Heidi and the Alien Cop (Intergalactic Brides 12)

Heidi and the Alien Cop (Intergalactic Brides 12)
Jessica Coulter Smith
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2017 Jessica Coulter Smith

Heidi hoped like hell that Shane had gotten out of the house. She hadn't heard the door open or shut but prayed her little boy had run to safety and not stayed to help her. Despite his young age, he acted like her protector when his dad got mad, which was far too often.

She placed a protective hand over her stomach as she cowered in the corner of the room. Brent towered over her, his face flush from too much alcohol and the rage that was burning in his veins. It wasn't the first time he'd struck her, and she knew it wouldn't be the last, unless she finally managed to escape. But where would she go? Without a job, or friends, or family, only the streets waited for her and their small son.

"Everyone was talking tonight about how you've been whoring around behind my back," Brent said, spit flying from his lips.

"Brent, please. You know how rumors are around here." She swallowed the knot of fear in her throat. She'd learned the hard way that fighting back only made it worse. When she fought back, it pushed him to the point of nearly killing her, and she had to keep living to take care of their son. She couldn't leave him in Brent's hands. Either her boyfriend would kill him, or he'd turn her sweet boy into a monster.

"Stupid, lying bitch. Did you think I wouldn't hear about it? I bet that brat in your belly isn't even mine. Who's to say the other little snot is mine either? You just saw a meal ticket and latched on."

"Of course, it's yours, Brent. They both are. You know I haven't been with anyone else."

He backhanded her across the face again, an explosion of pain ricocheting through her cheek and rattling her brain. Another blow landing in almost the same spot nearly knocked her off her feet. She had just braced herself on the wall when another fist pummeled her stomach. Heidi cried out, her hands clutching her belly, hoping he hadn't harmed their child. She'd tried damn hard not to get pregnant a second time by him, but the condom had broken two months ago.

She saw his hand wind back for another blow and cowered down, but it never came.

"I know humans play by different rules, but where I come from, we don't beat females," a deep voice said with a hint of a growl.

Heidi's eyes went wide as she looked around Brent at the purple alien with the badge clipped to his belt. Was he a real cop or one of those Terran guards? He knocked Brent's legs out from under him, then pressed him face first onto the floor, wrenching Brent's hands behind his back. Her drunken boyfriend was no match for the rather brawny guy manhandling him. The alien slapped cuffs on Brent, then pulled out a cell phone.

"Dispatch, this is Officer Raylic. Can you send a car around to pick up some trash I found beating a female?"

She didn't hear what else was said as the room spun around her. Heidi sank to her knees and tried to process what was happening. Had someone really come to her rescue? How had he known where to find her? A small hand slipped into hers, and she looked into the terrified eyes of her son.

"Shane?"

"I found a police officer, Mama. He'll take care of us, won't he?" Shane asked, looking more troubled than a five-year-old had any right to.

"Are you all right?" the officer asked her.

"I don't know. He hit me in the stomach and the face."

Shane's face scrunched up. "What about the baby?"

"You have a baby?" the officer asked.

"In her tummy," Shane told him.

The officer cursed. Brent took his moment of distraction to rear up and lunge at Heidi, a murderous glint in his eyes. She jumped to her feet and lashed out at him, kicking him in the shin and hitting him in the eye. The officer made a grab for him and shoved him back down. Brent fell face first onto the floor, getting a mouthful of nasty carpet. Heidi had to admit that it had felt damn good to fight back for once.

Heidi approached her boyfriend. With a well-placed kick between his splayed legs, she had him howling and cursing her all at the same time. She felt a bit of satisfaction, knowing she'd caused him pain, but it wasn't enough. She looked at the officer who regarded her with a bit of mirth for attacking her abuser.

"Want to have another go at him?" the officer asked.

"What I'd like to do is beat him over the head, with a cast-iron skillet, until he can't ever hurt anyone again."

He nodded. "I probably would get into a bit of trouble if I let you do that. But feel free to kick him again. It's just his word against mine."

She looked at her bare feet. "It might contaminate my foot if I kick him there again. I've always heard if someone accuses you of cheating, they're probably the one with the guilty conscience. No telling where he's put that thing."

The officer chuckled a bit. "As soon as backup arrives to take care of him, I'm going to take you somewhere safe. We'll stop by the Terran Station first though. I want our healer to look at you. As small as you are, he could have easily broken bones or caused internal damage."

"Thank you for helping us," she said. "No one's ever helped us before."

He frowned. "Have you called the police before now?"

She nodded. "The officer who answered the call said I was overly emotional and it was just a domestic dispute. He said if he got another call, he would haul both of us to jail. It was the first and last time I asked for help."

"Asshole," the officer muttered. "Do you remember who it was? I'll make sure he's written up."

"Officer Clarke."

He nodded. "I can see him saying something like that. Don't worry. Your husband is getting locked up this time."

"We're not married," she said.

"Good. Then you can make a clean break when he's taken out of here today. Do you plan to stay in this apartment?" he asked, looking around.

She knew what he'd see. Cracked walls, stained carpets, and the ugliest furniture imaginable. The place reeked of mildew and piss, and unfortunately for her, the rent was past due. It might not have been much, but it had been home for the last year. As often as they'd been late, no way the landlord would renew the lease. Not that she could pay it anyway.

"Where are we gonna go, Mama?" Shane asked.

"I don't know, baby."

The officer tilted his head. "Go pack your things. I was going to take you to a hotel for the night to give you some time to think things through, but it sounds like you need a more permanent solution."

"The rent is past due here," she said. "I don't have a job to pay for a hotel room. Could you take us to a shelter?"

"Don't worry about the cost," he said in a soothing tone. "Just pack your things and be ready to go as soon as possible. Don't leave anything behind that you want to keep."