Love Survives (Love's Suicide #2)(67)

Before she was able to explain I heard Bobby in the background. “Is that him? You think he can save you?”

I was on high-alert, searching the desk for my keys when Kat answered him. “Please don’t hurt me.”

I heard her crying, begging him to let go of her hair. I knocked an entire cup of coffee onto the floor as I fetched my key ring and darted for the exit while keeping the phone up to my ear to hear what was going on. The whole time I kept repeating that I was coming.

Kat continued to beg him to stop. Her cries only made me drive faster. When I got to her he was going to be sorry. No man should ever put a hand on a woman, but the fact that it was Kat, my Kat, made me want to use all of my trained skills on him. “Bobby, please. I didn’t do anything wrong. You don’t want to hurt me, I know you don’t.”

In the background I could hear him starting to cry though I didn’t let my foot off the gas pedal.



I heard shuffling next, and then the sound of our daughter, who was right in the middle of it. “Mama, I scared.”

Bobby’s voice was close again. “We need to talk.”

“Not while you’re acting like this,” Kat responded.

There was a loud noise before he spoke again, raising his voice so I was able to hear it without straining. “You see what you make me do? That pretty boy comes anywhere near you and you’re goin’ to be the one to pay, you hear me, Katy?”

That was it. I was going to kill him with my bare hands, just as soon as I knew my girls were never going to be near him again. He’d lost his privileges as far as I was concerned. If Kat wanted to deal with that kind of shit she was going to have to fight me in court because I’d die before I let my child grow up in that sort of environment.



Then the line went dead.

I flew down the highway, praying to God that my girls were okay. While my mind was in a million places, I wondered how many times he’d done this sort of thing to her. I wanted to know if he’d ever abused her before I came into the picture. Was he reacting on rage from me being alive? Was this all because Brooklyn’s real father was stepping into her life?

The worst part of this was the fact that there was nothing he could do. That child was mine, and there was no way I’d stand back and let someone else raise her. From what I’d just heard on the phone, there was no possible way I’d ever feel comfortable with her being alone with him again. Call me old fashioned, or even over-protective, but it wasn’t happening with my child. I didn’t care what I had to do to make sure of it.

By the time I pulled up at Kat’s house a police cruiser was in the driveway. Bobby was outside talking to the officer while Kat was obviously somewhere in the house. I didn’t even look in his direction as I made my way up the stairs to go inside. For all I knew he could have come after me, not that he’d be able to do much. I could take a man down with my eyes closed. Just because I had an injured hand and arm didn’t mean I’d lose a fight. There were tactics I’d been taught to do that would send a person to their knees. One punch to the throat could end his life.

Before walking through the door, I turned back to look at him. It was obvious he was hurting. I wanted to feel bad for the man, but I couldn’t. He’d crossed a line; one I’d never be able to forgive.

Once the door was shut behind me, I pulled her close to me, holding her at the shoulders. “How long has he been doing this to you? Is this because of me?” I was so angry, and above all concerned for them.

Kat sat down on the couch and started to cry. “No. It’s not you. It happened before. That’s why we separated. He got help, and I didn’t let him come back until after he had his accident. Things were better for a long time, but now he’s so jealous and I don’t know how to make him believe that there’s nothing going on between us. He thinks I’ve been sleeping with you.”

I stood there clenching my jaw while B ran over and clung to my legs. I picked her up to make sure she was okay. “Has he ever touched her?”

Kat shook her head but avoided eye contact with me. “No. Never. I don’t know that he would. Bobby only takes out his anger on me.”

I pointed right at her, making sure she was paying attention “He won’t lay a damn hand on you again, Kat. I can guarantee you that.”

“You can’t get involved, Brooks. It makes things worse.”

I kneeled down in front of her, with our daughter still attached to my lap. “Don’t you get it? I’m already involved. You might be married to him on paper, but that doesn’t make you his.”

“He said if I ran to you he’d hurt me.”

I stood up. “Pack a bag for each of you. You’re coming with me tonight and we’ll figure out what to do in the morning.”

Kat just sat there. “I can’t do that. This is my mess.”

“She’s my daughter, Kat. I might not have been around her that much, but she’s my responsibility. I will kill him if he tries to hurt either one of you again.”

She finally got off the couch. “That’s exactly why I don’t want you helping. I can’t let you put yourself on the line for me. I’ve done enough harm to you. My marriage problems are something I have to deal with on my own. I shouldn’t have even called you.”

“But you did. You called me because you knew I’d show up. Pack a damn bag now. I’m not leaving here without you. Bobby knows a lot of people in this town. He’ll be released in a few hours and where do you think he’ll come looking first. Is this the first time you’ve had him arrested?”