Page 32 of Guarding Glenda

My mind raced as I flew back through the kitchen, not bothering to shut the back door. Three o’clock. I’d only been out a couple hours.

I ran down the hall. “Glenda? Glenda?” I looked around my room. Bed was made, her phone charger was gone. “Fuck! Glenda!”

Rushing to the other bedroom, I went inside, checking the room and the bathroom. “Glenda? Linny?”

Blood whooshed in my ears. I opened the door to the garage and it was dark and quiet but still, I called out, “Glenda?” After a few beats of silence, I slammed the door.

I’d made it back to the living room where Hammer stood, arms crossed but I heard something out front and darted back outside. “Glenda? Glenda?”

But I looked down, it was Bruce climbing the steps then looking around, like he was wondering the same thing I was.

I leaned down to pat his head and asked, “Where’d she go, boy?”

“I told you,” Hammer said from the doorway. “She went to the clubhouse. Bruce followed them out front, but I made sure he didn’t get in the way of the SUV.”

Flying back inside, I went to find my keys and Bruce walked to the back deck. Hammer followed me in.

“You can’t go after her, Leigh.”

Rushing toward Hammer, my jaw tightened as I grabbed his cut, jerking him closer. “Did Bama put you up to this? Huh?”

Instead of answering, he grabbed his pistol and knocked the butt to the side of my head. Letting out a roar, I tackled him and we landed in the kitchen. Bruce barked from behind me. I didn’t want him to get any ideas, so I grabbed Hammer’s shirt, slamming him to the floor two good times. Then, I looked back and kicked the door closed with my boot before turning back. I was met with the butt of the gun again, this time getting my temple.

I was seeing stars, but that didn’t stop me from balling my fists and wailing.

The gun cocked and glass shattered behind me.

“Are you fucking crazy?” I asked, going for his wrist. “You could’ve hit my dog!”

“Get the fuck off of me or I’ll shoot you!”

I got his wrist, then bent it hard and fast and he lost the grip on the gun. “Fight me now, fucker!” I yelled before throwing a hard blow to his cheek.

But Hammer was a big guy. He grabbed my shirt and jerked me down, headbutting me before tossing me off then he rolled on top of me, slamming his fist to my ear before I could turn away.

Bruce was barking, jumping, and scratching at the back door. We both kept struggling against each other, getting in awkward hits.

“Leigh, that’s enough,” Hammer growled through gritted teeth as he grabbed my wrists, practically binding them together.

We both were panting and Bruce was losing his mind. Looking over Hammer’s shoulder, the glass on the top of the back door wasn’t where he shot. But I worried Bruce would jump through it if he got enough momentum.

“Get off,” I said, defeated. My chest rose and fell as I tried to catch my breath.

Hammer pushed himself off the ground, still not letting me go until he was mostly standing, then he released me.

Once I peeled myself off the ground, I found where the glass was shot. The window over the sink was missing a pane and a few shards were at the windowsill. “You owe me a square of glass.”

“I don’t owe you shit. You’re lucky I don’t fine and flog your ass in front of everyone. Are you out of your mind?”

“Yeah. Which is why you’re here. Everyone knew I would be.” Reaching into my fridge, I pulled out a bottle of water and drank half of it down. “Why the fuck did she leave? And why the fuck did you pull a gun on me?”

“Saw Bama. He told me what happened earlier. I ain’t here to fuck around with you. I’m the goddamn president,” he said, patting his chest, his breathing still labored. “You’re not gonna get in my face. I’ve been more than patient with you but you need to get your head out of your ass.”

I drank the rest of the water and crushed the bottle. Bama was one thing. Hammer was another. “You still didn’t answer me.”

He reached down and grabbed his gun from the floor, putting it back in the holster. “I’m gonna tell you, but I’m also gonna remind you that I already let this slide. I won’t do that shit again, you understand me?”

It wasn’t the best decision to rush the president, but I wasn’t thinking straight when I realized she was gone. “I get it. What did she say?”