Page 112 of Waiting for Redemption

Me

20 minutes left.

Husband

Drive safe. See you soon.

“You been having me followed, Ru?” That ice-cold chill shoots down my spine at hearing his voice. I quickly pull up my voice record app and start it before sliding my phone into my apron and turning to face him—just in case.

“What? No.” Confusion covers my face as I realize I actually have no idea what he’s talking about.

“Oh, really? Because I justhappenedto notice someone in a gray car showing upeverywhere I didtoday.” The slur to his words makes it no secret how drunk he is right now. But I still have no idea what he’s talking about.

“I don’t know anyone with a gray car, Mark. And you shouldn’t be here. Go home.”

“I wish I’d never seen you in that stupid mall.” His voice trails off as he plops down on a barstool. I can almost feel my entire body lock up when I hear the words leave his lips.

“What?” I choke back the bile that’s fighting its way up my throat.

“You know I’d spentyearstrying to get over you. Trying to forget you and the mark you left in my mind. Wondering every day if you actually went through with having our child.” My features immediately harden at his words.

“Don’t youdarecall him your child,” I grit out through my teeth. “Not after you told me to get rid of him. Not after you threatened my life if Ididn’tand not after you put his life at risk by assaulting me with afuckingpiece of glassIN MY STOMACH!” I scream at him, not caring how everyone in the bar is now looking at us.

The sad look on his face pisses me off more than anything. I’ve never wanted to be violent with someone until now. I used to be scared of him, I would let thoughts of my past with him paralyze me, and was prepared foryearsto keep running if he ever found me. Now I’m ready to stand my ground, to fight to keep my kid, and to let him know he’s messing with the wrong family.

“I wasn’t right in the head, Ru. I didn’t want to stay with my wife. I wanted to be with you. I wanted to start over and have the baby with you, really, I did. But there were circumstances that wouldn’t allow me to do that, and when I couldn’t have you—when we couldn’t start a family together I just… I didn’t want it to happen without me.”

“Is that supposed to make me feelbetter? Am I supposed toforgive youfor all the fucking trauma you put me through just because you were having a bitch fit over your own selfish mistakes?” He shakes his head, not meeting my gaze.

“When I saw you in the mall that day, I couldn’t believe it was you. I was only supposed to be here for the weekend on business, but… When I saw the name of the bar on your shirt, I took a chance and looked it up. I came back the next day and sat right over there until I saw you, I had to make sure my mind wasn’t playing tricks on me. I was going to get up and come talk to you, honest. Then I sawhim. He was stepping in to protect you and giving you the shirt off his back. I saw the way you looked at him, and it made me soangry. Because that should have been me.” The blood pumping so quickly through my body has me feeling like I’m about to pass out when I realize just how long he’s known where to find me. “I decided that I should just go back home and try to forget about you again. That it didn’t matter if you had the baby or not, but… a year later I still couldn’t let you go. I couldn’t stop thinking about you. Every day my mind was full of thoughts of nothing butyou.So I came back, I just… Ihadto know if there was a chance for us. So I came back to the bar, waited until you got off and I followed you to see if you’d had the baby. When I saw you two together I knew I had to come up with a plan to get you both back. I just wanted a second chance to have the family we should have had.” He reaches for my hand and I quickly pull it away. When my eyes finally refocus, the tears quickly start falling from them.

“You’re sick, Mark. The fact that you thinkanyof the things you did,while still married,were okay, just proves that. We willneverbe your family. My son has a dad now thatloveshim, andprotectshim, and has sincebeforeI ever even realized I was in love with him.That’sthe kind of man I want in our lives. Someone who will love him without expecting anything in return. Someone who does nothing but think about us, and puts us first.Heis the father my child deserves, and the husband thatIdeserve. He’s slowly started to erase every bit of damage you did to me, and he will continue to do so until you’renothing. You don’t deserve a family. You never have and you never will. You will not win this case, Mark. You never stood a chance against us, now get the fuck out of this bar. And don’t youevercome back.” When I point to the door he grabs my wrist, wrapping his fingers tightly around it.

“Please, Ru. Just one more chance, please.” I close my eyes and take a deep breath, fighting the panic I’m in, but when I open them again Max is pulling him away from me, shoving him back so that he staggers towards the door.

“If you’re not out of my sight in five seconds I will call the police,” he threatens, sending Mark running for the door.

Max rushes back over to me, wrapping me in his arms just as my legs give out on me. He keeps his grasp on me strong as every sob that I’d held back in Mark’s presence comes rushing out of me. He pulls his phone out of his pocket and after one ring I hear Tank’s voice and another sob breaks free.

“Your wife needs you.”

“I’m on my way.”No questions asked. No hesitation. Just like that.

Ten minutes.That’s all it takes before my husband comes storming into the bar, eyes landing on me almost immediately. Like there’s an invisible magnet that leads him straight to me.

“What happened? Are you hurt?” He bends down, cupping my face in his hands as he assesses every part of me.

“Where’s Hendrix?” I ask, looking around for him.

“I dropped him at Betty’s so I could drive faster. Baby, what happened?” I swallow past the cotton-like feeling in my mouth, as I try to get the words out.

“Mark came by…” Tank’s nostrils flare angrily, but his touch is as gentle as ever. Holding me in a way that tells me I’m safe without him having to utter the words.

“What did he do?” I shake my head, unwilling to repeat everything that happened, and then I remember my phone. I set it on the table and press play on the recording I took while he was here.

Tank’s chest begins rising and falling more rapidly when he hears me scream about Mark assaulting me, and I can see that he’s trying so hard to hold it together. When it finally ends he begins pacing back and forth, running his hands through his hair and I can see him fighting to stay calm.

“Say something, please,” I whisper. He finally stops moving and bends down in front of me again.

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