The day flies by and before I know it, it's time to go home. After leaving work, I go by the grocery store and grab some food and head to our place. Jett promised he’d pick up Ella from preschool. I know he wants more time with her. Time he feels the need to make up. Time he feels was lost.

I'm sitting on the couch when a thud on the door startles me. I go to check and there's nothing there. Pulling out my phone to call Jett, I hear his truck outside. Drawing in a huge sigh of relief, I open the door to meet him, but it's not Jett. It's Ty.

“Well hello, Cami,” he says with a cruel smile. “I came here to see that asshole who stole you from me, but this is so much better!” he says, backing me into a corner. “You’re alone.”

“Ty, you need to leave. You are not welcome here. And just so you know, I didn't leave you because of anyone. You are the one who is at fault. I loved you, I did. I would still be with you if you hadn't decided it would be a good idea to screw around with my cousin! Oh, and don't even get me started about this!” I say, pointing to the scar running down my face.

“Oh so little girl is a bad ass now?” he asks, his voice dripping with anger.

I stand up a little taller and talk to him to distract him, so I can get the 9mm still occupying my waistband. “You know, Ty, you're weak. I know what you are! A predator. Preying on young girls like me so you can overpower them, break them. Well, I'm not fucking broken anymore and I'm not about to let you intimidate me again!” I growl.

Without warning, he swings at me. His hand makes contact with my face and I'm pushed against the wall. “I like this feisty bitch side of you, Cami. I bet you're a beast in the sack with this kind of fire in you!” he says, grabbing my breasts.

“Fuck you, Ty!” I say as adrenaline rushes through me. I push him back and pull out the gun, aiming at his heart.

“Oh, big bad Cami has a gun. So fucking shoot me!” he screams, putting the barrel between his eyes. I stand there trembling with anger, not fear. He holds the barrel up to his face. “Do it, Cami. Show me how bad you are now.”

I lower the gun. I’m not going to kill him. He takes this as a sign of weakness. “I knew you didn't have it in you to shoot me,” he says, coming in closer.

Quickly, I shove him. Aiming down, I squeeze the trigger and shoot him in the knee. “Fucking bitch, you… fucking… bitch! You fucking shot me!” he screams between gasps. He’s hurting bad. Good, I think to myself.

I reach in my back pocket for my phone and call 911, never taking my eyes of him as he writhes in pain on the floor. The police get there only moments before Jett.

“Cami! What the hell happened?” he asks, looking me over.

“I’m ok,” I insist. “My face is red and swollen where he hit me, but I shot him in the knee,” I say, trembling. “I'm shaken up and a little dizzy, but I'm ok. Ella locked herself in your bedroom.”

“Fuck!” He immediately begins dialing on his phone. “He came here, where were you? Shit! Fine. No, I’ll handle it.” He pauses, hangs up the call and looks back at me. “You should have shot his sorry ass in the balls.”

“What?”

“The balls. You should have shot him there.”

“Jett…”

He stops me with a kiss. “I'm sorry I wasn't here! I'm so damn sorry,” he repeats, hugging me to him. “Everything is going to be ok now.” I nod and kiss him.

About that time, an officer clears his throat. “Miss Garrett, we need to take your statement,” he says, clearly uncomfortable at breaking up our moment.

“Yes sir. I'll be right back, will you go comfort Ella?” I squeeze Jett's hand.

After the police are done with me, I go back to where Jett is, Ella clinging to him tightly. “Well, it looks like Ty will be going away for a while and no amount of money can get him out,” I say with a smile.

“What happened,” Jett asks, walking us towards his car.

“Let's just say everything finally caught up with him,” I reply, sliding Ella into the backseat. I walk around to the passenger side and get in. He laughs, gets in the driver's side, and cranks up the car.

“So I guess we’re going to your place,” he says.

I nod. “First I need to go pick up Ella’s belongings from Aunt Suzanne.”

The car ride is strangely awkward as everything plays over and over in my mind. “That could have been tragic,” I whisper, breaking the silence.

Jett just looks over at me, the look on his face strained. “But it wasn't. You did what you had to do to protect yourself and Ella. You're a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for.”

“I know what you're saying, but in my head, I keep replaying what happened.” He nods and sighs deeply, reaching over to take my hand.

“Ella? You ok back there? I don't think I've ever known you to be so quiet.” Ella smiles a half smile at Jett and nods her head.

“Mama, why is my daddy such a bad man?”

“Sweetheart, Ty is not a bad man. He just has made seriously bad decisions.”

“But I think he's bad. He tried to hurt us again. Last time he did hurt you. I don't want him to be my daddy.”

“Ella, that’s something I’ll need to talk to you about later, ok, baby? But for now there isn't anything we can do to change that.”

“Yes there is, you can marry Jett and he can be my daddy. Jett? Will you be my daddy?”

“Ella, I would love to be your daddy, but you have to talk to Mama about that. In the meantime, you can call me Daddy, if you'd like.”

“See Mama, I told you.”

I can't help but smile knowing that Jett is Ella’s father and now she wants to call him dad.

Aunt Suzanne rushes at us as we pull up. “Oh my God… oh my God… y’all are ok.” She pulls me into her embrace and her tear-soaked cheek nuzzles against mine. “Ella,” she says, pulling her in as well.

“We're ok, Aunt Suzanne. We're ok.”

I know we are, the three of us. We will be.