Page 36 of Duty and Desire

Seeing red, I sit, grab hold of his hands, and dig my nails into his skin. That does it. He lets one of my feet go, and I use the opportunity to kick him again. This time, I make direct contact with his crotch, and he releases me and falls to his knees, grabbing his junk.

“You kicked me in the balls!” he howls as I quickly get to my feet.

“You deserved it, you dick. You tried to kick my dog!” I step toward him with plans to kick him again but scream when arms wrap around me, and I’m lifted off the ground.

“It’s just me,” Noah says in my ear. My body goes limp against him. He drops me to my feet, then spins me around to face him and grasps my face. “Are you okay?”

“I think so,” I pant, only realizing then just how out of breath I am and how hard my heart is pounding.

“All right.” He touches his lips to my forehead, then says, “Go inside, call 911, then grab my duffle from the laundry room and bring it out to me.”

“Okay,” I agree, and he lets me go. I run toward the house, and as soon as I’m up the steps, I hear a scuffle and Conner shouting. I turn to find Noah shoving him face-down in the yard and placing my ex’s hands behind his back. Knowing Noah probably wants his handcuffs from the duffle, I run to the laundry room first, then grab my cell phone on my way back through the kitchen, dialing 911 as I head outside.

“You can’t arrest me!” Conner screams, fighting Noah to get loose, which is about as pointless as an ant fighting a lion.

I carry the bag across the yard to Noah while telling the dispatcher on the phone what happened and that we need an officer to come out. Before I disconnect, she tells me she has someone en route and less than ten minutes away.

“They’re on the way.” I watch Noah pull Conner off the ground once the cuffs are on.

“Good job, baby.”

“So you two are together now, huh?” Conner asks as Noah walks him toward the driveway.

“Shut up, you idiot,” I snap at him. “Seriously, I don’t even know why the hell you showed up here. You should be home with your pregnant girlfriend.”

“He’s having a baby with someone?” Noah asks me.

“Yes. She came into my office today, asking me to sign the divorce papers I’ve already signed.” I roll my eyes, and he grunts.

“I came to tell you that you and I can be together. That we can raise the baby.”

“Oh my God, you really are an idiot.” I laugh. “And your plan to get me back involved manhandling me and dragging me around?”

“You put your hands on her?” Noah asks, sounding so scary a chill slides down my spine.

“That wasn’t supposed to happen,” Conner says quickly, then adds, “She shoved me.”

“You grabbed me!” I yell at him, then watch in awe as Noah picks Conner up, his feet a good twelve inches off the ground, before slamming him down to sit on the tailgate of his truck with enough force the truck bounces.

“I’m going to take your badge for abuse!” Conner yells at him.

“You try to do any such thing, I’ll press charges,” I yell at him, and he snaps his mouth shut. “Sign the divorce papers, Conner, and leave me the hell alone, or I swear to God I will press charges and then tell anyone who will listen about what you did.”

“Babe, you’re pressing charges anyway,” Noah says, and I tip my head back to meet his gaze.

“What?” Conner asks, looking panicked.

“He showed up here and put his hands on you. You’re pressing charges, and he’s going to jail,” he continues without even acknowledging Conner, who’s started to wiggle and is trying to get down off the truck.

“I’ll sign the papers,” Conner says. I look at him. “I’ll do whatever you want. I can’t go to jail. My parents would kill me.”

“You’re going to jail, motherfucker.”

“Do you swear you’ll sign the papers?” I ask, hearing Noah growl.

“Yes, I’ll sign them right now. They’re in my car.”

“Is it unlocked?” I ask.