Fighting for Magnolia, page 1
Fighting for Magnolia
Redemption Harbor Security Series, Book 4
Katie Reus
Copyright © 2024 by Katie Reus. All rights reserved.
Cover art by Sweet ‘N Spicy Designs
Editor: Julia Ganis
Proofreader: Book Nook Nuts
Author website: www.katiereus.com
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental. With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the author.
Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book. This purchase allows you one legal copy for your own personal reading enjoyment on your personal computer or device. You do not have the right to resell, distribute, print or transfer this book, in whole or in part, to anyone, in any format, via methods either currently known or yet to be invented, or upload this book to a file sharing program. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.
Contents
About the Book
Dedication
1. Chapter 1
2. Chapter 2
3. Chapter 3
4. Chapter 4
5. Chapter 5
6. Chapter 6
7. Chapter 7
8. Chapter 8
9. Chapter 9
10. Chapter 10
11. Chapter 11
12. Chapter 12
13. Chapter 13
14. Chapter 14
15. Chapter 15
16. Chapter 16
17. Chapter 17
18. Chapter 18
19. Chapter 19
20. Chapter 20
21. Chapter 21
22. Chapter 22
23. Chapter 23
24. Chapter 24
25. Chapter 25
26. Chapter 26
27. Chapter 27
28. Chapter 28
29. Chapter 29
30. Chapter 30
31. Chapter 31
32. Chapter 32
33. Chapter 33
34. Chapter 34
35. Epilogue
36. Dear Readers
37. Acknowledgments
38. About the Author
Complete Booklist
About the Book
He promised forever, but then he left…
Magnolia fell fast and hard for the boy her parents warned her about. He told her that he wanted to give her the world, but then vanished. Now she runs a successful company in New Orleans and her son is picking out colleges—but someone is lurking in the shadows, stalking her every move. And they won’t stop until she’s six feet under.
Now he’s back and not going anywhere…
Security expert Ezra has just discovered the woman he never got over had their child years ago. Magnolia’s family lied to him, to both of them, and if he wants a place in their lives, he’s going to have to prove that he didn’t leave without a reason—all while keeping her safe from a deadly stalker who will do anything to destroy everything she loves.
Dedication
For my sister, one of the best moms I know.
Chapter 1
17 years ago
Magnolia stared down at the incoming text message, following the one she’d just sent to her boyfriend. Undeliverable. Frowning, she called Ezra.
“We’re sorry, the person you are trying to reach is no longer reachable at this number. Please try again later.”
Ice chilled her veins as she listened to the automated message. Feeling panicked and trying to convince herself this was a mistake, she called again. Got the same message.
Staring out the windshield at the park where kids who were off school for spring break were playing, their parents watching, she tried to understand what was happening. Then she called Mari, her best friend.
“Hey, what’s up? Did you tell him? What did he say? Do you want me to come over? Or kick his ass?” Mari Kim had two modes, kick ass and kick ass.
Magnolia was pretty sure she was going to take over the world one day. Or at least their little part of it in New Orleans.
“His phone is disconnected.” At least her voice didn’t shake as she got the words out. “And my texts were undeliverable. I…don’t know what to do.”
“Come pick me up now. We’re going to confront him in person.”
“Wait, I thought you were leaving today.”
“No, my mom moved the flight to tomorrow morning. She has a meeting she couldn’t miss. Now come pick me up.”
A dozen excuses flittered through her brain, but she found herself, saying, “I’m on my way.” Because Mari was right. Her bestie always pushed her out of her comfort zone, and ninety percent of the time she was grateful for it. Okay, ninety-eight percent of the time.
Magnolia didn’t even remember the drive to her friend’s house, but it wasn’t like she had far to go anyway. They both lived in the Garden District with their parents and she’d only been at a park a couple miles away.
Waiting for her boyfriend to show up.
Before she’d even fully put her car into park, Mari slid into the front passenger seat, dumping a huge purse in the footwell. “I’ve got backup in case we need it.”
She blinked. “What kind of backup?”
“Well…his neighborhood kinda sucks so I brought a Taser and bear spray.”
“I don’t even know what to say to that.” To be fair, Mari wasn’t wrong. She’d gone to Ezra’s neighborhood once to pick him up (she’d wanted to see where he lived!) and he’d freaked out.
Or his version of freaked out, because he was always so calm, even when upset. But he’d been so adamant that she never ever come back there in case he wasn’t there.
“I don’t know…”
“You don’t know what?” Mari turned in her seat to face her as the engine idled. Her long, dark hair fell over her shoulder in sleek waves. It was so dark that it almost looked blue-black in the right light.
“If we should just ambush him.” And okay, she was feeling really vulnerable right now. They’d had big plans to move in together when they turned eighteen and now he just wasn’t answering his phone. Or more accurately, his phone was disconnected. And she had no idea what to think.
“Oh.” Mari strapped in now. “We’re going. You’re going to tell him you’re pregnant, and then we’ll tackle telling your parents. Unless you decide you don’t want to have—”
“Nope.”
“Okay, then. Let’s go. Unless you want me to drive your car?” She shot Magnolia a sly look, her grin mischievous.
Magnolia just snorted and reversed out of the driveway. Mari had gotten her car taken away for like the fifth time when her parents had caught her sneaking out. Again. It wasn’t like she’d been sneaking out to a party. No, her friend had been sneaking out for her part-time job. But her parents had a very clear vision for their daughter’s future: Go to school. Become a doctor. Take over the world.
Magnolia was surprised they didn’t realize Mari was going to do exactly what she wanted, whether they approved or not, but Magnolia’s own parents didn’t understand or know her either. Whatever.
“So how are you feeling?” Mari asked once they hit the highway, heading away from the downtown proper.
Ezra lived about half an hour away, wasn’t even technically in New Orleans. But the drive wasn’t far and she’d drive anywhere to be with him. “I don’t know, honestly. Freaked out, I guess.”
“I meant like…are you nauseous or anything. Because my halmeoni has a special tea if so.”
“Oh my god, you told your grandma?”
“What? No. I just meant that she has a special tea for nausea. I remember my mom taking it when she was pregnant with my brothers.”
“Oh, okay. And I feel fine.” But she’d taken eight pregnancy tests and they were all positive. She wanted to go to her OB but wasn’t sure if her doctor would tell her parents since she wasn’t quite eighteen yet. Only one month to go. And at least she’d be graduating high school next month so she wouldn’t be showing at her graduation. “I’m trying to figure out how I’ll deal with college and…just, everything.”
“You’ll live at home instead of the dorms. Or you and I can just move in together.”
“You’re not going to want a baby for a roommate,” she murmured as rain burst from the sky, drenching her car and the six-lane highway. She slowed, along with everyone else, almost grateful for the delay in getting to Ezra.
“Whatever. We’ll figure it out. And luckily your due date should be right around December which means that if you have decent professors, you can take your exams early if the baby comes early. And if not, it’s the perfect time for winter break.”
She glanced at Mari in shock. “Clearly you’ve given this some thought.”
“Well, I know you haven’t. And I can’t help it, it’s the way my brain works.” She popped a piece of gum in her mouth. “No matter what, you know your parents will support you. Your dad can be a dick, but your mom’s the best.”
“Thank you for being such a great best friend.” She reached across the center console, took Mari’s hand and squeezed.
Mari’s dark eyes widened in surprise. “You don’t ha
“Since kindergarten.” They’d gotten put next to each other for nap time, and had become best friends over their love of Pokémon trading cards. Her gut tightened as she steered onto the exit, the rain starting to fade now.
These April rains left as quick as they came so now she had no more excuses not to stop. Well, other than Ezra ghosting her. But no, no way. “He wouldn’t just ghost me,” she blurted, wondering if she was lying to herself. She hadn’t talked to him in two days but they were supposed to meet up today so she’d thought…she didn’t even know.
“I don’t think he would either.” But Mari bit her bottom lip, worry on her gorgeous face.
“But what if he is ghosting me? What if he’s just done with me?” she whispered, voicing the fears she’d been trying to keep buried.
“Then screw him,” Mari snarled, all righteous indignation. “You’ve got family and me. And I’m family anyway.”
“Okay.”
“Okay.” Mari nodded once, the tenseness back in her expression as Magnolia made a turn at the next light.
Everything around here had an almost industrial, deserted feel to it. Some of that was from Hurricane Katrina almost two years ago. Her own neighborhood had only finally finished repairs and restorations at the end of last year. But the state hadn’t put money back into some areas, including this one. And she hated that for Ezra, hated everything about his home life.
He’d told her some of it, but… “That’s a For Sale sign,” she murmured, nodding even as she slowed in front of the little teal house with peeling paint. A chain link fence ran the front of it, the weeds and grass overgrown in the small front yard.
“Park in front of his neighbor’s curb.” Mari indicated toward the white woman sitting on her front porch, smoking a cigarette. “I’ll stay in the car in case someone tries to jack it. You take the Taser, I’ll keep the bear spray.”
Magnolia looked around the quiet neighborhood, didn’t think anyone was watching them, but she also knew Mari was right. Even as she questioned everything, she parked, kept her little BMW running—a gift from her parents on her sixteenth birthday—and slid out of the car.
“Here,” Mari held out a fifty. “Offer it in case she won’t talk.”
She blinked, but quickly shoved the money into her pocket. Mari always thought of everything. Half smiling, she approached the woman on the porch.
“I don’t know nothing about that house for sale,” the woman rasped out.
“Oh, no, I’m not here about that. Ah…do you know what happened to the people who lived there?”
The woman’s eyes narrowed. “Why?”
“I’m friends with Ezra. We both work at the community center over in the Quarter. I haven’t heard from him in a few days and I just got worried.” She shoved her hands into her shorts, trying to cover the trembling in her hands. It wasn’t a lie.
The woman’s body language shifted as she shoved the butt of her cigarette in the cracked ashtray, then pulled out another one, lit it. “Oh, now that’s a good boy. Real good. He always mowed my lawn when he was around. His father, if you could even call that sorry excuse for a human a father, is another story.” She snorted, which turned into a cough.
Magnolia had to stop herself from peppering the woman with questions, was glad it was just her here and not Mari. Because she didn’t think her bestie would be patient. She cleared her throat. “Do you know where he is or if he’s okay?”
“Oh, he’ll be fine. He joined the Marines, signed up yesterday. Told me he’d be shipping out soon. I guess they’re sending him to Pendleton.” The woman shrugged, took another drag. “Not sure what happened to his daddy, but hopefully he fell in a ditch somewhere and never got up.” She laughed at her own words, took another drag.
“He’s leaving?” she asked, more to herself than the woman as she tried to process the words.
“That’s what I said isn’t it? Now get out of here. No sense in you driving that car around here if you don’t want it stolen.”
Simply nodding, she turned back to her car, saw two men across the street watching her. Hurrying, she jumped into the driver’s seat and pulled away even as she strapped in. “The woman said he joined the Marines.”
“Wait, what?” Mari demanded. “Ezra did? What else did she say?”
“He’s leaving, I guess. Heading to California.” And she felt positively numb. “I don’t even know how to get ahold of him.” And she still couldn’t believe he was just leaving her behind, hadn’t told her he was going. Nothing. He’d been her first everything and she loved him. And she’d thought they were friends on top of everything else.
“We’ll figure it out.”
“Yeah,” she managed to get out. But she wasn’t sure she believed it at all. No, she didn’t believe anything would ever be okay again.
Chapter 2
Present day
“So when are you and Fleur tying the knot?” Ezra asked as he and Tiago paused at the crosswalk.
“No way, not changing the subject. Seriously, how the hell did I not know you were from here? How have you not told anyone that?” There was a hint of hurt in Tiago’s voice. “We’ve all been living here for the better part of the year. Not to mention I’ve known you for seventeen years.”
“I’m not from here here.” He shrugged, annoyed at himself for the slipup. He’d always told them he was from Ponchatoula, which was technically true. He’d been born there, but then his mom had died and his piece of shit dad had moved closer to the Gulf Coast for work. They’d ended up on the outskirts of New Orleans for a job his dad had managed to hold on to for about a year.
Tiago just grunted and looked away from him as they stepped up onto the sidewalk. They’d just finished a job and Tiago wanted to look at different homes. They were supposed to meet up with a real estate agent tomorrow, but he’d wanted to do some research on his own first, visit some open houses.
As they walked past a little vegan diner, then an old Victorian that had been turned into a bed and breakfast, his heart skipped a beat. They were way too close to some of his old stomping grounds.
To the home of the girl who’d broken his heart. The girl, now a woman, he’d never gotten over. No matter how hard he tried.
“I’m sorry, man,” he finally muttered when it was clear Tiago wasn’t going to talk to him.
Tiago stopped on the sidewalk, turned to face him, his expression surprised as he cupped his hand around his ear. “What? Can you say that again?”
“Man, shut up,” he grumbled, nodding at incoming joggers.
He and Tiago stepped off the sidewalk as two women raced by them, expertly jumping over an uneven section in the cracked sidewalk where a magnolia tree root had busted up through the concrete.
“Oh no, I’m gonna need to hear the words again.”
Ezra started walking again, knowing they were close to the address Tiago wanted to look at. There were a few places for sale around here so they’d parked and had been eyeballing the homes from the road. Some had walls, some fences and gates, and some just open gorgeous green yards.
Tiago fell into step with him. “One day you’re going to have to accept that you’re good enough, all by yourself.”
Nearly tripping on absolutely nothing, Ezra shot his friend a sharp look. “What the hell are you talking about?”
Tiago shoved his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket as they approached a Queen Anne-style house.
And the only reason Ezra knew the type of architecture was because the girl he’d once been in love with had told him. She loved everything about this city and architecture in general. Which made sense since she’d been like third or fourth generation here and her parents had been rich as Midas from hotels and real estate. Something he wasn’t going to think about. But being back in New Orleans was messing with his head. There were too many memories of her here.
He knew he should just look her up, maybe get a visual of her and get it out of his system. But he refused to do that. Not after the way she’d ended things. In seventeen years, he’d never looked her up.
