"Officer,” I call out. “This man was trying to drag me out of this place by force. I didn't agree to go with him. Jacob came in just as he was dragging me by the arm. Look."
I pull up my sleeve and show him the large bruise. His face turns angry, and he immediately arrests Carl and takes him away. He tells Jacob and me that Jacob should go into the sheriff's office tomorrow to give a statement. Unfortunately, Jacob is not completely here right now.
When Carl is finally gone, the firemen let go of Jacob. He looks very shaky. I approach him carefully and take his bloody hand in mine. I lead him to the bathroom, where I can wash away the blood and maybe disinfect the wound.
"Carly, do you have a first-aid kit?" I shout into the shop.
After a few moments, Carly hands me a first aid kit, and I place it on the counter. I wash his hands and dry them with some paper towels. Then, I clean his wounds with disinfectant wipes. Jacob doesn't say a word while I'm doing this, and I wonder if he's in shock.
I put some of those butterfly bandages over the worst cuts, and when I'm finished, I look up at his face. He's looking at himself in the mirror and seems somewhat lost.
"Are you okay, Jacob?"
"I'm sorry, baby girl."
With that, he pushes past me and leaves the coffee shop. I don't know where he's going, but I certainly know where I'm headed. To the sheriff's office. Carl is not getting away with hurting me and making my man go apeshit.
Chapter 10
Jacob
It has been a long time since I lost my head like this. I could have killed that guy if Hunter and Captain Miller hadn't intervened. This is why I don't think I'm fit to be Marci's husband. I left her behind at Perfect Brews and drove back to my suite at the Snowcap Inn.
I look at my hands and see how bruised they are. Marci got to see the monster that I can be when one of my episodes takes over me. Right now it's all a blur, and I know that the guy can still press charges against me. When I get home, I change out of my Santa suit and pour myself a drink.
I shouldn't be drinking, but I can't deal with everything right this minute. Sitting down on the bed where we made love for thefirst time makes my gut twist. Marci is so bright, beautiful and just perfect all around. She probably won't want to see me again.
My phone makes noise, so I check to see if my baby girl has texted me. All messages are from Hunter and the Sheriff asking about my welfare. I choose to ignore them and wonder if I should send one to Marci. What do I even say? I'm too much of a coward to start a conversation with her after what happened, so I just put the phone down and keep sipping on my drink.
About an hour later, there's a knock at the door. I'm pretty sure it's Hunter. He's been acting like a mother hen since the incident. When I open the door, an angel stands there, looking at me with wide eyes and trust.
"Can I come in?"
"Are you sure you want to do that?" I ask.
"I need to talk to you."
I move away from the doorway and let her in. When she brushes past me, I smell her delicious scent of strawberries and honey. It's a body lotion she brought with her supplies for her seduction. After I close the door, I realize she's pacing across the living room floor.
"Are you okay, Marci?"
She stops and turns to me.
"I should be the one asking that question, shouldn't I?"
"What you saw…"
"Was completely out of your control."
"How do you figure that?"
"You saw someone hurting a person you care about. Anyone in their right mind would go berserk."
"Don't make excuses for me," I say.
"So you need help. Are you willing to accept it? Find a doctor?"
"I…maybe you should leave. I'm not safe to be around."
