Carolyn and I stepped out of the car. The cops allowed me to call Bláithín so she wouldn’t worry, but they kept Carolyn and I for more than a fucking hour as they asked questions. I couldn’t understand why what we were saying was so hard to understand. They had the three crashed motorcycles, the tire iron the guy was using on my car, not to mention my car looked like it had been in war zone. Granted, I hadn’t done myself any favors by causing those two guys to rear end us right in front of the cop, but I pled fear, rather than the real reason of having an opportunity to make sure some of them didn’t get away. I think the cop knew it too, but he couldn’t very well call me a liar, and finding the tire iron with paint from my car on it helped my case a lot.

It was nearly seven when we tromped into the house, tired, hungry, and stressed out. The Volvo dealer was going to love me. I hadn’t had my car back two weeks and it was beat to shit again, even worse than the first time.

“Oh my God, are you okay?” Bláithín asked as she hurried into the kitchen.

“Tired and hungry is all.”

She started pulling food from the refrigerator, but I waved her off. It wasn’t her job to take care of me and Carolyn. “I’ve got it.”

“Dad?” Bailey asked softly.

I crouched down. “I’m okay.”

He came to me and gave me a hug. “Bláithín said the same thing that happened to us happened to you and Ms. Carolyn.”

I nodded. “It did.”

“Were you scared?”

“A little.” I had been. Not for myself but for Carolyn.

“But you were brave?”

“Yeah, like you were.”

“I’m glad you’re okay.”

“I’m fine.”

He went to Carolyn and hugged her. “I’m glad you’re okay too.”

Her face crumbled, her lips thinning, and she looked like she might cry. She was a soft touch for Bailey. “I’m fine, Bailey.”

He stayed close as I heated leftovers. He was such a happy go lucky kid before, but a lot of that had disappeared in the last few days, and no wonder.

After dinner, I sat with Bailey in his room and we talked. He was fascinated with how I could be scared and still do what I had to in order to protect Carolyn. He was having a hard time grasping the concept that being afraid was normal, and he felt like he’d let everyone down by being afraid. So many of the movies and television shows made it look like the heroes had no fear, no matter the danger they were in.

“So, it’s okay to be afraid as long as you do what you have to?”

“That’s right,” I said with a nod. “Like when you were on the phone with me. You were afraid then, but you kept right on telling me what was happening, right?”

“Yeah,” he said slowly.

“See? You can do it too.”

“Yeah, but the men weren’t there anymore.”

“Doesn’t matter. You were still afraid. Bláithín too, but she kept right on driving, right? She was afraid, but she knew she couldn’t stop, so she kept going.”

“I guess I understand.”

“Remember, fear is a good thing. Without fear, you’d do stupid stuff, right? Like playing on the freeway.”

He giggled. “That would be pretty stupid.”

“Why?”

“Because you could get run over.”

“Right. You’re afraid you’d get run over. So, see, fear helps you make the right decisions. There’s an old saying, ‘There are old pilots and bold pilots, but very few old, bold, pilots.’ Do you know what that means?” He shook his head. “It means the pilots that are bold, another way of saying they’re not afraid, make bad decisions and end up killing themselves. The pilots who are afraid to do stupid stuff live a long time. Makes sense?” He nodded. “Okay. Ready for bed?”

“Yeah. Can Ms. Carolyn give me a hug and kiss good night too?”

“I bet she’d like that.” I kissed him on the forehead. “I’ll ask her.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

“You’re welcome.”

I found Bláithín and Carolyn comparing notes on their experiences while sharing a cup of tea. “Carolyn, someone would like a good night kiss. Besides me, I mean.”

“Really?” she asked, her lips flickering into a smile.

“Really.”

She disappeared for a long moment. She didn’t say anything when she returned, but I could tell she was pleased and touched by the request. She returned to her place at the table and wrapped her hands around the mug. She and Bláithín shared a cup most nights, and she was drinking it like Bláithín, a black breakfast tea with milk. They seemed reluctant to talk with me hovering, so I left them, retiring to my bedroom to read.

An hour or so later, Carolyn appeared. She looked tired, her shoulders slumped and her walk without its normal bouncy exuberance. “You okay?” I asked.

“Just tired. It’s been a busy day.”

“You’re telling me,” I said, setting my tablet on the nightstand and patting the bed beside me. She crawled onto the bed and I snuggled up to her. “It’s going to be okay. I talked to a couple of different security firms today. They’re going to work up a proposal for me. We should have protection starting sometime in the next day or two.”

She nodded. “I hope I’m right and it’s not the Ravens.”

“Why are you worrying about them?”

“It’s not them I’m worried about. It’s you. You, Bailey and Bláithín. You don’t know these men like I do. I don’t think you understand that they just don’t give a shit. They’ll never stop coming at you. I don’t know for sure, but there are whispers they’re not above killing people. I don’t want to have to worry about something like that happening to any of you.”

“Or you,” I whispered as I kissed her on the shoulder.

“Yeah, that too.” I could hear the smile in her voice.

We snuggled for time, holding each other while whispering of our love. “Ready for bed?” I asked.

“I could go to sleep right now.”

“Yeah, me too. Come on, get up,” I said, giving her a playful swat on the ass before rolling out of bed.

We prepared for slumber and tumbled back into bed. I was going to snuggle up to her back, but she pushed me away from her and nestled into my side as I draped my arm comfortably around her back.

“Love you,” I whispered.

She kissed my chest. “I love you too.”

We were still and quiet as we began to coast into sleep, her deep, soft breathing soothing my jangled nerves.

I don’t know if I’d gone to sleep, or how long I slept, but the sound of shattering glass jerked me awake. I was lethargic and slow to react, shoving Carolyn away and tumbling out of bed as someone crawled through the window.

“What the fuck are you doing! Get out of here!” I roared as I rounded the bed. “Carolyn, call the cops!”

“Uh, uh, uh,” the shadowy figure growled after he fell through the window and rolled to his side, pointing something at me in the gloom. I froze, raising my hands slowly as I stepped between the intruder and Carolyn.

“Call the cops,” I hissed.

“You do, and I’ll blow your fucking head off,” the man growled as he stood, dropping the wooden baseball bat to the floor.

“Rock,” Carolyn gasped.

“Away from the phone!” Rock sneered, flicking his gun side to side to emphasize his order. She moved to the center of the bed, pulling the sheet up in front of her. “I want my fucking money!”

“Take it,” I said. “I have a few hundred in my wallet. Take it and go.”

“Not that, you stupid fuck! I want the fifty million!”

I swallowed hard. “I don’t have that here.”

“Where’s your safe?”

“I don’t have a safe.”

“You’re lying!” Rock bellowed, thrusting his weapon at me.

I flinched, steeling myself for the searing pain of a bullet entering me, but he didn’t shoot. “I’m not lying. I have a safe box at the bank.”

“I want my fucking money,” he growled.

“You’ll get it,” I said, willing to say anything.

“Where’s your kid?”

“Gone.”

“What do you mean, gone?”

“I mean he’s not here. After what you did today, I sent him and Bláithín away until this was over.”

He glared at me. “Other side of the room.”

I slow began to step back, my eyes locked on the weapon in his hand, my hands at ear level. I thought furiously, trying to determine a way out. There was too much distance between us to consider rushing him. He’d gun me down before I reached him. He followed me as I backed around the end of the bed.

“I’m taking her,” he snarled, reaching out to grab Carolyn’s hand and drag her off the bed.

“Yes,” she purred. “We can take this fucker for—”

“Shut up, bitch! You’re not fooling anyone,” Rock snarled, pulling her into his chest and wrapping his hand around her throat. “Fifty million, tomorrow!” Rock snarled as Carolyn’s eyes rolled in fear and she grasped the hand at her neck.

“I’ll get it, but I need more time!”

“Don’t bullshit me!”

“No bullshit! It’s not like I can go to the bank and write a check for that amount! Please! I’ll get it! Just don’t hurt her!” I begged. I took a step toward him, my hands out in pleading. “I’ll get it, I swear! Give me a couple of days and I’ll get it!” I took another step. “Just don’t hurt her. Please.” Another step. “I’ll do anything you want.”

It happened so fast it almost didn’t register. Carolyn stomped on Rock’s foot, and as he flinched, she pulled his hand from her neck into her mouth and bit down hard. Rock bellowed in pain, reeling back in reflex. I wasn’t a fighter, and I’d never been in a fight in my life, but as the gun swung away, a rage like I’d never experienced before roared through me. I didn’t care that I’d never been in a fight, I didn’t care he had a gun, I didn’t care I was standing there with my cock hanging out, I didn’t care about anything except I had an opportunity to rip his fucking throat out with my teeth for threatening Bailey, for hurting Carolyn, for breaking into my house, for putting his fucking hands on her again.

Rock was big guy with a broad chest and muscular arms, but he was going soft. I covered the three steps between, building speed with every step. I never slowed as I hit him, wrapping my arms around him, picking him up with an animal scream of hate and rage. My legs pistoning, I carried him five more steps, driving him into the wall as hard as I could, shattering the sheetrock with our impact. I barely felt it.

I grabbed the gun and tried to twist it way, but Rock wasn’t out of the fight yet. He squeezed the trigger and I heard the sizzle as the bullet whizzed past my ear, the report of the gun deafening in the room. Because my hands were on the weapon, it couldn’t cycle properly and jammed.

Having him fire his weapon enraged me even more. I was in in mortal combat, and I knew it. I was blind with rage. I released the gun with my right hand, drew it back, and threw the hardest punch I could straight into Rock’s face. His nose exploded with blood as his head snapped back and bounced off the wall. He tried to muscle his way out, but I shoved him back, drew my fist back, and delivered another full power shot to the face. He wobbled, my blows taking their toll.

Rock realized he had to get out of there, and as I was drawing my fist back to hit him again, he bellowed like a bull as he powered out. I tried to shove him back and maintain my advantage, but my stance was for punching, not holding, and he quickly had me off balance. I back pedaled with him while wrapping him in my arms to hold him. We fell into the nightstand, knocking over and breaking the lamp as we crashed over the bed, rolled, and fell to the floor on the other side. He landed on me, knocking the air out of me.

“I’m going to fucking kill you!” he snarled as he drew his fist back.

By instinct I grabbed the arm and dodged. I couldn’t stop the blow, but it missed, and he drove his fist into the floor. He howled in pain as I kicked out, arching my back and dumping him off of me. Now I was on top. Before I could load up and hit him, he grabbed my throat, his arms bulging as he strained. I hit him once, twice, a third time, but he hung on. I grabbed his throat, my teeth bared as we kicked and squirmed. I managed to break his choke long enough to grab a breath, and he twisted away. I was trying to scramble to my feet when he hit me on the cheek. I staggered back, my vision swimming for a moment. He hit me again, a crushing blow to my stomach that made me woof out air. I was hurt, but the pain only fueled my rage.

With a scream more animal than human, I charged. He hit me again, but it couldn’t slow me, and I plowed into him. We dropped to the floor again. We grunted and strained as we squirmed, kicking and kneeing each other, our arms twisted and bound. We’d locked each other in a contest of strength and pain endurance, our muscles bulging, our skin slick with sweat as we strained with every fiber of our being to destroy our adversary. I bellowed as Rock tried to dislocate my arm, but I saw an opening and slammed my knee down on his crotch as hard as I could.

He screamed and I was able to break his hold. I threw him away from me, scrambled to my feet, turned, and kicked him as hard as I could in the ribs. He roared in pain, doubling over before trying to crawl away and get to his feet, but he was hurt, hurt badly. I kicked him again, in the stomach this time, kicked him so hard it felt like I broke my foot. I didn’t care. He fell back to the floor with a grunt and slowly tried to rise again. Another kick, this one to the face, and he was still.

I staggered back, my vision wavering. I looked around for Carolyn. The room was a wreck, but I spotted her hiding in a corner, slightly bent at the waist, her hands at her face. I wanted to go to her, but I was ending this. I stumbled around the bed and picked up the gun. I yanked the slide back to clear the jam and started around the bed again.

“No!” Carolyn screamed, charging out of the corner and grabbing my hand as I pointed the gun at Rock. “You’re not a murderer!”

I stood there, breathing hard. The rage was fading, and the pain was starting. I stared at him a moment as rational side of my brain fought the animal side, finally taking control again.

“No,” I growled.

I ejected the magazine, cycled the gun to eject the shell, and threw the weapon onto the bed. Rock groaned and began to stir. My eyes narrowed as I rounded be the bed again, picked up the bat he’d used to break the window and returned to where Rock was getting to his feet.

I twirled the bat once, set, and swung for the fences. I heard the snap of his arm through the thud of wood again meat, and Rock shrieked as he grabbed his arm and fell to his knees. I wound up again, considering crushing his skull, but I lowered the bat. I bounced the bat off his head to get his attention. I’m sure it hurt, but nothing like his arm did.

“Down on the floor. If you so much as move, I’ll cave your skull in,” I growled. Rock did as I ordered. I stood over him, glaring down at my vanquished foe. “I warned you, you stupid fuck.” I felt powerful, invincible, like I could take on the entire Ravens Motorcycle Club singlehandedly…except fuck did I hurt.

“Call the cops,” I ordered Carolyn as I continued to glare at Rock.

“Yes! I’d like to report a break in at 1022 Cavendish Drive.” She paused and looked at me, her eyes wide. “They are? Who called you?” There was another pause, and I could hear the faraway wail of sirens. “Okay, thank you.”

“They’ll be here in two minutes. I better get dressed.”

“Who called them?”

“Bláithín.”

“Get dressed and go find her and Bailey.”

Carolyn threw on some clothes and hurried from the room. I put the bat against Rock’s throat and pressed down. He grabbed the bat with his working arm, holding it, but his eyes were full of fear.

“You threaten my family again and I’ll kill you, understand?”

He nodded. I kept the pressure on a moment more before pulling the bat away. The sirens were close, and I hoped Carolyn got back in time for me to dress so they wouldn’t see me like this. I looked like something out of horror movie, standing there, naked, covered in blood, but there was no way I was turning my back on this asshole. He’d caused enough trouble, and he wasn’t causing anymore.