“Yes, please, crossing you would make me very happy.” Caleb got into his space and said, “But after I thump you, you are going to promise to never come near Emily or Krew again.”
Emily felt her gut churn. She loved Caleb coming for her, but Jeff was insane and violent. She also knew her ex-husband’s stats: six-six and three hundred and ten pounds. Caleb was probably more like six-four and two-twenty. Caleb was more defined, but they were both strong and professional athletes, and Jeff was known for fighting dirty. Jeff would probably barrel into Caleb and just sit on him and hurt him. She edged toward her phone again.
Jeff gave a dark, ugly laugh. “In your dreams, preppy boy. You have no chance against me. I play a real sport for a living.”
Caleb smiled, but his blue eyes were cold. “You know, I was going to let you have the first hit, just so you could get one in, but for that comment—” He slugged Jeff hard in the gut.
Jeff doubled over, gasping for air. Caleb brought his fist up under Jeff’s chin, and Jeff was thrown back straight and crashed against the nearby wall. The house shook, and a decorative candle tipped off the nearby table and dinged into the floor.
Caleb looked at her and grinned. “I’ll pay for all the damage.”
Emily’s jaw went slack. She forgot all about dialing the police. Caleb was easily thumping Jeff.
Jeff slouched away from the wall and gestured to Caleb. “Come on, loser lacrosse player.”
Caleb shook his head in disgust but winked at Emily. “Excuse me for a minute, love.”
Jeff growled and dove at him. Caleb dodged and used Jeff’s momentum to throw him against the wall, creating a small hole. Jeff spun to face him, swinging wildly. He managed to get in a few vicious hits.
Caleb just smiled. “Did that feel good? Get your frustrations out, man. I can take it.”
Emily would’ve laughed at his taunting if she wasn’t so terrified.
Jeff slammed his fist into Caleb’s rib cage, and Emily could’ve sworn she heard a bone crack. She cried out, “Caleb!”
“Don’t worry, love,” Caleb told her. “I’m just trying to make him feel good about himself.”
Her jaw dropped. Caleb was acting as crazy as Jeff.
Jeff roared and hit him in the cheek.
Caleb’s head snapped back, but he came back grinning. “Okay, enough playing around.” And then Caleb dove at him, shoving Jeff against the wall and slamming his fists into Jeff’s cheeks, chin, and abdomen, then rotating back through as if he were doing a boxing workout. A few more decorations were knocked to the floor. Emily grabbed her grandma’s vase off a shelf and held it to her chest to keep it safe. She watched Caleb in awe. Apparently, she’d been wrong to worry about him going up against her bigger ex. Caleb had plenty of size and an overabundance of muscle and talent.
Jeff finally put his hands to his face after one particularly hard hit to the head. “Stop!” he cried out.
Caleb did stop, but he glared up at Jeff. “Touch Emily or Krew again and I won’t stop until the cops come and drag me off of you.”
Jeff looked like he wanted to argue, but when Caleb raised a fist, Jeff grunted, “Okay, I’ll leave them alone.”
“If you go back on your word, I’ll find you.”
Jeff cast Emily one more ugly glare and snapped, “You’re both going to regret this.”
“I doubt it.” Caleb grinned as if this was the most fun he’d had in a long while.
Jeff slunk from the house like the loser he was. Caleb watched him go, and Emily was relieved to see Jeff heading in the opposite direction of Mylee’s house.
Caleb shut the door behind him and then turned to Emily. “Let me just watch my hands of this filth so I can hug you properly.”
Emily shook her head and ran at him. He caught her in his arms and held her close. She couldn’t stop trembling.
Caleb rocked her gently and whispered, “It’s okay, love. I kicked his trash. He won’t be back. It’s all over.”
Emily could hardly believe it. It was over. He’d beaten Jeff. Would Jeff really leave them alone? Could she really be with Caleb? She’d still report Jeff’s assault and go through the legal proceedings to make sure Krew was fully protected, but it felt like they’d just won their freedom from the oppressive bully.
Similar to Monday night when they’d thought they were saying their goodbyes, Caleb swept her off her feet and carried her into the living room. He sank down on the couch and held her close.
“How’d you know to come? How’d you beat him? He’s bigger than you, but oh, Caleb, you were amazing!” She kissed him long and hard, then broke away and demanded, “Please answer my questions.”