Julia has told me all about the asshole father James no longer calls dad. But how Joe Gallo knew James would be in this specific church at this specific moment will forever be a mystery. Maybe it was coincidence. Maybe a cruel joke. But it's a scene I will never be able to get out of my mind. It's a reminder of the things James has endured through his life. Things that made him as strong as he is now. I'm not talking physical strength. I'm talking about James's overall character. Scenes like this are the kind of scenes that will tear you down. I have a newfound respect for the man James is today despite growing up with a man like his father. A father who had a job to raise and love his children. 

This man I am staring at right now? He's no father. He doesn't have an ounce of love in his body.  If you asked me to describe what evil would look like in human form, Joe Gallo would be that person.

"Had a feeling you'd be here, son." The roaring voice continues to laugh. "Prayer ain't gonna get you outta this one, Jamie."

My stomach turns at the sight of the man. He looks to be as big if not bigger than James with identical crystal blue eyes and dark hair. I understand how Carol Gallo sees Joe in James when she looks into his eyes. But unlike the soft, comforting blue eyes James possesses, this man's eyes are sharp, bold, haunting and filled with hate.

James wipes his eyes and stands up. But when his father takes a step closer, James takes a step out of the pew to be in the other isle. I have a feeling Joe Gallo has not seen his son in quiet some time by the way he studies James's shaky hands.

"Relax kid."

"Why are you here, Joe?" The anger is James's voice is something I have never heard from him before, and I've angered the guy plenty of times. I almost wonder if Joe Gallo is the reason James has no problems decking someone in the face without a second thought.

"I expect you to call me dad." His father scolds. Oh my God, the man is not joking either. He's no longer laughing,and the tone of his voice gives off so much fear it overcomes both me and James. Joe has yet to notice me here in the back of the sanctuary.

"You have no shot surviving jail now. Look at you." Joe takes another step forward and laughs when James takes another step back. "That coma fucked with your head, boy. Now who's gonna take care of your mother?"

"Rot in hell." James retorts and I notice both of his hands are in tight fists now.

Shit. I quickly pull out my phone and text Evan in case things escalate.

"No son. That will be you. You fucking killed a man. I knew you had it in you." This man is so intimidating even I begin to tremble and I'm nowhere near him. "Looks like I'll be taking good care of Carol and the girls while you're serving time."

"You sonofabitch!!" James lunges at his father to attack but earns a punch right in the gut, making James fall to his knees in pain.

"HEY!" My voice doesn't sound like my own and makes Joe Gallo jump before turning to see me. "I'm pretty sure I just witnessed you assault a man." I dial 911 and put it on speaker. I haven't pressed send but you can clearly see the numbers on my phone.

"No!  Nate!! Don't!!" James cries out and I hang up, but cock my brow at Gallo...jr. "He'll just find my sisters and take it out on them."

James is seriously scared now. He will do absolutely anything to protect the girls, even if he becomes Joe's personal punching bag. He will watch Joe walk away after assaulting him, do absolutely nothing about it and live in fear to keeps his mom and sisters safe. It's heart wrenching yet honorable of James.

My adrenaline kicks in hearing that and I walk my way up to the man twice my size. What the hell am I doing? Oh God....

"Well, if it isn't America's heartthrob himself. Look at you. Your millions won't save him from this one, Nate Hollan."

Evan quickly storms in, but I put a hand out to stop him so I can say what I need to say, first.

"I swear to God, you arrogant piece of shit, wife-beating, child-abusing prick. I have more money than you will EVER see in three of your sorry fucking lifetimes. I have excellent lawyers and the whole fucking world adores me. You lay one of your filthy hands on ANY one of your Gallo children or Carol, I will dig your fucking grave myself and bury you alive. And I don't like to get dirty. I pay people to do that shit. But for you? I'd want to do it myself. And when you fucking climb out of your sorry hole of a grave, I will put your half dead body in jail and let all your inmates have their way with you. Ever been to prison, Joe ? I hear they love the child abusers." 

I pull James to his feet as Evan, who is just about the same size as Joe, stands in between us but faces him. I turn my back and walk James out the door with Evan making sure Joe stays put.

It's not until we are all in the SUV and driving do I realize James is in shock. He stares ahead with a trembling body and tears streaming down his face. He's still holding on to his stomach with one shaky hand from where his father punched him. He's hurt. He's hurt bad.

I have never been so furious in my life.

"You should have let me call 911, James." I say softly.

James just shakes his head and stares ahead the rest of the drive home while Me and Evan share a concerned look.

"C'mon, Gallo. Let's have Jonah check you out." I walk out of the elevator and Maggie b-lines it off the couch to James, barking up a storm and grabbing Jonah's attention. When he sees James a little hunched over, he quickly shuts his laptop and comes into the living room.

"Where are the girls?" I look around my spacious apartment.

"They just went to get a Target pick- up. I figured they wouldn't need a bodyguard for that if they are staying in the car, right? Casey drove. Of course. You know Trish still isn't driv-"

"Now is not the time." I interrupt Jonah's rambling. "Take a look at James for me." I sit James on the couch and his dog calms down. James is visibly shaken up, and for good reason. 

I also hope the things I said to Joe Gallo somehow don't make the news because that would be detrimental in SO many ways.

"James, what happened?" Jonah questions but James only shakes his head and stares at nothing.

"Sir, he hasn't spoken since the incident." Evan looks over at me, now.

"He's in shock." I tell Jonah. "His father......" I can't even bring myself to comprehend what just happened. It was so short but so powerful. "I now know why James, even as big and muscular as he is, fears his own father. The guy is insane. He punched James right in the stomach. In the middle of a church!"

"Wait, WHAT?!" Jonah earns a bark from Maggie. "He assaulted his son?! A grown man? A disabled man? And you didn't call the cops?!"

"I was going to but James told me no. Joe has this weird hold on the family. He threatened James. He told James all sorts of shit but also said he would take care of his mom and sisters. And I don't mean take care of in a good way. The guy is certifiable, Jonah. You could see it in his eyes. James was praying when his father showed up. It was awful." I close my eyes but can't get the scene to stop playing in my head. I imagine this was a mild encounter to James but not to me. I've never witnessed abuse like this.

"So he just walked away? No repercussions? He assaults a man and walks away like nothing happens?"

"James was adamant. The look in his eyes.... Can you just check him out? Make sure his father didn't break a fucking rib or something."

"And he hasn't spoken since?" Jonah asks while grabbing his medical bag off the dining room table, left there from earlier when he was checking my blood pressure. He rummages through the bag and pulls out a thin flashlight, waving it across James's pupils. "Definitely in a bit of shock. Like Julia, he's unresponsive. I'm sure this encounter brought up a lot from his childhood. I can't believe this."

Jonah gently lifts James's shirt and that's when his eyes come to life. James grabs Jonah's wrist and shakes his head.

"I'm fine."

"I just want to check, ok friend?" Jonah is cautious now, unsure of James's state of mind. He lifts up his shirt and shows off the man's 24 pack abs. I swear, I don't know how this man fell to his knees with these muscles. But his father caught him by surprise and the punch was hard. Real hard. He has a good red mark right in the middle of his stomach. 

Evan and I watch as Jonah lays James down on the couch to examine him a little further, gently pressing down on his stomach in different area's. James flinches in certain spots.

"Nate, grab me an ice pack, please."

"Really I'm fine." But James puts his arm over his eyes like he used to do when he couldn't speak and begins to cry. It breaks me. A hard lump form in my throat and Evan has to look away.

"I'm going to apply ice to decrease swelling and pain and it will also help prevent tissue damage. You'll have some bruising and soreness, but I don't think you have any damage to your soft tissues or organs. He didn't faint or have trouble breathing, did he?"

Both Evan and I shake our heads. "No but it was a hard hit, and he went down like a sack of potatoes." I lean over James and grab the box of tissues, putting one in his hand for him, though he keeps his arm over his eyes.

"Hollan really laid in to him after though. Where'd you even come up with that stuff?" Evan asks and I shake my head. 

"It was not my finest moment." I sigh, now feeling sick thinking of this gaining media attention. It only takes one person. Just one, to see or hear the things that were said.

"Why, what did you say to him? You confronted him??" Jonah's eyes widen.

"I have an exceptional memory." Evan says proudly. "The venom that spewed out of this British guy..." Evan chuckles. "He said- I swear to God, you arrogant piece of shit, wife-beating, child-abusing prick. I have more money than you will EVER see in three of your sorry fucking lifetimes. I have excellent lawyers and the whole fucking world adores me. You lay one of your filthy hands on ANY one of your Gallo children or Carol, I will dig your fucking grave myself and bury you alive. And I don't like to get dirty. I pay people to do that shit. But for you? I want to do it myself. And when you fucking climb out of your sorry hole of a grave, I will put your half dead body in jail and let all your inmates have their way with you. Ever been to prison, Joe ? I hear they love the child abusers."

Holy shit. He got that one word for word. That's talent right there.

"Wow. ok. You just fucking recited that one word for word?!" I am shocked and both Jonah and James have slight smiles on their faces showing a job well done.

"I can't believe you said that to my father. And I can't believe you survived and are still here with us right now." James wipes his eyes with a tissue and lets Jonah hold the ice pack on his stomach.

"Yeah, neither can I, to be completely honest."

"Really, I'm fine. Can you guys not tell Trish this stuff. She's already all wound up." Gallo sits up and takes the ice pack off his sore abs. "Actually... Can I go see Julia today?"

I had a feeling James would want to see Julia over Trisha right now. Nothing against Trish but I get what he is saying. Trisha won't understand how nothing was done. No police were called, no incident reported. Trisha is a do-er. She gets thing done but sometimes has a problem with just listening without trying to solve the problem. James just wants someone to vent to. He just wants someone to listen, and Julia is perfect for that job. She's a great listener and doesn't try to take matters into her own hands. She just .... listens.

"Yeah, I can take you." I look up at Evan, knowing we'll need a bodyguard from this point on for real now.

"I can drive you guys." Evan offers. "Can I drive the Mercedes?"

I look at the kid and laugh and laugh and laugh. All the way to The Avalon in a Range Rover. Can I drive the Mercedes. This kid cracks me up.

*******

*Julia*

"So are you finally going to tell me who's bed you've been sharing Goldilocks, because your room has been untouched." Mike throws a piece of popcorn in my face while we have fucking "Snack time" in the rec room like a bunch of preschoolers. Most have taken their popcorn to their rooms, leaving just me, Mike and a few stragglers left here.

"Who ya been shacking with and why hasn't it been me lately?"

I pick up the popcorn and roll my eyes at my fellow "inmate" while trying not to look up at the news on TV.

"I'm still here. Just in a different room."

"Why would you switch rooms? They're all the same. Has someone been bothering you?" The bodyguard in him comes out.

"No. Listen. It's not something that's advertised, ok? Jeremy put me up in one of the in-house apartments here."

Mike freezes mid chew with a handful of popcorn to his mouth.

"Like the one HE lives in?  Those are nice." I had a feeling Mike has wandered the halls late at night unbeknownst to any nurses and am sure he has stumbled on that wing before.

"Yeah. Unfortunately, no Avalon patients can go down that wing or enter the apartments. Apparently, the guidelines prohibit patients. That's why I didn't want to say anything."

"He's got something up his sleeve, Julia." Mike leans in and whispers. "Do you know of ANY other Avalon patients that get this kind of treatment? Their own fucking apartment to live in?"

"I don't know." I shrug. I just like having my own place so I'm not going to complain or worry about WHY Jeremy did what he did for me. Maybe he did it out of guilt.

"C'mon sunshine, don't be naïve.  He doesn't have access to it, does he? Do you have a bodyguard with you? That wing is on the other side of the facility. There's no nurses or anything down there if something happens." He speaks faster now overthinking things. Rightfully so.

"Paul Rossi is staying with me. He applied to be my full-time bodyguard."

"To LIVE with you? Like forever and ever?" 

"I mean, I don't know. At least while I'm here." I furrow my brows. I really don't want Paul throwing his whole private life away because of me. I'd NEVER ask him to do that.

"Sounds about right. Paul lives and breathes his job. He never settled down or had any interest in any of that."

"There she is." Nate stands in the doorway with James and his dog. "Hey, James wanted to come see you. I'm going to go visit my sister for a bit, is that ok?"

Both Mike and I laugh a little.

"Good luck. She's moody today." I announce and study James's face. Something is wrong. I can tell in his eyes right away that something is wrong.

"Lovely. Evan is going to creepily lurk behind you guys as a bodyguard. James requires one."

Right. After reporters pretty much followed him out of the barber shop yesterday Nate has insisted someone stay with James for protection.

"Well I'll let you all continue your weird love triangle, menage a trois shit. I'll talk to ya later." Mike throws another piece of popcorn at me and leaves the room.

"There's no threesome." Nate clarifies to Evan in embarrassment.

"No judgement here, pal. You do you."

"No really-"

"GoodBYE Nate!" I cut him off from having to explain further. Evan could care less first of all. Second, the more Nate talks the worse it gets.

"Wanna stay here or go outside?" I ask, observing Maggie who usually hangs around me when she sees me. Yet, today she follows James closely and doesn't leave his side.

"James." I take his hand and sit him down on the ugly sofa near the window. "What happened? Something happened."

"You know what? I'm just going to drag a chair out here and give you two your privacy since no one is in here." Evan looks around the room before dragging a chair out to the hall and closing the door behind him. Odd.

But then James drops his head to my shoulder and begins to cry.

"Oh my God, what happened?!" I hold his head down to me and he wraps his arms around my waist like a little child would. It takes a moment for James to collect himself but even then, he keeps his head down and holds me tight.

"James...."

"Julia."

"Talk to me." I take his face in both my hands and lift him up to make eye contact. I kiss his kips gently. Seriously, I don't even care anymore. In a few days this man could go to jail. I'm going to kiss him on the lips, and no one is going to dare tell me it's wrong.

"He's an awful human being."

Oh no. I know where this is going. My stomach ties in a nervous knot as James stutters his way through this crazy story of what happened earlier today.

"HE PUNCHED YOU?!?" I burst into tears while saying this and lift up his shirt. Yep. That is going to be a nasty black and blue come morning. "Oh my God. How does he get away with this shit, James!"

"He threatened to go near my mom and sisters, that's how. He knows I will never report anything if it puts my family in danger. Babe, what am I going to do if I end up having to serve time? Who will watch over the girls?" James's Efron blue ocean eyes fill with tears again and my heart sinks.

"I will make sure Nate provides bodyguards, if need be, ok? But you're not going to jail. I'm so sorry Joe did this to you. He IS an awful human being." I let James cry as long as he needs and comfort him for as long as he needs. I kiss his cheeks. I kiss his tears away. Then...

I kiss James.

It was only meant to be a simple touch of our lips, but nothing is simple when it comes to me and James.... because I can't back away. And I know James won't be the one. I kiss him and he kisses me back and it's like the whole world around us disappeared.

I love this man so much. I would do absolutely anything to take away his pain. The life he has lived...the things he's had to go through... It's so unfair.  Then to have that walking nightmare haunt you as an adult? Fucking assault you while you are praying in a CHURCH? Joe Gallo should be the one behind bars. Not James.

So I let my emotions get the best of me. I kiss James passionately and it turns into a full blown make-out session. My hands are threaded in his hair, pulling him in closer and his hands rest on my waist, but under my t-shirt so he can feel my bare skin.

"You two. Knock it off!" Paul has entered the room and rolls his eyes at us both. "Really?"

Both James and I shrug. 

"C'mon. I want to show you something Moretti."

"You want in on the action? I didn't think you had it in you, Paulie." I tease and for the first time ever I see Paul blush and his eyes bug out of his head.

"You're nuts, you know that?" James laughs. I look around the room and raise my eyebrows at them both.

"You do see where I live, correct?"

"Moretti, let's go." Paul huffs, lacking patients and we get off the couch to follow him. Paul says nothing and Evan becomes our shadow while we walk down a hall. It takes a good ten or so minutes to get to the wing with my apartment but once we do, Nate is already inside. I can already tell his visit with Cara didn't go too well. We warned him.

"These two were sucking face in the other room. Just an FYI." Paul rats us out like we're two teenagers.

"C'mon Jule... really?" Nate says in a reprimanding way but then kisses my forehead and pulls me in to sit on his lap. "You're going to be the death of me, princess."

I shrug and bat my eyes at him gaining a forgiving smile.

"Pay attention. I had someone come install a security system." Paul points to a keypad near the door and then opens the slider for Maggie who patiently waits to go outside. She already feels like home here and I think it's cute.

"You don't think this is a bit overkill, Paul? I mean. I have you living here. You're giving up your life to stay in this little Avalon apartment as it is." I lean back on Nate and sigh.

"Don't care. You're too trusting, Julia. Towards EVERYONE." Paul continues.

I sit up more and take offense. "You act like I've ASKED for the things that happened to me."

"Not at all, Moretti. But you've let your guard down. Time and time again. That's what's gonna get you in trouble. You're always trying to see the good in people." The bodyguard crosses his arms and glares back at me.

"Whatever. Show me how to use this thing. We're probably going to need to tell someone here that we've installed security." I say while Paul shows me how to work the alarm.

"Not necessarily. Wait till something happens or Jeremy notices it. Then you can tell him you feel safer so had your bodyguard install it. Donovan can't say anything to that. What's the worst that would happen? He tells you it's not allowed, and we have to disable it?" Nate explains.

Yeah, I think to myself. And if Jeremy tells me I can't have an alarm, then he really isn't looking out for my best interest, is he? Because having an alarm would prevent him from having access to my place. If he says no to an alarm, it means he is looking out for his own best interest.

Not mine.

******