Little Jack

by Atlas, Lilly

  Good thing he’d removed the gun from LJ’s glove box because for the first time in her life, Holly found herself willing and able to harm another human being to the point of death. Higgins was a disgusting asshole with a God complex. Like being a sheriff’s deputy in small-town Tennessee made him some kind of higher power.

  She walked a good fifteen steps away from him. Being so close to him had her skin crawling with imaginary bugs. Even with some distance, the chill that had settled in her bones didn’t dissipate.

  Holly wrapped one arm around her midsection and used the free hand to dial LJ. Man, oh man, this was not going to go well. If she could think of any possible way to keep him from finding out what Higgins proposed, she just might go that route. But LJ would know. She was shit at hiding her emotions.

  With a sigh, she connected the call and lifted the phone to her ear.

  “Hey, sugar. What’s up?”

  Shit. Here’s goes nothing.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  ROCKET SLOWED TO a stop behind the police cruiser parked on the side of the highway, lights flashing. This song and dance with the cops wasn’t any of the Handlers’ first rodeo, so Copper drove a few more feet and pulled in front of LJ’s truck, flanking the officer and Holly. Gave them a little advantage.

  Holly and the deputy both stood between the cars. Holly had her arms wrapped around her midsection as though she was hugging herself. She swayed back and forth.

  Something was wrong. Something beyond a simple mix-up over the ownership of a pistol. Higgins, a little fucking Schwartz wannabe waited with his ass propped on the trunk of his cruiser, legs crossed at the ankle as though he was waiting for coffee at Starbucks, not anticipating an encounter with an outlaw.

  Higgins wasn’t the shittiest cop on the force, but he ranked up there. An arrogant misogynist who fancied himself more important than his actual station in life, he’d been a complete asshole to Shell when she was involved in a minor fender-bender about a year ago. Hopefully Copper would let LJ handle this. If he got off his bike, the prez might lose his shit on Higgins.

  Holly finally looked up and straight at him. The change in her would have been obvious to a blind man. Her face softened, her shoulders relaxed, and the tension seemed to pour out of her in waves. What the fuck had happened?

  Nothing good.

  LJ pushed the door open and started out of the truck only to be held back by Rocket’s hand on his arm.

  “Hold the fuck on,” Rocket said.

  “What?” That came out way harsher than intended. Luckily Rocket wasn’t the type to take offense easily.

  “You’re too fucking hot right now. You can’t go charging out there snarling like a fucking grizzly bear. You’re trying to help your woman, not get your ass locked up. Tossing your giant ass in jail would be the highlight of that fucker’s shitty life. Simmer down. Hear me?”

  LJ braced his palms on the dash as he blew out a breath. His gaze remained locked on Holly. “I hear you. Thanks for looking out for me.”

  Rocket chuckled. “Always brother.”

  “I find out he hurt her, though…”

  “I’ll hold the fucker down for you,” Rocket said.

  LJ nodded. “Good deal.” With a renewed sense of calm, or at least somewhat calmer, LJ opened the door.

  Party time.

  As LJ stepped out of the truck, Higgins’ hand fell to his weapon. Out the corner of his eye, LJ saw Holly tense. He hated to pull his attention off her but ignoring the man with the gun might not be a smart idea. Thankfully, Copper and Zach remained on their bikes, though LJ had no doubt they’d jump the fuck in if shit went downhill.

  “That’s far enough,” Higgins said as LJ approached. He held up the truck registration Holly had handed over. “Your real name Jack Olsen?”

  “That’s me. There a reason you’re harassing my woman?” About ten feet separated them.

  “Keep your hands where I can see them,” Higgins barked as though LJ was about to reach for a hidden firearm. His voice dripped with hatred and disgust.

  Feeling’s mutual, buddy.

  “I was just reaching for my wallet so I can show you my weapon registration and we can all be on our way.”

  Higgins wrinkled his nose, making that bushy pornstashe move. “Go ahead.”

  Keeping one hand in the air, LJ reached around for the wallet he kept in his back pocket with the other. “Can you tell me why you pulled her over?”

  “Speeding,” Higgins said with a smirk in her direction.

  Holly had yet to say a word. She stood off to the side, hugging herself. She appeared small, fragile. And that was fucking unacceptable.

  “Speeding?” LJ said as though shocked. “You got a lead foot I’m not aware of, sugar? ’Cuz the last few times I drove with you, it was granny-speed all the way.”

  Holly narrowed her eyes at him. Finally, a reaction beyond the blank stare.

  She held up her ticket. “Five miles over, according to Deputy Higgins.”

  LJ snorted. “This some kinda fucking joke?”

  “Nope,” Higgins replied with a grin LJ wanted to ram his fist into. “It’s dangerous to drive too fast, Jack. Gotta keep the citizens of Townsend safe from reckless drivers.”

  Christ, this guy was a smug asshole.

  “You put your hands on my woman, Higgins?”

  Tension grew to near combustible.

  “Gun fell out of the glove box when she opened it, Jack Olsen. She was driving the truck of a known criminal affiliate.” He shrugged like he didn’t give two shits. “How was I supposed to know she was your woman? Just assumed she was a who—”

  “Shut your fucking mouth.”

  “LJ?” Holly’s shaky voice jerked his attention away from the cop whose death was imminent. She had tears in her eyes. Christ, the sight gutted him.

  “Yeah, sugar.”

  “Can we just go, now? Please.”

  LJ stalked forward, ignoring the way Higgins’ fingers tightened on the handle of his pistol. He held the registration card out for the cop to see. “We fucking done here?”

  Higgins tilted his head and rubbed his chin as though studying the card, but his attention strayed over LJ’s shoulder to Holly. No way did the motherfucker give one shit about the gun, who owned it, and whether or not it was legal. All he wanted was to harass the fucking club.

  “Guess we’re done. I’ll tell you like I told your woman. She needs to watch herself over the next few weeks. We’re gonna be dialin’ up the pressure on your club. Being the sheriff’s daughter won’t be a get out of jail free card.”

  “Sugar?” LJ called without taking his attention off Higgins. “We’re good to go. Hop in the truck. I’ll be thirty seconds.”

  Holly remained silent for a beat, then said, “Please hurry. I really want to go home.”

  After he heard the truck door slam shut, LJ took another step closer to Higgins. He had a good six inches on the guy and at least sixty pounds of bulk. It’d be so easy to wrap his hand around the man’s throat and give a good fucking squeeze.

  So damn tempting. Instead, he said, “I find out you laid one hand on my woman, you’ll learn exactly what the Handlers are all about.”

  Higgins raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t think even you were dumb enough to threaten an officer of the law.”

  LJ glanced around. “No witnesses.”

  “Huh, guess not.” Higgins tilted his head. “Just like there were no witnesses when I was here with your woman.”

  With a growl, LJ stepped forward. Higgins was a dead man.

  “LJ! Your woman is waiting on you.” Copper’s booming brogue might have just prevented a murder.

  “Aww, Daddy says it’s time to go. Better listen.”

  Fuck this. He was done. He’d be behind bars if he took this fucker’s bait and Copper was right, Holly’s needs trumped Higgins. LJ turned, stuffing his weapons registration card in his back pocket. He nodded to Rocket who pulled out onto the highway. Copper would most likely stick a
round until both Higgins and LJ had gone.

  Didn’t fucking matter that Higgins still had his gun. He marched to the truck with two goals in mind. Get Holly as far away from this spot as fast as possible and find out what the fuck happened.

  In that order.

  He hauled himself into his massive truck with the ease someone only his size could pull off. With a two-fingered salute for Copper and Zach, he drove off. But not toward home. Their apartments didn’t need to be tainted by whatever went down today. Hopefully, they could talk it out, then leave it in the past.

  After about two minutes of silence, Holly said, “LJ, I—”

  “Not yet.”

  He cast her a quick glance to find her watching him with wary eyes while she gnawed on her lower lip. Dammit. Freaking her out hadn’t been the goal. He just needed a few minutes to get his shit locked down before they spoke.

  For the rest of the fifteen-minute drive, neither made a sound. He should say something, comfort her in some way, but he was too on edge to offer anything more than time to think. As he pulled off to the side of the road, Holly gasped.

  So, she recognized the overlook as the place he’d first had her. Hopefully, the positive memories of that night would outweigh whatever shit she was about to tell him. He put the truck in park, rolled the windows down halfway, then killed the engine. They turned to face each other at the same time.

  “I’m okay, LJ,” Holly said. “I can see this whole incident really upset you—”

  “You being harassed by the cops and nearly arrested because I didn’t think to remove the weapon from my car? Yeah, it fucking upsets me.”

  Her jaw dropped. “You’re not blaming yourself for this, are you?” When he didn’t respond, she said, “LJ that’s crazy! That Higgins guy is just a straight-up asshole. You aren’t responsible for his actions in any way.”

  They’d have to agree to disagree on that one. Goddamn, why hadn’t he just bulldozed over her desire to rely on herself and driven her to the damn diner? She’d been out there on the side of the road, unprotected. And once LJ had shown up? He still couldn’t do anything without getting his ass tossed in jail. Goddamn fucking helpless. The worst state for him to be in. He blew out a breath. “Tell me what happened.”

  “You have to promise me you won’t flip out, okay?”

  “I make no such promise.”

  “LJ!” She scoffed. “Come on.”

  Instead of answering her, he captured her face between his mitts and gave her a kiss. Probably the sweetest kiss he’d ever given her. No exploring tongues or plans to escalate. Just lips pressed together in comfort. “Shoulda done that the second I saw you,” he whispered as he pressed his forehead to hers. “My mistake. I’ll try not to lose it. Okay, baby?”

  Holly sighed and closed her eyes. “Damn you, LJ for being so sweet.” Another sigh. “Like he said, he pulled me over for going a few miles above the limit.”

  He smiled. Though loosening her tongue hadn’t been the purpose of that kiss, he’d be lying if he wasn’t thrilled for the side benefit.

  Her eyes remained closed. “He was your basic jerk at first. Suggesting I was some angry club whore who hijacked your car. A woman scorned kind of thing, I guess. I tried to explain we were…more than that.” She shrugged. “He either didn’t buy it or didn’t care. You know what happened when he asked for the registration and insurance.”

  “Fuck, I’m so sorry, Holly. That damn gun’s been in there since the day I bought the truck. Swear I’ve never taken it out once. Never even crossed my mind to warn you about it.”

  “LJ, you are not to blame here. He should have just let me call you straight away. You could have let him know I didn’t steal your car and offered to show the gun registration card. Higgins had other plans though.”

  “He made you get out.”

  “Yes. And…” She swallowed and averted her gaze. “He said he had to search me after he removed the gun. So, he made me bend over the hood of the car with my palms down while he removed the gun.”

  She rubbed her fingertips over her palms again and again as though still feeling the heat of the car on her skin.

  “And he searched you?” LJ asked, trying to make his voice sound soothing despite his anger quickly heating to the boiling point.

  Holly lifted her gaze. “He searched me.”

  “He cross a line?”

  She nodded, water pooling in the corners of her eyes.

  “Where?” He didn’t sound soothing anymore.

  “Um,” Holly cleared her throat. “A lotta wandering hands on my butt, all over my back, and my b-breasts.” Her voice dropped so low on that last word, he barely heard her.

  “Anything else?”

  “Yes.”

  “Fucking hell.” LJ dragged a hand down his face.

  “LJ, I’m fine. Just a little shaken up.”

  “Good for fucking you,” he barked. “I’m about as far from fine as it gets, so tell me the goddamn rest.”

  Her mouth opened and closed a few times.

  God, he was such a piece of shit. “I’m sorry, sugar. I’m not mad at you, I promise.”

  “I know,” she said in a small voice that only made him hate himself more. “Okay, I’m just gonna spit the rest of it out. He pressed against me while I was bent over the car, and he was quite obviously hard. Then he told me I had two options. Ride to the station in the back of his car or sit in the front and show my appreciation for not being arrested.”

  “Jesus fucking Christ!” LJ roared as he slammed his open palm into the dashboard.

  It came on fast. Faster than he could ever recall. One minute he sat in the truck, listening to Holly, and the next…tingling fingers, hazy vision, chest tightness, it all slammed into him with the force of a wrecking ball.

  And then, nothing.

  He never even had a chance to warn Holly.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  ONE SECOND HOLLY had been recounting the humiliating events of the past hour and the next she was staring in shock as LJ completely disappeared.

  In his place was a man gripping the steering wheel so hard all color leeched out of his hands. A man who wouldn’t have noticed if the world exploded around him. He breathed like an elephant sat on his chest. Choked, gasping breaths that couldn’t have been effective at providing oxygen. His pupils had blown so wide, they eclipsed the hazel she loved so much, but what disturbed her most was the blank, lights-on-nobody’s-home stare he cast out the windshield.

  “LJ?” she asked. What the hell was happening to him? Was he sick? Having a heart attack? Stroking out? His entire body began to shake and the breathing she’d thought sounded so atrocious seconds ago now had the added horror of a high-pitched whistling. “LJ!” she yelled this time.

  Nothing. No response whatsoever. Just as she pulled her phone out to dial the emergency responders, LJ emitted the most gut-wrenching whimper she’d ever heard. It was then, the light bulb went on, and Holly realized he was deep in a severe panic attack.

  She dropped the phone and scooted along the bench until her front was pressed up against his side. His big body shook so violently, she had a hard time grabbing him, but with a little effort managed to hold his face between her hands much as he did when he’d kissed her.

  God, was that only a few minutes ago? Seemed like days.

  “LJ,” she said in a soft, loving tone. “Baby, come back to me. You’re okay. You’re safe. I’m safe. No one is hurt.” Was she acting ridiculous? Holly had no clue what to do for someone in this state. Maybe she should have called nine-one-one. The story she’d told him had triggered something horrifying in his mind. Maybe if she reassured him she was unharmed and not in any danger, he’d return to her.

  She stroked his cheek and beard, repeating nonsense over and over. How they were safe, how strong she thought he was, how she loved his hands and mouth on her, how amazing his club brothers and their women were. Anything to break him out of the grip of the attack.

  Nothing seemed
to work. He trembled and struggled to breathe for long minutes. Sweat poured down his ashen face. His hands were fisted so tight, he was at risk for cutting his palms with his fingernails.

  Just as Holly was about to give up and call for help, she looked into his eyes. His pupils had returned to a normal size and for the first time since he’d lost control, his gaze shifted to her.

  “Keep talking,” he said in a rasp that sounded like someone had taken a cheese grater to his vocal cords. “Keep touching me.”

  Holly didn’t care how shitty he sounded; relief nearly had her sobbing. He was back or working his way back.

  “Want to hear a funny story?” she asked as she ran her hands over his chest then up his arms. Since she hadn’t been expecting an answer, she just plowed ahead when he remained silent. “You know I grew up outside of Tampa, Florida. We didn’t travel much, or ever, when I was little, so my sister Joy and I really had no experience with cold weather. Neither of us saw snow until we were ten, I think.” Thoughts of her sister always brought a combination pang of sadness and burst of happiness. Why this story came to mind, she had no idea. Maybe it was Joy, lending help and approval of the man Holly felt the driving need to comfort.

  Thank you, Joy.

  Always looking out for her, even in death.

  She swallowed around a lump in her throat and forced down the ache. This moment was about LJ and what he needed from her. “A-anyway, we had this big old freezer in our garage. You know the kind that serial killers stuff their victims into in the movies?”

  He didn’t speak, but the tiny jerk of his chin was a victory she’d gladly claim.

  “Joy was always so much more extroverted and daring than I was. I was the goodie two-shoes, and she was born to be the rebel. So, one day, I think we were about nine, if I remember correctly, she decided we should have a competition to see who could tough out cold weather the longest. It was close to Christmas and still shorts weather in Florida. I was always reluctant to follow along with Joy’s crazy plans but did it anyway.” Holly chuckled. Man, the trouble they’d gotten into. “She was my twin, you know? I’d have followed her anywhere and vice versa.”