I don't do emotions. I don't do comfort. I'm the guy who fights and fucks and moves on. But standing here on her porch, watching her fall apart after holding it together so bravely while those assholes attacked her, I can't just walk away.
"Hey," I say, taking a cautious step forward. "Hey, it's okay. They're gone."
She shakes her head violently, her short ginger hair falling across her face. "It's not… It's not okay. Nothing is okay."
The kid is wailing now, his little face red and scrunched up. Ruby tries to comfort him through her own tears, bouncing him and making shushing sounds, but she's shaking too hard to be effective.
I crouch down slowly, keeping my distance so I don't spook her. "Can I help?"
"I don't—I don't even know you." She looks up at me, those hazel eyes swimming with tears and freckles standing out stark against her pale skin. "Why did you help me?"
"Because they needed to leave and you needed help." I shrug like it's that simple. Maybe it is. "I'm Tommy. Tommy Shelly. But everyone calls me Chaos."
"Chaos?" Despite everything, her mouth twitches. "That's really your name?"
"Road name. I ride with the Savage Riders MC." I gesture to my vest. "We don't tolerate bullies."
Her eyes widen slightly. "You're in a motorcycle club?"
"Working on becoming a full member. Right now, I'm a prospect." The word still stings, but whatever. "Point is, I live next door. Heard the shouting. Came to help."
"You punched my ex-boyfriend." She says it like she's testing the words, seeing how they sound.
"He swung first," I remind her. "I just defended myself. Also, your ex is a piece of shit."
That gets a real laugh out of her, even if it's watery and broken. "Yeah. Yeah, he really is."
Liam's cries are starting to fade, turning into hiccupping sobs. Ruby wipes her face with one hand, trying to pull herself together. I can see her fighting for control, dragging herself back from the edge of panic.
"I'm Ruby," she says finally. "Ruby Watson. And this is Liam."
"Nice to meet you both. Wish it was under better circumstances." I rock back on my heels, unsure what to do now. "You want me to call the cops? Report the harassment?"
"No!" The word comes out sharp, panicked. "No cops. Please."
I frown. "They were threatening to take your kid. That's not legal without a court order—"
"I know. I know that." She takes a shaky breath. "But if I involve the cops, they'll start a custody battle. My parents have money. Good lawyers. I have nothing. If this goes to court..." Her voice breaks. "I can't risk losing him. I can't."
Everything she's saying makes sense in the worst possible way. I've seen enough of the legal system to know it doesn't alwaysfavor the person who's actually right. Money talks. Always has, always will.
"Okay," I say. "No cops. But if they come back—"
"They will." She sounds defeated. "They always do. They've been tracking me for months. Every time I think I've lost them, they find me again."
"How long have you been running?"
"Since Liam was six months old. A year and a half." She looks down at her son, her expression softening despite the tears still on her cheeks. "I overheard them planning it. My parents and Marcus. They were going to take him while I was at work, give him to my cousin Jennifer. They even had fake documents drawn up saying I was an unfit mother."
Rage builds in my gut. "So, you ran."
"I ran." She meets my eyes. "And I've been running ever since. Different towns, different cheap rentals, always looking over my shoulder. I thought maybe Blackwater Falls would be different. It's small enough that I figured they wouldn't look here. But I was wrong."
Liam has calmed down now, his face pressed against Ruby's shoulder. His eyes are drooping, exhaustion winning over fear. He looks so small, so fragile. The thought of those people taking him from the only parent who actually gives a shit makes me want to find them and break more than Marcus's nose.
"They won't take him," I hear myself say. "I won't let them."
Ruby's eyes widen. "You don't have to… I mean, you already did so much…"
