I cross my arms. “What if I say no?”
“Then I’ll carry you and that baby in there myself.”
I know he’s not lying. He put me in his truck like I was as light as a feather.
“Don’t test me.” He scoffs as he opens his door. “You wanna protect that baby or not?”
“Yeah,” I mutter, and without another word, he rounds the truck and opens my door.
I’m frozen. “I really don’t want to go in there.”
His cowboy boots scrape against the concrete as he shifts his feet and raises his forearm to lean against his truck.
Immovable.
His voice is low now, quiet. “I need you to stop thinking like a scared little girl,” he says, “and start thinking like a mom.”
That lands like a punch to my gut. My eyes sting instantly. He’s right. I press my lips together, trying not to let my jaw tremble. He’s not mad; he’s serious.
“I don’t care if you hate me for it”—he nods toward the station—“but you’re going in.”
So, I let out a shaky breath and step out of the truck. Because even though I just met this man, I’ve already learned that he’ll stand here all night if he has to.
He has his hands out in case I want help down but he doesn’t touch me.
The inside of the station is quiet. One lamp glows on the front desk and a middle-aged man looks up from whatever he’s working on.
His eyes flick from mine to my stomach to Cody. “Everything alright?”
“She needs to file a report,” Cody says, stepping aside and letting me in front of him.
The officer nods and starts typing on the computer. “Name?”
I clear my throat, but nothing comes out. My tongue feels like sandpaper. My hands won’t stop shaking.
“Ma’am?”
“She’s scared, you moron. Would you just be patient?” Cody spits.
I try not to laugh. The officer’s demeanor softens, though, and he pulls a chair out from behind the counter. “Alright, then come sit. Take your time.”
I sit down slowly, like I still can’t decide if this is the right thing to do or not. I have to remind myself that I’m eight hoursaway from home and there’s no way Devon is going to come through the front doors of this police station right now. Even if he did, I’m safe.
Cody stays beside me, arms crossed, tattoos staring at me.
The officer clicks a pen and brings it to paper. “Start with your name, if you can.”
The thought crosses my mind to make one up, but I know that sorta defeats the purpose. After I admit that to myself, the words slowly start to come.
I tell him everything I told Cody already…and more. Like where he laid his hands. I show him all the marks I can remember and find. I tell him how I stayed as normal as I could all night and left in the morning.
The officer writes steadily, not interrupting. Just listening and nodding.
“I’m obviously pregnant,” I add, my voice now full of emotion. “I’m due in six weeks, and he didn’t want this baby. It’s been the topic of nearly every fight and she’s not even here yet.”
Cody’s demeanor shifts, along with his feet, and he’s now standing straighter.
By the time I finish talking and explaining more, my cheeks are wet. I didn’t realize how much I was crying.
