Page 20 of Tattered Souls (Whispering Falls #2)

Tatum

Me – Hey Harlee, got a question.

Harlee – hey girl shoot

Me – Hey, Carter.

Harlee – How’d you know it was me

Me – Harlee uses punctuation.

Harlee – How’d you know it wasn’t Everly

Me – She also uses punctuation and would never say Hey girl.

Harlee – Damn what do you need

Me – Can I have your Mom’s phone number? If that’s alright?

Harlee – *Mama G Contact*

Me – Thank you.

Harlee – Should I warn Garrick

Me – No. Why would you think that?

Harlee – It’s Garrick

Me – Should I tell Harlee about the woman who they hired at Gushers who left her phone number on your napkin?

Harlee – I’m shutting up now

I giggled, then I took in a breath, looked out the window at the sink, and saw that Garrick was still working on his motorcycle.

Then I pulled up Misty’s number and pressed dial.

It rang four times before she said, hesitantly, “Hello?”

“Hi, Misty, it’s Tatum. I hope that it’s alright I have your number. I texted Harlee for it, but Carter texted me back.”

“Tatum? Dear lord, sweet girl, I don’t need an explanation from you. And I am sorry for not making sure you had my number.”

“Tatum? She doesn’t have your number? Means she doesn’t have mine. Text it to her,” I heard Frank say.

I smiled down at my black polish that covered my toenails. “Oh, it’s totally fine. Promise. I just wanted you to know how I got it.”

Misty chuckled, “It’s fine, sweet girl. How are you?”

I grinned. “I’m good. Really good.”

I knew she could hear the smile in my voice, because she said, “Good,” with her own smile.

“I wanted to ask you if it would be okay if we hosted a family dinner night here? I know Harlee does it, and well, I’ve never hosted anything like this, and.

.. well... y’all have welcomed me into your family in such a way that, if I woke up tomorrow, and had no memory, I would be totally and completely lost.”

She was silent for a moment, and then I heard her sniffle, followed by Frank, “Oh damn. I hate it when you get teary-eyed.”

“Oh, hush. It’s good.” Misty chastised Frank. Then to me she said, “Yes, sweetie, I would love that.”

I smiled as I hit the end button and then looked up and saw Garrick standing there leaning against the doorway to the garage.

He winked at me, “Ever think about running this through me first?”

I started to wince, but Garrick was Garrick.

My one true safe place.

Therefore, I smiled and shook my head.

He lifted a brow, “How come?”

“Because you told me that if you ever asked me that again, I was to tell you to go fuck yourself.”

I waited a beat and then I smiled sweetly and said, “Go fuck yourself.”

Garrick tossed his head back and laughed.

***

“Umm, did Christmas come early?” Everly asked, as they all took in the Christmas décor in the house.

I felt Garrick move, and then he was right there.

His chest pressed into my back, both of his arms wrapping around me, giving me his support. He said, “Her favorite holiday is Christmas. Up to her to share about all this.”

Their eyes fell on me, and I didn’t hesitate to share, “I was never allowed to decorate a house of my own. Never really had a house of my own where I wasn’t scared. Garrick made this house my safe place. He is my safe place.”

“Well, I love it,” Harlee said as she winked at me.

Talia grinned, “Thanks for giving us a crazy person in the family, Tatum. Now I can start decorating early and not feel so alone.”

I giggled, “You're welcome.”

Lila grinned, “Ditto.”

“Okay, please, make yourselves at home. Dinner is almost ready,” I said.

Garrick let go of me but placed his hand on the small of my back and guided me back into the kitchen.

Then he went to the fridge, tagged the pitcher of sweet iced tea, and placed it on the furthest counter closest to the fridge, where we had placed glasses earlier.

But not before he topped off my glass of sweet tea.

Then he grabbed bottles of beer, along with wine spritzers, and handed them out.

Misty tried to help, but I shooed her away.

Her only response was to smile.

Melanie ran off to play with Cole and Madalyn, Bronson’s two kids.

Word had gotten out why he had stepped away from UFC fighting.

And the entire world had swooned.

He didn’t want to be unable to enjoy his time with them. He didn’t want to be beaten and bruised and risk being taken from them.

I had just placed the last dish on the table when I heard it, “Ta.Ta.Ta.”

I smiled, then dropped to my knees, just in time to see Granger crawling to me.

Gathering him in my arms, I pressed my nose to his nose and gave him Eskimo kisses, “How’s my favorite little guy doing?” I cooed.

“Your favorite little guy?” Garrick asked teasingly.

I glared at him, “Don’t talk like that in front of him.”

He lifted a brow. “You do know how babies are made, right? You do know he has a dick?”

I glared harder. “He isn’t going to grow up. And insinuating that he is, is just shameful.”

“Tink, seriously?” he chuckled.

“Yes,” I snapped, “Seriously. He’s going to stay little. He’s not going to grow up and be a man-child. He’s not going to fall in love with a skanky little twat who doesn’t deserve him.”

He grinned, “Skanky little twat?”

I jerked my chin at him and snapped, “Yes.”

Then he busted out laughing, which caused Granger to jump, followed by his little giggling.

He was shaking his head, as he asked, “This is what I have to look forward to when I finally plant my baby in you?”

I narrowed my eyes, “Excuse me?”

He grinned. The big bastard grinned.

I looked down at Granger. “You see that big guy over there? Yeah, ignore him.”

I said, but all the while I was busy thinking.... I totally couldn’t wait to have his baby.

And that single thought warmed me in places I didn’t know had been cold.

***

Everything had been amazing.

And I mean everything.

But like it always did, things seemed to go to hell at the drop of a hat.

And that was my moment, right now.

I had just placed my hand in Garrick’s so we could go to the store when I saw it.

Lance... was walking into the garage like he owned the place.

Garrick tensed, and then he shoved me behind him as Lance walked over to us with a sneer on his face.

He got close and then Garrick placed his hand on Lance’s chest and growled, “That’s close enough, motherfucker.”

My phone pinged and I glanced at it.

Everly – Was getting lunch. Heard someone tell that asswipe you were at the garage. He’s on his way.

I relayed the text to Garrick. He didn’t look at me as he answered, “Find out who it was.”

I nodded and then I did just that.

Everly replied with Justin Winston.

Dom moved closer then and waited.

Just then, Chief Klein pulled up, and he got out of his car.

“Thank god you’re here, Chief,” Lance said.

“Excuse me?” Chief said.

“He put his hands on me,” Lance said.

I sneered at him, “No, he didn’t. He just put one hand on you to stop you from getting closer to me.”

“Why is that, Tatum? You never seemed to mind my hands on you,” Lance said with a heated look in his eyes.

Then I stepped around Garrick and placed my hands on my hips. “No, I fucking didn’t. I didn’t know how a man was supposed to treat a woman. I didn’t know that women are able to orgasm. I didn’t know that love didn’t come with fucking ties.”

Garrick cocked a brow at that, but he stayed silent.

“Then why didn’t you say anything?” Lance asked.

And he was right. I didn’t.

“You knew. You knew what my dad did to me, and nothing helped. So why, when I know nothing will work, would I bother wasting my breath in saying something all the while knowing you don’t care. You wouldn’t have given a shit.”

Chief Klein narrowed his eyes at Lance.

Garrick just stayed silent...

That was until the next words that came from Lance’s mouth.

“She’s on meds. She needs a tough hand.”

At those words, Garrick looked at Chance, “Get me the biggest adjustable wrench we have.”

Chance smirked, and moments later, he handed it to Garrick.