by Lili Valente
Scott’s hands were already latched around her throat.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Blake
Blake was through the door the second Steve texted, saying Erin needed backup, cursing himself for letting her stay outside so long.
He’d gotten the first call from the van five minutes ago. Everything had gone according to plan and Rafe was already on his way to get Abby. There was no reason to leave Erin alone with that waste of human flesh a second longer.
But he’d wanted to let her handle the situation, to show her he believed she was strong enough to manage Scott alone. After all, he was going to Miami in a few days. He wouldn’t be here to help her anymore. She’d have to stand on her own two feet.
But she’ll have a restraining order by then, jackass.
He was a jackass, and now Erin was going to have the bruises to prove it.
Blake charged around the corner and into the alley beside the club, where Scott had Erin backed against the brick wall with his hands at her throat.
Immediately, his blood ran hot and his vision filled with red.
He’d warned the bastard he’d make him bleed if he hurt Erin. Now he was going to prove he was a man of his word.
“Blake, wait!” Erin shouted as she shoved her ex-husband’s hands from her throat. Scott slumped forward, collapsing against her.
“I think he’s passed out or—” Erin’s words ended in a surprised yip as Scott suddenly began to shake, his body jerking like he’d stuck his hand in a light socket.
A moment later the other man fell to the ground, convulsing as his eyes rolled back in his head.
“What’s happening?” Erin flattened herself against the wall, staring with wide eyes at the man writhing at her feet.
Blake reached over the twitching body and grabbed Erin under the arms, lifting her over her ex before setting her gently down on the concrete on the other side. “Go, tell the woman at the desk to call 911.”
She nodded and raced toward the door, but not before Blake saw the red swelling on her left cheek. The bastard had hit her. She’d have a bruise tomorrow at the very least, if not a full-on black eye. The knowledge would have been enough to make him knock Scott out—if the cowardly fuck hadn’t been out cold already.
“Piece of shit,” Blake muttered as he knelt by the other man, who was finally lying still.
A check of his pulse revealed he was still alive—unfortunately—though his heart was racing like he’d run a marathon, not spent a few minutes slapping around his wife. The speeding pulse didn’t seem natural for a young man who looked to be in good shape. Neither did the cold, clammy skin.
Blake’s suspicions were confirmed when he pried open Scott’s eyes and found them bloodshot and his pupils widely dilated. He’d been on something, probably cocaine if Blake had to guess. That would explain the racing heart and his out-of-control temper.
“What happened? Is he dead?” A man in a suit whom Blake had seen roaming the club earlier rushed out the door with Erin close behind. “I’m Jace the owner.”
“I told him we were having an argument and he started shaking and collapsed,” Erin said, staying back a few paces as Jace came to stand just behind Blake.
“I think he had a seizure, or maybe a stroke,” Blake said. “Probably drug-induced. I’m a tattoo artist. By law, we’re not supposed to work on anyone who’s been using, so I’ve learned to read the signs.” Blake stood. “He’s still breathing and his pulse is accelerated, but steady. I don’t think there’s much we can do for him until the paramedics arrive.”
“Drugs?” Erin asked. “Scott’s been using drugs?”
“Son of a bitch.” Jace sighed and shook his head. “I thought he looked bad tonight, but I didn’t want to say anything. He usually keeps it respectable, and he’s never brought anything into the club.”
Blake nodded. “So you think he’s been using for a while?”
“I’ve only known him a few months,” Jace said with a shrug. “But yeah, he seems to have a pretty decent coke habit.”
“A habit.” Erin cursed, glaring at the man at her feet as if she’d like to kick his prone body. “While he was supposed to be taking care of an eleven-month-old. I’m going to kill him.”
“You may not have to,” the club owner said as sirens sounded in the distance. “I had a friend of mine, old college football buddy, died of combination stroke and heart attack from a coke overdose a few years back.”
“Oh, my God,” Erin said, her voice soft as her hand flew to her mouth.
Blake wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close as an ambulance pulled into the parking lot. “He’ll be fine. He’s going to live to regret ever laying a hand on you in anger.”
“You saw?” Erin asked, the face she tilted up to his washed red from the flashing lights.
“I saw this.” He brushed his knuckles softly over her cheek, feeling his guts twist when she winced. “It made me want to kill him myself.”
“It doesn’t hurt that bad. I’ll be fine.” She lowered her voice even though Jace had already left to meet the EMTs as they jumped from the ambulance. “Is Rafe on his way to get Abby?”
“He left ten minutes ago. I should be getting a call soon. You’d better tell the paramedics what happened.” Blake urged her to go and watched Erin fill in the paramedics, his mind racing.
Scott’s unexpected collapse could either work for them or against them. If the nanny reported the baby missing the night after her employer overdosed at the same party his wife had been attending, there was a chance the police might come around, asking Erin questions. But if Rafe hadn’t taken Abby yet, there might still be a way for this to end even better than they’d hoped.
His cell was out of his pocket a second later. Thankfully, Rafe answered on the second ring. “Hey, do you have Abby yet?”
“Not yet,” he whispered, “but I’m on the property, so can this conversation wait?”
“No, it can’t. Get out and go wait in your car,” Blake said. “I’ll give you a call in a few minutes. We’ve had an unexpected development.”
Rafe sighed. “All right, boss. You’re running this show.”
Blake snapped the phone shut and then open again. He waited until Scott was loaded into the ambulance and the owner vanished back into the club before he put the phone in Erin’s hand. “Here, call the nanny. Tell her what happened and that you’re on your way to pick up Abby.”
Erin blinked. “Rafe doesn’t have her yet?”
“I called him and told him the plan had changed,” Blake said with a reassuring smile. “This will work out much better.”
“Right, of course.” Erin shook her head as if to clear it. “I didn’t even think, but this will make my case, won’t it? Even without the threats, a judge isn’t going to give custody to a man with a documented drug habit.”
“And I’d say a hospitalization for overdose is pretty good documentation.”
Erin smiled, a weary stretch of her lips. “I wouldn’t have wished this on Scott, but it feels so good to know I’m not going to lose Abby again. God, when I think of what could have happened to her…”
She sucked in a shaky breath. “What if she’d found drugs in the house? She sticks everything in her mouth, and it wouldn’t take much cocaine to kill a twenty-four-pound baby.”
“Don’t think about it. Just make that call then we’ll get on the road.” Blake squeezed her hand. “You’ll be holding Abby in thirty minutes or less.”
This time, Erin’s smile was bright enough to light the entire street. It made Blake wish he was going to be around to watch her learn how to smile and relax again. He was going to miss Erin, more than he’d thought possible, but his leaving was for the best. The events of tonight had only proven how dangerous a failed Dom-sub relationship could become.
Erin would be safer without a controlling man in her life. And he was going to do his best to convince her of that on their way to pick up her daughter. If there was ever a time for Erin
to come back to the kink-free side of the fence, this was it.
Blake wished the thought didn’t make him sad, but it did. Which just went to show how bad he would be for her.
“Okay, we’re good to go. She said she’d have Abby’s things packed by the time we get there.” Erin squealed and threw her arms around his neck. “She’s coming home with us, Blake. Right now!”
“Speaking of the hotel,” Blake said, hugging Erin for the briefest second before pulling away, “why don’t we run by and grab some more appropriate clothes on the way? It would be better if we didn’t show up to meet the nanny in club gear.”
“Right, of course.” There was a hurt look in her eyes as she turned toward his car, but Blake did his best to ignore it. They both knew this had to end, no sense in pretending otherwise.
Tomorrow, he’d help Erin and Abby get settled in Erin’s apartment and start the necessary legal paperwork. The day after tomorrow he’d be on a plane on his way to Miami. Once he was there, he’d throw himself into getting the new parlor ready to open and forgetting he’d ever seen Erin again, let alone lost his heart to her a second time.
It wasn’t going to be easy, but he was used to living with a gaping hole in his chest. He’d been doing it for years, ever since sixteen-year-old Erin had left Carson City.
Blake popped the locks on the Expedition and climbed behind the wheel, his thoughts leaving a sour taste in his mouth.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, meeting his eyes with a troubled look.
“Nothing.” He forced a smile and started the car. There was no sense dwelling on the past. Their past didn’t matter.
It was time to grow up and move on, and finally put all those old dreams behind him.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Two months later
Erin
The doorbell rang, shocking Erin out of a sound sleep. A quick glance at the clock revealed it was barely six in the morning.
Who in their right mind would be stopping by for a visit at this hour?
Maybe it’s not someone in their right mind. Maybe it’s him, maybe he was finally released from the hospital and he’s not in the mood to obey the restraining order.
Erin vaulted into a seated position. She hadn’t called to check on Scott’s status in a few days, but surely he couldn’t be ready to go home yet. His stroke had been massive and the doctors said he’d need months of physical therapy before he was anywhere close to fully functional again. They’d also promised to call her before they released him, since they knew about his history and the restraining order in place keeping him from seeing his ex-wife or child.
The bell rang again, making her heart leap into her throat. “Just a second,” she called out, jumping out of bed and taking a quick peek in Abby’s crib.
The baby was still asleep, thank God. Nothing could wake her until she was ready to get up, so hopefully she’d snooze straight through whatever madness might ensue if it really was Scott at the door.
One thing was for certain, no one was going to take Abby from her again. She was going to make damn sure of that.
She had the gun out of its shoe box on the top shelf of her closet and in her hand in seconds. If Scott violated the restraining order and tried to hurt her or Abby again, she’d shoot him and deal with the fallout later. Even standing trial for murder in self-defense would be better than letting him take Abby away.
The past two months alone with Abby had made her love for her daughter even fiercer than it had been before. She’d do anything it took to keep her safe.
“Who is it?” Erin asked once she was at the door, buying herself time as she peered through the peephole and saw the last person she’d expected.
“It’s Rafe,” he said, the words barely out of his mouth before she threw open the door. He took in her rumpled hair and pj’s with an apologetic smile. “Sorry about the early hour.”
“It’s okay. Come in,” Erin said, opening the door wider, scanning the stairs behind him, a foolish part of her hoping she’d see Blake.
But she should know better. Blake hadn’t even called to say hi since he’d left for Miami. He didn’t want anything more to do with her. He’d made that abundantly clear.
“I’m on my way to Hawaii and only have a six-hour layover,” Rafe said as he waltzed past her into the apartment. “Nice gun. You bring that to the door to greet all your visitors?”
“Only the ones who show up unexpectedly who I think might be my ex-husband.”
Rafe arched a brow. “That’s pretty tough. I’m impressed.”
“You do what you gotta do.” Erin turned back to the closet to put the gun back in its hiding place. That was the good thing about a studio apartment—everything was in easy reach. “Can I get you some coffee or something?”
“No, like I said, I’ve got to run in a few.” Rafe paused, running a distracted hand through his thick hair. “I just needed to talk to you. In person.”
“What about?” Erin asked, already imagining the worst. “Is Blake okay? He’s not hurt or sick, is he? I mean, he’d probably have to be a lot worse than hurt for you to come all the way out here, but—”
“He is. A lot worse.”
“Oh, God.” Tears sprung to her eyes and she barely made it to the couch before her knees gave out. The thought of Blake suffering was too much to take standing up. “What happened?”
“You happened.” Rafe took the armchair across from her, settling in like he’d visited a hundred times before. “The man’s a complete wreck.”
Erin didn’t know whether to be relieved or pissed that Rafe had scared her half to death. “What do you mean he’s a wreck?”
“He’s a mess. He can’t concentrate on his work, he’s a cranky asshole, and he acts like Miami is the seventh level of hell, not one of the most happening cities on the planet.” Rafe pulled a pack of cigarettes from his coat pocket. “I swear to God, he’s lost his mind. He’s even grown a beard if you can imagine. He looks like a serial killer.”
“I didn’t know you smoked,” Erin said.
“I don’t, but I’m thinking about starting.” He flicked a cigarette from the pack and placed it between his lips. “Got some women trouble of my own.”
Erin’s brow furrowed. “Sorry to hear that, but you can’t smoke in here.”
“Right. Sorry. So…” He stared at her over the coffee table, an expectant look in his eye.
She shook her head. “I don’t know what you want me to say.”
“Say you’ll take this.” He reached into the inside pocket of his coat and pulled out a plane ticket, which he handed over. “And use it.”
Erin picked up the ticket and glanced at the destination. “You want me to go to Kauai with you?”
“Oh, God. No.” He snatched the ticket back and fished around in his other pocket. “This is your ticket. Sorry, I’ve been up for two days.”
“Miami,” Erin said, not even touching the ticket this time. Abby chose that moment to start snuffling and squirming in her crib.
Thank. God. Saved by the baby.
“Yeah, Miami. You should go. He needs you,” Rafe said, his voice sincere. “Believe me, I’m not the type to say that kind of thing unless it’s true. I’m worried about him.”
Erin opened her mouth, then closed it, then opened it again, but still couldn’t sort out what to say.
A part of her wanted to take the ticket and go to Blake, but the voice of reason wasn’t buying. Blake had made it clear he didn’t want a future with her, and he wasn’t the one who had shown up on her doorstep. If he’d really changed his mind and was miserable without her, wouldn’t he be here himself?
“Mama,” Abby called in her sweet, sing-song morning voice. “Mama.”
Erin smiled, knowing she’d never get tired of hearing that first thing in the morning. “Hold on, give me a few minutes.”
She vaulted off the couch, scooping Abby up from her crib and pressing a kiss to her warm, soft neck before laying her on the changing tabl
e. As soon as Abby had a clean diaper, Erin propped her on her hip as she crossed to the tiny kitchenette to fix Abby’s bottle.
The pediatrician had suggested Erin start buying the soy formula for toddlers, but she couldn’t bring herself to put Abby’s milk in a sippy cup. She wasn’t ready to let those baby bottle days go just yet, especially considering Abby was probably the only child she’d ever have. She didn’t want to have another baby on her own and she couldn’t imagine ever getting married again…unless it was to Blake.
But that was yet another reason not to go to Miami. Blake had made it clear they had no future and hadn’t expressed any interest in being a father to another man’s child. He’d only held Abby for a few minutes before he’d fled the hotel room like he’d seen a ghost, not held a baby.
“She’s beautiful. Looks just like you,” Rafe said, smiling as Erin settled back in on the couch with Abby on her lap.
“Thanks.” She frowned as she handed the bottle over to Abby, who liked to hold it herself now that she was an entire year old. “But I have to tell you, Rafe, I’m surprised to see you. I didn’t get the feeling you liked me much.”
“I didn’t,” he said, tapping his pack of cigarettes on his knuckles. “I thought you were using Blake to get your kid back.”
“But now you’ve changed your mind?”
He sighed. “I’ve changed my mind about a few things. Especially where the heart is concerned.” He paused, meeting her eyes. “You love him.”
“More than anything, except Abby,” Erin said, not seeing the sense in hiding her feelings. “But that doesn’t mean we have a future.”
“I think it does. Blake loves you more than anything in the world. He’s got it in his head he’s no good for you or something, but I swear he’s the best man I know. He’s all heart under the big scary act.”
Erin felt her throat grow tight and a bubble of hope expand in her chest, making her dizzy. “I know he is. But he told me to stay away from him. It’s the last thing he said before he left.”
“Listen, I know you guys have got this kinky Dominant and submissive thing going on,” Rafe said, making Erin smile at the obvious discomfort in his tone. “But even the ‘boss’ needs to be told what’s what sometimes. Blake is all mixed up. So just take that ticket and go tell him to quit being an asshole. You three belong together, I feel it in my gut.”