He laid there, almost lifeless, better than any drug could have done. I gripped the handle tighter, and in my own raging madness, I straddled his unconscious body and swung the pan over and over and over again, letting out a painful scream, one that had been trapped for way too long.
With every hit, I put enough power behind it that I was blurring the line of murder and damaging injuries. Every hit released a weight off my chest, a hot tear that was held back. One tear became a waterfall.
I didn’t have to hold back anymore. I didn’t have to cower in a corner and pray that he wouldn’t terrorize me anymore. The wall that I built myself, holding back all the sadness and anger exploded. For so long, I never showed an ounce of weakness, I had to stand and protect myself. I didn’t have to hide my emotions, I could finally cry and never worry about a hand punishing me for it.
I didn’t have to fear anymore.
“You will never fucking touch me again.” I gritted out, taking one final swing. Well, until he moaned and I gave another for good measure as his body finally collapsed.
I scrambled off of him, my chest heaving with panicked and adrenaline filled breath. I wasn’t fucking weak anymore, I was a strong woman, taking down the real monster that haunted her so many damn years.
I held my belly, thinking only about the baby growing inside me. I was ready to be a mother, for another chance. “I told you, no one is ever going to hurt you little one. Mama’s got you.”
“Mia!” My name echoed from the front. “Mia, sweet girl, where are you?”
In the light of the chaos from the living room stood my friend, a young man, and a brother. Sheer panic spreads across their faces. They looked around, in disbelief and a slight bit of horror at the aftermath. I raised my hand, showing them, I was alive and slightly shaken up. “Over here.”
Hurried footsteps came closer into the kitchen. “What in the holy family is this?” Melody said, shockingly.
I softly chuckled. “What, you've never seen a woman beat her ex-husband nearly to death? Geez, my friend, you should get out more often.” Comedy, the best kind of coping mechanism there was.
“Shooter’s going to flip his shit.” Stray sounded worried. Not for me, but for the bastard splayed on the floor.
“I would imagine so.” I attempted to stand up but ended up a little lightheaded. “I take it that that piece of shit was told to be here and not somewhere else.”
“Mia, are you okay?” Melody asked.
I nodded. “As well as I can be.” Instinctively I rubbed my belly, trying to stand up again, I finally got to my feet.
I saw Stray and Dillon walk back into the living room, shaking their heads, trying to find the words to convey their own thoughts. Melody helped steady me, gripping my upper arms. I smiled softly, and she did so in return. She rested the side of her head with mine, giving me a moment to breathe. Stray bent down and picked something up. My eyes widened because my little secret was about to be found out. He turned back to us girls, holding the scan photo in his hands, “Um. Melody, I hate to ask, but um is this… oh fuck.”
I rolled my lips between my teeth, glancing in her direction. Her own shocked expression should have clued Stray in, but it didn’t. She started to sputter, “No. No. Oh, God. I know we rushed in, but that’s not…”
I saved my friend from further embarrassment. “That would be mine. And before you ask another question, yes the baby is Shooter’s.”
Melody tightened her hold. “You’re having a baby.”
“Well, this isn’t exactly how I wanted to tell people, I mean for fuck's sake, baby daddy doesn’t even know yet.”
Oh shit. “I need to get to Shooter now, before he loses his mind.”
“Too late for that,” Stray grumbled.
“The man nearly beat Mr. Abbott, the man with the De Santo family, to a pulp.”
I turned my head to Melody. “Mel, be a dear and get the silver handcuffs from my bedside table.” Her eyes widened in disbelief but not before she started to scatter to my bedroom. Stray raised an eyebrow. I shook my head. “Not for me, Jesus. I’m not done with this bastard and after the fight, we can guarantee that neither is Shooter.”
Stray curled a smile. “Y’all are very much made for each other.”
After Stray had taken the cuffs from Melody and cuffed them to a still Chris, he went off to make a couple calls.
“Well, mama, what do you want to do?”
I wanted my man.
Chapter 46
Amelia
