A sick part of me thinks this is punishment for what Kaleb and I did, for the pact we broke when we came together in our need.
But no, no, I can’t think like that.
We were made for each other.
Lennie is the evil one.
Kaleb feints forward a couple of times spins one way, turns the other…
“Tsk.”
He spins like something mechanical, snapping into perfect form and aiming a kick at the biggest one’s face. The heel of his shoe smashes into his jaw.
Teeth fly and Kaleb surges forward, stepping in with a massive elbow for one man.
The third and fourth grab him, and I gasp. They’ve both got their hands on him, clawing at him, aiming punches at his side.
Natalie and I exchange a glance.
Tears well in her eyes and I can tell she’s thinking the same thing I am. If it wasn’t for Lennie and his hostage we’d run in there right now to protect him, to protect my man… and her father.
We both want to keep him safe, despite our different connections to him.
Maybe we can find some solace in that.
“Stop it,” I yell. “Leave him alone.”
“Dad, stop fighting,” Natalie screams. “He’s not going to fight anymore, leave him alone.”
“Argh,” Kaleb roars, suddenly wrenching one of the men so hard he goes flying behind him. The momentum makes him trip and he slams face-fight into a table, falling heavily to the floor.
Kaleb springs up on the other grappler, spinning him around and wrapping his arms around his throat. The man’s legs kick and Kaleb holds him tighter, and tighter before he slumps down gently laying him on the ground.
One man – except for Lennie and Kaleb – is still standing, the one Kaleb hit with an elbow. The one he kicked lies on his back, fish-mouthing. The other two are still knocked out cold.
“What’s it going to be?”
The man looks like he’s in his mid-twenties, with a boyish glint of arrogance in his eyes, but there’s fear in them somewhere, shivering across his features.
“Go home, boy,” Kaleb growls. “Or you’ll force me to hurt you even more.”
“Fuck this,” he snaps, and then turns and sprints away.
The bell rings and the door opens and closes loudly.
I feel like I’m living in a freaking movie scene or something. Everything is so bright, so loud, hyper-real.
Lennie spins around, moving as if to hold the knife to the waitress’ throat.
But he’s too slow compared to Kaleb.
My man leaps across the fallen men, moving with the grace of a dancer, as though every movement has already been choreographed. He grabs Lennie’s forearm and wrenches him around violently.
There’s a snap and then Lennie lets out a scream, so loud it makes me put my hands over my ears. Thankfully Mom is more aware, and she quickly runs over to the waitress, putting her hand over her shoulder.
“Call the police, Kelly.”
“Yes, okay. Yes.”
I go for my cell phone now that the girl is safe. I fumble with the phone as Kaleb spins Lennie around.
Lennie’s face is creased in agony as Kaleb grabs hold of him from behind, looking like some silver-suited medieval warrior, as though his fascination with that period has become true.
His face is flecked with little splatters of red and his eyes are killer-cold.
“Say sorry to my woman,” Kaleb growls. “You don’t get to talk to her that way. Nobody does.”
“I’m sorry,” Lennie pants, struggling to keep his breathing under control. “Oh, God. I’m so sorry. Okay?”
“And my daughter, for scaring her.”
“I’m sorry.”
“And this woman?” Kaleb spins him to face my mom. “What’s her name, Lennie?”
“Angie, she’s my—”
He interrupts himself with a cry of agony. “I don’t know her name. I don’t know who the fuck she is.”
“That’s what I thought,” Kaleb snarls.
“Nine-one-one, what is your emergency?” the dispatcher says over the phone.
I want to tell her there isn’t one.
My man saved us.
But know there could be an even bigger emergency.
Mom and Natalie know.
And not in the way we wanted them to find out.
Chapter Twenty
Kaleb
I lean against the balcony, the same place this all started, my hands gripping the railing. The sun has almost completely set now, sunlight bleeding across the horizon and turning the buildings glorious yellow colors, lighting them up like beacons.
But the only beacon I’ll ever need to guide me through life is standing beside me.
Kelly has her arms wrapped around herself. She changed into a hoodie and jeans after speaking with the police, giving our statements about Lennie and what happened in the diner.
Lennie is wanted for a litany of other crimes.
I acted in self-defense.
We’re all good on that front.
But I don’t know if I can say the same about Natalie and Angela.
The elevator ride up to my apartment was dead quiet, and then when we got to the hallway Angela folded her arms and looked at Natalie. “I think we need to sort out a couple of things between us before we all talk about this.”