I hadn’t been prepared for the tears in my babies’ eyes when they took in the bruises on my face.
“Mommy!” Callie cried out, running over to me. I tried to suppress the wince as she barreled into me, but the jarring of my ribs sent a shockwave of pain through me. “I’m sowwy,” she whimpered as she pulled back, afraid of hurting me any worse.
“It’s okay, honey pot.” I took her hand and led her to the couch, Brett and Cameron following after me. When I was seated somewhat comfortably, I opened my arms so she could climb up into my lap. Once she settled, I wrapped my arms around her and hugged my little girl tightly.
“Brett said you was in a assident.”
“That’s right, baby. But Mommy’s okay now. Just a few bumps and bruises.”
I looked over to where Cam sat with Brett, his head hanging low as he clutched on to Brett’s arm like a vise.
“What’s the matter, bubs?” I asked, reaching over to lift his chin. One loan tear trailed down his cheek from those hazel eyes. “Oh, honey. I’m going to be all right. Don’t be sad.”
“Was it Daddy?” he asked in a huffed voice. His words were quiet but the impact they hit me with felt like a two-ton car.
Brett’s entire body went solid as a rock as he looked over at me. “What?” I asked my son.
“Did Daddy give you all those bow-bows? He always yelled and gave you bow-bows when we lived with him. I don’t like him. He’s a meanie and I never wanna see him again.”
Pain sliced through my chest. I’d failed at protecting them from Lance’s violence. I thought I’d kept them away from it, not allowing them to see what their own father had been capable of, but I’d let them down. Never again. If it took the rest of my life, I would make sure I never ever had to see the pained expression in my children’s eyes that I was seeing right then. I would make it up to them. I would make it right.
“You don’t have to worry about him anymore, sweetie. He’s gone. It’s just us now, okay?”
“Can Brett be our new daddy?” Callie looked up into my eyes and asked so sincerely, so earnestly.
“Yeah,” Cameron shouted. “I want Brett to be my new daddy! I love him and he’s nice and he always buys us pwesents and makes us burritos at night.”
My gaze wandered over to Brett to see his own eyes glistening with unshed tears. When he looked at me in question, I gave him a small nod, letting him know it was okay.
“I’d love nothing more than to be y’all’s daddy,” Brett told my kids, his voice raspy as he tried to hold back his tears. “I’ll spend forever being nice and buying you presents and making you into burritos, if that’s what y’all want.”
“YAY!” they both yelled, jumping from our laps in excitement, and just like that, all the negativity was gone. Our family was together, strong and happy, just as it should be.
I was determined to keep my promise to them, which was why I didn’t want to wait. I had to see Lance right away. I had to finish it.
Cupping his bristly cheek, I gave Brett a kiss and spoke against his lips, “The sooner we get this done, the sooner it ends.”
“Then let’s do this,” he huffed. “But you’ll have to cross over my dead fuckin’ body if you think I’m not going in there with you.”
“Fine,” I relented. “But you have to keep your cool, Brett. Promise me.”
“I promise, beauty.”
With one last kiss, we turned to face the door.
“You ready?” Mr. Pruett asked with his hand on the knob. I gave a curt nod and steeled my spine. There was no way in hell I was going to show Lance an ounce of weakness.
I paused for just a moment after crossing the threshold into the room. I knew Brett had gotten a hold of Lance in that parking lot. I just had no idea how much damage he’d done. But I’d have been lying if I said I felt one ounce of sympathy as I looked at his pummeled face. He looked a thousand times worse than I did. I had to lock down the craving to launch myself at Brett and kiss him to death as I took in the damage inflicted on the bastard.
“You look like shit,” I told him as I took a seat in one of the chairs across the table from him. Mr. Pruett sat down next to me as Brett stood in the corner, arms crossed over his massive chest, a menacing stare directed right at Lance. I got immense pleasure out of seeing him flinch when he caught Brett’s glare.
“You don’t look so good yourself,” he sneered.
“Talk to her like that again and I’ll re-break your nose, fucker. Maybe a cheekbone this time, too.”
I hadn’t thought it was possible, but I actually saw Lance’s complexion pale under all those bruises at the sound of Brett’s gravelly threat.