Long Shot (Hoops 1)

“I promise you, officers,” Caleb drawls, “she’s not always like this. When she takes her meds, she’s a different woman, but you can see why I was concerned when she left with my daughter. She’s in an unstable state, and I feared for our baby’s safety.”

“Her safety?” A sob-laugh hefts from my chest. “He hit me!” I look up over my shoulder, pleading with the officer closest to me. “You have to believe me,” I rasp. “I left because he hit me.”

“Oh, I hit you?” Caleb cuts in. “Where? I don’t see a scratch on you.”

My lips, still aching from his blow, tremble. “He hit me in the mouth,” I tell the officer, my voice desperate. “Please don’t let him take my baby. Oh, God. Please listen. I’m begging you.”

A wail cuts through the air.

“Sarai.” My glance darts between the officers. “She’s hungry. I need to feed her.”

Four sets of eyes drop to my breasts, straining against my T-shirt. I hate every creature walking this earth with a dick.

Caleb opens the back door and reaches in to coo over my baby girl.

“No.” My head hangs, and salty tears burn the imperceptible cuts on my mouth. “Don’t let him have her. Oh, God. Please, no.”

“It’s okay. Daddy’s here.” Caleb says, bouncing Sarai in the cradle of his arms, his eyes tender.

“Officers, do you know who I am?” Caleb asks, his winning smile flashing white.

The three officers exchange looks before nodding.

This cannot be happening.

Defeat slumps my shoulders, and I go slack in the officer’s arms.

“Caleb Bradley,” one of them speaks up. “Sorry about the game tonight, man. Tough loss.”

“Hey, you win some, you lose some.” Caleb shrugs. “Then you know it’s my rookie season. I really wanna get us in the playoffs.”

“We barely missed ’em last year,” one officer says, scowling. “I was so glad when we drafted you.”

“It’s been a good season so far.” Caleb bends to kiss Sarai’s nose, glancing up when my maternal growl rumbles in the quiet. “But it’s been hard on me and my fiancée.”

“I’m not your fiancée,” I spit. “I’ll never wear your ring, Caleb.”

His eyes narrow at me, and the rage he’s kept carefully checked slips its chain for a second. It bares its teeth, and I know if he gets his hands on me, I’ll suffer more than a slap across my mouth.

“Like I was saying, it’s been hard on us,” Caleb continues, a modicum of civility. “New baby. Rookie season. It’s been a strain, and I think my fiancée just had a bad night.” He suspends that statement in the tight circle of us and the cops, taking the time to look each of them in the eye. “But I think she and I can work it out at home.”

His hard eyes penetrate mine. “Or you can take her in, and the baby can go home with me.”

“No.” I choke on my tears. I can’t take my eyes off Sarai, whose little mouth is rooting, searching for my breast. She whines, her arms shooting up from the swaddling. Caleb catches her fingers, folding them into his mouth.

“You hungry, baby?” he asks, his voice gentle, yet still managing to grate on my nerves. “Let’s get you out of here so Mommy can feed you.”

“You sure, Mr. Bradley?” the first officer asks. “If we need to—”

“He’s right,” I interrupt, my hands burning with the need to snatch my daughter away from him, no matter what it takes or costs. “It’s been a bad night. I didn’t …” I swallow my pride to clear room for the lie. “I forgot to take my medication, like he said.”

Caleb smiles at me indulgently.

“You see, officers,” he says. “All a misunderstanding.”

“Well, with something like an abduction accusation,” the first officer says, discomfort creeping into his voice and expression even as he uncuffs me, “we still have to document the incident.”

“Of course, document it.” Caleb’s stare mocks and warns me. “I understand, but we won’t be having this kind of trouble again, will we, babe?”