And even though the room starts spinning crazily for me, I hear him say, “It’s been a long time, Maris.”
I hold up my hand and back away. “No.” Even as I say that, I’m reaching for my cell phone. I engage it and type 9-1-1 to Amaq.
I don’t read his response. I just tuck my phone back in my bra and stare at the man who left me for dead.
“Get out!” I yell. I reach behind me for a glass and hold it above my head, ready to break it if I have to.
“Listen, I just want to talk. Can we go somewhere and talk?” He smiles at me, as if all he has to do to wipe away every tear, every ounce of pain, is fucking smile.
“No. Now, get out before I call the cops. This is your last chance.”
“You won’t call the cops. You want to hear what I have to say.”
“I do? Then why didn’t you take the stand and fucking say it fifteen years ago after you left me for dead, Carter? Last chance.” I have my phone out, and I dial 9-1-1. I turn the phone around to face him, my thumb hovering over the green Dial button.
But Carter doesn’t take it in time. It changes so many things.
Nick has made his way to me. Overhearing my screaming, he shoves behind Carter, puts him in a rear naked choke hold, before dragging his body away from me. “You dare, you son of a bitch? You dare to come here? To approach my woman? After everything you did to her?”
“Nick! God damnit!” I race after the two of them, which isn’t easy because everyone in my fucking bar is there to see Nick Cain. They just never thought they’d get to see him in action.
And most of them are yanking out cell phones.
I hit Dial.
“9-1-1, what’s your emergency?”
“This is Maris Smith. There’s about to be a fight at Smith’s Brewhouse,” I announce breathlessly.
“You have a number to call, Ms. Smith…” I start to get lectured.
“This is the same man who hit me and left me for dead!” I scream. Just as I do so, some of my patrons hear me and stop moving. They shuffle out of the way so I can run and save the lives of two men, only one I care about.
A new urgency enters her voice. “We’ll have a patrol car there shortly, Ms. Smith. Please stay on the line.”
“Right.” I cross the threshold of my bar just as Nick throws Carter to the ground. “Don’t!” I scream.
“You’re defending this monster?” he roars.
“No! I’m protecting you! There’s about two hundred people with cell phones aimed at you. The cops are on their way to get this piece of shit.”
Behind me, Amaq and Brad come racing up, Brad guarding Nick by standing in front of him. Amaq plants one foot in Carter’s stomach when he tries to rise. “Just try it.”
The sirens roar in the distance. “Let the police handle it. Please?” I beg the man I love.
Brad says something to Nick I can’t hear. He throws up his hands. “Fine, whatever. I’ll give the statement to the police. Then I’m gone.”
And something in the way he looks at me makes me shiver.
It takes me two hours to clear the patrons and the police from the scene. There’s still one more battle I need to have before I get to drive home. I stride into the bar to face whatever Nick’s ready to throw at me. But when I get in there, the only remaining people there are my staff.
Amaq passes me with a keg on his shoulder. I follow him over to the bar. “Thanks for everything you did tonight.”
“Like it isn’t something you wouldn’t do for us, Maris.” His eyes rake me from head to toe. “You doin’ okay?”
“I’d be better once I know this isn’t going to negatively impact Nick in any way.”
“Yeah.” We’re both quiet for a moment before Amaq unhooks the keg. “Did he get a hold of you before he left?”
“Left?” A churning in my gut worse than anything I faced earlier with Carter Jones comes back. “What do you mean he left?”
“Uh-oh. He and Brad took off. They didn’t say anything to you?”
I clench my jaw. “No. If you’ll excuse me, Amaq. I’ll be in my office.” I spin on my heel and stride across the floor which was packed before.
“Maris!” Amaq’s voice stops me in place. I turn my head. “When I yelled you had an emergency, he tore through the restaurant. That’s a man stupid in love with you.”
“Then where is he when I need him, Amaq? When I need to lean on him, why can’t he be here?” Knowing the young man I employ can’t give me the answers, I fly up the stairs.
Unlocking the door, I slip my phone from bra, which is where I tucked it again after the police arrived to control the situation. It’s what my dad taught me, what Jed taught me. Don’t take on a crazy man intent on doing me harm. Call the police and get myself to a safe place.
I did what I know is the best thing to do. So why do I feel like I’m being punished?
I dial Nick’s number and wait for it to ring.
It rings.
And rings.
I get his voicemail. I take a deep breath and leave a message. “I’m leaving for home shortly. I love you.” Then I press End.
I give it two minutes before I try again. Still no answer. I grab my purse and keys. Then I check my phone. Nothing. Not a word.
Well, at least I know what to expect when I get home. It’s a good thing I’ve seen Nick pissed off in the ring otherwise his size might actually intimidate me. But if he thinks for one moment he’s going to get a woman who’s about to back down, he’s got another thing coming.
I thank my weary employees for their hard work before I stalk off to my car. Sliding behind the wheel, I start the ignition. I drive cautiously past the accident site, victorious when once again I pass it without incident. Then I begin to get mad.
As I turn onto my street, I begin yelling. “Does he not give a damn how I’m doing? Was he not worried if I’d be able to make it home after tonight? What the hell is his problem?”
Then I slam on my brakes.
There’s no lights lit.
Nick’s not here. He hasn’t called or texted to see how I am after being pissed at the way I handled things at the Brewhouse.
“Me. I guess I’m the problem.”
My heart aching, I pull into the garage of my darkened home, something I haven’t had to do in weeks.
It isn’t until I turn off the alarm, I get a text. It’s from Rainey. He’s here and safe. How are you?
I start to type back before I decide to hell with it. He doesn’t deserve to know. If he wanted to know, he’d be here. Wouldn’t he?
Maris
“I hate fighting with Dean. In the end, we’re both too stubborn to say we’re sorry, but we love each other too much to go to bed without saying ‘I love you.’ Of the two, I’ll take the second because I know he’ll be with me through thick and thin. Until the end.” - From the journals of Jedidiah Smith.
I can’t believe Nick crashed at Brad and Rainey’s last night. If he disagreed with me, fine. We’re two people with explosive personalities, and disagreements are bound to happen. I don’t understand why he didn’t come back so we could work things out.