Page 165 of Already At Risk
It was a lot for her today. I knew it was a lot, and I didn’t want to add any more to it. I was happy enough to step back and watch the joy on Natalie’s face, appreciate the spark in her eyes and the wonder in her voice, like she couldn’t believe she was finallyfree. Gratitude and love radiated from her, and my heart filled to a brim I hadn’t even known existed. I hadn’t realized I could feel any more for her than I already had, butGod. I loved everything about this woman. How the hell I’d managed not to tell her yet was beyond me.
Her eyes connected with mine, and for a moment, the world stopped spinning. Time slowed, and everything faded to a blur. And the only solid, sure thing in the world was her. Us.
“Thank you,” she mouthed, eyes shining.
I smiled at her, gave the littlest nod.
Her body shifted, almost like there was a gravitational pull yanking her toward me, even as her eyes flicked around, landing on my face and then around her family’s, unable to decide where she wanted to be. I didn’t want her to have to pick.
I jerked my head to the door and mouthed that I’d be outside. And because I didn’t want her to argue or feel bad, I turned and walked away before she could say anything, heading toward the courthouse doors.
Stepping out into the soggy August air, I released a sigh filled with pent-up energy and walked down the brick sidewalk, the reddish cobblestone uneven beneath my feet. But I only got a handful of strides away from the front door when I heard the heavy footsteps of someone following me.
I knew who it was before I even turned around. I could just sense it in the energy he brought with him wherever he went.
“Hey, asshole!” he called, accusations in his tone as I turned to find him charging toward me, and fuck if I wasn’t somewhat grateful for it. Because it meant I got to put my hand out to stop him, grabbing him by the front of his shirt and slamming his back against the side of the courthouse.
Shit, that felt good. I’d been waiting to do that for a long fucking time. Waiting to watch the alarm and uncertainty fly onto his face as he realized who the fuck he was actually dealing with here.
“Do not even think about it,” I growled before he could say a damn thing. I leaned in, letting him know how unbelievably serious I was. “You fucked up, Abrams. You lost them, and it’s no one’s fault but your own. You never deserved them.Never. And if you even think about going after my girls one more time, I will fuckingendyou. You think I haven’t been looking into you? You think I don’t know about all the little things your architectural firm is doing?” I raised a menacing brow. “Stay the fuck away from Natalie and Chloe, understood?”
Korey blinked, in shock.
“Understood?” I repeated.
I didn’t have time for this.
He nodded but then muttered, “Fuck you.”
I smirked. The only one fucking me was his ex-wife, and man, wasn’t that the best goddamn truth.
A click of heels sounded on the pavement, and I looked over my shoulder to see Natalie running out of the courthouse after us. Fuck.
Releasing Korey, I pushed him in the opposite direction ofNatalie. “Get the hell out of here. Don’t even dare to look at her, Abrams.”
Korey glared for a moment, and then his gaze swung to the right, like he was going to directly defy me, so I took a threatening step forward. And that was all it took for him to spin on his heel in a huff and disappear down the street.
I turned back around just in time for Natalie to barrel into me, fueled by the momentum of the downward-sloping path and uneven Boston sidewalks. She pushed me up against the courthouse’s brick wall, flattening her hands to my chest in an attempt to stop herself, practically knocking the wind out of me in the process. But I didn’t mind. Not when her body was pressed against mine and I got to wrap my arms around her.
“What was that?” she breathed. “Is everything okay?”
I held her closer. “Everything is okay, Sunshine. He wanted to have some words. I made him do the listening instead.”
Natalie raised a brow, and a mix of emotions passed over her face, like she couldn’t decide if she was worried or turned on.
“Everything is fine,” I assured her. “You won, baby.Wewon.”
“We did,” she agreed, sounding awed by that fact. Her eyes roamed over me, taking me in.
“What are you doing out here?” I asked.
“What amIdoing?” she repeated. A smile broke onto her face, pure and beautiful. She wound her hands up my front, hooking them together behind my neck. “What areyoudoing? Why did you leave?”
“Because this is your moment, Natalie.” I cupped her face. “With your family. I wanted to give you space.”
She shook her head. “I don’t want space.”
“I can see that,” I chuckled, considering she hadn’t stepped back, still anchored to my front while my back pressed against the courthouse wall. “You know, I can see why you like this position so much. It’s very nice.”
