Page 5 of Two Minutes for Holding

“Mom, didn’t want you to know when we were there at Christmas, in case things didn’t work out, but William is the man Mom is seeing.”

“Uh-huh.” Knox grunted as I pulled the car into the driveway of the rental unit Mom and I lived in.

I immediately recognized William’s car in the driveway, which meant he was here and chances of things becoming heated were inevitable.

“It looks like you’re about to meet him, too. Let me warn you, you’re in for a real treat,” I said, opening the car door and climbing out.

The moment we climbed out of the car, I could hear him yelling, and I flinched when I heard him call her the name I probably hated more than anything.

“What the fuck?” Knox gritted.

One thing about my brother, he had a temper if provoked. He also had a temper with how others treated any of his family members. He was also a big man, and I knew he could truly hurt someone if he wanted to, and there was no way I’d ever be able to hold him back.

“William is our landlord and a hotshot lawyer out here, and he has some serious mental health issues. He’s a narcissist, a gas lighter, and emotionally abusive,” I muttered, which I knew was the exact type of man Knox’s father had been, along with mine, which was why I was so afraid for her.

It was then we heard William yell, followed by glass shattering. Knox looked at me, and before I could get a word out, he was already up the stairs and at the door, leaving me standing there with my heart in my throat. He ripped the door open and went inside, raising his voice while I trailed behind him.

William stood in the living room, a look of shock on his face as Knox stood over him, looking down at him.

“Put the fucking vase down now,” Knox said in a calm and controlled voice, which surprised me.

Mom looked up at me and then over to where Knox stood, her face contorted in a shocked and surprised but thankful look.

“Who the fuck are you?” William shouted at Knox.

“Your worst fucking nightmare, especially if you don’t put the vase down and leave right now.” He clenched and unclenched his fists, which I knew meant that if William didn’t heed the warning, Knox would no doubt hit him.

“Who’s going to make me? You?”

He didn’t recognize him. Anyone who watched hockey knew Knox wasn’t someone to mess with. Before he’d started datingLorelai, Knox had been in a pile of fights and that had only been because of the adrenaline rush during a game, or so he said. I’d seen the damage he’d caused during those games, and I had no clue what he would be capable of with someone who’d hurt or endangered his family.

“Yeah, me. Now, get out.”

Mom stood there, tears in her eyes, as William and Knox faced off with one another.

“Knox, please, it’s okay,” Mom cried, placing her hand on his forearm, trying to pull his attention from William.

“Mom, I don’t want to hear it. This jackass is going to leave, and he’s going to leave now.”

William ignored Knox’s warnings and grabbed Mom’s forearm roughly, making her wince and scream in pain as he looked her in the eye.

“Reese, tell your friend here to back the fuck off,” he growled.

“That’s it!” Knox muttered.

I didn’t know how things sped up so quickly, but the next thing I knew, Knox had a hold of William. His arm was snaked around his neck as he punched him in the stomach. William released a grunt as Knox dragged him toward the door. The moment he let him go, William fell to the floor, clutching his stomach, breathing rapidly.

“You shouldn’t have done that,” he said, coughing so hard I feared he might be sick.

“You shouldn’t have put your hands on my mother. Now get the fuck out!” Knox shouted.

“Hope you got an excellent lawyer there, kid, ‘cause I’m going to sue your fucking ass,” William said, struggling to get up off the floor.

“Go ahead, my lawyers eat parasites like you for fucking breakfast,” Knox said, getting into his face again.

Knox stood there, staring down at William until he finally backed out the door and took off, climbing into his car. Knox didn’t say a word. Instead, he kept his eyes trained on the driveway for a few minutes, making sure William didn’t return.

I went over and wrapped my arms around Mom, pulling her in for a hug, making sure she was okay. Once I was certain she was fine, Mom cried. I’d heard her cry almost every night for the past two months, and I couldn’t take it anymore. Even though she’d told me repeatedly not to worry about the situation, but each time things escalated. I’d done the only thing I could think of and that was to get my brother involved before William did more than just emotionally hurt her, and it looked like I’d gotten him here just in time.

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