needing bail money.
Ethan held her hand as she got out of the car. She had her smile plastered on for all of them to see. John parked his car and met up with them on the sidewalk. Gavin took her into his arms and wouldn't let anyone else near her. John laughed when Ethan growled and pulled her back with him. When they got into the court room, Ethan took one side of Julie and Gavin took the other. It was just as it should have been. John sat next to Ethan just in case and also for support. Becky sat with her baby bump next to her husband. Lisa, Josh, and Heath sat right behind them. Julie reached over and rubbed Becky's belly.
“You're showing already. That is going to be one big baby,” Julie said.
Gavin looked at her and laughed.
“What if there are two or three in there? That would be so funny,” she joked.
“You better close your mouth. If that happens, you'll be over helping,” Gavin said with a nervous look.
The judge took his seat. When the door to the side opened and the lawyers took their spots, Ethan put his arms around her. He made sure that the lawyers were the best and had been in touch with them the whole time. If Jason got out, they would all lose complete faith in the system.
John saw Jason look over at Julie as soon as he walked into the room. She buried her head in Ethan's chest. John heard a growl vibrate straight from Ethan's core. Gavin stood up, but Becky was right there talking to him.
Julie sat up straight in the front of the courtroom and put on a strong face with all of her friends there to protect her. She had to relive way more than she wanted to in front of all of them. It was necessary if she wanted him out of her life. She kept her eyes on Ethan the entire time. It was as if she were talking straight to him. He was helping her through it. Each time she stopped or choked up, he helped her through. He was being strong for her. Gavin kept his head down in his hands so she couldn't see his face. If she would veer away from Ethan for one second, he would clear his throat so she went right back to him.
Jason was a mess. He wasn't right. They knew he couldn't deny anything. When Ethan needed to leave his seat, Gavin wrapped his arms around his sister and John scooted in on the other side of her. Ethan looked directly at Jason as he spoke. John kept one eye on Ethan and one eye on Julie. It was one of the most intense things John had ever seen. He had been to court more times than he could count. It was completely different when it was for someone he loved.
It was the longest day any of them had ever been through, but it was worth it. Jason would be gone for a very long time. The judge gave him the maximum sentence that he could. Since Jason had such a nasty record and it was the second time in years he had went after Julie, he wouldn't be available for parole for just as long. Julie could breathe knowing she was safe. Of course, he wouldn't be gone forever, but they were happy with what had happened. They wouldn't worry again until that time came.
When they moved to take Jason out of the room, he turned to look at Julie. Ethan moved in front of her and headed toward him. John grabbed his arm just before he got him.
“You will never come near her again. She's my wife. I will protect her every single day. You will never hurt her you piece-of-shit.”
Jason's head dropped as they led him away. As soon as the door closed and he was gone, John heard Julie let out a huge breath. They each hugged her one by one and told her how much they loved her. John looked around at all his friends and knew that he wanted Sandy to experience that friendship.
John took Ethan and Julie home and then went out to get them food. He dropped it off back at their house. She asked him to stay, but he knew Ethan needed to be alone with her. He was sure they would be asleep in a couple of hours. Neither of them had slept for days.
John went home, worked out, and sat down to watch a game he had recorded. His phone buzzed.
Sandy: Are you home? How's Julie? Did everything go okay?
He thought about everything Sandy had confessed to him about what happened after he left school. It wasn't easy for her. He still felt anger that she had been with someone else and was hurt that she hadn't come to him and given him the chance to be with her and her child. It was all part of their past. He had spent twenty-seven years thinking about what could have been. John didn't want to waste any more of his life in the past. He wanted to move forward with the years he had left. Most of all, he wanted the love his brother had found.
John: Can I call you?
Chapter 21
Sandy had spent the entire day on the edge of her seat worrying about Julie. She didn't know much about the situation, but what she did know broke her heart. Sandy's husband controlled her for years, but he never hit her. She couldn't imagine what Julie had gone through.
It was five o'clock and she had just gotten out of work. She knew cou
rt would have to be over. There was no way she wanted to interrupt John's time with his family. Once she felt it was safe, she sent the text. When he sent back asking if he could call her, she couldn't wait another second to hear his voice and quickly dialed his number.
“Hello,” he answered on the first ring.
“Hey,” she said.
She could hear the stress in his voice, as he explained the events from the day and how worried he was about Julie and Ethan. The more they talked, the less stressed he sounded. She didn't want to let him go. They both heated up food and ate while they continued to talk. It seemed like minutes had gone by when she looked at the clock. Three hours had passed so quickly. They both turned on the same show on television and discussed it while they watched. Sandy laughed when her phone beeped with a low battery.
“I guess I should let you go,” she said. “My phone's going to shut off. Be careful at work tomorrow. I still can't believe you're a police officer. A very good looking one as well.”
She heard John laugh through the phone.
“Maybe I'll show you my cuffs Friday night,” he said.
She could hear him smile through the phone as she gasped.
“Goodnight, Sandy,” he said without letting her say a word.
They talked and text throughout the week. She helped him plan a menu for the get together. He made a list of things he needed to buy. They were going to shop together Friday after work. John wanted to make sure to remember everything. He wanted it to be perfect since it was the first time he was having them all over. She laughed at how he was acting about it.
It seemed like the rest of the work week took forever to pass. She couldn't help but think about John's handcuff comment. It made her skin warm each time the thought entered her mind. She wasn't sure if she was nervous or excited at the thought of him using them on her.
She pulled up to his house Friday after work with an overnight bag. He had already asked her to stay over. She wanted to make sure she had clothes for cooking and clothes for the party. There was no way she wanted to spill on herself and then have to wear the same clothes in front of his friends the first time she met most of them. He opened the front door and was at her car before she was even out of the seat. Damn did he look good in uniform, she thought. John reached into the back and grabbed her bag. When he walked into the house, he took her bag straight to his room. She felt like a teenager on a first date. Her nerves were on high alert. She couldn't help the excitement that filled her at the thought of her stuff being in his room. Why she expected him to put her bag in a guest room she wasn't sure. They were both grown adults, and it was his house. He came back out in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. She could see his muscles beneath the shirt and wanted to move forward and touch him.
“I thought we could stop for dinner before we went to the store. Have you eaten?” he asked.
“I haven't,” she said. “I came straight here from work.”
He shook his head, and she saw a cocky smile cross his face.
“You couldn't wait to see me,” he said. “I get it.”
“Whatever,” she joked back. “I knew we had to shop for your party.”
He pulled her into his arms. It felt so good having his strong body against her. She had never felt so safe in her life.
“Just admit it,” he whispered into her ear. “You want to see my cuffs.”
She pushed him away and smacked his chest.
“No,” she snapped. “I don't.”
Sandy made sure to be serious, but she knew her body wasn't saying the same thing.
“Okay,” he said, as he turned and grabbed his keys. “Are you ready?”
She stood still looking at him. His eyes widened, and the cocky smile grew.
“To go shopping?” he specified.
“Oh,” she said. “Yes, of course.”
She quickly turned, before her face blushed any more than it already had and walked out the door. He let out a small laugh behind her, as she hurried to the car.
“Did you bring the list you wrote out of what you needed to buy?” she asked.
“Crap,” he said. “I'll be right back.”
She got in his car and waited for him. He looked so good walking toward her. She couldn't believe that she was even more attracted to him in her forties than she was as a teenager. He was perfect. When he got in the car, he handed her the list.
They stopped at a cute little deli style place to eat. It had been around since they were kids. She remembered going there with him in high school and wondered if he had ever been there with anyone else. He walked straight to their spot. Things had changed and it was a different booth, but it was in the same spot.
“Do remember when you used to bring me here after school?” she asked.
“Yes,” he answered. “How could I forget? I asked you to prom in this spot.”
“You told me you loved me for the first time in this spot,” she said.
John didn't say anything. He looked down at the list in his hands.
“Do you think we need anything else? I'm sure I'm missing something. I don't want Ethan to be able to give me shit for forgetting anything. We need cheesecake for sure. Julie loves it.”
“You love it,” Sandy said. “Are you getting it for you or her?”
“She loves it too,” he said. “I will enjoy it as well. That's one of the perks of having her for a sister.”
It bothered Sandy that he brushed off what she said about him telling her he loved her there, but she knew she deserved that plus much more for what she had done. She pushed it out of her mind and continued talking about what they needed. They added several more things to list of things to buy. By the time they were finished eating, they were sure they had everything right for a party filled with drinks and delicious food.
Sandy couldn't remember the last time if ever she had so much fun at the grocery store. The two of them were like kids. John grabbed things and put them in the buggy. She would remind him it wasn't on their list. He would come up with a reason they needed it. She even found herself grabbing things they didn't need but made sure to keep them separate. Ice cream, cookies, and popcorn were a few of the things she wanted. He reminded her that if he ate that stuff he would have to work out out extra in the gym. She let him know they weren't for him.
When they got to the register, she put her stuff out first and stopped the cashier at the end of her order.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“I'm buying my stuff.”
“I don't think so. You can ring that up with mine,” he told the cashier.
“No,” Sandy snapped. “I can pay for my own stuff. These are things I wanted. I will pay for them. You don't need to take care of me. I can do it.”
“That wasn't what I was doing,” he snapped back. “Look at everything I have here. That's not going to make much of a difference. I was just being nice.”
She knew he was offended by the way she treated him and felt so bad after she did it.
“I'm sorry,” she said, as she turned to him.
He continued putting out the stuff he bought without another word. She paid her bill and helped him with his stuff. They loaded up his car and headed home. She couldn't take the silence and needed him to know why she had reacted the way she did.
“I need you to understand,” she began. “I didn't mean to seem ungrateful. I spent twenty-five years without a penny to my name. He made it very hard for me. I had a certain amount I was allowed to spend each week. It was barely enough to buy what I needed for the kids. He expected large dinners when he was home, and I had to be very creative. The last few years, I had to save some of that money so I would be able to leave when the time came. Ice cream and cookies weren't things I could just buy when I was in the mood for them. To be able to pick out what I want and buy it feels amazing. I got them so we would have snacks while we watched a movie tonight. It was something I wanted to do for us. I know it isn't much and it sounds silly, but it means a l
ot to me. When we're sitting around later, watching a movie and eating those snacks, I can think about how far my life has come from where it was. Does it make sense?”
“Yes,” he said, as he reached over and took her hand in his. “I don't want you to pay for things when you're with me. You save that money for things you need or spend it on your kids. When we're together, I'll take care of things. I appreciate you getting that stuff for us, but that's my job.”
“It's not your job to take care of me, John,” she said.
“It is,” he answered. “It always has been. I never should have let you go. You belong with me. I can't believe I ever gave up on you so easily. You'll never have to go through any of that again.”
She felt tears building in her eyes at his words. It felt good to have someone care about her and build her up when all she was used to was being knocked down. Quickly, she tried to think of other things before they fell from her eyes.
They carried all of the bags into the house and unpacked everything. She grabbed what they needed for the few things they could make the night before. He pointed her in the direction of bowls, spoons, and pans.
“You really need to get some more kitchen stuff. I can tell you don't cook much,” she teased.
“We'll go shopping, and you can show me what I need to buy.”
He cooked the noodles and she got to work on the potatoes for the salads. They laughed and joked while they worked. She gave him smaller jobs to do while she did the bigger stuff. He grabbed a beer from the fridge and motioned to see if she wanted one.
“No thanks,” she said. “I don't drink.”
He looked into her eyes and put his beer back in the fridge.
“Don't put that back because of me. Just because I don't drink doesn't mean you shouldn't. I will never have another drop in my life. I learned my lesson long ago. Not everyone's the same. Have your beer, John. You deserve it.”
Rescue of Love (Bachelor Billionaire #4) Page 12