Freedom Lights

The next adventure

Dean

The buzzing in my ears feels like a thousand wasps are in my skull, just pounding to get out and attack the douchebag at the bar, giving Ellen a hard time. Who does he think he is? Showing up on my girls night off, to the bar he knows he would never be allowed to walk into, without a care in the world. Nu uh, not on my watch.

I think about striding to the bar and pummeling the prick in the face over and over. But I can’t move. I’ve got Remington wrapped in my arms, and you bet your ass I’d die before I walked away from that. She feels good. Everywhere her body is touching me is burning. Almost as if I was a fuse just waiting to be lit and here she came throwing matches all over.

Everyone around us looks toward the bar. I felt Sam tense when Remi said his name and Jess visably cringed.

“Jake? Like your husband Jake?” Benny is one of my closest friends, but after tonight, I want to knock his lights straight out too.

“My ex husband.” Remi’s voice is like venom as she hisses the words out to him. I smirk at that. Yeah, take that ego elsewhere, Benny boo.

Sam leans into me, “Dean, don’t.” My brother never has to say much to me to get his point across. Hell, half the time we speak with just looks. What Sam doesn’t know, is at this exact moment, I’m not moving. I will not let her out of my hold right now. Remi starts wiggling to get free of me, but I pin her down in my hold. Bringing her body close to mine and I have to bite the inside of my cheek not to groan. I am highly pissed, plus I just watched the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen when Remington was out on that dance floor so my emotions are just not in check right now. Gonna have to fix that before the next ten seconds happens.

“I am missing a big piece of something here. What is going on?” Cass is on his feet, standing next to me. Sam moves to stand in front of Remi and I, putting a barrier between me and a jail cell. Not that it would last long. Might cost me a badge though. Could be worth it.

“I think this is a good time to call it a night.” Jess touches Remi’s shoulder and its like magic. The fight leaves Remington, and she sags a bit in my hold.

“You’re probably right, if I talk to him right now it will not be pretty.”

“If he sees you before we’re out of the bar, remember what he said. He wants to sign his life away, don’t let him rile you up and cause anything to work against that.” Jess is speaking directly to Remi. My eyes are locked on the conversation between Jake and Ellen. Ellen looks like she’s about to punch him herself. I wouldn’t arrest her.

“Come on sweetheart, we got people waiting at home.” I gently guide Remi through the crowd of people and our posse is following behind us. Sam is right on my tail. I know he’s watching my every move to make sure I don’t do anything stupid. He’s lucky I’m sober. Or maybe I am. Hell, we all probably are at this point.

We get about fifteen feet away from the door before a voice that drives nails down my bones yells out.

“Rem! Hey babe!” Remi stiffens in my arms, and subtly starts to shake. I need to get her out of here.

“Jake, you better go back to whatever hole you crawled out of. I don’t want you in my bar.” Ellen’s voice is like gunshots. The whole bar is silent while they watch the events unfold.

Sam nudges my shoulder, indicating we need to keep walking. Get out, get her home.

I continue guiding Remington to the door, but thunderous footsteps are heard throughout the bar. Stupid f**k isn’t going to let us leave without a fight.

“Remi baby, can I have a word with you?”

I had loosened my grip on her and she spins us around. A little wobbly, but she manages to stay pretty stable. She takes a few steps towards him and the loss of her body contact is almost a stab through my chest.

“What kind of word would you like? How about two? f**k. Off.” She spins back on her heels and is out the door, Jess hot on her trail.

I go to follow her when the douche nozzle speaks again, “She’s not worth the trouble man. Better back out before she wraps you in her web.” I know he’s talking to me and I take the five seconds I need to calm down before I turn to face him.

He’s got this smug ass grin on his face, like he’s the queen of England’s s**t from this morning.

I take a step toward him, I have a good almost five inches of height on him and I literally have to look down on him.

“You have no respect, do you?” I can hear the vile in my voice. Jake falters a bit at my tone. Good.

“W-what do you mean, man? I’m just trying to give you a warning.”

“I have one for you, too. Stay away from her. And any place that she works at, or visits or anything that has to do with her. You lost her, you’re about to lose your son so you can do whatever you want with your life. Quit f*****g with hers. If I see you again, you’ll see a jail cell for harassment. Do you understand me?”

“You can’t do that!”

Sam steps forward, “He can. The amount of emotional distress you cause Remington every time you come in contact with her is enough to grant her an order of protection alone. You sent her the paperwork to sign over your rights this week. Meaning, you have no reason to contact her. I would heed my brother's warning and stay away.” My brother grabs my shoulder and pushes me out the door.

I turn on my heel and head toward my car, where I find Remington perched on my trunk. If I wasn’t so pissed, that’d be so f*****g hot.

“Hey sweetheart. Are you ready to go?” I pull my keys from my pocket and get ready to open her door.

“Uh yeah. What did he say to you?” Our group is still surrounding us, and I would like to have this conversation at another date and time. Preferably when she’s not drunk and we don’t have an audience.

“Nothing important.” I turn to my friends, “Thank you guys for coming out. I’m gonna get Remi home. I’ll see y’all later.” I turn to grab Remi's hand to help her off my truck, and I know she’s drunk because she takes it and is immediately back in my arms. I wrap one around her shoulder and tuck her against my side.

“Thank you guys so much. I had a lot of fun tonight. Jess, I’ll text you when I’m safe.” She flashes Jess a cute smile but my brain immediately recognizes she didn’t say when she was home, she said when she was safe.

The group says their goodbyes, Sam and Jess argue about Jess being too drunk to drive. She ends up in the passenger seat of Sam’s Dodge Charger and everyone goes separate ways.

I pull Remington to my passenger door and open it for her. She’s shivering a little so I quickly shed my Henley and hand it to her.

“Thank you.” Her voice is quiet. I did not want her night to end like that. Stupid douche canoe.

“No problem, sweetheart.” I flash her a quick grin and shut her door.

I walk around the front of my car and I can definitely feel her gaze burning into me.

I take a deep breath and open my door, plopping down into my seat before starting my car.

“Hey Dean?”

“Yeah?”

“Mary and dad texted me. James has been asleep for about an hour. Dad is home.”

“Oh that’s good. Did he have a fun night?” Please don’t tell me she’s asking what I think she’s asking. I won’t survive. I will die right here, in the front seat of my car.

“Yes, your mom sent me pictures and updates all night. It was incredible.” She hands me her phone and I scroll through the pictures my mom had sent. He really is a cute little s**t.

I smile and hand her phone back to her, “Good. Do you regret me taking you out yet?” I toss a smirk and cringe internally. After the ending, it might have tainted our night.

Remi pulls her bottom lip between her teeth and I’m so close to dying. Please lord, take me now.

“No, not at all. I actually had a great night.”

“Good. You deserve it, Remington.” She shivers again, but this time I don’t think it’s because she’s cold.

“Dean.”

“What’s up?” I start to back the car out of the parking lot and head toward town. This highway still gives me a bit of the creeps but nothing I can’t manage.

“What if I told you I don’t want to go home yet?”

Fuck. f**k f**k fuckity f**k.

“Oh? And what do you want to do?”

She shifts slightly in her seat, “Well, we can’t go to my house. Risk of waking the kraken and all. I just want to relax somewhere. Something quiet.”

Before I can answer her, my phone rings. I shoot Remi an apology smirk before answering.

“Yes, dear baby brother?”

“Hey, I don’t think I’m coming home tonight. So feel free to lock up when you get there.”

“Oh yeah? Can I ask why?” My smile is massive. I knew what Remington was doing when she invited Jess out tonight. But so did Sam. Too bad Jess is his Kryptonite.

Sam heaves a sigh, “Jess is currently losing everything into her toilet. I want to stick around here and make sure she’s okay for the night.”

“Alright, thanks for the update. I’ll let Remi know.”

“No, you won't.” I can hear the clenching of my brother's jaw right now.

“Have a great night, Sammy.” And I end the call, tossing a look at Remi.

She’s practically giddy when she asks, “What did he say?!”

“He’s looking after Jess right now. Apparently, her mixed drinks didn’t mix well with her stomach. Says he wants to keep an eye on her for the night.”

“Ha! I knew it.”

“Knew what?”

“Sam couldn’t resist. I had to see it for myself though.”

“He could just be doing a good deed.”

Remi shoots me a look, “He could be.”

“But he’s not.” I smile at her.

“I know.” Her grin is taking up her whole face now, shining bright in the midnight surrounding us. She’s damn beautiful.

“So, what’s next on our adventure, sweetheart?”

“I want to watch a movie.”

“The drive in is closed.” I toss another mischievous smirk her way, causing that cute eye roll.

“I know that.” She chews on her lip again. I can’t resist. Nothing will happen, but I don’t want this night to end. This will be the first chance I get some alone time with this woman. I’m taking my chance.

“Alright sweetheart, my place it is. But we’re literally Netflix and chilling. Don’t try to get into my pants.”

Her hearty laugh fills my car and something inside me shifts. Like pieces of a puzzle finally coming together.

“Alright alright, I’ll keep my hands firmly to myself” the wicked grin on her face tells me she’s not set on that. But life is worth some risks every now and then, and I’m risking the chance to get some alone time with her.