Why the hell was she doing this?
“You know what, Jack? I think I’m going to leave. I think it would be best if we remain merely co-workers. We clearly don’t have much in common.” She stood up, put some cash on the table—don’t call her a mooch—and strode toward the front, where they would hopefully call her a cab. If not, she’d just walk the two blocks to Montgomery Ink. It was early enough that Sloane or one of the other artists would still be there.
Jack was on her tail, and she turned on her heel when they reached the lobby. “Miranda. Don’t go. Let’s salvage this night.”
She shook her head. “No, I don’t really think we can, Jack.”
“Don’t be petty. We enjoyed ourselves last time.”
“Petty? Seriously? No, I’m sorry. That’s not who I am, and you’re an ass for thinking that.”
Jack looked over her shoulder and pulled her closer to the wall. She pulled from his grip. “Don’t manhandle me.”
He put both hands up. “I’m sorry. I was just moving us out of the way so we wouldn’t make a scene.”
She wasn’t too keen on making a scene, either, since she didn’t want to ruin anyone’s evening, but fuck this man and his attitude.
“I want to go home, Jack. We clearly don’t suit. You don’t like my family even though you’ve never met them, and you’re a little too happy with taking everything over.”
“Miranda, you don’t understand.”
“No, I’m afraid I do.”
He sighed, and she turned around, only to come to a complete halt. Decker stood there in a suit with Colleen on his arm.
Of course he did.
Because fate was a fickle bitch.
While he wore a similar, if not thriftier, suit to Jack’s, he looked nothing like the man behind her. Where Jack was all smooth lines and slicked-back hair, Decker looked…dangerous. He’d kept his beard, but had trimmed it so it looked groomed rather than like he’d just gotten up and left the house. Miranda loved both ways. His hair curled around his ears, too long and in need of a good cut, but it still begged for her fingers to tangle through. He’d left the top two buttons undone on his shirt so she saw tanned, golden skin. His shoulders filled his suit jacket like no other man could. Broad, sexy, and built.
She swallowed hard then blinked when his gaze met hers. He frowned when he looked over her shoulder.
Jack put his arm around her waist, and because she’d been frozen at Decker’s appearance with Colleen at his side, she hadn’t moved quickly enough to get away.
Damn it.
Colleen looked amazing in a red dress that hugged her curves, but Miranda barely noticed. All her attention was for Decker. He gave her that chin tilt of hi, then followed the hostess to his table. Colleen looked over her shoulder and frowned, but kept going.
Well then.
Jack moved his hand from her wrist to her arm and tugged her outside. Hard. She winced and pulled away. “What the hell was that?” he snarled.
She rubbed her arm, sure she’d bruise the next day. “Um. Excuse me? You don’t get to touch me. Ever. Again.”
The valet walked over, his eyes wide, and the sneer on Jack’s face smoothed out to a smile. “You’re with me, darling. Don’t look at other men like that. It annoys me.”
She lifted a lip in her own snarl. “You know what annoys me? Your possessiveness. Don’t call me. Don’t talk to me. I’m taking a cab and going home.”
She stomped away as Jack yelled her name. Luckily, a cab was waiting right at the edge of the restaurant, and she got in, thanking God she’d brought enough cash for the ride.
Where the hell had that side of him come from? She rubbed her arm and sucked in a breath, trying not to cry. He’d hurt her sure, but he’d hurt her pride more. He hadn’t seemed the type of man to push and pull at a woman to get his way, but he’d sure crossed those boundaries tonight. Now she’d go home, lock her door, and take a bubble bath or something. Work would be fucking awkward, but there was no way she’d be able to see him without remembering the feeling of his hand on her arm.
When the cab pulled up to her place, she paid him and looked around for Jack’s car. She never could be too sure.
The cabbie looked like he wanted to get out of her neighborhood and get another fare, so she got out and ran to her door. She wasn’t too scared, but she wasn’t about to be an idiot either. She had her keys in her hands, ready to get inside, when someone rammed her into the wall.
Her body shook, and her lungs stopped working. The right side of her face hit the brick wall outside her door, and her eyes stung from the impact.
“You don’t get to just leave me, Miranda.”
Frozen, she tried to turn around, fight back. Something. Her brothers had taught her how to protect herself, but it was different when it was actually happening to her. Maybe someone would hear him and come outside. She couldn’t count on that though. She only had herself.
“Let me go, Jack. You don’t want to do this.” She wiggled, and he pulled at her arms, turning her around, before slamming her back into the wall.
“I don’t want to do what? Show you that you’re mine and you don’t get to fucking leave me? You embarrassed me, Miranda. That can’t happen again.”
She wouldn’t cry, wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. She fought at his arms, and he slapped her on her right cheek. Hard.
Tears slid down her cheeks, and she thrashed against his hold.
“Don’t scream, or I’ll make it worse.”
She didn’t scream, afraid he’d hurt her where she couldn’t move, but she kept fighting. He hit her again. She tasted blood on her tongue, and her vision grayed.
“You’re going to stop fighting me, and you’re going to know that we’re meant to be together, Miranda.”
No, this couldn’t be happening. This wouldn’t happen. He leaned closer, his breath on her neck.
She brought up her knee and rammed him in the balls with all her strength. He cursed, breaking away from her to clutch his crotch. Her keys in hand, she opened her door and slammed it closed. Her heart raced, and she dug out her cell phone from her bag. She should have had that in her hand the whole time. Damn it.
She called 911 and shook as she told them what happened.
Yes, she was inside.
No, she didn’t know where he was now.
No, she didn’t feel safe.
Yes, there was someone she could call.
Yes, she could wait for the police to come.
She crawled to her landline and hit the first speed dial that came up—Maya. Her cheek ached, and so did her back. Her arms hurt from his hands, and her body shook. She wanted to cry, weep, or scream, but she did none of that. Instead, she calmly told the operator that she was calling her sister and to hold.
“What’s up, buttercup?” Maya asked when she answered.
Miranda opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. She didn’t know if Jack was out there. What if Maya came over and something happened to her?
“Miranda? What’s wrong?” Her sister’s tone sharpened. Miranda took a shuddering breath into the phone.
“I need you,” she whispered.
“Jake and I are going to be right there. What happened?”
“Jack…hit…” She couldn’t finish her words and she hated herself for it.
“Fuck. Did you call the police? Talk to me, baby girl.”
Miranda nodded then remembered Maya couldn’t see her. “I’m on the line now, and they’re coming.”
“Okay, honey. Do you need me to stay on the phone with you too?”
Miranda took a deep breath. She shouldn’t break down. Not yet. “No. The police are coming.”
“I’m on my way. Stay inside. I love you.”
“I love you too.”
She hung up and listened to the operator tell her the police would be there in two minutes. When someone knocked on the door, she screamed then shook her head.
“Police! Ms. Montgomery? Are you okay?
Can we come in?”
On shaky legs, she stood up and looked through the peephole. She saw only the police and their badges and didn’t see Jack. She let out a breath and opened the door.
When Meghan, Maya, and Jake came to the door, Miranda had already been through a series of questions, observations, and had an ice pack over her eye. Miranda tried not to wince at the look of pure rage on not only Maya’s face, but Jake’s as well. Apparently, Maya had called Meghan as soon as she’d gotten in the car. The three M&Ms needed to be together. When the officers had the nerve to hold Jake back since they thought he might be Jack—one had dark hair and the other was blond—Miranda didn’t blame the man for the frozen posture.
Meghan came to Miranda’s side and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Miranda wouldn’t break. Not until the cops left and she was able to breathe again.
“So, you’re sure he was just a little rough with you? You sure it wasn’t part of your date?” The older cop looked down at her short dress and high heels with a look Miranda wasn’t quite sure she liked.
“Excuse me?” Maya snapped. “Did you just ask if my sister got beat up by a man she did not ask into her home because she wanted it?”
“I wasn’t asking you, miss. I was asking the woman next to you. Since that one book came out, we’ve needed to be sure that this wasn’t part of one of those…games.”
Miranda stiffened then lowered her ice pack. She didn’t know what she looked like, but from the curse that left both Jake and Maya’s lips, it wasn’t good. “No. I didn’t ask for him to throw me into the wall and then to slap me.”
“What’s your badge number?” Jake asked. He took his phone out and snapped a photo of the cop.
“You’re going to want to put that phone down,” the cop said slowly.
“No, I really don’t think so.” Jake snapped another photo while Meghan wrote down the number. God, Miranda just wanted everyone to leave and let her sleep. “You’re going to leave now, and let us take care of her.”
“Is she your girlfriend, or is the other one? Or is it both? Maybe all three?”
“Sir,” the younger cop whispered.
Fucking idiots.
“Thank you for coming to take down my statement,” Miranda said woodenly. She stood up, Meghan and Maya at her sides. “I’d like to ask you to leave now. Please let me know if you need me to come down and make another statement or when you arrest Jack.”
The older cop raised a brow. “We’re still collecting evidence.” He stood up anyway. “We’ll let you know how it pans out.”
The asshole cop and his little minion left, and Miranda blinked once. Twice.
“Baby,” Maya whispered.
She’d had enough. A whimper escaped her, and then she let it all out.
Miranda broke down, gut-wrenching sobs forcing her body to shake.
“Oh, honey.” Meghan brought her into a tight hug while Maya hugged her from behind. She felt Jake’s hands guide them to the couch, and then he left the room to give them privacy.
She cried into her sisters’ arms, her head aching, her privacy and security broken. God, how had this all happened so fast?
“We’ve got you,” Maya whispered, and Miranda hiccupped another sob.
They did. She knew that. No matter what happened with the cops and subsequently Jack, she knew her sisters had her. When her brothers and parents found out, she knew that all of the Montgomerys would have her.
She was blessed.
And one day she’d feel it again.
Chapter Nine
Montgomery dinners were always loud, boisterous, and full of drama. Usually, the drama wasn’t too deep and had more to do with family squabbles or dealt with work¸ but sometimes it was more.
For some reason, Decker had a feeling this time there would be more.
It was his first Montgomery dinner since he’d kissed Miranda.
His first one since he’d seen her out to dinner with that slick guy who must have been her boyfriend, Jack.
His first one since he’d dumped Colleen and now had no one holding him back from Miranda.
No one other than himself.
And said Montgomerys.
Harry had been through another round of treatments, but his energy was on the rise. Marie knew what she was doing when she planned these things. She wouldn’t have invited the rest of them to dinner when Harry was truly feeling down, but this way, the head Montgomery would have his family around when he was starting to feel better. And the kids would see a little bit of their old dad again, rather than the fragile man he was fast becoming.
Austin and Sierra were talking in a corner with Wes and Storm about some addition to their house while Leif played outside with Gunner and Meghan’s kids. The dog had fallen in love with the three kids at first sight, and with the adults watching, the four of them had forged a friendship made in heaven quickly. Meghan and Maya were huddled in another corner talking about something serious. Something he wasn’t sure they were ready to talk to the family about. They’d all know soon enough since no one ever kept secrets in this family. At least not for too long.
Griffin was in the middle of a conversation with Harry that made them both smile and laugh. Grif was always good at telling stories that fit the person who was listening, or more often, that the people fit the stories he told. That’s what made him a great writer.
Meghan was on her phone, frowning and trying to whisper, though Decker had a feeling it was her prick of a husband on the other line. The loser hadn’t come to dinner, though Decker knew for sure the man had been invited. In fact, now that he thought about it, Alex’s wife wasn’t there either. Instead, Alex stood by the window, a frown on his face and the ever-present drink in his hand. Shit, the man looked paler than usual, and the dark circles under his eyes looked even starker with the combination of the expression of loss and rage on his face.
Decker knew it was none of his business, but he made his way over to Alex, knowing that no one should be drinking alone in a room full of people. Everyone but Miranda was there and ready for dinner. The other two-thirds of M&M had said she was running late and would be there soon. Their cagey expressions told him that something was up, but he was sure he’d figure it out soon. He always did. Or he at least tried to.
“Hey, man.” Decker spoke causally as he came to Alex’s side. He had a soda in his hand rather than a beer since he was driving soon and hadn’t wanted to risk it. Alex, on the other hand, had an amber liquid in a glass. Again.
“Hey,” Alex grunted but didn’t look at him.
“What are you doing here all alone?”
Alex looked over slowly and blinked. “I’m not alone. You’re here. Plus the fifty Montgomerys in the room make it hard to be alone.”
Decker frowned. “You okay?”
Alex sighed then took a drink. “I’m fine. I wish everyone would stop thinking there’s something wrong with me and asking if I’m okay.”
Decker lifted his brows. “Maybe if you stopped growling and acting like an asshole, we wouldn’t stop to wonder if you were okay.”
He was just brimming with tact today.
For a moment, Decker was worried the other man would throw a punch. Instead, Alex threw his head back and laughed. The others quieted, watching the man they loved laugh, though it wasn’t a happy one. No, this one bordered on the edge of manic.
“I am an asshole, Decker. That’s not going to change anytime soon.”
Decker sighed and put his hand on Alex’s shoulder. He was lucky the other man didn’t brush it off. Or punch him.
“What’s wrong, Alex?”
Alex met Decker’s eyes with glassy ones of his own. “Notice anyone missing?”
Miranda.
But he didn’t think Alex was talking about her.
“Where’s your wife?”
“She left me.”
“No shit,” he said softly then cursed when Alex’s eyes went blank.
“She did what?” Marie Montgomery
came quickly to her son’s side. “Alex, honey, why didn’t you tell us?” She framed her son’s face with her hands and did a valiant job of hiding her wince when he pulled away from her.
Alex shrugged, and Decker sighed. “You all saw it coming, so don’t lie.” He raised his glass in a toast. “It’s over, and I don’t want to talk about it. Got it?”
Marie shook her head and Harry pulled her closer. Alex’s brothers patted his back, murmuring the usual condolences, but not really anything important. What was there to say when a clearly unhappy marriage had ended? It just reinforced what he knew in the first place.
Marriage no longer meant much. Divorce was an easier way out than the effort it took to make a marriage work. In any event, when it ended, by choice or circumstance, someone was left to suffer. He refused to look at Harry and Marie, knowing if they saw him, they’d see too much.
Instead, he focused on Meghan, who looked shaken. Her pale face made her eyes look wide, scared. Decker didn’t know what that was about, but he knew it couldn’t be good. She and Alex were the only two married Montgomery kids, and neither had good marriages. Yeah, Meghan was still married to that asshole, but anyone could see things were rocky.
As if she knew he was looking at her, she blinked at him then put a pleasant expression on her face. “I need to check on the kids. I…I’m sorry, Alex.” With that, she walked outside, leaving the rest of the family standing awkwardly around a man who clearly didn’t want to be there and didn’t want to deal with his family.
The fact that Alex was there, though, spoke of the underlying strength of the Montgomerys. He just hoped it was enough to pull Alex out of whatever funk he was in.
And Miranda still wasn’t fucking there.
God, he didn’t want to see the look on her face when she heard about Alex and Jessica. She cared about her family, but she was a fixer. She wanted to make everything right for everyone. It didn’t matter that she couldn’t, but she always insisted on trying.
His phone buzzed, and he looked down at the screen. With a curse, he hit ignore then sighed. He couldn’t stand in this room with these people for too much longer. They might call him family, but he wasn’t. No, the family he had kept calling him, wanting to suck him back into the abyss he thought he’d clawed himself out of years before.
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