“He won’t, Erin. Do you honestly think I am going to let him come near you?”
“He scares me, Adam. I can’t be near him. Oh, God!”
“Shh,” he says as he draws my body back into his. “You are one of the strongest women I have ever met, babe. Stay strong. He can’t hurt you anymore. Do you hear me?”
I know he believes what he is saying, but I have never been so afraid of anyone in my life. There is so much Joel has done to me and the only other person that knows what really happened the night I decided to leave him is Shelby. I have blocked so much of that night out of my mind and just when I am starting to finally feel like I am worth someone else’s love, he just shows up out of the blue.
Adam takes hold of my hand and leads us into the house where Shayne is sitting quietly on the couch. She hands me some tissue.
“Luke has the girls and should be here any minute,” she says to me comfortingly. “Why don’t you go take a shower before Sierra gets here? Then, if it’s all right with you, we can take her home with us.”
“No!” I burst out instinctively before I realize what I’ve done. I start again more calmly. “I want her home with me. I need to know she is safe and the only way I will rest is if she is here with me.”
“Okay,” she agrees. “But still, you need to go shower and try to pull yourself together for Sierra before she gets here.”
“I don’t know what I would do without you, Shayne and you’re both right. I am stronger than Joel, but the thought of him even looking at my daughter has me wanting to run as far away from here as I can get. It’s been four years...why is he even here? I just don’t understand.”
I hear the plea in my voice but I know these two don’t have the answers that I am looking for.
“You know the guys will find him, Erin. Luke has Big Neil trying to find out everything he can, and Antonio is, too. While we wait, go take that shower and pull yourself together,” Shayne commands.
I release Adam’s hand from my grip and make my way down the hall to the bathroom. I turn on the shower, strip off my clothes, and step in. As soon as the hot water hits me I fall to the floor in uncontrollable sobs, knowing I am about to relive my worst nightmare.
The shower does nothing for my nerves, but I dry myself off and pull on some clean clothes. As I exit my room, I hear Shayne telling Adam all about the phone call and at that exact moment Luke and the girls walk into the house.
“Adam, you’re home!” Sierra shouts and runs into his arms with Lucy right behind.
“I am, my little butterfly. And how’s my princess?” he asks, bending toward Lucy. I stand there and watch this incredible man who has no idea how much he really means to me talk to the girls and my heart does a little flip. I just hope he truly cares about me as much as he claims he does, because if I know Joel like I think I do, he is about to make our lives a living hell.
The sound of the girls’ giggles brings me back to reality.
“I’m good, Uncle Adam,” chirps Lucy. “My daddy is home early, too.”
“Well, I would say you’re both lucky girls,” I pipe in because right now I need to hold my baby girl.
“Mommy!” Sierra says happily as she jumps into my arms. “I love you so much.”
Standing there holding the most important person in my life, I try to hold back the tears that want to fall, but somehow one lonely tear rolls down my cheek. I close my eyes and vow to keep her away from Joel at all cost.
“Girls, let’s see if you have any homework and I will help you get it done,” Shayne says softly. Thank God Sierra didn’t notice I am an absolute mess, I think as I set her back down. Both of the girls pick up their backpacks and follow Shayne into the kitchen.
Adam and I turn to Luke, who tells us the phone Joel used was disposable, so they can’t track it. Antonio has called mall security but they won’t let anyone see the tapes because technically no crime was committed. I soak up all this information, determined not to cave in. I am not going to shed another tear for that asshole, whatever his reasons might be for being here. I have to keep reminding myself I am stronger than I was all those years ago because it’s the only way I am going to get through this.
About an hour later, Shayne, Lucy, and Luke leave and the three of us make a quick dinner. Afterwards, Sierra takes her bath and once I have her ready for bed, I climb in beside her.
Opening my eyes hours later, I realize I must have fallen asleep as I laid next to my baby praying to God that Joel wouldn’t get his hands on her. I would take a thousand beatings from that selfish prick before I would ever let him see her. I made that vow to my daughter years ago and I intend to keep it.