The Dragon's Fate - Roxie Ray Page 0,15

from red to purple. “Get the fuck out of my way.”

Jace snorted. “That’s not going to happen.”

Damon charged.

I jerked away, circling the car, and putting some distance between me and the two men who seemed as though they were about to take each other’s heads off.

Jace easily ducked him, which only served to make Damon angrier. He turned and charged again. I couldn’t see what Jace did, but Damon hit the ground hard and I was sure Jace hadn’t pulled back to swing on him. Geez. Was this guy like a karate whiz or something?

“Okay, break it up!”

Damon hadn’t had a chance to get off the pavement before the cops ran up. Two of them took Damon off and stuffed him in the back of one of the cars.

“I have to check on my daughter,” I told the female officer who came around the car to talk to me.

She nodded. “I’ll follow you.”

I ran to the restaurant. Lisa stepped out. “One of the other classroom moms was here. The girls are in the arcade with the little boy from their class. Hayden is worried about you, though.”

I sighed in relief. “I’ll just go tell her I’m okay.” I nodded at the officer. “Be right back.”

“Did you see the whole incident?” the officer asked Lisa. I peered at her nametag. Reyes.

“Yes, up until I took our daughters inside.”

Officer Reyes nodded toward the door. “Go check on your daughter and I’ll use the time to take your friend’s statement.”

Hayden must’ve been watching for me because she streaked across the arcade the moment I stepped in. “Mommy! Are you okay?”

I scooped her up in my arms. “I’m fine, and Daddy is gone. He’s not bothering us.”

The other mom walked up. “Do you need me to watch her for a few more minutes?”

Reaching into my pocket, I nodded gratefully. “If you could.” I handed her a twenty. “Here, split this among the kids to play games.”

Hayden’s face lit up. “Yes!” she yelled. “More skeeball!”

I hurried back outside, and Lisa was just finishing up. “I’ll go back in with the girls,” she said, “while you talk to them.”

Squeezing her arm, I smiled at her. “Thank you so much.”

“I’d want someone to do it for me,” she said.

Officer Reyes asked me to recount what had happened and give me some backstory on Damon—That took a while.

I noticed Jace talking to the two officers who had stuffed Damon in the back of their car. When he finished, they all walked over and joined us.

“I’ve seen enough domestic violence cases turn bad and with the connections Damon seems to have, I’m afraid he’s going to keep getting away with this bullshit,” Officer Reyes said. “You may want to start thinking of other ways to protect yourself.”

Her words terrified me. “Do you think Damon would go that far?”

One of the other officers spoke up. “Men like Damon tend to have escalated behavior. I’d hate to see you hurt.” He looked toward Jace who was listening. “You know her?” He nodded toward me.

Jace looked like he was about to say yes but then didn’t. “I know nothing about her. Just that she seems to have trouble following her.”

If I could’ve shot him with daggers out of my eyes, I would’ve. I hated the man. I hated him so much it burned beneath my skin. I’d just dealt with an abusive ex-husband, and somehow, I was angrier at Jace than Damon. I’d given him no reason to be so cold toward me. I tried to pack all my emotions of loathing into my facial expression as I looked at him.

He flinched, but then pressed his hand to his chest and frowned. As he opened his mouth to speak, I held up my hand. “I’ll take further precautions to protect myself, so I don’t need the assistance of good Samaritans like Jace here.” I looked at Officer Reyes. “Do you need anything else from me?”

Reyes shook her head. “No, you can pick up your report at the station.”

I went and gathered Hayden up. She was good to go until we got near the front doors. Then she stopped. “Is he out there?” she whispered.

I peeked outside to find all the police cars gone. I didn’t know which of the other vehicles belonged to Damon, but he was gone with the police. “No, he’s gone. We’re safe.”

Hayden’s fears further cemented that I would do anything to keep her safe.

Once I got her tucked into bed, I went downstairs and sat down in the