Page 65 of Hope and Country

My stepbrother brought his flimsy focus toward them. “Not now,” he barked. “I’m busy. You can wait your turn to pay me a drink.”

A creepy smile grazed his lips.

One of the men stepped closer. “Robbie Miller. I’m officer McIntire. And these gentlemen are officers Pearson, Bellhamy, and Cox. You’re under arrest.”

My stepbrother spun to face them, laughing as if he’d just heard the funniest joke. “Yeah, right.”

“We have a warrant for your arrest. You can either walk out of here with us calmly, or we can use force,” the same man said.

“I’m a fucking cop,” Robbie hollered.

“Oh, we’re well aware.”

“Okay, guys. Stop messing with me. Do you know who I am? I’m not someone you wanna mess with. I’m pretty well connected.” He laughed it out. “And anyway, on what basis would you arrest me? For all I know, having a drink after work hours with friends isn’t a crime.”

“Assault and battery.”

Robbie’s eyes traveled between all of us.

“You’re fucking kidding me. Devon, did you do that? How could you? I’ve been nothing but protective of ya. I cared for ya. And this is how you thank me for watching over your sorry ass for so long?” His attention went back to the officers. “Whatever your heard, whatever she told you, these are lies. All lies,” he yelled. “You can’t arrest me. Stop with the nonsense. Where are the cameras? Is this a prank?” He stared my way. “Devon, are you in on this? Is this your idea? Say something. Tell them it’s a mistake, sis. That I’ve been nothing but good to you.” His laughter doubled. “You guys looked like the real deal. For a moment I believed it was actually happening.”

Officer McIntire started to say something, but I spoke first.

“Robbie, this is no joke. As I told ya, you’re done hurting me or anyone else.”

My stepbrother jumped forward, his hands aiming for my neck again. But this time he was held back with a strong grip by two police officers.

“Goodbye, Robbie,” I muttered as his eyes turned into deadly weapons.

The policemen exchanged words, but I zoned out.

Riley led me further back as I watched everything unfolding as a spectator, not really registering what was going on. He held me in his arms, close to his heart, as tears of relief rushed out of me. It was done. I did it. Faced my devil and came out winning.

The guys around me talked, but my gaze stayed on Robbie being dragged out of the bar.

“Hey Devon,” Anthony said once Robbie had disappeared through the door, his hands handcuffed behind his back, threatening the officers to sue them. I moved out of Riley’s arms and stood in front of Anthony. “I’m sorry, Devon. For not standing up to that guy. For letting you go. I had no idea. He came with a couple of his guys. Blew off my tires. Threatened me. I was young and stupid. I really cared about ya. But they made an impression on me. I lay low after that. I know it’s no excuse. And when you broke things off, even though I liked you, it broke my heart, but I believed you would only bring me trouble and that your brother would never let us be. So, I just forfeited an idea of an us.”

He rubbed the skin of his nape.

I stood there, tears brimming in my eyes. Every word Anthony spoke reached my heart. Shattering and sewing back pieces at the same time.

“I’m sorry, Devon. I hope one day you’ll be able to forgive me.”

Without thinking, I pulled him into a hug.

“I was clueless too. Robbie had never been violent with me before that night. I was young. And I never thought he could ever hurt me—” My voice broke, and I drew a few deep breaths in to tame my raging emotions.

With a soothing hand over my upper back, Anthony held me against him.

“I’m so relieved you’re safe now. Many times, I wanted to reach out, but I was scared of what would happen to you if I did. Your brother, the night he came back to warn me off you, told me he would beat you senseless if I ever contacted you again.”

Healing gazes, we shared a moment, both our souls accepting the events of the past we had no control over. We were going to be fine.

“Ready?” Riley asked after we broke apart. I hugged Taylor next before allowing Riley to lead me out of the bar. And back home. To our home. To our lives. To our future.

In the car, the fragile barrier holding my emotions together cracked as my nerves settled. I became an untamable river as tears streamed down my cheeks.

I had done it. I had faced Robbie. And was the last man standing. Or rather the last woman in this case. I watched him as the officers led him to their cruiser. My eyes took in everything. The handcuffs. The dip in his shoulders when he realized it wasn’t some stupid prank. The tightness of his lips when he glared at me one last time. Every single strike that his humiliation and arrest revealed.