Page 44 of Say Yes To The Fake Date

I turn into my mom’s arms, and for the first time in what seems like forever, I let her comfort me. “Mom, what am I going to do? I can’t let him go to jail for this.”

She reaches up and wipes the tears from my eyes with her thumbs. “You’re going to pull yourself together, and we’re going to figure this out.”

I suck in a breath. The neighbors are all outside, but my mom ignores them all as she hurries me into the house. She helps me to the couch. “I need to go to the police station.”

She shakes her head and sits down on the coffee table in front of me. She puts her hands on my legs. “No, we need to think. We’re not going to be any help there. Call your attorney.”

I nod my head and then jump off the couch and find my purse. I dump out the contents and then grab my phone and dial my attorney. It rings and rings. “Answer. Please answer.”

When he doesn’t answer, I hang it up and then dial again, but he still doesn’t answer.

I squeeze my phone in my hand as I try to figure out what to do. “Walker.”

My mom’s eyebrows raise. “Your boss?”

I silently pray,Please don’t fire me for this. I dial Walker’s number and put the phone to my ear. As soon as he answers, I start to explain. “I’m sorry to call you, Walker, but Ray—my business partner—showed up here, and he started yelling and grabbed me—”

“Where are you at?”

Shit, breathe, Lucy. “No, I’m fine. Dominic showed up and beat up Ray, and he’s been arrested.”

I start to cry again. “I’m sorry to call you, but I didn’t know what to do, and…”

Walker tries to calm me. “You did the right thing. I’ll take care of it.”

“The sheriff took him to the police station. I can meet you there.”

“No, stay where you’re at. I’ll bring Dom to you.”

I start to argue with him. “But—”

I can hear the car door slamming. “Dom wouldn’t want you involved.”

“He’s in jail because of me.”

The sound of the engine starting fills the line. “This is not your fault. I know this is easy for me to say, but don’t worry, I got this. I’ll have him out in afew hours.”

I let out a sigh of relief. ‘Okay, thank you, Walker.”

“You’re welcome. Dominic is one of the good guys. I’m happy to help.”

I hang up the phone. “Walker says he’ll have him out in a few hours.” I stand up. “I should go to the police station.”

My mom stands up to. “What did Walker say?”

I sit back down. “He said that I needed to stay here, that Dom wouldn’t want me involved.” I laugh out loud. “What a joke, right? I’m supposed to just hide here while he’s in jail because of me.”

“Honey, this is not your fault. This is all Ray.” She brushes my hair away from my face. “I’m sorry, Lucy. I’m sorry for doubting Dominic. That man loves you.”

I let my head fall between my shoulders. “And right now he’s trying to figure out why.”

“He’s not. That man loves you, Lucy, and nothing is going to change that. Now we’re going to sit here, and we’re going to wait for Walker to bring him home.”

22

DOMINIC

I let my head rest in my hands. I promised myself that I would never go back to jail, but here I sit. They still haven’t given me a phone call. It seems they’re stalling to see what Ray’s injuries are. I don’t know what came over me, but as soon as I saw him with his hands on Lucy, I saw red. I lost all control of myself, but I wouldn’t have changed a thing. If nothing else, Ray will never raise a hand to Lucy again.

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