Page 56 of Derek

“Sure, Daddy. Dinner will be ready in about twenty minutes.”

He watched her head into the kitchen, then made his way to the bathroom and shut the door behind him. Hot water streamed over his skin, rinsing away the sweat, bad coffee, and stale office smells. But no matter how long he stood there, it couldn’t calm the restlessness twisting inside him.

He dried off and got dressed, but the tension in his chest didn’t ease. Sonja was already at the table when he entered the kitchen. He sank into the chair across from her, trying to push the day’s frustrations aside.

Over a dinner of delicious smothered pork chops, green beans, and mashed potatoes, Derek tried to focus on what Sonja was saying about her day, but he was still struggling with how to tell her about Angie and wasn’t managing more than nods and grunts at what he hoped were appropriate places. Then the words finally took form in his mind. “Suzie, Yvonne, and I decided we are going to go naked at work for the rest of the week. We think it will bring in more customers. Connor liked the ideaso much, he promised to make sure Suzie had fresh marks every day.”

“W-what?” One look at her mischievous face told him the jig was up. It was time to tell her about his day.

“Sorry, Daddy, but you weren’t listening to me. What’s wrong?”

He shoved his chair back from the table. “I had a very stressful day, precious, and I think it’s only the start of things. Angie showed up at my office this afternoon. She made an appointment using a fake name and a story about child sexual abuse. Angie wore a red wig but didn’t try to carry on that nonsense once she saw me.” He dropped his elbows to his knees and rested his head in his hands. “She told me a cock-and-bull story about getting therapy and how I should take her back. I told her no, and she went crazy. She tried to attack me across the table in the interview room. We circled it for several minutes before security arrived. I got the whole meeting recorded, and then she continued in front of the guards and even once the police arrived. They’ve taken her to the Center for Behavioral Health and are petitioning for a ninety-six-hour psychiatric hold. Her lawyer is coming from St. Louis to try to get her out tomorrow. I talked to Jackson Andrews, and he doesn’t know if I have enough evidence for a restraining order, but he’s going to look at everything I have, including the stuff from St. Louis.”

“Is she threatening you, Derek?” Little Sonja was gone with a possible danger to her man.

“She did at the end, but I’m more concerned about you. I made the mistake of telling her I was with someone, and that’s when she freaked out.”

“I can take care of myself. I live in a locked building. I don’t go out alone at night. There are always people around at work.”

“Not after closing. I know you stay late by yourself several days a week.”

“I have work to do, and the restaurant is all locked up. I’m fine. What would she do to me, anyway? I outweigh her by fifty pounds.”

“Don’t underestimate her. Under the wrong circumstances, I think she could be violent. I don’t want you to take chances. While Angie is a threat, I need reassurance that you’re okay. I want multiple check-ins. We’ll work out when you can text me and when I need to hear your voice. I want you locked in your car as quickly as possible when you get in. And check the backseat before you get in. Ambush is exactly Angie’s style.”

“Are you sure you’re not going overboard?” Sonja likely thought he sounded alarmist.

Derek shook his head. “No, I’m not. Angie is unstable, and I have no idea what she is capable of. We need to prepare for the worst-case scenario.”

“Okay. I’ll promise to be careful if you do the same.”

“Fair enough. I’ll get Jackson to find out what kind of car she drives so we can keep a lookout for her that way, too.”

After they finished eating, they sat down with their schedules and worked out a system for staying in contact that Derek thought was barely adequate, and Sonja complained was too restrictive. “I’m not going to be a bird in a gilded cage. I can take care of myself. I was on my own for a long time before you came along. And who knows? Maybe they’ll commit her for more than ninety-six hours.”

“You know that’s not likely.” He reached over to pull her into his lap for a long-overdue cuddle and kiss. She always melted so beautifully in his arms. When they both came up for air, he remembered something else they needed to talk about. “My mother called me this morning.”

“Oh?”

“Yes. Mamá has been complaining that she hasn’t seen very much of me lately. She made me promise I would come toThanksgiving dinner at my sister’s house, and she wants me to bring you, too.”

Derek’s announcement evidently came as a shock, and Sonja looked up at him with big eyes. “Um, meeting the family is kind of a big deal, don’t you think?”

Derek fisted her hair so he could make sure she focused on him. “When are you going to realize that I’m serious about our relationship, precious?” She stared up at him. “You are my woman. I. Am. Here. To. Stay.” He underscored his words with taps on her nose, and she giggled.

“Okay, Sir.”

He pressed a kiss to her nose, and she jumped up to finish cleaning up from dinner.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Derek returned to his office from what had been an interminable meeting. He sat down to catch his breath and see what he had time to get done with what was left of the day when the phone rang. “Kiriakis.”

“Andrews, here. Sorry to be so late, but I just got out of court. Good news. Angela Mendoza is on a ninety-six-hour psychiatric hold, starting today. That’s four days for you to get your game plan figured out before she’s released. I caught Judge Edinger in chambers after the hearing, and he says you need evidence of stalking here and now. He also said he found the recording to be strong, but not enough. I think he’s sympathetic, but he can’t do anything unless she starts up again after the psych hold. I think it’s the best result you can get at the moment.”

“How was Angie at the hearing?”

“My clerk says she was a perfect angel, pun intended. Her lawyer argued that she’d be better off at a private hospital in St. Louis where her family would be nearby, but the judge said that could wait until she’d been thoroughly evaluated here. On Monday, he’ll rubber-stamp her release, and she can be with her family in time for Turkey Day.”

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