Chapter 14
SPENCER
I should have done a work out earlier. I should have gone for a run. I should have beat the crap out of the punching bag hanging in the garage. I should have burnt off some of this tension that was consuming me and boiling my blood. Instead I’d lain down and had a nap. Something I was now deeply regretting.
If I’d had my way I’d be sitting on the lounge in my sweat pants, beer in one hand, pizza in the other, Zoe curled up in my lap and the door locked. That way I’d know she was safe. Happy. Instead, here we were sitting in my car, I could feel the pulse in her wrist going absolutely ballistic beneath my fingers and I could see the sweat gathering on her lip, but I couldn’t say anything about it. She obviously wasn’t doing as well as she was pretending to and I didn’t want to be the asshole that made it worse for her.
“You ready?” I asked, surprised at how shaky my own voice sounded.
I didn’t think I was afraid, but the way the words came out I realised that maybe I was.
Zoe sucked in a deep breath and winced. I knew her ribs must be causing her pain and I kept waiting for her to complain, but she surprised me yet again and instead bit her lip. She looked at me and I wanted nothing more than to punch something. Her eyes were wide and wild. Filled with fear. Every thought in my head was wishing I could take that fear away for her.
“Okay. Let’s do this,” Zoe declared with a wide, fake smile. I knew it was fake. It didn’t light up her eyes.
“Let’s do it.”
I climbed from the car, my legs trembling underneath me. Shaking off the feeling of dread that had gathered in my stomach, I walked around the car, helped Zoe out, and led her inside. I felt her stiffen in my embrace and I wished I knew who the asswipe was who’d ruined the perfection that was my Zoe.
Stepping inside the pub, it was nothing other than what I expected. The familiar old men were sitting at the end of the bar, wearing moleskins, flannelette shirts and worn work boots sipping their beer. Standing around the battered old pool table were the group of mates that I’d known since we started playing junior football at under sixes. I waved a hello and guided Zoe towards the bar.
“Didn’t know if I’d see you tonight, Spencer,” the bartender said as she poured a beer.
“You know us,” I shrugged it off. Zoe squeezed my hand even tighter if that was at all possible. Her vise-like grip was cutting off the circulation in my fingers, but I wasn’t about to pry our hands apart.
“Yes, I do,” she smirked knowingly. “Hey Zoe, sweetheart.” I watched as Mum leant over the bar and placed a soft kiss on Zoe’s cheek, before trailing her fingers over Zoe’s scar.
I felt Zoe shift beside me and her warm breath on my neck. “I’m going to say happy birthday to Katie.”
“Want me to come?”
“I’ll be fine.”
“I’m right here…” I left my promise hanging. I didn’t need to finish it. Zoe knew.
“Thanks,” she whispered before leaving a soft kiss behind my ear and disappearing across the room.
Pulling out a stool, I took up my perch. I made sure I kept one eye on Zoe the whole time. I wasn’t going to let anything happen to her, even if I had to beat the shit out of every person in here. I didn’t even taste my beer. It could have been flat for all I knew, but I didn’t care. After another long pull the glass was empty.
“Another?”
“Nah.”
“So, how’s your day going, Spencer?”
“You know…Zoe,” I deflected, not in the mood to answer questions. Today had been a long ass day and an interrogation wasn’t going to make it any better.
“Yeah I do.” She shrugged. “Spence, you’re doing a good thing and I’m here for you if you need any help at all. The one thing you need to remember, son…you’re not the bad guy here. You’re not the one responsible for what happened. You didn’t do it.”
“Thanks, Mum,” I told her as I leant over the bar a dropped a kiss on her cheek.
I knew Mum was right. She knew me. She knew I was blaming myself for what had happened to Zoe and she knew I’d beat myself up about it because that’s who it was. But Mum also knew Zoe. She knew how stubborn and pigheaded my girl could be, especially when she set her mind to something.
“Want another drink, honey?”
“More than you know,” I admitted, stealing a glance at Zoe. She was surrounded by a group of giggling girls and she was smiling. Nothing to worry about.
“Rum and Coke?”
