“I’m tired of this shit,” I explain to her. “I want it resolved.”
My attorney answers on the second ring. He gave me his personal cell number after I had a hard time reaching him that first time Lida showed up at my house. He wasn’t about to lose me as a client and is as solicitous to my needs as they come.
“Jim,” I say with a coarse bite to my voice. “Lida approached Pepper and assaulted her.”
“What?” he exclaims over the speaker phone.
“He grabbed her. Cut and bruised her arm. Tried to get her to intervene with me so she could see Charlie.”
“That’s criminally actionable,” he tells me.
“I figured,” I reply as I carefully navigate the start of rush-hour traffic in Boston. “I want you to facilitate pressing criminal charges on behalf of Pepper. She’s here in Boston with me for the weekend, but she can give a statement over the phone or in person on Monday when she’s back in town.”
“No,” Pepper blurts out. My head turns toward her for a brief, questioning glance. “She grabbed my arm. That’s not something I want her arrested for.”
“It’s assault by definition of the law,” Jim’s voice comes through the speaker on my phone. “We can get her arrested.”
“No,” Pepper says again and there’s almost a panic in her voice.
“I know you feel sorry for her—” I say but Pepper cuts me off.
“It’s not that,” she says with a shake of her head. “It’s just…I think that will inflame the situation. I don’t think it will get her to back off; I’m afraid it would do the opposite. I think she feels desperate and desperate people do desperate things.”
My hands grip the steering wheel tight. Every instinct within me is wanting to put Lida’s ass in jail, even if it’s overnight to show her she can’t do this shit. But something in Pepper’s voice gives me definite pause.
“Look,” Jim says in a conciliatory tone. “Why don’t you two talk about it over the weekend? I’m assuming Charlie is with you and safe, so there’s no rush to do something right now. We can talk on Monday about it.”
I glance at Pepper and she gives me a quick, relieved nod.
I sigh. “Okay. That works. But I think you should call her attorney and see if he can put a leash on her or something. Explain to her that she’s digging a hole for herself.”
“I’ll do that,” Jim assures me. “I’ll let him know it’s imperative she back off.”
“And talk to him about her submitting for a psych eval,” I add on. It’s something we’re going to ask the judge to order at the hearing next month, but maybe if she’ll agree to it ahead of time, it could help to get things settled. It might make her see she’s got some issues that need professional help.
“I’ll do that,” Jim says. “My advice is to enjoy your weekend away and try not to think about this anymore.”
Yeah, that’s good advice that’s impossible to heed. Lida and her crazy shit is starting to dominate my entire life. Now it’s not only about protecting Charlie, but she’s threatened Pepper too and that’s unacceptable.
After I disconnect the call, I turn to Pepper and ask, “How do you feel about South America? Ever been there?”
She looks at me as if I’m crazy. “Why?”
“Because we might be moving there just to get away from Lida’s crazy ass,” I mutter.
Pepper laughs and it takes me just a second, but I start to laugh too. She reaches over, and holds her hand out palm up. I take one hand from the wheel and place it in hers.
She squeezes it and tells me, “I’m by your side. Wherever you want to go.”
And fuck…that means the world to me.Chapter 25Legend“Okay, I’m officially intimidated for the first time by dating a professional hockey player,” Pepper whispers to me as we pull up to the restaurant.
This startles me and I turn to look at her. “Why?”
“Because we’re dressed up fancy and going to meet Gray Brannon,” she says with rounded eyes. “I know I’m going to say something stupid and embarrass you.”
I stop the car in front of the valet stand and put it in “park.” I ignore the valet that opens her door and instead take her by the jaw so she focuses on me. “You have nothing to be nervous about. You are wonderful and you could never embarrass me.”
Relief wells in her eyes.
“Unless you have an extreme case of flatulence at the table, and in that instance, I’m going to have to ask you to sit in the car and wait for me until I finish eating.”
Pepper snorts and jerks her face away. “I think I can contain myself tonight.”
I take her by the jaw again, and hold her firm. Leaning in close, I tell her, “You are perfect. And we’re going to have a good time tonight.”