Page 4 of Saving Trinity
Dylan nodded. “I know, man. Trust me, I understand the feeling all too well.” I knew he did. Whereas Lucas, Lillian’s father, had never put his hands physically on Paige to my knowledge, he’d done a lot of fucked up shit to her otherwise. “Just keep your head on straight, yeah? We’ll be there in a few hours, and you can get both of them home where they’re safe.”
I blew out a harsh breath, then forced my grip on the steering wheel to relax. I’d already spoken to Carla after getting off the phone with Trinity, and she’d assured me that Wyatt was asleep between her and Brandon, and all the doors and windows in the house were locked, and the alarm was set.
I could breathe just a tiny bit easier knowing he was safe. But all Trinity had protecting her from Zac was a handful of hospital staff, if they could even be trusted, and Derek. I trusted Derek to protect her, but if a man was willing to do what he’d done to Trinity, he was clearly another level of unhinged.
When I had her and Wyatt at my place, I’d be able to breathe normally again. My lungs would no longer feel constricted, and my chest would no longer feel like it was caving in.
Just a few more hours. I would have them home before midnight tomorrow. That was a fucking vow.
When I pulled up in front of Carla’s house, the sun was just beginning to rise, casting a beautiful orange glow over the sky that definitely felt like it was mocking my current dark mood. As if the sun even had a right to paint the sky so beautifully when Trinity’s life was falling apart at the seams and my son was no doubt going to be reeling when he realized there would no longer be Zac in his life and his aunt and uncle would no longer be just across town.
This change was needed. It was necessary for their safety. But that didn’t make it somehow easier.
Blowing out a harsh breath, I shoved open my truck door and got out. Byron came to a stop behind me, quickly shutting off his ‘69 Mustang and getting out as well. His dark, curly hair was a mess on his head, and instead of trying to tame it, he just snatched a black ball cap from his dashboard and shoved it on.
“She here?” he asked, arching a brow at me.
Byron was an asshole through and through, but he was family. And no matter what, he’d always had my back. Despite him being an asshole though, he was a fucking great dad and an incredible husband to his wife, Winter. He doted on them so much, they were spoiled absolutely rotten.
Byron had come from his own dark past with an abusive dad and an absent mother. It’d turned him into the hardened man he was today, but when Byron cared about someone, he’d destroy the world to keep them safe. And despite him not knowing Trinity all that well, I knew he’d stand right beside me to protect her.
“She said she’s back from the hospital,” I told him. She’s gone to the police station before coming home to file a report. She was too scared to press charges last night, so I’d let it go, letting her just go on home instead. But once we got back to my place, I’d be sitting her down and discussing it with her.
Zac couldn’t get away with this. If he’d done it to her, he would one hundred percent do the same to another woman. And if he had the balls to raise his hand to my kid, he’d raise his hand to another kid as well, this time probably even hurting them if the right adults weren’t in the room to protect them.
“Maybe she’s asleep—” Dylan started, but he was cut off when the front door flew open.
And there she stood, tears running down her bruised face, her red hair a mess, and still somehow the most stunning woman I’d ever laid my eyes on.
I took a step up the driveway, my heart in my throat. He’d done a fucking number on her. Her left eye was black and blue, and she was trembling, her arms wrapped around her midsection. She was curling into herself, no longer the fierce, headstrong woman I’d always known her to be.
“Trinity, baby—” I rasped, my throat too fucking thick to say anything more.
With a sob that wrenched at my soul, she launched herself off the porch and slammed into me. I stumbled, quickly wrapping my arms around her. As soon as she was cocooned in my embrace, she fucking wailed, gut-wrenching sobs and cries tearing from her throat and chest.
I buried my face in her hair, tightening my arms around her.
“I’m here, baby,” I promised. “You’re safe now.”
Chapter Four
Trinity
The moment I heard their vehicles pull up, my heart had leaped into my throat. Every fear response in my body had gone on high alert, telling me to run, run, run. When those engines shut off, I’d felt ready to puke, terrified Zac had come to drag me back home and had brought back up with him. But when Derek had moved off the couch and peeped through the window, I’d been left weak with relief when he’d uttered the words, “Jimmie’s here.”
Once I felt like my legs might be able to carry my weight, I stood from the couch and made my way to the front door. Derek said something to me, but I couldn’t hear him over the buzzing in my ears. When I opened the front door and stepped out onto the porch, laying my eyes on the man who’d come to my rescue, I’d felt safe for the first time in hours. And now that he was here, he hadn’t left my side.
“First things first,” Jimmie said, his hand massaging the back of my neck, “I need to know if Zac has access to any of your bank accounts. Even just a debit or credit card.”
We’d all gathered in my sister’s tiny kitchen around the bar. Carla and I had taken to sitting, and Jimmie was standing behind me. Byron was leaning against the counter, nursing a cup of coffee Brandon had made him, and Dylan was standing next to him, his arms crossed over his chest.
“No,” I said, my voice sounding as tired as I felt. “You told me not to, even if just for my own financial independence.”
“Good girl,” he murmured, dropping a kiss to the top of my head. My chest warmed at his praise. “I’m going to reach out to the local police and see if we can get an escort or two while we get yours and Wyatt’s things out of the house. Byron and I will go with you. Dylan will stay here with Wyatt and keep him distracted.”
“He’ll be happy to see you,” I said quietly, looking at Dylan. Dylan was easily Wyatt’s favorite uncle. Byron was a close second, but Dylan was almost as goofy as Jimmie could be, whereas Byron was a bit sterner, even while being fun. Dylan was just the kind of uncle to let “boys be boys”.
Dylan smiled at me but didn’t say anything. “I can help,” Derek spoke up, looking at me and Jimmie. He’d been sitting quietly in the living room, just listening in, but now, he was standing at the entrance to the kitchen, his hands in the pockets of his jeans. “I’m here in whatever capacity I can be.”
