Page 2 of Hurry Up And Wait

But Shawn didn’t stop. He kept going after the man, taking hit after hit and refusing to back down. I almost felt bad for him, aside from the fact that he’d just slammed my head into a brick wall. And frankly, he had it coming. I was surprised no one on the police force put him in his place yet. Then again, they were all his buddies.

With one final hit, Shawn sprawled out on the ground, still breathing, but clearly defeated. Part of me wanted to go to him. Years of marriage demanded that I take care of my husband. Yet, I couldn’t make my feet move. I was done with him and his anger issues. Andthis man stood up for me, defended me when Shawn was out of control. Going to him now would be counterproductive to what this man just did for me.

The stranger straightened, fixing his suit as he turned to me. I inhaled sharply at the deep blue eyes that stared back at me. By all accounts, this man was devastatingly handsome. His slicked-back black hair fit his tailored suit to a T. And the scruff along his jaw made him somehow look even more dangerous with a devil-may-care attitude.

Tongue-tied, I stared at the man, trying to figure out what to say. Thank you seemed inadequate somehow. But neither did I need to gush over him. If he hadn’t shown up, I would have handled Shawn myself, though maybe not as well as this man.

I opened my mouth to thank him, but he didn’t give me the chance, walking away into the darkness of the alley. Shawn groaned on the ground, rolling over and wincing in pain. I strode forward, tearing the ring from my finger as I bent down to him.

“I want a divorce.” I dropped the ring with a heavy clang on the ground and walked away. It was time to start my life over, and that wouldn’t include men who were too insecure to handle a woman who could stand on her own two feet.

My heels clicked on the pavement as I strode into the night, feeling lighter than I had in the past three years. Who knew going to the movies could have such strong ramifications?

2

KAVANAUGH

“You don’t haveto do this,” Cash repeated.

I stared at the house that I barely recognized and knew if I didn’t do this for him, I’d regret it. Cash was my family, and unlike my own, he never asked for anything. He needed this to avenge his brother, and damn if I wasn’t going to do everything in my power to help him achieve that.

“It’s fine.”

“It’s not. I know what he did?—“

“I know, but this is for Rafe, and I might not have liked the bastard, but he was your family. Maybe if we had known what he was doing, we could have planned or?—“

“He didn’t want anyone to know,” Cash interrupted. “He didn’t want me involved.”

The guilt in his voice only strengthened my desire to do this. He didn’t deserve the weight he would have to carry for the rest of his life. “I’ll call you when I’m done.”

There was silence for a moment, then his voice carried over the line much stronger than I expected. “Thank you.”

I hung up and walked up the steps to the townhouse I grew up in. I was surprised my parents hadn’t moved a long time ago, but it seemedthey wanted to keep their roots in the community. As soon as I knocked, I felt like lizards were crawling over my skin. I could feel their little feet digging into my pores.

My mother answered the door, shocked to find me on the other side. She hadn’t aged a day since I left. She still wore her hair coiffed in the same way she always had. Her makeup was simple and elegant, and her clothes were always proper. But the smile on her face was genuine and didn’t fit the woman who stood in front of me.

“Bradford!” She practically leapt into my arms, wrapping herself around me just like she had when I returned from my first deployment. She hadn’t been around for the others.

“Mom, please don’t call me that.”

She leaned back, giving me an admonishing look. “And what else would I call you?”

“Everyone else just calls me Kavanaugh.”

“Calling people by their last name is ludicrous and distasteful. Well, look at you.”

Her eyes inspected me from head to toe. I knew this wasn’t the look she expected to see. I was in my cargo pants and a T-shirt, along with a pair of boots. There wasn’t a single thing about me that belonged in this house or with this family anymore.

“Well, you’re home and that’s all that matters.”

That was her way of saying that she was disappointed in my choice of attire, but at least I bothered to show up.

“Come in. Your father’s in his study. He’s getting ready for the next election cycle, as you know.”

I let my eyes roam over the new drapes and the elaborate vases decorating the tables. At one time, the house had a more minimalistic feel to it. “I hadn’t really been paying attention.”

“Well, you should be. Your father is up against this horrid man who doesn’t have a moral bone in his body.”