Page 57 of Taking What's Ours
“Yeah,” Rock replies. “The boys tried to catch him, but he got away.” Rock leans his fists on the table. “We saw him through the window. He had Elaina pinned on the floor when we came up. The dog was barking out there, going crazy trying to get in. The door was locked, so we busted the glass.”
“I’m going to kill him.” Baja meets my eyes. “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”
My eyes fill with tears. I can’t help it.
“Babe, come here,” he whispers with open arms, and I run to him. He rises out of his chair, his brothers releasing him, and we embrace. I burrow under his cut and bury my face in his soft, warm t-shirt, hugging him tight. How quickly he’s become my safe place.
“Baja.” His name is soft on my lips. It’s all I need to say. Just one word.
“He hurt you.” Baja strokes a hand over my head. “I’m so sorry. This is all my fault.”
I pull back and stare into his face, shaking my head. “None of this is your fault. He wanted the marriage license.”
“Did you give it to him?” His eyes flare.
“No.” I shake my head. “I told him I didn’t have it. He didn’t believe me, and he got angry. Angry that I was here with you.”
“He’s dead,” Baja growls the words.
“No. It’s over. He’s gone. Let that be the end of it. Please. For me.”
“Don’t ask that of me, babe.”
“You have to let it go, Baja. I’m here. That has to be enough.”
“Maybe you should stay at the clubhouse tonight,” Rock suggests.
“No,” Baja bites out. “That son-of-a-bitch comes back, I’m gonna be here waiting for him.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Baja—
That night, after the guys board up my door and leave, I stand with Elaina in the kitchen. She holds a cold washcloth with ice pressed to her face. When initially, she wanted me close, wanted my arms around her, now she’s keeping space between us.
“The license… Is that all he wanted?” I press, knowing there’s something she’s not telling me.
“When he realized you weren’t here, he…” She breaks off, and my heart stops.
The worst things imaginable flash before my eyes.
She sucks her lips into her mouth as if trying to hold the words back. But I have to know, even if she doesn’t want to tell me.
“What did he do? What aren’t you telling me?”
She shakes her head. “He’s gone now. It doesn’t matter.”
“Yes, it does.” My words are calm, soft, but on the inside, I’m screaming. On the inside, I’m punching a hole in the wall. But I can’t do that. I can’t traumatize her any more than what’s happened here today. “Please, Elaina. I need to know.”
She shakes her head, her lip trembling.
My gaze drops to her shirt, and I realize with a frown that it’s not the one she had on this morning, but it is one of mine. My brain is trying to explain it, but the words just fall out of my mouth. “That’s not the t-shirt I lent you.”
Her eyes flare briefly, and her body stiffens, her gaze dropping to the shirt.
My chin pulls to the side; I’m on to something, I just don’t know what.
“I, um, the other one was ripped.” Her face wilts. “He tore it.”