Page 11 of Defending A Promise
As I pull into the driveway of my parent’s house, it’s getting dark outside, and I realize that I didn’t turn on the porch light.
“Great,” I murmur to myself as I quietly unbuckle my seatbelt. I leave Nicholas buckled in his car seat as I quietly climb out of the car and up to the front door. I unlock it and reach inside to turn on the porch light so that I can see what I’m doing.
I pop open the trunk lid and pull out our beach gear, still keeping an eye on my sleeping toddler. He must have been exhausted. Nothing will wake him up at this point.
I decide to try to make one trip into the house and grab all our beach stuff in my arms. After juggling them between my arms, I finally get them situated so that I can carry everything at one time. As I pull him out of the car, his little arms circle around my neck. I could hold him like this forever.
A talent I’ve managed to learn being a mom is closing doors with my feet and that’s exactly what I did to the car door – Ikicked it closed. It’s also how I close the front door behind us once we’re inside.
I decide not to make Nicholas take a bath before putting him to bed. The sun exhausted him, and he’ll just be grouchy. At least I made him shower off when we left the beach, so he should be fine for the night.
Once he’s all tucked in and I’ve showered and changed into more comfortable clothes, I decide that a glass of wine is in order. As I make my way down the hallway and out to the living room, something catches my eye on the inside of the front door.
Written on the door in what looks like dripping red paint are words that make my stomach drop and heighten my senses.
HE’S MINE AND I WANT HIM
Grabbing my phone from my pocket, I run to my son’s room and lock the door behind me. I call 911 as I stand next to my sleeping son to protect him with my life from this crazy monster.
Chapter 6
Declan
Hooplas is packed tonight and it’s barely nine o’clock. That’s a good thing. Everyone seems to be having a great time eating, drinking, playing darts or pool, and listening to great country music. Steph is at the bar serving up drinks one right after the other and I see Hudson and his girl, Kate, helping out as needed.
Trevor and I have played two games of pool – each winning one game. The next one is the tie breaker, and a great steak dinner is on the line. I can’t lose. Trevor’s a surgeon and I’m just a cop. He makes way more money than me and if he’s buying, I’m getting the biggest Wagyu steak I can find.
“Rack ‘em, dude,” I call out to him as he brings over a plate of nachos and two sodas. He’s got to work in the morning, so neither of us is drinking.
The music is loud, but I’m okay with that since it’s country music – my favorite.
“Yo, Declan!” I hear my name called but I can’t seem to figure out who’s calling me as I scan across the entire crowded restaurant and bar.
“Yo. Over here.” Someone from the front of the bar area is waving at me.
I wave back even though I don’t know who it is.
“No, man. You’ve got a phone call,” the guy says as he motions a telephone with his hand.
I look over at Trevor as he’s laughing at me. “You had no idea who that was, yet you were waving at him. Classic.”
“Hey. It’s called customer service.” I fire back at him as I go over to the bar. “Hey Steph. What’s up?”
“Phone call. It’s Jax,” she says as she’s pouring a beer from the tap trying to keep the amount of foam to a minimum.
“Why’s he calling me here and not on my phone?”
“You can ask him when you pick up the call,” she smarts back to me.
“Hey man. What’s up?” I answer the bar phone.
“Dude. You need to answer your cellphone. I’ve been calling and texting you.” Jax answers in reply.
“What’s wrong?” I can instantly tell that there is something very wrong in the tone of his voice. He’s got the ‘cop’ tone. We’ve been friends forever and have worked together on the police force for years. We know when it’s time to goof off and when it’s not. Now is not the time for goofing off – I just don’t know why.
I grab my cell from my back pocket and see that he’s right. He’s called me twice and sent me multiple text messages. The last one grabs my attention.
Jax: Ashford’s house. Now!
