Page 126 of When We Were Us
From my peripheral vision, Hudson takes a step toward the porch, but Finn grabs the back of his shirt to stop him. Her other hand is clamped over her mouth, eyes wide.
“What are you going to do, you fucking hick? Hit me?” he screams as Hank towers over him. His voice is hard, but his eyes give him away. They dart from Hank’s face to mine, and he takes a minuscule step back.
Hank chuckles darkly. It’s low and humorless. “You’re not worth the effort it’d take to draw back my arm, you prick.” He takes another step forward, so he is almost chest to chest with him, and Derek takes a step to the side as if to bolt down the steps.
“Here’s what Iamgonna do, though.” Hank’s words stop Derek in his tracks. “I’m gonna give you thirty seconds to get your slimy ass off this porch and into your car.” Another inch, and he’s right in Derek’s face.
“And listen closely, you son of a bitch, because this part is important.” He leans in, pressing a finger into Derek’s chest. “Get thefuckout of my town and stay the hell away from Wrenley. She’s not yours anymore. She’smine. You got it? You got something to say about her business, you call a fucking lawyer. Don’t call her, don’t text her. Don’t even think about her. Because if I find out you have, I’m gonna bring my backwoods, hick ass to California and knock your dick in the dirt. You got me?”
Derek’s eyes are wide, and he swallows hard, pulling on his tie. “You’re fucking insane.” He takes a step toward the stairs and almost falls down them. I let out the breath I was holding while gripping a fistful of the back of Hank’s T-shirt as Derek stumbles down the bottom two steps.
He looks at Hudson, who’s standing with his feet braced wide and arms crossed over his chest. He jerks his chin at Derek’s waiting rental car. “Get the fuck outta here.”
“Hudson, take her keys and let that asshole out,” Hank says to his brother.
I dig in my pocket and throw them the short distance to where he stands. He catches them and puts a hand on Finn’s back. She jogs up the steps and pulls me into a hug.
“You ok?” she says into my hair.
I nod. “Yes.”
Derek starts his rental and Hudson starts the Jeep a few seconds later. He pulls out of the circular driveway and turns back, pulling in behind the Chevy. Derek pulls forward and peels out of the semi-circular driveway and onto the dirt road, his taillights disappearing into the distance. A cricket song and soft breeze replace the sound of his engine fading away.
Hudson comes up on the porch and hands me my keys. I thank him and Hank pulls me against him.
“Can you guys give us a few minutes?” he says to Finnley and Hudson.
“I’ll just call you tomorrow, ok?” She grabs my hand and gives it a squeeze.
“You good?” Hudson addresses Hank.
“Yeah. We’re good. Thanks, brother.”
CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE
hank
I putthe kettle on to boil some water for tea while Wren is upstairs changing. I need to do something with my hands before I punch a hole in the wall or something. I want that dick back here so I can rearrange his face, but I know that won’t be helpful. He’s lucky he went without putting up much of a fight because if he said one more shitty thing to Wren, he would have had my fist in his mouth.
Grabbing a mug, I unwrap a tea bag and drop it in, bracing my arms on the counter while I wait for the water to boil. The kitchen is dark and quiet, save for the dim light above the kitchen sink and the sound of running water from a tap coming from somewhere upstairs. It feels surreal, being here, standing in her kitchen, and making tea—something so normal after what she just went through—while she takes a minute to herself.
I was surprised but grateful when she said she didn’t want to face her ex alone, that she wanted me with her. I’ll always protect her.
I’d watched as she put that fucker in his place. I was so proud of her, and happy to watch her eviscerate him. Then, he called her a bitch and threatened her name and her livelihood. That had been too low. And when he’d put his hand on her, I’d seen nothing but red. If she hadn’t been right there—her hand keeping me tethered to her and everything we’d just shared back at the cabin—I honestly don’t know if I would have been able to stop myself from beating the shit out of the guy.
I’m so lost in thought that I don’t hear her come into the kitchen until she’s standing right behind me, sliding her hands around me. She rests her cheek against my back and places her hands on my chest in an intimate reverse hug.
“Hey,” she says softly.
I lift her hand and turn it over, kissing her palm. “Hey.”
“You ok?” she whispers.
I nod. “Areyou?”
Her laugh is light. “Yeah.” She nods against my back. “I didn’t think I would be, but I feel so much better.”
The relief that floods me is immediate.
