Page 104 of Nanny for the Cowboy

I look up at Brooks, my brows knitted over my eyes. I begin to nod my head, but I see Kyle rushing forward behind him.

“Look out!”

Brooks turns just in time for Kyle’s fist to connect with his jaw. Flying back, Brooks takes the punch hard, and I can see blood fly through the air.

He collects himself quickly enough—I know nothing about fights—but Kyle is surging forward, intent on delivering more pain.

This time, a fist hits Brooks in the shoulder, and while he releases a grunt, Brooks shakes it off, returning a punch to Kyle’s face so fast. He’s clearly done this before, and I struggle to remember if Brooks mentioned anything about it in the time we’ve been together.

Pulling myself up off the ground, I look around the apartment for something I can use to get Kyle to back off. Even if I can just get him outside, that would be enough to shut the door and then call the police.

My eyes scan all the boxes. There’s the roll of paper towels, a duster…but then I see it—the bottle of soapy water.

Brooks blocks several blows from Kyle, who’s throwing them wildly, seemingly with no focus or aim. I can tell that Kyle is just furious and violent, whereas Brooks is planning how to end this quickly.

Well, every little bit helps, right? Right.

I surge forward, rushing to the counter where I wrap my hand around the spray bottle and then turn on my heel. Sprinting back toward the fight, I try to find the best angle of attack when Brooks shoves Kyle back before gripping his ribs.

There’s no blood, thank God, so I assume that Kyle punched Brooks hard. But that doesn’t matter right this second. What matters is that he’s open.

With all the courage I can muster, I step up to Kyle, holding the bottle level with his face. I tightened the nozzle before, putting it on direct stream mode, and now, when I squeeze the handle, the soapy water flies out and right into Kyle’s face.

The cleaner is concentrated and goes right into my ex-boss’s eyes. He screams, his head yanking away as he wipes at his face.

“Brooks! Now!” I glance over as Kyle reels from the liquid burning in his eyes.

I’m not sure what he’s going to do, but now is the time to do it. Kyle is distracted and is swinging his hands out in front of him blindly.

Shaking his head, Brooks straightens, which looks like it hurts, and then rushes for Kyle. When he’s there, Brooks wastes no time grabbing him by the head with both hands and then driving it backward into the wall.

One, twice, and then Kyle collapses to the floor, unconscious.

Everything in the room is silent, and I’m breathing so fucking hard. I can’t move either, standing there frozen as I watch for Kyle to jump up and attack again like in the movies.

“He’s out.” Brooks is standing in front of me, his hands coming to the sides of my face. “Clover, Kyle is down. It’s okay.”

It takes me a moment to meet Brooks’s eyes, and when I do, I see the concern and care in them. I fall apart, unable to keep it together a moment longer, and I plaster myself to Brooks’s chest.

“If you weren’t here…I…I…”

“But I was here. Iamhere.” Brooks strokes the back of my head, holding me close. “Shh, it’s going to be okay, Lucky. I’m right here.”

I feel Brooks shift under me and I look up from his chest, the tears staining my face and cooling on my skin as they dry.

“What are you doing?”

He reaches into his pocket, holding up his cell phone. “Calling the police. It shouldn’t take them long to get here.”

It doesn’t. Before I realize it, the cops are flooding into the apartment. Kyle regains consciousness and is in handcuffs in seconds, and as they take him to their patrol cars, he shouts at me.

“Fucking bitch! You did this to me! You ruined my life! I’ll fucking kill you for this!”

Even as the police remind him that he has the right to remain silent, Kyle spews his hateful words in my direction. They fade into nothingness as he’s pulled away from the apartment building and out of sight.

“We’ll have more questions for you, but for now, you’re free to go. Just be around for questions as matters progress, yeah?”

Shaking my head, I refocus on the officer in front of me. I’ve seen him around before, but I don’t remember his name. I glance at his badge, quickly reading it as I nod.

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