All of You(26)
Author: Christina Lee

She looked down, biting her lip. “Oh, um, Lance said he knew a good locksmith and would make the call for me.”

I sighed. Here we go again. Eager for a man to call all the shots.

But maybe I couldn’t blame her. Wasn’t she just hoping for someone to take care of her heart, too?

I thought back to Bennett’s tattoo poem and the idea of disappearing for love. I just hope she got it right someday.

Bennett had left to pull the car around, so I stepped outside and walked toward the side street to make the pickup easier for him. The turnaround in front of the courthouse was jam-packed with cars.

As I stood on the corner waiting, I felt the hairs rise on the back of my neck. Maybe it was his heavy breaths or the way he cleared his throat, but I sensed him there before I even laid eyes on him.

His voice was one forever etched in my nightmares. “You look the same as you always did.” My heart thundered in my chest as I turned around to face him. Tim looked smaller somehow, less imposing. His hair was graying and he had a heavier beard. I realized it was me who had grown up, and he was the one who’d stayed exactly the same.

He stepped closer, and I could feel his emotions rolling off of him—excitement, arrogance, desire. I tried not to shudder.

Instead I found my voice. “So do you, Tim. Like a child predator. An abuser of women. You disgust me.”

His top lip curled, and I took a step back, not wanting him to see me flinch.

“So what happened, you too much of a wimp-ass to show up at your own hearing?”

“My lawyer advised me that it wouldn’t matter whether I showed or not. Your mother had a strong enough case against me.”

“So then why are you here?”

“On the off chance that you’d be here and I could finally lay my eyes on you.”

My stomach rolled and lurched as his gaze became hooded.

“I’ve missed you, Avery.”

Had we not been on a crowded street corner I might have turned and fled. I was that certain he would have tried to take me down right then and there and finally have his way with me.

But not before I put up a damn good fight. I balled my fists and stood my ground.

“Your mother might have a restraining order against me,” he said, leaning over. So close. Too close.

“But you don’t. No reason I can’t get as close to you as I want.”

Holy fuck. He was threatening me. Saying he’d come after me. Find me.

My mind drew a blank and all I saw were swirls of black and gray behind my eyelids as terror slowly consumed me.

I heard a grunt and a car door slam. “Avery?”

Tim backed away and then crossed the street in a rush. Bennett grabbed hold of my shoulders and lightly shook me. “Avery, look at me. Who was that?”

“What?” My mind was hazy with fear and disbelief.

“Who the f**k was that, Avery?”

“T . . . Tim,” I mumbled. “That was Tim.”

Bennett’s eyes widened right before he turned and raced across the street to follow him.

What the hell was he doing?

“Hey!” he yelled, and I spotted Tim, who was halfway down the block, freeze in place.

I had never seen Bennett so full of rage. It scared the shit out of me. It was enough to get my legs moving again. I crossed the street to chase after him.

Bennett was still yelling, his hands flying in the air, and Tim just stood there, a menacing smirk hanging from his lips.

“You motherfucker.” Bennett inched closer to him. “You will never lay another hand on her, you hear me?”

Then I saw Bennett’s fist clench and his arm fly forward as it crushed against Tim’s jaw.

“Bennett, no! Wait!” I was terrified of what Tim would be capable of.

Tim yanked Bennett’s legs out from under him, and suddenly they were both on the ground wrestling and landing punches. Bennett definitely had the height, weight, and raw emotion. But Tim thought he was cunning and invincible, and I knew that was a deadly combination.

“Bennett, stop. Let him go. We can handle this another way.” In fact, I was marching straight back into that courthouse and filing my own restraining order.

The sound of my voice momentarily immobilized Bennett, giving Tim the upper hand. He knelt over Bennett, his fist crashing into his stomach.

Blood was smeared on Tim’s face and on Bennett’s shirt and hands. I couldn’t tell whether it was coming from Tim’s nose or Bennett’s cheek.

Bennett looked so defenseless lying on the ground, and something snapped in the very center of me. This a**hole was not going to hurt the person I loved.

Using all the focus I could muster, I turned sideways and rotated my knee, making sure the upper part of my foot would make contact. A growl escaped my lips right before I landed a perfectly hard roundhouse kick to Tim’s back. I heard a crack and he went down, groaning.

Kickboxing classes had finally paid off.

“Get up, please.” I pulled Bennett to a sitting position and whispered to him, “Let Tim leave, trust me. I’ll handle this legally.”

Tim was already on his knees, and Bennett and I backed away to allow him room. An audience had formed across the street, and I was sure the cops would be there any moment to arrest them both. No question Tim would file assault charges against Bennett and we’d be in a world of trouble.

Tim stood up and limped a couple steps backward. I was hoping I’d cracked a rib or two. But he’d never give me the satisfaction of showing it.

“Get the f**k out of my sight, Tim. Before the cops come,” I snarled. I wanted him to believe I was letting this go. Otherwise, he’d figure out a new way to hurt us. “He won’t touch you again.”

His face was emotionless except for the tick in his jaw. We watched as he hobbled down the street and around the corner, only looking back once.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

My body sagged against Bennett and he folded me into his arms.

“Oh my God, are you okay?” I asked. I was so relieved that he hadn’t come away limping. “You shouldn’t have gone after him like that.”

“Avery, listen to me.” His breath was heavy as he held me close. “I recognize him.”

I pulled back to look at him. “What do you mean?”

“It was him,” he said, eyes wide. “He tried breaking into your window that night. I’m sure of it.”

I stumbled as my legs gave way, and Bennett scooped me into his arms.

Tim was going to rape me that night. And Bennett had saved me.

Bennett deposited me in the passenger seat of my car as I panted for air. He used my phone to call my mom.

She and Lance rushed outside and Bennett explained what had transpired. Mom sat down hard on the curb and put her head in her hands.

Lance advised me to file a restraining order and police report immediately. I didn’t dispute him.

Then he was on his cell phone, calling in a favor to the judge. He also called his contact at the police station.

While he was on hold he flipped the phone away from his mouth. “Bennett, you were smart not to say anything in front of Tim about the break-in.”

Bennett nodded. He had used good judgment even in a state of rage.

“If he had known you recognized him, he might have fled. But I’m confident he’ll be picked up fairly quickly and charged. His case had already been flagged by the mayor,” Lance said, looking at me. I felt gratitude to Gavin for helping me in that small way, when he didn’t even have to.

“As long as you’re willing to identify him in a lineup?” Lance asked.

“Of course,” Bennett said.

“How do we know he won’t run now?” Mom asked, her eyes laced with fear.

“I guess there’s still that possibility,” I said finally. “But I made it seem like we didn’t want any more trouble. Just hope he bought it.”

Mom knelt in front of me and grabbed my hands. “I’m so sorry, baby. About everything.”

I had finally gotten my apology, on a street corner, in the middle of all of this chaos. The relief I felt overwhelmed my senses, and I couldn’t control the tears leaking from my eyes. Or stop my hands from shaking as my mother grasped them in hers. “I know you are, Mom.”

Lance accompanied us to file the reports and used his contacts to expedite the order. The detective on the case said they had Tim’s home and work addresses and that he was bound to show up one place or the other today. Mom also provided the names of some local bars he frequented, which was helpful, but made me roll my eyes.

After all was said and done, Bennett drove us home. Blood was still caked to his hair and shirt. But other than the bruise forming above his cheekbone, he only admitted to feeling sore. He wouldn’t even let me drive.

I was so thankful that he wasn’t more hurt. And I prayed the whole way home that Tim would be picked up soon. Lance assured us that our local police department was on alert and would increase security on our street.

I was pretty sure I’d only feel safe if I moved out of my building, but in the meantime, I needed to take one day at a time. One hour at a time.

It felt like I’d never rid Tim from my life. And now Bennett was undeniably involved. What a huge-ass mess.

Bennett parked in the back lot and we headed inside. “Let’s get your stuff. You’re staying with me tonight, and every night, until I know it’s safe,”

Bennett said. I didn’t argue the point. I knew he was right. He’d also called our landlord on the way home and alerted him of the situation.

While I was in my room gathering clean clothes, I avoided looking at that same window that Tim had attempted to break through. I figured my life would look starkly different right then had Bennett not come home when he did that night.

I shut off my bedroom light and was headed toward the living room when I got a call from Lance. I put him on speakerphone.

“They’ve got him,” he said, out of breath. I sank down on the edge of the couch. “Snatched him at his job. Boss said he had gotten there late because of some fractured ribs.”

Bennett kissed my forehead, and I couldn’t help allowing a small smile.

“Oh my God.” I laid my head back against the cushions, relief coursing through me. “Thank you for all of your help, Lance.”

“Wait, Avery, there’s more.”

Bennett stopped pacing and looked at me, concern in his eyes.

“O . . . kay.” I braced my fist to my knee.

“There was a warrant out for his arrest in another county . . . for attempted rape.”

Bennett was immediately next to me, rubbing my shoulders while I inhaled a sharp lungful of air.

“You . . . you’re kidding.”

I guess I had always known in the back of my mind that I couldn’t have been the only one.

Someone else out there had told. They were braver than I was. And in that moment I said a silent thank you to whoever that girl was.

I hoped against hope that she had had the support and trust and love that I had never had.

Until now.

“There’s still a chance he could get out on bail,” Lance said as reality slammed back into me. “But if these charges stick, he’ll be going away for a long time.”

I couldn’t stop the fat trails of tears coursing down my face. “Thank you again for everything, Lance.”

“You’re very welcome. If we got another bastard off the street, then I’ve done my job.”

I sat up and took a deep breath. “Is Mom there with you?”

“Um, yeah,” he said, awkwardly. I pictured him at our kitchen table, mom already whipping up dinner, like she’d done for him a couple years ago. “Yeah, she is.”

“Can you put her on the phone for a minute?”

“Of course.”

“Oh, and Lance? One more thing.” I stood up and stared out the window at the street lamps flashing on. “Treat my momma right.”

I looked back at Bennett, shocked by my own declaration.

But he got it. He understood why I’d said it. A ghost of a smile touched his lips, and he winked.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

After I chatted with my mom for five minutes more and asked her to have Adam call me, Bennett and I went up to the fifth floor.

He wanted me with him, and I needed to be there, too. My apartment just didn’t feel right, for tonight. It was filled with coiled shadows, whispered threats, and murky recollections.

I’d rather work through all of those emotions in the daytime, when I could recall all the brighter and sweeter memories I’d created in my first-floor apartment.

I placed my overnight bag in his room while he thirstily guzzled a tall glass of water in his kitchen.

He looked exhausted and worn, and I had the strong urge to take care of him.

“Let’s go,” I said. “I’m putting you in the shower.”

We both undressed and stood beneath the stream of hot water. I carefully shampooed the blood out of Bennett’s hair, checking for any other injuries. Then I washed his body, delicately stroking the washcloth around the bruise that had formed on his rib cage.

“I can’t believe you did that for me,” I said.

I was talking about several things at once. The potential break-in. The fight with Tim. Driving to court with me in the first place that morning.

“Nobody’s going to harm one hair on your precious head, if I have anything to do with it,” he said.

“Although you certainly kicked the shit out of Tim. He didn’t know what hit him.”

I smiled and leaned my head into his chest, feeling the water wash down my back as he rinsed shampoo from my hair.

“I want you in my life for a very long time,” Bennett said, lifting my face with his hands. “Avery, I lo—”

I sealed my mouth over his before he could get the words out. He hadn’t told me he loved me since that note with the flowers. Maybe he’d been waiting for me to say it back. Maybe he didn’t want to overwhelm or rush me.