Smolder (Georgia Smoke #6)

• Fifteen •

“He can’t breathe!”

Royal

Not only was he determined to go with me, but he was also driving the Bug. If I wasn’t so stressed about him seeing my dad like this, I would laugh at the picture he made. His tall body and broad shoulders sitting behind the wheel of my Grams’s Volkswagen Bug.

Before we had left in this car to head to the bar, Amory had convinced Maeme to go on home since Grams had taken her meds and was asleep. I hated having to rush off instead of thanking her properly and asking her about the evening. She had been so kind to come stay with Grams. I needed to get her address so I could send her a thank-you card.

“This place?” Amory asked as he slowed in front of Miller’s Bar.

“Yeah,” I told him. “Pull around to the back door. They normally have him back there so it’s easier for me to get to him.”

Amory nodded, but his jaw was clenched tightly. Not only did it stand out more, but the veins in his neck were also prominent I wanted to make that look go away, but I knew there was nothing I could do. He disapproved of my dad doing this. So did I, but this was life. It wasn’t like I could stop him.

The moment he stopped the car, I was already unbuckled. I opened the door to bolt out and get to the bar first. I wasn’t sure if he’d stay in the car or not. Hopefully, he would. My dad wasn’t a nice drunk. If he decided to go on one of his rants about me, then I didn’t want Amory to hear him. It was bad enough that the bartenders at Miller’s had more than once.

The door swung open, and Glenn, one of the younger bartenders, came out, holding my dad’s arm in a firm grip as he stumbled and cursed.

“Don’ wan’ no help from you!” he shouted.

Glenn ignored him, looking past me to the car and Amory, who I’d heard just get out of it. I hadn’t turned back and asked him to wait inside because it wouldn’t have done any good. The longer I stood out here, the more my dad would have a chance to do or say something.

“Let’s go home, Dad,” I told him, reaching to take his other arm and relieve Glenn.

“He got here earlier than normal,” Glenn said. “I tried to keep a watch on him, but he’s not easy.”

It wasn’t Glenn’s fault. He had a bar full of people to serve and wasn’t my dad’s keeper.

“It’s fine,” I assured him.

Glenn didn’t look so sure.

“Stop talkin’ ’bout me like I ain’t here!” Dad snarled at me. “Jus’ get in the damn car and take me home, you good-for-nothing slut. Look at ya, dressed like a whore. Look just like your momma did when I met her, and she’s a whore too.”

I felt Amory behind me and took a deep breath before pulling my father’s arm so he would start moving toward the car.

“Heard it all before, Dad. Let’s go,” I replied calmly.

The shame of hearing his hateful words was hard with Amory standing there, listening. I’d thought I was immune to it, but the sick knot in my stomach that came this time told me I wasn’t.

Dad pushed me, and I stumbled because of the heels I was still wearing. Normally, I handled his aggressiveness without issue, but I wasn’t dressed for it tonight.

“Whoa,” Amory said, grabbing my waist to steady me as he glared at my father.

“I’m fine,” I told him. “It’s fine.”

Amory didn’t even glance at me when he released me, then grabbed my father’s other arm and jerked him hard enough that he was the one falling forward this time. His arm was snatched from my hold as Amory basically carried him by his arm to the car.

My father began cursing and crying out in pain. I glanced at Glenn, who stood there, watching. He raised his eyebrows at me, then nodded his head before turning to go back inside.

Hurrying over to the car, I got the door and opened it to put him in the passenger seat.

“Lean the seat forward,” Amory ordered. “He’s going in the back.”

“Don’ sit in the back in my own fucking car!” Dad told him.

“You do tonight,” Amory replied, then forcefully shoved him into the car, where he fell onto the seat face-first.

He didn’t wait for my dad to get straightened out before moving my seat back and squishing him into the small area. The things my drunken father was gonna say on the ride home were going to be bad. Especially now that he’d been handled this way by someone I’d brought with me.

“Get in,” Amory said to me in a gentler tone.

I lifted my eyes to meet his and expected to see pity or disgust. Instead, I felt a chill run down my spine from the enraged gleam in his brown eyes.

I didn’t try to soothe him, but then I had no idea what to do or say. I sat down, and he waited until I adjusted my dress before closing the door.

“You think I don’t know you’re spreading your legs for that man? Only reason he’s here, ain’t it? Your Grams would be ashamed of you if she knew.” The slurred speech was low and held the disgust that it always did.

When he was drunk, he made no attempt to hide how he felt about me. All my mother’s transgressions were blamed on me.

I said nothing, but kept my focus straight ahead at the poorly lit parking lot. Amory climbed back into the car, and I remained tense, waiting for my father to start in on me or possibly him next.

Amory fixed the rearview mirror until it was aimed at the back seat. “Say one more motherfucking word to her or about her, and I’ll pull this car over, jerk you out of it, and beat your sorry-ass face in.”

I sucked in a breath, staring at him. Surely, he was joking.

No words came from my dad. He grunted in response. If I was lucky, he’d pass out before we got home.

Amory started the vehicle and shifted it into drive before he reached over and once again coaxed my fist open with the soft brush of his fingers. My stomach went from the tight knot it was in to once again fluttering wildly from being touched like this. Simple, kind, and reassuring, all at once.

I opened my fingers, and his hand slid over mine. Then, he threaded our fingers together before firmly closing his large hand over mine with a sturdy grip. Just like before, my body began to relax. It didn’t feel lonely when his hand held mine. The desperation evaporated, and the world seemed less fraught with obstacles ready to leap out at me. I knew that wasn’t the case. I would wake up tomorrow with all the same troubles from today and more, but in this moment, I didn’t fear them because we had this connection.

The drive back home was quiet. I waited to hear my father’s snore, but it never came. It wasn’t until we pulled into the driveway and Amory’s hand left mine that the heaviness reappeared. Dad was still awake, and Amory would be leaving. My father was going to make me pay for this.

It wasn’t anything I hadn’t dealt with before, but I normally tried to avoid setting him off. Too late for that. Amory had done enough that he’d be ready to unload the moment the Porsche pulled out of the driveway.

We opened our doors at the same time. I climbed out, then turned to move my seat forward and get Dad, but Amory had already done so on his side and was roughly snatching my father out. I winced as my dad groaned, staggering onto the broken pavement.

I hurried the best I could in the heels, not wanting to trip over any of the cracks, but needing to get to the two of them before it got worse.

“Thanks for your help,” I told Amory. “I’ve got it from here.”

The moment my father’s palm connected with my face in a loud smack and I felt the familiar sting from his slap, I realized my mistake. It was one of those things that I should have been prepared for, but since the routine was different, I was off my game.

“Stupid bi—” my father started, glaring at me, but he was slammed back against the car hard with Amory’s hand gripping his throat so tight that his face was instantly red.

“AMORY!” I cried out as he lifted my dad off the ground like he weighed nothing.

He couldn’t breathe. My dad’s eyes bugged out, and my heart was slamming against my chest so hard that I thought it might crack it open.

“STOP!” I begged, grabbing his arm and pulling it, trying to free his hold on my dad.

He wasn’t letting him go. Oh God.

“AMORY!” I shouted again. “LET HIM GO!”

Amory looked down at me, and that terrifying darkness I’d seen in his eyes before, in the parking lot at the bar, was back.

Tears stung my eyes, and I pleaded with him to let my father down. “He can’t breathe!”

There was a small flicker there that I hoped meant he was going to listen to me. When my dad was lowered back to his feet, I heard him gasp for air, although Amory hadn’t released him yet; he’d eased his grip enough so my dad could get oxygen.

He swung his eyes back to my dad. “When I let you go, you’ll get your sorry ass in that house and go to bed. Don’t touch her. Don’t speak to her. Don’t look in her goddamn direction. If you do, I’ll find out. And the next time, I won’t stop.”

I crossed my arms over my chest even though there was no real chill in the air. The sinister sound in his voice had caused a disquiet to settle over me. The shadows that lurked in his eyes now were eerie.

His hand fell away, and my dad started to turn to look at me when Amory grabbed his face and snatched it back to focus on him instead.

“Don’t look,” he reminded him.

I shivered.

While holding on to his face, Amory pulled him forward, then shoved him toward the house. Dad managed not to fall, although it was several steps before he righted himself.

I’d brought this here. Amory was my fault. If I’d known he was like this or that he even had this kind of behavior behind that charming smile, I wouldn’t have gone anywhere with him. I couldn’t date a man who was going to end up killing my father. Because it didn’t matter what Amory said to him. When he wasn’t here, I’d be slapped or tossed around some. My dad never truly hurt me when he was drunk. Just some bruises here or there, but he didn’t deserve to be choked to death.

Amory’s gaze finally shifted to me when my dad reached the front door. I licked my lips and straightened my shoulders. A tear rolled down my face, and I wiped it away. Guilt, disappointment, and anger all warred inside my chest.

“Please leave,” I told him.

His gaze softened, but I’d already seen enough. This wasn’t something I had room for in my life. I needed support and understanding, not brutality.

“Royal,” he began, but I shook my head.

“NO! You need to leave. Now,” I shouted, pointing at his car.

Another tear rolled down my face, and I hated that I couldn’t stop them. For a moment, I’d thought I’d found something good in my life. That perhaps I was going to be happy. Not alone. I should have known not to be fooled. All I ever seemed to get was the ugly of the world.

He took a step toward me, and I backed up.

“Amory,” I warned. “I need you to get in your car and drive away.”

Not wanting to stand out here any longer while all the things I’d been wishing for had gone up in a blaze, leaving nothing but ashes behind, I walked toward the house. His footsteps didn’t follow me, and I was relieved, although every move I made farther away, the layers of disillusionment thickened, making the magical time I’d had with him earlier a painful regret.