Until Tennessee: Happily Ever Alpha World

by Sarah O'Rourke

  Hell. Had I just said that out loud? Cobi was never going to let me live this down.

  Cobi offered a low snort before smirking at me. “Boom, motherfucker.”

  Growing steadily more impatient with his answers, I barely curbed my urge to grab him by the collar and shake him. Instead, I tried to maintain my cool since killing my partner wouldn’t look very good on my job resume. “What the hell does that mean??” I managed to grunt.

  Cobi snorted. “It means I just heard the sound of two hearts colliding in one hell of a head-on collision.”

  “Didn’t know you were such a poet, Mayson. Do you have something for me or not? And let me amend that to add something useful,” I clarified brusquely.

  Cobi’s face cleared of emotion as he nodded, his face transforming into his cop mask before my eyes. ”It looks like your instincts were on the money. Your girl is definitely running from something. Or, at least she was running.”

  My jaw clenched as my hands fisted at my side while my protective instincts roared to life. “From who?” I bit out.

  “My very educated guess says it’s her late husband, Paulo Escobar, a former cop with Sacramento P.D. Based on my quick search, it looks like he was killed during a drug raid three months ago. Obituary mentions that he was survived by a wife, one Clarity Elizabeth Rains Escobar, and two kids, Addison and Zain,” Cobi informed me as he continued tapping on his screen. “Looks like she tried to file a couple of restraining orders against him, one fourteen months ago and another sixteen months ago, but she was denied both times.” Cobi looked up at me. “That’s the fucked up thing about being married to one of the boys in blue... nobody ever takes the allegations of their abuse seriously.”

  “Shit,” I spat, wrestling with the urge to put my fist through something, anything. Why the hell did guys do that kind of shit? If you don’t wanna be married, fine. But why put your spouse through hell? Why not just let them go?

  “Sacramento P.D. was looking for them, but since his death, the inquiry’s been dropped,” Cobi continued. “You think she knows?” Cobi asked.

  Running a hand down my face, I shook my head. “Not likely. She was way too spooked by me to have known the news. She still thinks that she and her kids are on the endangered species list.”

  “Well, you got good news to deliver then,” Cobi declared with a grin.

  “Not sure I’d call it that, but she needs to know the score. I’ll follow her home and share the news and decide where to go with her from there.”

  “Yeah?” Cobi grinned. “Where you gonna take it, brother? Dead or not, this husband will have left a foul taste in this chick’s mouth where police are involved. Think you’ll still be able to get in there with her?”

  Breathing deeply, I slowly met Cobi’s eyes. “Not sure I can give her the chance to send me on my way. This pull I feel toward her... not something I think I’ll be able to ignore. I can’t explain it, Cobi. I just know she’s meant to be ... mine.”

  “And I’ll say it again. Boom, motherfucker!” Cobi laughed. “Look, I gotta get home to Hadley, but call me if you need anything.”

  I smiled at the mention of Cobi’s spunky wife. I knew Hadley was a handful on the best of days, but it was a job Cobi relished. “Yeah, I will, brother. I appreciate your help,” I said, tapping the hood of his ride as I took a step back. “Get home to your woman. I got things here,” I assured him, taking another step back as Cobi started his vehicle and offered me a two-fingered salute before pulling back onto the road.

  Turning, I looked toward Clarity’s car and took a deep breath. It looked like I had a notification to make.

  Chapter Three

  Clarity

  Something bad was about to happen. I could tell by the way that the detective was looking my way. Even though he was honestly the very definition of sex on a stick with that tall, lanky body, dark wavy hair, and perfect beard, I was far too worried about anything but getting the hell out of here.

  Maybe I could make a run for it before anything could happen. I had two gallons of gas now, right? Sliding back in the driver’s seat, I reached for my keys as I listened to Addie chatting happily with her new stuffed puppy dog while I quickly turned the key in the ignition. As the engine came to life, I wanted to squeal. Praise all the flying baby angels, it started! One step closer, right?

  “Momma,” I heard Addie’s little voice pipe up in warning at the same time I saw the shadow fall over my shoulder. A quick glance up and I was suddenly staring back at Detective Haws. I didn’t move fast enough. Shit.

  Maybe I could stall. I had talked my way out of far more than a traffic stop, hadn’t I?

  “So all’s good, right? Thanks so much for your help,” I said quickly, trying to reach for my driver’s license and documents he had in his nearest hand. He shuffled just a bit, keeping them just out of my reach.

  “Your car seems to be running now,” he acknowledged, leaning down to rest his hands on my window frame. “But I think there are a few things you and I probably need to talk about. I’m going to follow you home. What’s your address? I’m sure you’re not commuting to Cali, huh?”

  He knew. Oh, God. And he wanted to know where I lived. I couldn’t do this to my babies. Smiling as much as I could through the fear, I shook my head. “That’s not going to happen. I think you know why, and if you ran my license, then that son of a bitch already knows. You won’t ever see me again.”

  Reaching through the window, Marek quickly captured my keys and cut my car off before I could do anything to stop him. “Hey! Give me those back! You have no idea what you’re doing by trying to stop me,” I tried to explain to his impossibly handsome face. “Please just give me back my keys and let us go”

  Holding the keys in question out of my reach, Marek shook his head at me but looked at me with strangely soft eyes – like he knew something he knew would hurt me, but didn’t want to say it. “Look, Clarity, just trust me. Nothing I have to say can hurt you, and nothing I do will hurt you.”

  “We hearded dat a’fore,” my little girl sassed in the back seat. “Run over his foot, Momma.”

  I couldn’t help my laugh. Looking around my shoulder at the pint size fury in the back seat, Marek grinned, too. “She needs her keys for that, munchkin,” I heard Marek inform Addison with a wink before turning my gaze back to me. “And you’re not getting those until you promise to hear me out. Just give me the address, sweetheart, so you can get your kids home. The little guy in the infant seat looks about done with this, and I think your little girl is right now figuring out a way to blind me,” he said with another amused look in my backseat.

  Glancing over my shoulder at my babies’ faces, I knew the cop was right. I needed to get my kids home, pack up as much of our stuff as I could, and get back on the road as quickly as possible. Sure, Paulo was across the country, but with the right flight, he could be here in a matter of hours. Briefly closing my eyes, I decided to humor the cop. “Fine. I’m currently residing at 4500 Skyline Drive, Lot Number Two.

  “4500 Skyline Drive?”

  Hearing the low growl in the officer’s voice, I lifted my eyes to stare up at him, his handsome face looking unnaturally tight. “Yes, sir.”

  “4500 Skyline Drive is the address of a local strip club, Ms. Escobar,” Detective Haws bit out as his face seemed to redden and the muscle in his jaw began to flex.

  With my stomach sinking, I could only nod. “Mr. Bolton, my boss, actually prefers to refer to it as a Gentleman’s Club.”

  “I bet he does. Tell me you don’t work there, Clarity,” the Detective demanded, his eyes flashing as he glared down at me.

  Refusing to be ashamed, I lifted my chin. “Not that it’s any of your business, but yes, I work there. I’m one of the cocktail waitresses,” I informed him stiffly.

  “Jesus, this just gets better and better,” the detective hissed under his breath before looking at me and frowning. “Well, at least you weren’t stripping,” he muttered.

  “No, I
wasn’t, but I would if I’d had to. Maybe you’re incapable of understanding this, but a mother will do whatever she needs to do to take care of her babies, Detective,” I snapped, wondering why I even cared what this man thought of me. “Both stripping and waitressing are honest jobs,” I informed him defensively. “I can work while my kids are sleeping, and fortunately, my employer allowed me to move into one of his trailers. My rent is considered as part of my salary.”

  I watched as the detective’s face hardened. “We’ll discuss this when we get you home. Just drive straight there, Clarity. I’ll be right behind you,” he informed me tersely before rapping sharply on the hood of my car. “Buckle up,” he ordered, dropping my keys into my lap before turning away to stomp back to his car.

  “Buckle up,” I mimicked under my breath as I yanked the seatbelt over my lap and snapped the fastener in place before shoving my key into the ignition and twisting it violently.

  “We goin’ home, Momma?” I heard Addie question tiredly.

  Pulling carefully back onto the road, I glanced at the rearview mirror to find my daughter staring back at me, her new teddy bear held close to her chest. “For now, sweet girl,” I replied, very aware of the car following us. “Mommy needs to give the police officer a little more information, and you and Bubby need to get some rest when we get there, okay?”

  “Can I watch ‘toons and s’eep in your bed for t’nite?” she asked me hopefully.

  Usually, I’d say no. I was trying to get both kids used to sleeping in their own room, but today had been rough on all of us. I couldn’t deny needing a cuddle from my kids. Especially if I was going to have to endure the third degree from Detective Too-Stinking-Curious first. “We’ll see, okay? Let’s see how my conversation with the officer goes first.”

  “O-tay, Momma,” my little girl agreed as I turned onto Skyline Drive.

  Ten minutes later, I pulled into my trailer’s short driveway with Detective Haws’ vehicle parking directly behind me, blocking me in. Climbing out of the driver’s seat, I opened the back door as Addie crawled out of her carseat. Lifting her down to stand beside me, I quickly reached across the seat to unstrap my son from his infant carrier, pulling his warm, solid weight against my chest and cradling him protectively.

  “Can I help?” I heard a deep voice ask from behind me.

  Straightening with Zain in my arms, I nudged the car door closed with one hip as I shook my head. “I got it,” I muttered as I turned to walk around the car to the passenger’s side, nearly colliding with the Detective as he reached a hand out to steady me.

  “Tell me what you need and I’ll grab it for you,” he ordered softly.

  Unaccustomed to having any help, I blinked slowly and licked my dry lips. “Diaper bag. It’s in the front seat,” I answered after a brief hesitation.

  “Got it,” he murmured, quickly retrieving the bag before sweeping a squealing Addie into one arm and following me up the sidewalk.

  “Put me down,” Addie whined, trying to wriggle from the officer’s grip. “I’m a big girl and big girls wawk.”

  “That’s not what I heard,” I listened to the detective tell Addie. “I was told you were a princess, and a princess gets carried by their loyal subjects,” he explained easily.

  “I not a pincess,” Addie replied. “I a girl! A big girl!” she emphasized with a kick to the detective’s solar plexus.

  Undeterred, Marek deposited Addie on the floor of the trailer as I opened the front door, and I watched as he bent at the waist to meet Addison’s irritated gaze. “My apologies, m’lady. I must have made a mistake,” he told her with a wink. “Forgive me?”

  Addie eyed the man in front of her closely. “Depends. You gots any more bears wit you?”

  “Not at the moment, but I bet I can get your bear a new friend by tomorrow if you’ll be a good girl for your momma tonight,” he returned easily.

  “Weally?” Addie asked as I flipped on the light switch, bathing the tiny living room in an orange glow.

  “Really.” Marek nodded, holding out one hand. “Deal?”

  Addie considered his outstretched hand for a long moment before reaching out and giving it an exaggerated shake. “Deal,” she announced before looking up at me. “I go watch ‘toons now?” she asked, her pony tail slapping against the side of her face as she whipped her head around to look at me.

  My nod was all the permission she needed to scamper down the narrow hallway to the bedroom where I slept. Shifting Zain higher on my hip, I pulled my eyes from the hallway where my daughter had disappeared to where Marek Haws stood looking at me. At over six feet tall, he cast quite a long shadow over the room.

  “Do you mind if I get Zain settled before we speak? He’s way off his schedule today and bound to get cranky if I don’t get him laid down,” I explained softly as I watched the man in front of me look around the trailer in obvious disgust.

  The detective’s keen eyes moved back to me the instant I opened my mouth. “Do what you need to do, Clarity. The kids always come first. I get that.”

  I couldn’t resist snorting. Because if he did, indeed, get that, he’d be the first man I ever met who had. “I’ll try and be quick. I don’t want to take up any more of your time than necessary.” I replied as I quickly snatched a diaper from the partially open bag I’d left on the coffee table. “Please make yourself comfortable,” I forced myself to invite as I gestured at the lumpy, stained couch that had come with the trailer.

  Tossing a blanket on the floor, I grinned at my son as I laid him on his back, changing his diaper and outfitting him in a clean sleeper with the ease of a seasoned professional before lifting him in my arms and rising to put him in his playpen. Handing him a stuffed rabbit, I dropped a kiss on his sweet-smelling head before hurrying into the kitchen to snag a bottle from the refrigerator, ignoring the detective as he wandered around the room, checking the locks on my door and windows. Thankfully, one quick zap in the microwave later, I was able to serve Zain his bottle and refocus on the man currently pacing the mostly empty room.

  “Not much to this place, is there?” the detective asked me as his penetrating gaze landed on me, skewering me to my spot by the playpen.

  “It has the necessities,” I tried to justify, nodding toward the chipped wood dining room table behind him. “Couch, bed, table.”

  “Barely,” he retorted, his aristocratic nose curled in disgust. “Not to mention, it’s cold in here,” he declared with scowl. “That can’t be good for the kids.”

  “The heater is on the fritz. My boss promised he’d get it taken care of, but...,” I shared reluctantly.

  “How long ago?”

  Confused, I stared at the man in front of me. “How long ago, what?”

  “How long ago did that asshole promise he’d fix the heat, Clarity?”

  I swallowed hard, feeling an embarrassed flush spreading over my cheeks. “It’s been a few days,” I whispered as tears pricked at my eyes.

  “Yeah, I bet it has,” he snapped, looking angry again.

  “Look here, Detective Haws...I’m doing the best I can with what I have. I’ve reminded Marty every day about the heat, but I’m at his mercy. I can’t afford another place right now. You don’t need to try and make me feel bad about it because here’s a newsflash: I ALREADY DO!!! Got that? Let me say it again in case you didn’t get it the first time. I can assure you with a hundred percent certainty, I already feel like shit that I can’t give my kids better! But as you probably already know, I’m running for my life here. Hell, I’m running for my kids’ lives, too! So don’t you dare stand over there and judge me! Don’t you DARE!” I hissed, mindful to keep my voice down so I didn’t frighten my kids. “Because you don’t know shit about my situation here. You don’t have a clue what it’s like to take your life in your hands and bolt for safety with two defenseless children in tow because you’re running from a psychotic bastard who gets off on your pain!! You don’t know what it’s like to be married to a man who threatens to
hurt your children because he likes the look of fear it puts in your eyes. You don’t know anything,” I ranted softly, my voice cracking as I stomped across the room to jab an accusatory finger in his solid, well-muscled chest. “You don’t think I want to give my babies better than a nasty, run-down trailer? I’m a freaking phlebotomist. I could earn a nice living working in a decent hospital or doctor’s office. But he’d freakin’ find me if I did that! I’d love to walk into the local real estate office and plop down a credit card for a deposit on a nice place, but, again, he’d flippin’ find us!!! And the one thing I know beyond a shadow of a doubt is that if he finds us... if he gets near any of us... someone is going to die, Detective. And I will not let that someone be one of my babies!! So we stay in a shitty trailer and I’ll work at a crappy job doing anything if it means I keep my children and me hidden. So take your not-so-subtle-judgements and shove them up your tight, firm asscheeks!”

  Breathing hard after my whispered tirade, I finally allowed myself to focus on the detective’s sternly attractive face again and was shocked at what I saw shining back at me.

  Pride!

  There was pride shining in his coffee-colored gaze, plain as day.

  And if I’d been confused by how this man affected me before, I was completely bewildered now.

  Because in his eyes I saw something I hadn’t seen in a really long time.

  I was barely even able to identify it and I’d almost forgotten what it looked like.

  But there was no imagining it.

  I saw respect in Detective Marek Haws’ eyes.

  Chapter Four

  Marek

  Damn. How could any red-blooded man do anything but fall ass over boots for this spitfire of a woman? I fuckin’ loved her passion. And as I watched fireworks flash in her gorgeous eyes, I couldn’t help my grin. She was the complete package. She knew who she was and what was important, and it was crystal clear she’d do whatever was necessary to protect herself and her children. It was admirable, her determination and blatant honesty refreshing. But I’d be damned if I was going to let her continue to fight the world on her own any more. Not when I knew down to my soul that she was the one for me. Sure, it was quick. Quicker than I ever imagined possible.