The sound of tires on dirt makes me turn around, and I see four squad cars roll into the overlook. I didn’t even know wehadfour squad cars. Lights and sirens off, they came in silently.
“Got an SOS alert,” a deputy I know well, Carlos, says, rounding his car, hand on his weapon.
Amelia steps out of the van, head held high, speaking loudly and clearly for all to hear. “This man has been harassing me, stalking me, and blackmailing me for nearly ten years, and todayhe entered my domicile and tried to extort me. He also used illegal tactics to do all of it. If you search his electronics, you’ll find proof of federal crimes across multiple state lines. He has a previous record as a felon, and I have reason to suspect he’s under the influence of illegal substances as well.”
Her brother starts crying, actually wailing, as the deputies approach him.
That’s when I notice the front of his pants is changing colors. The army green cotton turns darker green, and the new shade runs down his leg.
“Oh, you’re pissing yourself!” I don’t even mean to say it aloud, the thought voices itself, really.
He covers his face with both hands and cries as the deputies read him his rights, place him in cuffs, and argue with one another about whose car he has to head to the station in.
When I turn back around, I notice the puddle of piss on the ground is dangerously close to my shoes, so I jump back, tapping Wyatt so he does the same.
“We’re gonna need you to give a statement,” Carlos says to Amelia.
“My attorney will be in touch,” she replies, matter of factly.
Why do I think I know exactly who that might be?
That speech she gave them had my sister-in-law’s name all over it. They must’ve prepped for this.
The last of the patrol cars heads out, and Wyatt pats me on the back, heading back to his truck, answering a call from what’s surely Rory on the way.
“You’re unbelievable,” Amelia tells me, facing off with me, arms over her chest.
“It’s nothin’, darlin’.”
I’m still riled up from all that adrenaline, having to hold myself back through that entire encounter, but having her in myarms again, getting to breathe her in and know she’s still here, she’s still mine, will make it better.
“No, you’re fucking unbelievable!” It’s almost a shriek from her, and I shake my head, trying to catch up.
“Hang on, what?”
“How many times do I have to tell you? I don’t need a man to defend me! Did you not hear my story the other night? The last time a man tried to defend me against my will,people died. I don’t want your fucking protection, Weston!” Her voice rises throughout until she’s downright yelling.
I’m damn near just as worked up as she is at this point. “I’m always gonna have your back, Amelia, that’s something you need to get used to if you’re with me. Somebody comes for you, they come for me too.”
Amelia takes several deep breaths, I recognize the signs of her trying to keep herself calm, but she’s failing this time. Her voice cracks when she speaks again. “I had everything under control. I had protection and a plan.Itriggered the emergency alarm. I ran him off for good. Me! I didn’t need you and your dumb fucking brother doing my dirty work!”
“You’re telling me you’d rather your piece of shit brother think you’re all alone and that he can keep coming back for you? That you don’t have half our town willing to back you up if you need it?”
Chest heaving, I reach for her, but she pulls back, away from my touch. It stings even worse than it did earlier today, and my jaw tightens. She holds onto one elbow with her other arm, covering her midsection, just out of reach.
“I want to fight my own fucking battles.”
“Your battles are my battles too. That’s what this means, this relationship thing. We’re in this shit together.” My hand bounces between us, but she shakes her head.
The fear, the shock, it must be hitting her at once because she’s crying now, and I have no idea what to do to make it better, but I try explaining myself. “I didn’t step in, I let you handle it yourself. I was just here for backup, so he knew you had others in your corner!”
I move to step closer to her. I want to pull her in my arms, apologize, tell her I know she’s capable of all these things on her own, I didn’t mean to trigger anything by it. I just care about her, I want to be there when she faces shit. To be a team with her.
Doesn’t she know I wouldn’t kill someone? Though, thinking on it a sec, she probably thought she knew her dad pretty well.
And truth be told, if someone crossed a certain line with Amelia, I could do it to protect her. I know I could, judging from the urges that ran through my veins when facing down her brother. But we’re alongway from that point and I kept my shit together, because I know that’s what she would want from me.
But apparently I don’t know what Amelia wants at all.
