Page 11 of Silver Linings
The officer nodded, following Gunner back to the room where he’d incapacitated James. “Can you take that out of here? I need to get my friend out of the bathroom. She’s nine months pregnant and I don’t want anything more to upset her.”
“Do you think we need to get an ambulance here?” The officer’s face blanched, and Gunner realized Lily must not have said anything about her condition to the dispatcher.
“Let me get to her first, and I’ll let you know.”
The officer nodded, leaving the room while Gunner knocked on the bathroom door.
“Lily? It’s Gunner, sweetheart. James isn’t going to be a problem right now, so I need you to go ahead and unlock the door for me, okay? I don’t want to have to kick it in and risk hurting you or the baby.”
He heard shuffling behind the door, and then the saddest sight he’d ever seen greeted him. Wet tracks covered Lily’s pale cheeks, and her arms were placed protectively around her belly.
“Lil?”
“Thank you, Gunner.” She bolted from the bathroom and ran her hands around his waist. They stood like that for a moment before the officer came back in and introduced himself to Lily.
Gunner walked her over to the bed and sat beside her, his arm protectively placed around her back. He stayed quiet as Lily gave the officer the same details she had told him over the phone.
“I’ll need some more information from you for the protective order.”
“No, we don’t need to do that.”
“Lily,” Gunner growled, his stomach aching at the thought of James getting away with what he put her through. “You absolutely need to get a protective order against him.”
“A piece of paper will not do a single thing for me. Besides, it won’t stick. His parents are friends with every judge in this county. They’ll take one look at James and just let him go with a warning. I’m too tired. I just want to be done with this night.”
“Alright, Ms. Bennett. If you change your mind, you can come down to the station and any officer can help you. Here’s my card, just in case you would feel better coming in to see me since I was here tonight.” Gunner took the card from the officer.
Once they were alone in the room, he stood, watching Lily wipe away her tears.
“We need to get moving, Lily. Can you pack up some things you’ll need for the next few days?”
“No. Why would I pack? This is my home, too. I mean, it’s rented in his name, but I pay for everything.”
“Lily. You can’t stay here. Not with him.”
“Then he should be the one to leave. He can stay with his parents. I’m the one that has no place to go.”
“He’ll just come back, Lil. You know that. I can protect you here, if you are absolutely dead set against leaving, but I’d really rather have you be at my mom’s with Gia and me.”
“I can’t put them at risk. What if he comes after me there?”
“Do you think he would?”
“I wouldn’t put it past him when he’s been drinking.” Lily looked nervously out the bedroom door. She teetered a bit and Gunner reached out to steady her.
“You don’t need to worry about that. He will not hurt you when I’m around. Can you show me what you think you’ll need? Maybe you should just sit back down on the bed and I’ll pack.”
“I’m okay. You’re right. I can’t ask you to stay here. I’ll get my things together.”
“Let’s hurry, okay? I want to get you home. I can come back and pick up whatever you leave tonight.”
“Home,” she whispered, her big green eyes filled with tears.
“Lily,” Gunner whispered as his stomach rolled at the sight of her so upset. “You didn’t say anything to the officer, but did he hurt you?”
“No. Not tonight.”
“Not tonight.” Gunner’s whole body blazed with fury. What the fuck was James thinking? He’d never let Lily be hurt by that asshole again.