I yawned mightily. After Steve had shown up and made an ass of himself, I hadn’t slept well. I kept jerking awake with a start. I’d lay there and listen for a moment, but after hearing nothing out of the ordinary, I’d settle back into sleep. Thank God Levi was there. Being wrapped in his arms made me feel safe; otherwise I’d have been up pacing all night, afraid to go back to sleep.

This morning he'd walked Abby and me the short distance to my car. He didn’t rush us along, but there was a tension in his posture and his eyes were alert. As we walked to my car, we saw the smashed Wild Turkey bottle lying next to my trailer, probably thrown by Steve, and I assumed the bottle breaking had woken us up last night.

“Good morning, Ella,” Marcy said as she appeared to pick up her morning tickets.

I finished my yawn and smiled at her. “Morning, Marcy.”

“Big day for you yesterday, huh? I’m glad to see the McCormicks and you putting your differences behind you. They’re good people.”

My smile widened. News of what had happened in Dolly’s was spreading through town. “The best,” I agreed as I handed her the tickets from yesterday.

“I guess that’s good if you and Levi are going to get back together.”

“Yeah. It will make things easier, that’s for sure.”

“Did Levi convince them?”

“You might say that.” I could tell Marcy was salivating over a tidbit of news, and I decided to be generous this morning. I also didn’t mind putting the screws to Steve and Cat. “Catherine Meyer admitted she drugged me, and when Will and Judy found out…” I shrugged.

“Cat Meyer admitted that?” Marcy asked, her eyes opening wide.

“Oh, you hadn’t heard?” I asked, pitching my cadence and tone as if it were common knowledge. “Yeah. She confessed it all to Levi. Steve is in a panic that he’s going to go to jail for rape. Who knows, maybe even Cat too, as an accessory.” I smiled at Marcy. God, it felt good to slide that knife into Steve.

“Really?” Marcy breathed.

“Yeah. Once Will and Judy found out the truth, they came to me and apologized. Like you said, they’re good people.”

“Wow! That’s good news for you, huh? Are you going to the police?”

I shrugged. “Levi is handling it. You know he was an MP in the Air Force, right? This is kind of his thing.”

“MP?”

“Military Police.”

“Oh! Well, I’m glad the truth is starting to come out. I never believed those nasty rumors about you anyway. You seem like such a nice young lady.”

It was all I could do not to burst into laughter. “Thanks, Marcy. I appreciate that.”

Marcy looked down, and I wasn’t sure, but I might have detected just a hint of shame in her face as she turned to go. I was still smiling as I picked up my pull list from the shop and started down it to see what parts I had in stock and what I was going to have to order.

The rest of day was uneventful. I finished my stint at Allgood’s and went to Dolly’s. I wasn’t treated any differently than I had been yesterday, and nobody said anything out of the ordinary. My customers, though, were just a little friendlier than they had been, a little quicker with a smile, a little more willing to converse with me. It was probably all in my imagination, but I’d still take it.

At 7:45, Levi arrived with Abby in tow. After an enthusiastic greeting from Abby and a quick kiss in greeting by Levi, he and Abby sat down at the lunch counter.

“Here for that piece of pie?” Dolly asked.

“I am. Pecan, if you please, and a cup of coffee. The beautiful young lady beside me would like one of your chocolate chip cookies and a glass of milk with a lid on it, please.”

“Coming right up,” Dolly said as she moved off to get their order.

I smiled as I eavesdropped. Abby could eat her weight in cookies. I could get used to having Levi and Abby meeting me every evening. I didn’t get to see Mom in the evenings anymore, but it was nice to be able to go home after my shift and not add another half-hour to my day by driving out to our farm to fetch Abby.

I knew it was only temporary. When spring arrived and his family was trying to get their crops in the ground, his days would get really long. Unlike harvesting, planting was only constricted by ground conditions, so fifteen or sixteen-hour days weren’t uncommon. Still, I’d take him and Abby meeting me at work for as long as I could.

As Levi and Abby enjoyed their order, I made one more set of rounds before I clocked out. By the time I was ready to go, Abby was swiveling back and forth in her stool as she talked with Dolly. As I approached, it sounded like she was trying to con Dolly and Levi into giving her another cookie to take home with her for Theodore.

“Ready?” I asked as I approached.

“Yep,” Abby chirped as she jumped down. “Can I ride in Levi’s truck?”

“I’ve been replaced,” I said dramatically.

“It’s okay, Mommy. I can still ride with you in the morning.”

Dolly, Levi, and I all snickered. “That’s true. Sure, you can ride with Levi.”

“See you at home,” Levi said, wrapping his arm around my back and giving me a smooch.

As they went out the front, I left through the back. They were waiting on me when I arrived home, and I made a mental note to get Levi a key.

I helped Abby with her bath and we tucked her into bed. She still wanted Levi to read her a story, but she wanted me to stay too. He finished her story, Goodnight Moon, just like always, and we straightened her covers and kissed her goodnight.

I flopped onto the couch with an exhausted sigh. “Can you stay tonight?” I asked. I hated feeling this way, but having him with me made me feel safe.

“Yeah. I told you, I’d stay with you until we got this mess with Steve sorted out.”

“Did you talk to the police?”

“Yeah.”

“And?”

He shrugged. “And nothing. There isn’t a lot they can do since we didn’t actually see who it was, but it’s on record there was a disturbance here last night.”

“Can’t they, I don’t know, get finger prints off the bottle or something?”

He smiled and looked down. I suddenly felt silly for asking the question. He looked back up. “First, they’re not going to waste the time or money checking for prints over something like this. Secondly, even if they did, it probably wouldn’t tell them anything. Even if Steve’s fingerprints were all over it, unless he’d been fingerprinted in the past, it wouldn’t show up anywhere.”

“So we’re stuck? Why can’t the police ever do anything to help when they’re needed?”

“They do the best they can, Ella, but they have rules and laws they have to follow. Would you want them to come busting in here and arresting you without any evidence, based on somebody’s hunch?”

“No, but I haven’t done anything.”

“I know you don’t want to hear this, but legally, neither has Steve. We can’t prove it was Steve here last night.” He caressed my face. “Don’t worry, I’ve already talked to Mom and Dad, and they’re totally on board with me staying with you until we get past this and things settle down again. They also offered to put you and Abby up at their place, if you want to do that.”

I shook my head. “No. This is fine, so long as you stay the night with me.” I smiled. “I actually hope this doesn’t get resolved too quickly. I could get used to having you here every night, keeping me safe. And warm.”

“And relaxed?” he asked, his eyes crinkling and his lips pulling into teasing grin.

“Especially relaxed,” I purred. I licked my lips, nervous about my next question. “Did you check on the other thing?” I asked, trusting him to know I was talking about the paternity kit.

“No, I didn’t have time, dealing with the Steve thing this morning, but I will.” I guess he could read my apprehension because he smiled and pulled me into a quick kiss. “Don’t worry. Nothing has changed since last night. In fact, do you want me to order it now?”

I relaxed. “No, that’s okay.” I smiled, swung a leg over him, and settled into his lap. “I can think of something I’d much rather you do,” I murmured.

He thrust gently at me. “Oh?” he whispered with a smile. “What’s that?”

I slowly licked my lips. “I think you know.”

“I want you to tell me.”

I leaned down, my lips close to his ear. Having him dry fuck me through our clothes reminded me of my lap dance for his nineteenth birthday, and the memory of our innocent naughtiness was turning me on. “As soon as we’re sure someone is asleep, I want you to relax me,” I purred into his ear.

“How do you want me to do that?” he breathed.

“In the way only you—”

“Looks like you’re still spreading it around!” someone yelled from outside.

The bubbling desire for Levi vanished instantly, and I stood as Levi directed me to my feet. “I’ll call the cops,” I said.

“No,” he said as he started for the door. “I’ll handle it.”

“Levi, no! Let the cops deal with him.”

He ignored me as he opened the door and stepped out. “Get out of here, Steve!” he yelled.

“How do you like my sloppy seconds, McCormick?” Steve sneered from the road, a beer bottle held loosely in his hand.

“Go away or I’m calling the cops!” I shouted as I looked around Levi’s broad back.

“It’s a free country. I’m on a public street. I’m allowed to be here if I want.”

Levi trotted down the two steps to my driveway and marched toward the road. “Get out of here or the cops will be the least of your worries,” he warned as he stopped, only the narrow ditch at the edge of the road separating them.

“Are you threatening me?”

“I told you what would happen if you didn’t stop harassing Ella.”

“Fuck you, McCormick, and fuck the lies you’ve started spreading around town.”

I trotted up behind Levi and took his arm. “Levi, please come back inside.”

He shook me off. “Afraid, Steve? Afraid the whole town is going to know you for the limp-dicked, chicken shit you are?”

“You think you’re such hot shit! How’s it feel to be fucking the bitch I got pregnant?”

Levi smiled. “Yeah, you’re a big man, getting an unconscious woman pregnant. Is that how you get off, raping a helpless woman?”

“She wanted it,” he sneered.

“Yeah, that’s why you had to wait until Cat drugged her.”

“That’s a fucking lie!”

“You know it’s true, and now the whole town is going to know. Steve Calhoun, rapist. How’s that sound to you?”

“You can’t prove shit!”

Levi smiled. “Maybe not, but people don’t need evidence to believe something, do they? Ella found that out, and now you’re going to find out.”

“You keep fucking with me and you’re going to regret it!”

Levi flicked his fingers at Steve. “Come on, take your shot.”

“Levi! No!” I cried.

Steve’s eyes flicked between me and Levi. “Not with a witness.”

Levi smiled, his eyes never leaving Steve. “Go back inside, Ella. Steve and I have business.”

“No! Not unless you come with me!”

“Go inside,” he repeated.

“No! I’m not going!”

Levi looked at me a moment, then back to Steve. “She won’t talk. This is between you and me. Come on, big man, or are you all mouth and no dick?” Steve didn’t move, and Levi chuckled. “Just what I thought. You’re nothing but a pussy. Now I know if Ella had been conscious she’d have kicked your ass.” He turned his back to Steve. “Come on, let’s go. He’s not going to do anything. He doesn’t have the balls.”

“Levi!” I shrieked as Steve charged us.

Levi whirled, pushing me hard as he turned. I stumbled and fell from his push but scrambled to my feet and out of the way, the two men colliding as Steve swung the beer bottle at Levi’s head. Levi ducked under the blow, causing the bottle to hit him on the back with a thud I could hear even ten feet away. Levi bellowed in pain, but he kept pumping his legs, pushing Steve back until they slammed into the side of the Dodge with a crash, their impact hard enough to cave in the side of bed. Steve roared as his truck rocked on its springs from the collision.

I’d left my phone on the table beside the couch. I should’ve run, grabbed my phone, and called the cops, but I was frozen with fear. Levi took a step back as he grabbed Steve by the shirt and loaded up to punch Steve’s lights out, but when he stepped back, his foot went into the ditch and upset his balance. He stumbled back another step, dragging Steve with him. Steve swung at Levi with the bottle again, the glass container thudding into Levi’s shoulder.

Again, Levi cried out in pain, but he never released his grip on Steve’s shirt. He pivoted with the blow, planted, and fired a right straight into Steve’s face. Steve’s head snapped back like it was on a spring as he stumbled backwards and fell, the bottle bouncing from his hand as he hit the ground. Levi went down after him. Steve was bleeding profusely from his mouth, but he wasn’t out of the fight yet. When Levi landed on him, Steve stiff-armed him, spoiling Levi’s aim, allowing Steve to duck Levi’s follow-up blow.

They rolled and tumbled a moment, their hands clawing at each other as they grunted and hissed, before Levi popped to his feet, dragged Steve up by the shirt, and drove a brutal right into Steve’s stomach. Levi had used his back and legs for the punch, and the impact of his fist almost lifted Steve off the ground. Steve whooshed out air as he doubled over and stumbled back, his arms covering his stomach, but Levi wasn’t finished. He took two steps forward, grabbed Steve by the hair and hauled him upright.

“This is for raping Ella!” he snarled before driving another hard right into Steve’s gut. Steve dropped to the ground with a groan. Levi reached down and hauled Steve back to his feet. “This is for still fucking with her,” he growled before launching a left into Steve’s stomach. Steve stumbled back and fell before rolling onto his side into the fetal position, his arms tight around his stomach. He was clearly done, but Levi wasn’t. He rolled Steve to his back and knelt over him. Steve held up his hands, trying to block, but his movements were frantic and uncoordinated.

“Levi! No! He’s had enough!” I screamed, afraid Levi was going to kill him.

“And this is for lying about her for all these years,” he snarled before driving another right into Steve’s face.

“Levi!” I shrieked, hurrying toward him to prevent him from beating Steve to death.

Levi was starting to stand as I arrived. I grabbed his arm and pulled him away before he could hit Steve again. Steve rolled over and got to his hands and knees, blood pouring from his shattered nose and lips, clear he wanted no more of Levi. Levi shook me off, took the two steps to Steve, put his boot in his opponent’s side, and shoved him back to the ground.

“Stay down,” he growled.

Steve held up a hand in surrender and rolled over to sit in the ditch, wiping his face. Both men were covered in mud, beer, and blood, but Steve was clearly the worse off of the two.

Levi shook his right hand and flexed it as he grimaced in pain. “Stay away from Ella and Abby, or the next time I’ll kill you,” he snarled. He glared at Steve for a long moment before he turned to me. “Better call the police.”

I’d called Mom as soon as I hung up with the police. The police beat Mom and Dad here, but not by much. Dad must have put his foot down on his Chevy to get here so quickly. While Mom and Dad stayed inside in case Abby woke up, the police questioned all three of us, and Steve was facing assault and battery charges. He was sitting on the bumper of the ambulance as the paramedic patched him up. The medic recommended taking him to the hospital, in Abilene, but Steve had waved them off. Word was going to be all over town that Levi had kicked the shit out of him, and he probably didn’t want it said that Levi had put him in the hospital.

“You don’t want to press charges?” Officer Jordan Keno asked Levi for the second time.

“No, so long as he stays away from Ella and Abby.”

Officer Keno looked at me. “Do you want to issue a restraining order against him?”

I wanted to, oh how I wanted to, but I trusted Levi, and he suggested that I not. “No. Not unless he keeps harassing me.”

Keno nodded and glanced at Steve. Keno had joined the Hamlinton PD after Levi left for the Air Force, but Levi was a McCormick and everyone knew them. “You must have a punch like a gorilla,” he said with a smile.

“That has been a long time coming,” Levi said, glancing at the ambulance. “I tried to ignore him, and then I warned him, but Steve isn’t the brightest crayon in the box.”

Keno nodded. “While this was clearly self-defense, officially I have to warn you about taking the law into your own hands. You should have contacted the Hamlinton PD and allowed us to deal with him. Judging by his face, you probably won’t have any more trouble out of him, but if you do, contact us and let us handle it.”

“Unofficially?” Levi asked.

“Make sure you don’t kill him.” Keno grinned. “The paperwork is a bitch.”

I smiled as Levi chuckled. “Understood. Hopefully this is the end of it.”

“How’s your back and arm? You sure you don’t want the paramedic to check you out?”

Levi whirled his arm and twisted his back. I could tell he was in pain, but nothing was broken. “No, I’ll be okay in a couple of days.”

“I think I’m done here. I’ll have a little chat with your buddy over there and explain to him how the only reason this isn’t going bad for him is because you’re choosing not to make it bad for him. If he has more than two brain cells to rub together, he’ll get the message.”

Levi nodded. “Thank you, Officer.”

Keno nodded at us. “Mr. McCormick. Ms. Johnson,” he said before he turned and made his way toward the idling ambulance.

Mom and Dad were watching through the window as we approached. Levi was still a mess, and he smelled like a brewery. He was going to need a bath before he climbed in my bed.

“Everything okay?” Mom asked as we stepped into the trailer.

“Yeah.”

“Is he going to jail?”

“No,” Levi said.

“Why not?” Dad asked.

“Because we didn’t press charges,” I said.

“Why not?” Mom asked.

“Because I didn’t want to give him anything to complain about, and I wanted him to owe me one. I kicked his ass, and if he’s smart, that’s where it’ll end,” Levi explained.

Dad nodded, his lips pursing in understanding. “You showed him you were tired of his shit, and now you’re willing to let it go.”

Levi nodded. Mom and I looked at each other and I rolled my eyes. Men were strange creatures sometimes.

“You’re not hurt, are you?” Mom asked. “You look the mess, and you stink of beer.”

“Yeah, I know. I’m a little sore where he hit me with the bottle, but I’ll be okay.”

Mom’s lips thinned. “I hope this ends it.”

I nodded in agreement. “I hope so too. Is Abby still asleep?”

“Yeah. I closed her door so the flashing lights wouldn’t wake her,” Mom said. “You want to come home with us?” She looked at Levi. “You’re welcome too, of course.”

I shook my head. “Thanks, but no. Steve’s not going to try anything else tonight, Levi made sure of that.”

“Then we’re going to go,” Dad said. “Thank you again for taking care of Ella,” he said, taking Levi’s hand and shaking it, adding a slap on the shoulder. I saw Levi wince, but he didn’t say anything.

“I’d give you a hug, but…” Mom said with a smile.

Levi chuckled. “I completely understand. I’m hopping in the shower as soon as you’re gone.” As soon as they were out the door, Levi sagged. “Shit,” he murmured.

I felt a surge of panic. “Levi? What’s wrong?”

“My back where Steve hit me with the bottle hurts like a bitch! I’m starting to stiffen up.”

“Why didn’t say something, or let the paramedic take a look at you?”

“Nothing anyone can do. Nothing’s broken, it just hurts.”

I clenched my jaw in annoyance. “And you had to be the tough guy. Men!” I mocked. “Let me see.” I helped him get his shirt off, hissing in sympathy at the nasty bruise already forming. Not only did he have the bruise on his shoulder and back, he also had several scratches and abrasions from where Steve was clawing at him. Steve may have gotten the shit kicked out of him, but Levi hadn’t gotten off scot-free. He was clearly feeling it, and he was probably going to be sore as hell tomorrow.

He went to the bathroom and started the shower. I joined him as he undressed, helping him get his pants down so he didn’t have to bend too much, which apparently hurt. Like his shirt, they were a cold, wet, muddy mess. Undressed, he stepped into the tub, and after a moment’s thought, I began to undress as well. I’d been itching to shower with him, and while this wasn’t what I had in mind, I was feeling incredibly close to him right now. I pulled the curtain back and stepped in. He was standing with the water running over his back. I stepped in close and gave him a lingering kiss.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

“For what?”

“For protecting me, standing up for me, for…being here.”

“I’ll always be here for you.”

I lay my head against his chest. “I know.”

We stood under the water for a moment before I washed him as gently as I could. As I washed him, he surprised me by getting an erection, and an impressive one too. I’d always heard that sex masked pain, and I considered taking him into my mouth, but as I began to kiss lower, he pulled me back up and into his arms.

We stood under the water until it began to cool. After a long, slow kiss, he released me and turned the water off before we stepped out of the shower. I dried him first, shivering with the cold, before drying myself. I was still shivering as we moved to the bedroom and crawled into bed, one of us much slower and more gingerly than the other.

He hissed, sucking air in between clenched teeth as he slowly settled back on the bed. I kept my distance, my eyes brimming with tears, tears he couldn’t see in the darkness. After a moment, I sensed the tension slowly leaving his body.

“That’s better,” he sighed and beckoned to me.

As carefully as I could I snuggled in. He hissed once, but when I tried to move away, he held me in place until I relaxed. I kissed him on the chest. The bed was cold, but he was warming me nicely.

“You think it’s over?” I whispered.

“I hope.”

“Me too.”

I lay still, listening to the thudding of his heart, the heart he’d given to me. I smiled and kissed his chest again. He kissed me on the head. I wanted to taste his lips, but I was afraid to move, afraid I’d hurt him again. I didn’t move, content to lay in his arms for as long as he’d hold me. There would be plenty of opportunities to kiss him in the future.

With a sigh of profound contentment, I closed my eyes and dreamed of what could be until the darkness of sleep took me.