“I’m sorry,” I apologized. “Don’t you have other shirts you can wear?” I was trying to be helpful, but when he pushed me against the counter and wrapped his hand around my throat, I felt nothing but terror as I recognized the blinding rage that was in my husband’s eyes.
“What the fuck did you just say to me?”
I shook my head. “N-Nothing. I said nothing.”
“That’s what I thought.” His hand tightened against my throat. “I could snap your neck right now and no one would miss you,” he whispered in my ear.
I’d never seen him this angry before and there wasn’t a doubt in my mind that he would do just what he said. If not tonight, then someday.
When I said nothing, he just spit in my face, shoving me further against the counter.
“Don’t fuck up dinner,” were his parting words before leaving me alone in the kitchen, with tears running down my cheeks.
“THERE WAS SOMETHING in his eyes that I just couldn’t forget. It was like a light went off in my brain and I could see the future so clearly. He would start hitting me next and then he would kill me. I felt it in my bones. I couldn’t let that happen.” My words were almost inaudible with how hard I was crying against Mac’s shoulder.
“It’s okay,” she hushed me. “You’re out; he will never touch you again.”
I shook my head, pulling out my phone.
“He’s going to find me.” I showed her the few phone calls that I’d received in the short time since I’d last checked my phone. “He’s not happy.”
“Block him. He needs to know that he can’t control you anymore. We can even go to the police and file a restraining order against him. You have options, Liz.”
“You think?” I asked weakly.
“I know.”
I tapped a few times on my phone until I got to the screen that asked if I was sure I wanted to block his number. My finger hovered over the “yes”.
“You can do it, Liz. You have so much support here; we’ll help you get back on your feet and put that bastard behind you.”
With that said, I took a deep breath and pressed the button. A sense of relief washed over me, knowing that he couldn’t get a hold of me anymore.
I wiped my tears away and gave Mac a small smile.
“I’m so sorry for not being here more... especially after everything with your mom. I’ve been a horrible friend,” I apologized, voicing the guilt I had been carrying around.
Mac waved my words away. “Don’t worry about it. You’re here now and that’s all that matters.”
I gave her a grateful smile; I didn’t know what I did to deserve a friend as kind and selfless as Mac.
“So, my parents have told me a little, but tell me everything that I missed while I was gone.”
That’s how we spent the next few hours, talking about everything and nothing. It was the nicest afternoon I’d had in years.
WHEN WE FINISHED CATCHING up, I followed Mac back down to the shop. When I opened the door, I was once again met with the tinkling of little bells.
“Elizabeth Porter? Is that you?” My head twisted to the owner of the voice; I had to forcibly keep my jaw from dropping when I recognized the woman.
Leah Wilder had the same brown hair as the last time I saw her; just a few wrinkles were the only difference I could find. Her gray eyes were bright with her excitement at seeing me.
It was so hard to dislike her the same way I hated her son. Leah had this aura around her that just showed her as a sweet mother figure; she was a lot like my mom.
“Hey, Mrs. Wilder,” I greeted a little unwillingly.
“I didn’t know you were back in town, dear. How long are you staying?”
I tried to find a hint of malice or some unjust reasoning behind her question, but I could see nothing but interest in her eyes.
“Um, I’m actually back for good.”
Surprise flickered in Leah’s eyes before she blinked it away, laying a gentle hand on my shoulder.
“That’s great to hear. This town has missed you a great deal. I hope we can sit down for a cup of coffee sometime soon?”
I wasn’t as quick to blink away my shock that time, but Leah didn’t seem to take offense to it. She just gave me an understanding smile before squeezing my shoulder and dropping her hand.
“It was really great to see you, dear.”
Once she was gone, I turned to Mac.
“What just happened?”
“She comes in almost every single day. She’s one of my most loyal customers,” Mac explained.
I hadn’t been back in North Hills for a whole twenty-four hours and I was already running into the Wilders. It left a pit in my stomach, leaving me with the feeling I would see Nick sooner rather than later. I held back my groan; I was twenty-eight years old, I could handle seeing him without resorting back to our high school ways.
Right?
Chapter 3
NICK
My mom had designated Friday nights as family nights ten years ago when her oldest child, me, moved out of the house. Unless there was a life-or-death situation, we were all expected to be at the dining table every single Friday night. Unless any of us were away for college, we’ve been here.
I walked into my childhood home—late like usual, since I had to go home and change after work. My mom didn’t exactly approve of me bringing my service weapon into her home. I had changed out of my uniform into my favorite brown jacket, blue button-up, and blue jeans.
I was just glad they did not consider the dinners formal affairs. Knowing my mom, though, the thought had probably crossed her mind a time or two.
I followed the sounds of conversation and laughter that were coming from the living room.
“Nice of you to finally show up,” my younger brother, Damien, jokingly scolded.
“What? Did the one stoplight in town stop working?” Dean asked with a smirk.
“Did Mr. Beckett call you again, complaining about his neighbor’s children making too much noise?” Cody added from the kitchen table, where he was setting down the placemats with the help of his eight-year-old daughter, Tessa.
I just rolled my eyes. Why did I come here again?
“You know what, all of you can just kiss my—”
“Nicholas Wilder, language!” my mom shouted from the kitchen. I saw my grandmother, Beatrice, cackle from her seat at the counter.
“Sorry, Mom,” I apologized. When I was facing my brothers again I discreetly flipped them off, or so I thought.
“Nicholas Wilder, I wasn’t born yesterday. Put that hand away before I’m forced to ground you for the first time in fifteen years.”
My brothers were all laughing at the scene in front of them. I would have to wait for when we were far away from this house before exacting my revenge. I wouldn’t put it past my mother to go through with her threat. Even though I may have been twenty-nine years old, that didn’t mean Leah Wilder didn’t have the means to make me feel ten all over again.
“Where’s Dad?” I asked Cody once he finished setting the table and joined the rest of our brothers on the couches. Tessa was in the kitchen helping Leah with the cooking.