Billionairess's Dilemma: Reclaiming His Heart

16: What Are We

Kevin

I keep my arm on his windpipe, barely letting him breathe as I watch Polly and Mia leave in my periphery. I saw red as soon as I walked in the lobby to collect Mia. Mrs. Deena was on the phone and I heard her say something about assaulting a volunteer. I knew immediately it was Polly. And to see him holding her to him had made that murderous rage explode. I'd like to bash his head against the marble column.

The police arrive and I explain calmly what happened. I listen as he’s warned not to return to the premises. "I'd like a copy of this incident report. Miss Barnes will be filing for a restraining order against him and that would further her case.”

They agree to forward it to me. Archer is naturally running his mouth as they escort him out. “She’s mine. You can’t have her.” He stares at me with loathing.

“Yet she returned your ring, blocked you and wanted to remain here…with ME.” I eye him coldly before smirking at him. “She’s too smart now to stay with you.”

His eyes blaze purely with hatred and internally I cheer. That’s what I want. Come for me, you f*****g prick, and leave her alone. “Your day is coming, Harris.” He says through gritted teeth.

“Looking forward to it. Prefer that than you stalking me from the shadows.” I warn him.

Mia texts me that she is at Polly’s apartment. It’s closer to downtown than her parents. The way she was shaking makes my blood boil. We might not be the way we were, but no one touches her like that.

“I’ll be there soon. Need to clear some things up here.”

Mrs. Deena moves as I near her desk grabbing me in a quick hug. “You did good. Real good.”

I walk toward one of the back private rooms. Once the door is closed, I open the group text.

Uncle Goose titled it Thorny Fuckweed. I can’t help but smile at it again.

“Archer showed up to the foundation and had Polly. Was yelling at her that she was his and they’d talk it out. Police have removed him. Mia drove Polly to her place.”

Message sent…..

I stare down as I whisper “three…two…o”

And he replies beating my countdown. “Grant will have someone there in an hour. I’ll send you the name so credentials can be verified.”

Uncle Ellis wastes no time.

Goose: “Tell me you hurt him.”

“Not enough.”

Klein: “There's time for that. Fuckweed won’t go that easily.”

They don't say anything else and I decide to head for Polly's place. I key in the address from Mia's text before leaving. Archer isn't lurking in the parking lot that I can see at least. When I arrive, I check my surroundings for him again. I make it up to her door and knock. Mia answers it. "She's pretty shaken up but I think more about you getting hurt than what he did to her."

I follow her to the living room and Polly sits with a cup of tea. Her eyes look up and she sets it down before hurrying to me. "You're ok." Her arms wrap around my waist as she hugs me. I gently embrace her.

"I'm fine. Are you ok? Did he hurt you?"

She shakes her head stepping back. "Sorry. You probably don't want me to touch you. I couldn't help it though. He's insane Kevin."

"Well, he's slow on the uptake and can't defend himself for shit." I tell her quietly. A knock on the door interrupts us. "I'll get that. It should be your bodyguard Uncle Ellis sent. His name is Salem."

I open the door to find the tall brown haired guy in his mid thirties. "Mr. Harris. I'm Salem, that's my call sign. Sent by Grant. Real name Adam Flynn."

"That checks out. Come in. I'll introduce you to Polly. And I'm just Kevin, not Mr. Harris. You look very familiar."

"You know my brother, Travis." Salem says with a grin.

I stop staring at him. "I miss him. How is he?" Travis, the guy who would guard us while the devil incarnate was on the loose, would sneak into the apartment any chance he got to play video games with me. He'd sneak me cookies too. He threw a guy in a dumpster once when he was following us for Eileen. I thought it was the coolest thing ever.

"He's doing great. He got remarried and has a son. He's only ten. Travis is feeling old. He'll be back in town in a few weeks. I'll give you his number."

"That would be amazing. I loved him." I tell him honestly.

"He loved you too. Would come home gabbing about you."

I gesture toward Polly. "Polly this is Salem."

"Miss Polly, nice to meet you. I'll be watching over you. We'll go over the protocol in a bit but first, could I wander around and get a tour of this place on my own? I need to count windows, possible points of entry, weak spots and note furniture and decoration arrangement. I'll be taking photos also. A moved vase can be a huge clue. I'll need you to keep me apprised if you change something major like the couch arrangement."

I nod approvingly.

Polly smiles at him. "No go ahead. Just ignore my dirty socks in my bedroom. I never have given up that bad habit."

"My daughter has the same problem. No judgment." He says lightly before roaming off.

We stand there, the three of us staring at each other. I'm about to tell Mia we should go when she grabs the tea cup. "I'm going to go wash this and call Jamie back. Maybe after that we can leave."

I nod reluctantly. Polly fidgets and I wait knowing it's her tell for gathering her thoughts before expressing them.

"I'm sorry you had to rescue me. I know you probably want nothing to do with me or having to help me." She says quietly.

I sigh. "Polly no matter what happens between us, it is not ok for anyone to touch you like that when I am around. Even if I was still calling you Miss Barnes, I would have pulled him off you."

"Sir Kevin rides again...." She whispers smiling sadly. "Thank you."

"Polly..." She stares at me her eyes filled with tears. "I don't want to do this anymore. This awkwardness, the rift in our families, the tension every time we meet. But I don't know what to do. I mean if I asked you right now, how would you answer this question? What are we?"

"Two friends who lost something special. Or one bad person who wasn't a good friend and hurt the one who never did anything wrong. I want to be those good friends again someday. But maybe we are too broken for that." She sounds defeated as she slumps down in the chair, letting her face rest in her hands.

"No one is too broken for anything." I go sit across from her. "I miss my best friend. I miss....dammit I miss a lot." I say quietly. "But we've changed Polly. We aren't Princess Polly and Sir Kevin anymore. We haven't spoken in three years. We can't just go back to the way things were before. Where I text you every day and you call me to ask what you should order for lunch when you can't decide. Where we send bad jokes to Uncle Goose in our competition for worst one. I mean you may hate the color pink now." Her lips barely turn up at the corners at all those memories.

"No I still love pink."

I swallow watching her. She scoots to the edge of her chair and opens her mouth a few times before finally speaking. "What if we start over in a way? Like we start going to lunch once a week and get to know the new people sitting here. We can't forget the old us or our relationship which is fine. We can keep those memories and see what's the same. But we learn who we are now and see if we want to be friends again. I don't want to go back to that old Polly. I am changing the more I learn about what I did and what I overlooked."

"Polly, the old you was not all bad. Princess Polly was a big part of my best friend. I hope you don't try to get rid of all of the old you. And you needed help, guidance and most of all answers for how you felt. I should have helped you too. I should have backed off and let you spread your wings a little."

"No." She's shaking her head. "You were right about everything. I ran into Simon Williams. He told me about the bet prom night. I wish I had listened to you. Another tally mark in my i***t column. I should have trusted my best friend, the boy who always looked out for me and made sure I won at tag by slowing down. Who gave me his ice cream if mine melted too fast. I'm sorry Kevin. So sorry."

My jaw clenches at that. "I spoke with him too. He called me a few days ago. He might have changed but some of them haven't. I should have been more insistent on telling you. I left you vulnerable to Archer and all of them when I backed off and then ghosted you." I take a deep breath hoping I'm making the right decision. "Do you still like Italian food?"

"Does Uncle Brad still throw things in the kitchen when he's baking? Or better one, is Uncle Ellis still ridiculously scary if you piss him off?" She grins.

I chuckle a little. "Tomorrow then at noon. Meet you at Nonna Romano's?"

"I'd love that." She smiles softly at me.

"I'll see you then. Are you ok for us to leave you?" I don't want her to be scared.

"Yes. Dad and Uncle Goose are coming by. They already texted me."

"Then I will see you and your shadow tomorrow. Bye Polly."

"Bye Kevin. Thank you....for everything today." She sounds hopeful.