Every Moment with You (Redeeming Love #1)

by J.E. Parker

“What just happened?” I whispered more to myself than anyone else. Grandmama’s eyes tracked Daddy’s retreating form down the driveway. “Your father showed his ass. That’s what just happened.”

Hendrix still didn’t speak. Squeezing his hand tight, I looked up at him. “You okay?” He nodded once before looking down and locking eyes with me. “You know everything he just said is bullshit, right?” “I do.”

Hendrix grasped both of my wrists in his hands and pressed my palms against his chest. “Maddie, look at me.” I did. “I swear to you I won’t ever turn out like him.” By him he meant Pop. Again, I nodded. “I know, handsome.” “I won’t…” He trailed off before swallowing. “I won’t ever drink as he does.” I placed a kiss aga...

“That’s where you’re wrong. I do need to tell you.” Grandmama was silent, but I could feel her eyes on us. “Three things. First, I swear I won’t drink.” He exhaled. “Second, I swear I’ll never raise my hand to you in anger.” Grandmama cursed under her breath. “Better not or else I’ll pump you full of buckshot.” I grinned, but Hendrix’s serious face didn’t waver. “A...

I won’t drink. I won’t hit you. I won’t leave. I believed him. I believed every word. Smiling, I said, “And I promise to be ...

Hendrix leaned in and pressed his lips to mine. Daddy honked the truck’s horn, and he pulled away with a growl. “Jackass,” ...

He honked again, and Grandmama walked to the edge of the porch. “Listen to me, Keith Edward Davis.” She waved a fisted hand in the air. “I brought your rear end into this world, and I’ll sure as hell tak...

“I’m gonna miss the hell out of you.” I wanted to smile but couldn’t. “I’ll be home before you know it.” He shook his head. “If you think I’m waiting until Thanksgiving to hold you in my arms again, you’ve lost your damn mind.” His calloused thumbs caressed my face. “First weekend I have off from work, I’ll be there.” Once again, tears fell from my eyes. “Promise?” “I swear it.”

I turned around and locked eyes with Grandmama. Hands twisted in her favorite pale-yellow apron, she said, “Don’t even think of leaving without giving me some sugar.”

“I’m gonna miss you, Grandmama.” She held me tighter. “I sure am gonna miss you too, sweetheart.” She sniffled. “It won’t be the same around here without your stubborn self.”

My entire frame shook. Leaving Grandmama hurt almost as bad as leaving Hendrix. “I’ll be back for Thanksgiving.” Squeezing me one last time, Grandmama dropped her arms and pulled back. Looking me in the eyes, she gave me a stern look. “You better be. If not, I’ll drive to Nashville myself and take a switch to your behind.”

A tear slipped from my eye as I smiled. “Fine. Just be sure and bake a sweet potato pie just for me. You know how Daddy is. He can eat one all by himself.” Grandmama sneered. “That turd will be lucky if I forgive him by then. I have a notion to bake him a chocolate cake full of ex-lax.” “Grandmama,” I said with a chuckle, “please don’t do that.” She smile...

“I need you to do something for me.” She raised a brow. “Anything, sweetheart. You know that.” Speaking low so only she could hear me, I whispered, “Please take care of Hendrix. I…” I blew out a breath. “Just take care of him. I’m worried…”

Grandmama ran her hands up and down my upper arms. “Don’t worry about a thing, Maddie. Your ol’ Grandmama will take care of him.” Of that, I had no doubt. Grandmama could be meaner than a honey badger, but when she said she’d do something—she would. Unlike a lot of people, she didn’t make false promises.

“Go on and get out of here before your Daddy drags his behind back up here and ...

“See you later, Grandmama.” “I expect you to be washed up and sitting at my supper table at six o’clock sharp, Hendrix.” “Yes, ma’am.”

“I’ll call you when I get checked into my dorm. Love you.” “Love you too, sweetheart. More than all the stars in the sky.”

Don’t pass out. For the love of everything holy, please don’t pass out.

It wasn’t over between these two. I knew that for a fact. Just the thought made me sick to my stomach. Daddy drove me crazy but he and Hendrix were my guys… They were the most important men in my life and I didn’t know if I could handle them constantly being at each other’s throats. They had to find a way to deal with each other.

“The part where I promised to spend every moment of the rest of my life with you. Just as soon as you get back, we can start working on forever. Just you and me.”

With my heart in my stomach, I looked over my shoulder one last time. There, standing in the middle of the street, was Hendrix, his fist still clutched to his chest, watching us go. It was an image that would haunt me every day for the next six years.

I was so confused. Tilting my head, I narrowed my eyes. “You feeling alright, Pop?” He leaned against the door frame. “Yeah, why?” ’Cause you’re acting… nice. It was something that hadn’t happened—not once—in my entire life. I didn’t know what it was, but something wasn’t right.

A week after Maddie left I found out I’d been accepted into the East Georgia Fire Academy. Two weeks after that I started training five days a week over in Garrison, the county next to ours. If I completed the program, which I would, then I was guaranteed a job at one of the fire stations in either Kissler, Garrison or Toluca County.

Maddie’s asshole of a dad worked at the biggest station in Kissler. I didn’t want to go there for obvious reasons. Pop worked at Station 24 in Toluca, and I didn’t want to go there either. I was hoping I could get hired at one of the three stations in Garrison. It was close by, the schools were good, and the cost of living was low. It was the perfect place to raise a family.

“You okay? I heard Pop in the background but couldn’t make out what he was saying. What did he want? Did he hit you? Did he threaten to hurt you? Want me to come kick him in the knee?”

Still staring at my bedroom door, I replied, “Maddie, baby, I’m pretty sure Hell just froze over.” My mind went into free fall.

I looked Petrov dead in the eyes and said, “One fight. That’s it. After that, I never want to see your face again.” Pop, being the coward that he was, stood silently behind me. Petrov nodded. “I’ll be in contact.” He leaned back and crossed his arms over his round belly. “I don’t doubt that one bit.”

“After all, that’s why she hates me, isn’t it? Cause she knows I was rough on you?” Rough on me? He had to be kidding. Was he that stupid or just plain delusional?

“You’re shitting me, right? What you did to me wasn’t being rough, Pop.” Anger simmered beneath my skin. “That was abuse.” It was the first time I’d ever spoken that word. It was also the first time I’d ever confronted Pop about it. “You’re right.” My head snapped back in surprise at his response.

“I hope you’re happy, Pop.” He clawed at the floor as he tried to push himself up. “You just cost me everything.” He didn’t acknowledge me in any way. Shaking my head, I hit him with a parting shot. “I hope it hurts, Pop, you worthless asshole.” I walked out the door without looking back.

Without Maddie, my life wasn’t worth living. I hadn’t been lying all those years ago when I told her she was my entire heart. She was. Without her, I wouldn’t exist.

Maddie was my entire life. She was my heart. My soul. She was the very air I breathed.

The liquor burned as it slid down my throat. Rum. Not Jack. I’d had enough Jack to last me a lifetime, and I’d never even tasted it. Thanks for that, Pop.

I hated fitted sheets. Hated them. At twenty-four years old, I still hadn’t figured out how to fold the dang things.

“Not a problem. I’ll figure it out.” And by figure it out I meant that I was about to forge intake forms and break half a dozen fire codes since this would push us over capacity. To hell with it. Let them fire me. Let them arrest me.

“Oh no.” She dipped her head forward before jerking it back up. “Please tell me the boys didn’t see it happen.” One look at my face and she already knew the answer to her question. “Gosh dang it.” She smacked the metal linen rack beside her with her palm. “That son of a bitch. That. Son. Of. A. Frickin’. Bitch.” I swallowed around the lump in my throat. “The oldest boy… he was the one to call 911.” Shelby’s eyes widened in horror. “Oh, Jesus.”

Day after day, week after week, it was the same thing. Battered women. Abused children. One after another, they walked through the shelter’s door covered in fresh bruises and sporting mangled limbs, seeking solace and safety. Looking for someone to help them.

That someone was me. It was also Shelby, a girl who’d experienced more than her share of demons, and the dozen other shelter employees who worked with little pay to save the forgotten.

To protect the broken. Just like I should hav...

“The first intake is a woman, named Clara O’Bannon. She’s twenty-three and has two sons, both of whom will arrive with her. Liam is the oldest. He’s five. And Declan, the littlest guy, is four.”

The shelter’s head of security, ex-marine, and all around badass, Evan Morgan, crossed his arms over his wide chest. The thin cotton of his shirt strained against the broad muscles. “What happened?” I looked up, my eyes meeting his. “I don’t know much except that it was her husband who did it.” He opened his mouth to speak again, but I already knew what he would ask. “Wrist, collarbone, and arm are all broken. She also has visible lacerations on her face.”

“Granny Ethel, tonight two little boys watched their daddy beat their mama half to death. The oldest, Liam, was the one to call 911 to get his mama some help. He more than likely saved her life.” Tears glistened in her eyes as her mouth twisted in sorrow. “I bet our little hero would love some of your homemade sugar cookies. Don’t you?”

Crossing into the main room of the shelter, I plastered a fake smile on my face. Over ninety women and children were watching us as we made our way to the steel door that led to the outside intake area. Normally, we weren’t this packed, but over the last few weeks, we’d had intake after intake come in. In fact, I’d had to turn away multiple people due to lack of space. Every time I was forced to say no it sent me spiraling. Depression. Anxiety. I suffered from both.

Shaggy, black hair. Chocolate-brown eyes. Dimples. A small scar marring the right side of his cheek. It was like looking at a younger version of… Oh, God. My head grew light, and my heartbeat slowed. I was going to pass out.

I didn’t understand what I was reading. How did she… I mean… “How has Clara survived this long?” Fractures. Concussions. Burns. A stab wound? “How the hell is her husband not in prison for attempted murder?”

Walking to the front of the station, I spotted Kyle sitting out front, smoking. “Shit’s gonna kill you, man,” I said, walking past him. He grunted. “That’s the plan.” I stopped, turned around, and smacked him upside the head. “Cut that out. You’re one of three people on Earth I like. You can’t die. Not to mention, if you croak, who the hell will drag my drunk ass home from the bar?”

To this day, Maddie Davis still owned that shit. Lock, stock, and barrel.

“You want me to tell you where Maddie is?” Grinding my back teeth together, I growled. “Yes.” She stepped back and clasped her hands together in front of her. “Then you quit drinking and go to AA meetings.”

“You go to the meetings and stay sober for thirty days, and then I’ll tell you where she is.”

Now—” she paused and ran her hands down the front of her floral dress, smoothing out the fabric “—are you going to step up and be the man I know you can be? Or are you going to stay on this path of destruction until you turn into your father?” I squared my shoulders, tightened my fists, and set my jaw. “I’m not going to turn into my pop.” Grandmama didn’t look convinced. “If you don’t do something sooner rather than later, you sure will.”