Page 67 of Tough Love

“Fuck, Addy, you alright?”

She nods, shallow and quick.

Reed folds her into his chest, and Justin clambers to his feet. “So, it’s only the Rawlins boys you fuck, then, Howard? I see how it is. Little slut.”

My fist smashes into his face faster than Reed can stop me. Knuckles burning, I slam into him again and again. Rough hands pull me off when Mack flies in through the front doors.

“For fuck’s sake. Not at Ma’s party, you idiots.” Then his gaze swings between Addy and Morley, and realization washes over his face.

“Get him out of here, Mack,” I seethe.

Reed holds Addy like a porcelain doll with one arm wrapped around her.

Mack pulls Morley to his feet, slaps the back of his head, and escorts him out the back door. I step over to Addy and my little brother excuses himself.

Every breath burns. “Did he hurt you?”

“No,” she whispers. Her eyes drop to my reddened knuckles. “I’m fine. I could have handled it.”

Fuck, what a way to screw up the things I have planned.

“I promise I am fine. It’s not the first time a guy hasn’t taken no for an answer.”

Jesus, that’s fucking worse.

“Addy?”

“Not like that far. But I have fended off my share of delusional guys, Rawlins. Don’t overthink this, please.”

“Are you sure he didn’t hurt you? I will gladly make the other side of his face match my hand.”

She huffs a laugh and her cheeks flush. “No need to damage your hand any further. Let’s go. I’ll say a quick goodbye to your ma.”

She slips past me, and I slump against the wall. The feeling of being helpless only moments ago comes rushing back, catching up with me now that the moment has turned quiet. The raging red that flooded my vision when Morley opened his fucking mouth. I pinch the bridge of my nose, sucking in a long breath, and rub my hands over my face. Moments later, two fine hands gently wrap around mine, lowering them from my face.

Addy’s dark brown eyes find mine. “Take me wherever you want, Huddy.”

I remind myself that our time together is limited. And I don’t want to waste another second of it with Justin Morley in my mind. I sweep Addy into my arms, and she squeals, her curls bouncing as she laughs with her head back a little over my arm.I walk toward the back door. “Where are you taking me?” Her words are soft, intimate.

“You’ll see.”

“That’s what Mackinlay said. You boys will be the death of me.”

“Now you sound like Ma.”

“I will take that as a compliment.”

I smile down at her when I lower her to her feet by the passenger-side door of the truck. When I open it for her, she climbs in. We drive a little way, around the back of the furthest barn, and I kill the engine and jump out. Addy gets out of the truck, eyeing the rows of fireworks Harry and Mack set up earlier. I lower the tailgate of the truck and grab some blankets out from behind the driver’s seat. This might take a while, and I don’t want her getting cold.

Addy winds through the rows of fireworks. All positioned and ready to ignite. If it was daylight, she would be able to see all the different colors they claim to be, according to the wrappers on their canisters. All the colors of the rainbow. When Reed mentioned fireworks as an inside joke from when we were kids, Ruby took it literally, and here we are. Maybe she wanted to fulfill something from Reed’s childhood wish list. Who knows?

I sit on the tailgate and pat the spot beside me. Now we wait for Mack to send the go-ahead text. If he isn’t still dealing with that loser Morley, that is. That fucker better not have ruined Ma’s big show.

Addy comes to sit by me, and I wrap her in a blanket. She presses a kiss to my jaw before resting her head on my arm.

My phone lights up beside me.

“Now, Huddo.” - Mack

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