Heading Out

Brennan

I sat on the bed next to a sleeping Leah. For a second, I just looked at her, amazed by how beautiful she was. She was everything that I had ever wanted. Kind, feisty, supportive, intelligent, and the most important thing, she was solely mine. I leaned forward to press a kiss to her forehead before calling her name softly. She grumbled as she buried her face in the pillows, making me chuckle. I ran my hand down her back, letting it move to her ass, where I spanked her lightly.

“Show me your beautiful eyes, baby.”

She rolled back over to glare at me. “What? It is early.”

“I know it is, but I just wanted to tell you that I had to go. I didn’t want you to wake up, only to find I wasn’t here.”

She sat up straight, her body stiff. “Where are you going? Are you going to come back?”

I took her hand, bringing it to my lips before laying our joined hands on her lap. “I’m not going to abandon you, Leah. I will be back. I promise.”

“Before the trial?” She whispered.

“Yes. I’ll be there in the courtroom with you, I promise.”

“Okay.”

I let her hand go so I could cup her face to look into her eyes. “I love you, Leah. There is nothing in this world that can keep me from you.” I placed my other hand on her stomach. “Or our child. I will be there tomorrow.”

“Okay. I love you too. Please be safe. I can’t do the trial without you.”

I pecked her lips. “You won’t have to. I better go before Caleb comes in here and drags me out by my hair.”

“Caleb’s going with you?”

“Yep.”

“Okay, good.” She kissed me again before nuzzling back down into the blankets. “I’ll see you tonight?”

I hesitated before shaking my head. “I can’t promise you that for sure, but I will say that if not tonight, then tomorrow morning.”

She sighed but nodded. “Alright.”

I sat on the bed for another moment, just watching her before getting up. “I love you, Leah.”

“I love you too, Brennan,” she repeated back to me with a big smile on her face.

I spun around before I could change my mind about going with Caleb. God knew all I wanted to do was curl back up in bed with her. I hurried out of the room, going to where Joey, Rhino, and Caleb stood waiting for me. Joey eyed me as I approached.
“Don’t go into this all angry, Brennan. It’s too important to Leah to make sure he gets there in one piece,” he told me.

“I know,” I snarled. “I’m not going to kill him. I want Leah to have the satisfaction and the ability to say that she divorced him. That she severed the last tether to her past. I’m not going to do anything until she gets that from him.”

He nodded. “Alright. Go on.”

While Caleb and I climbed into his car, Rhino mounted his bike. I had no doubt that we were making the right choice about going to get Will, but I was a little worried about how Leah would react when she found out where we went. I had debated for hours about whether or not I was going to tell her, but I didn’t want her to be concerned about me. Joey and Madison had both promised to keep her distracted for the day so we could attend to this matter, but it didn’t lessen my worry at all. I pulled my phone out of my pocket to call Leah, since I made sure to replace her phone the day before. I tapped my fingers on my leg while I waited for her to answer.

“Brennan? Are you okay?” She asked groggily.

“Yeah. I just wanted to tell you that I love you.”

She chuckled lightly before repeating it back to me. “I love you too, Brennan. Are you going to call me every five minutes to tell me that?”

“Can I?” I asked hopefully.

She burst out laughing. “No. I want to sleep.”

“Fine! I’ll call you in an hour. I love you.”

“Love you too, Brennan.”

When we hung up, I sat back in my chair, a little irritated, making Caleb laugh.

“You look like a 2 year old who was scolded for painting the wall with poop.”

“Fuck off, Caleb,” I grumbled.

“Okay, I take it back. You look like you were just told your hamster ran away,” he teased.

“How could she not want me to call her so I could say, ‘I love you?’” I inquired.

“Oh my God, Brennan! That’s what you’re upset about? She’s anxious and you’re making it worse,” he told me.

“I know, but I just want her to know that I love her.”

“She does. You don’t have to bombard her with it.”

“Whatever. I’m going to sleep.”

“Alrighty then. Enjoy your nap, two-year-old.”

*****

When Caleb shook me awake a few hours later, we were at a gas station. “Hey, you might want to use the bathroom and grab a drink before we get back on the road. We are only about ten minutes away from Will’s.”

I straightened up, rubbing my eyes, groaning when my back immediately complained. “Fuck! I hate getting old!”

Caleb chuckled as he put the gas nozzle into the gas tank opening. “So do I. Go on, and while you’re in there, grab me a Red Bull.”

I rolled my eyes as I climbed out of the car to go inside to use the bathroom before walking over to the refrigerated section to look at the drinks. I grabbed Caleb’s Red Bull before picking up a Pepsi for myself. I stopped beside Rhino in the line, grimacing when I saw the Monster and big-ass sub sandwich in his hands.

“Can you even eat that while you drive?” I asked.

“No. I’m going to eat it before we hit the road.”

“Makes sense.”

As he swiped his card to pay for his things, he glanced at me. “How are you doing? And don’t tell me you’re okay. I know you’re not.”

“I’m angry. I just want this to be over with so I can move on with Leah. I want to marry her, but he’s standing in my way.”

He nodded. “I understand that. Carly’s ex was a problem too. Now, he’s not, because I wouldn’t allow it. You two will be okay.”

“Thanks.”

“Mm-hmm. I’ll meet you outside.”

Before I could even respond, he walked off, leaving me to pay for mine and Caleb’s things. When I went back outside, I was shocked that Rhino’s sandwich was already almost gone. Caleb tossed me a premade sandwich as soon as I got back in the car.

“Rhino apparently doesn’t like ham,” he told me as he started the car.

“His loss. This sandwich is delicious.”

“Yeah. Maddie put a lot of thought into the sandwiches.”

I raised an eyebrow at him. “They’re just sandwiches.”

“Don’t tell her that. She will punch you in the throat, and trust me when I say that it hurts,” he said as he started to rub his throat.

We fell silent for the rest of the ride to Will’s house. When he pulled up in front of it, we sat there just staring at the house. It pissed me off that this was the place that almost destroyed Leah. This was the place that held the worst of her memories. I wanted to crumble it beneath my feet.

“BRENNAN!”

“What?”

“I was talking to you. I said, ‘I think Rhino and I should go up there to speak to him.’”

“I want to go. I—”
“Not going to happen. Let us handle this part. It’s enough that you’re here.”

“No, it’s not,” I argued. “She’s my woman, and he hurt her. I want to—”

He put his hand on my shoulder. “And that is why you shouldn’t go up there.”

I glared at him. “Fine! But once he gets in the car, I’m telling him about himself.”

He nodded. “That’s fine. Stay here; we’ll be back.”

I angrily cursed under my breath as I watched him and Rhino chat for a moment in front of the car before heading up onto the porch. When they knocked on the door, I rolled the window down, hoping that I would be able to hear what was said. Will yanked the door open, pinning both of them with an irritated look.

“Who are you and what do you want?” He snapped.

“We’re here to inform you that there is a court date tomorrow for your divorce. Your presence is required,” Caleb told him.

He rolled his eyes. “You’re here for that shit? She’s not serious. She just wants to prove a point. She doesn’t really want to divorce me. This is all just a show.”

As soon as he finished speaking, he shut the door in their face. I was out of the car in a flash, storming up onto the porch. Caleb and Rhino both turned toward me.

“Brennan—”

I brought my leg back before kicking the door in, immediately entering the house to look for this little coward that was trying to keep tormenting my woman. When he came running out into the hallway, I reached out to grab him around his throat before slamming him into the wall. I leaned down a little to peer into his face.

“That is where you’re wrong! She is very serious about divorcing you. And I’m here to make sure you give it to her.” I let my hand tighten around his throat. “For once, she holds all the power. She wants a divorce. And you will do this for her. You don’t have a choice. It’s your turn to not matter.” I pulled him away from the wall before slamming him back against it. “You are pathetic. Now, get in the fucking car, and if you try to run, I will hunt you down, and then we will really have a problem. Do you understand me?”