Force of Impact (The James Brothers Series Book 3)

by Stephanie Nichole

  I shake my head to clear my thoughts. Then I clear my throat so I can speak. “I’ll pay you back for the headstone.”

  He gives me a look of disbelief and shock, “Do you really think I want you to pay me back? Damn Hollis, I don’t give a rat’s ass about the money. Money isn’t really an issue for me anymore. I have more than I could need between two jobs and racing. Alex deserved the headstone, and I knew no one else could give it to him at the time so I did it because I wanted to.”

  “I didn’t mean to upset you.”

  “I’m past the point of upset.” He lets out a breath I didn’t realize he had been holding. “Can I drive you to your next destination?”

  I look up and meet those cobalt blue eyes that are so guarded yet I can still see the emotion swimming behind the depths. He looks sincere, “I’m just heading to Inkredible. I have an appointment in a bit.”

  “Can I drive you?”

  “Why? It’s only a couple of blocks from here,” I tell him.

  He nods, “I don’t know Hollis I just feel better taking you. I want to make sure you make it there safely. Obviously, it’s been emotionally draining and I don’t think it’s a good idea to drive when you’re distracted.”

  I look over at his car and motion toward me. “What about your car?”

  He smirks, “Trust me no one will mess with it. It’s not like they don’t know who it belongs to and what will happen if they do mess with it.”

  “How will you get back here?” I ask assuming he’s going to say walk which I will protest against. There’s an unusually chilly breeze today.

  Bowie’s eyes bore into mine, “I’ll get Roscoe or someone to bring me back it’s not that big of a deal. So any more questions or excuses you can come up with over there?” I give him a questioning look and retorts, “I know you, Hollis, even ten years later I still know you like the back of my hand.”

  “A lot has changed in ten years, Bowie.”

  He holds his hands up in surrender, “I’m not saying it hasn’t but I can see what hasn’t changed. I feel like it’s our first day in that cafeteria all over again. Just let me drive you to work.”

  Inwardly, I sigh because I know he’s right it does feel just like that day in the cafeteria all over again. I hate that things have become so strained in my absence but I guess it’s not like I could really expect anything less. I wish I could fix it but then that would mean letting my guard down and pulling scabs off scars that I’m not sure Bowie can handle. Bowie clears his throat pulling me back to reality and out of my head. Finally, I nod slowly and toss him the keys to my truck. At this point, I don’t know what else to do.

  Chapter 10

  Bowie

  It’s been a few days since I saw Hollis at the cemetery but every time I get a free moment she occupies my mind. I’m working on a car at the shop when I feel my mind start to slip back into the truck with her.

  When I pulled into the cemetery this morning Hollis was the last person I expected to find here. If someone would have told me that I’d find a hysterically crying Hollis I would have told them they were crazy. I forget just how fragile Hollis can be sometimes. She was always such a force of nature. Hollis stormed around protecting those she loved it’s easy to forget how scared she might actually be.

  Seeing Hollis here was not what I expected but then again I think every time I see her anywhere it’s not what I expected. I still haven’t wrapped my head around the fact that she’s back. I think after I gave up a couple years ago I assumed I’d just always have to wonder what happened to her, learn to live with it but then all of a sudden she’s back and consuming my life.

  As I approach her I don’t think much about her being here until I hear the sob rip itself from her chest. I realize then that she’s not just looking at the headstone or talking to Alex. I close the distance between us as quickly as I can. I don’t even think about my actions I just let my body do what it knows it needs to do, comfort Hollis. I wrap my arms around her and try to calm her, the best I can even though I know there is no comfort for her since nothing I can do will bring Alex back.

  Eventually, Hollis calms down but I still worry about her driving anywhere right now. We are now sitting inside her beat up ol’ truck, her coconut scent overwhelming my senses once more and nothing but silence between us. I have so many questions but I know Hollis, she wouldn’t answer them until she’s ready so I just drive for a minute. Then something occurs to me and I glance in her direction, “I didn’t realize that you and Kynlee knew each other.”

  Hollis shakes her head slightly, “We don’t, really.”

  “Oh, I just assumed since you two were at the races…”

  “Yeah, she showed up at the shop a couple of days after we had gone out. I think Ace sent her but if he did, she played it off well. When she came in, she introduced herself and told me she’d been dying to meet the infamous Hollis. After that, we just got to talking, and it was like we’d known each other our entire lives instead of just twenty minutes. Before she left, she invited me to the races, and I’d always wanted to see you race without having to worry that someone might see me there and tell my parents and it’s not like I exactly have an abundance of friends so I went with her,” She explains.

  I nod, “Yeah Kynlee has that way about her. She can get anyone talking and comfortable. It’s funny because when Ace first met her I thought she’d be the worst thing for him but somehow she turned out to be the best.”

  “I could see that after meeting her.”

  The cab of the truck falls silent again and after a few moments I clear my throat, “You said you figured Ace sent her, why?”

  Hollis sighs heavily and stares out the window. If it’s possible, the silence just grew quieter and just when I think she’s not going to answer she whispers, “Because I had texted Ace and told him that I was going to be leaving. I told him I’d finish out my scheduled appointments but after that, I’d be gone.”

  I feel like someone just hit me with a car even though I’m just fine. My heart, however, is slamming against my chest so hard that I swear you can see it through my shirt. Hollis was going to leave… again. I’m not sure what to do with that information or why I even care to be honest. I mean should I really expect more from her. She’s proven time and again that she runs. “Why?” falls from my lips before I can stop it. I’m pulling into a parking space in front of Inkredible and cutting the engine when she looks over at me.

  Hollis shrugs and I hate that it looks so defeated, “Because it’s my go too, for the past ten years running is all I’ve known. I don’t how to navigate any of this and it’s easier to run.”

  I get out and make my way around to the passenger side. Once the door is open I hand her the keys and ask, “What made you stay?”

  Her gray eyes stare into mine for a moment. We’re standing so close that if I just lean down my lips can brush hers. I’ve never wanted to lean down so badly in my life but I manage to stay put. “Alex,” She replies as she steps around me. She’s at the door of the shop when she turns back around and her eyes meet mine again, “And you,” she adds before disappearing into the shop.

  My head is under the hood of the car working but my mind is still in the cab of the truck with Hollis when I hear Axell call out to me, “Bo! Got to a tow I need you to take care off.” When I pull my head out from under the hood, I’m shocked to see the sun disappearing into the night sky and the shop empty aside from Axell and I. It was midafternoon when I had started working on this car. I guess I spent more time in my memories in the cab of that truck than I thought. “I put the address on the dash of the tow truck and had it pulled around front. I promised Sadie that I’d be on time for dinner tonight, “he explains giving me an apologetic look.

  I wave him off, “No worries, I got it, man. Go have dinner. I’ll see you later.”

  “They made need a ride home if they didn’t find someone to pick them up.”

  I nod at him as he lea
ves and start to pick up my tools for the night. I hear Axell leave. I follow after him about five minutes later. Once I’m in the truck, I glance at the address, it tickles something in my brain, something about it is familiar but I’m not sure why. It’s not too far from here so I turn on some music and head out. When I turn onto the street of the address, I realize why it seemed familiar, Inkredible is on this street. I realize the closer I get to the address that Inkredible is the address.

  When I pull in I see Hollis’ beat up truck I realize I’m here for her. She’s the only vehicle in the parking lot. Once I’m parked and out of the truck I look around for Hollis but I don’t spot her outside so I head toward the shop. I pull the door but I’m shocked to find it’s locked. I hear a startled scream from inside and instantly my heart rate kicks up. I know that was Hollis. I yank on the doors “Hollis! Hollis!” I holler.

  “Bowie?” I hear come from the other side of the door.

  “Yeah, are you okay?” I ask as I listen to her unlock the door. When she opens it I see a tear-stained face and scared eyes. In an instant she’s in my arms, her face buried in my chest, “Hollis, what’s wrong? You’re kind of scaring me over here.”

  She keeps her head pressed into my chest, “I was waiting outside when I heard something. It was getting dark and there was no one else around so I got spooked and came back inside. Then I saw a shadow passing by the door and windows from the lights outside. Whoever it was paused outside the door for a while.” She pulls back enough to look up at me, “It was probably nothing I just got spooked and I don’t know we aren’t exactly in the safest place in town. It’s nothing I’m sure.”

  I watch as she tries to convince herself of that but she’s not succeeding too well. She runs her fingers under her eyes in an attempt to dry them. I try to distract her, “What happened to the truck?”

  She shrugs and shakes her head, “I don’t know. It was fine earlier but it just wouldn’t start.”

  “Okay, let’s go take a look at it and then we’ll hook it up and get out of here,” Hollis nods and I wait for her to lock up the shop then we head to her truck. When I pop the hood, I something feels off to me but nothing looks out of place at first. A sound echoes from the alley behind the shop. Hollis lets out a startled yelp and jumps. I grab her hand and pull her toward the tow truck. I feel under the seat until I find the gun.

  “You have a gun?” she whispers.

  “Like you said we don’t live in the safest part of town. Don’t worry it’s legal. I want you to go back in the shop and lock the doors. Don’t open them until I tell you to,” I tell her.

  She starts to shake her head vigorously, “I’m not letting you go by yourself.”

  I sigh because I know that hard look in her eyes, “Fine but stay behind me.” She nods in agreement. As we round the building, I feel Hollis clutch the back of my t-shirt. I peek around the corner but I don’t see anyone in the alley. We’re halfway down the alley when a sound comes again. Hollis pulls my shirt so tightly I think she might strangle me. All of a sudden a multi-colored cat jumps down from the dumpster. I take a deep breath or relief, “It’s just a cat, Hol.”

  “Aww… poor thing,” she says releasing the back of my shirt and walking around me toward the cat. She approaches it slowly the holds her hand out “Hi sweetie, what are you doing out here all alone?” she asks softly. I watch as the cat comes to her. She scoops up the cat and cuddles it, “Do you mind if we bring it with us?”

  I chuckle, “No, I don’t mind. Let’s get the truck hooked up.” Once we're heading back toward the shop I watch as the cat curls up in Hollis’ lap and falls asleep. That’s the thing about Hollis that she doesn’t seem to understand, she’s calming without trying to be, it reminds me of the first time she talked me down on one of my worst days.

  Chapter 11

  Calming the Storm

  Hollis

  I was scanning the area for Bowie and mentally cursing myself at the same time. Just because Bowie had been around every day for the past two weeks doesn’t mean he’s guaranteed to be here now. I know his reputation and I knew it was just a matter of time before he found someone else new and exciting. Disappointment floods through me like the ocean crashing onto the shore. I have to bite the inside of my cheek to keep my emotions off my face. When I enter the cafeteria, I pathetically scan the room for any sign of him or those cobalt blue eyes but much to my disappointment he’s nowhere to be seen.

  Bowie had made a habit of showing up between a couple of my classes and every lunchtime. I knew something was off today when he didn’t show up between the classes where we first met. I had naively told myself that it was because he was running late or maybe he was sick. I made a thousand excuses for him. The lunch line is moving at a snail’s pace and the lunchroom is actually pretty quiet compared to the normal chatter that consumes it. I glance around and see that a lot of the students are missing from their normal spots. Where is everyone?

  Just when I’m almost to the head of the line a tall slender girl with black and blue colored bob hair comes running into the cafeteria. I’ve never noticed her in here before but I recall seeing around school but I don’t know her name. However, the way she’s marching toward me right now I’m thinking she might know mine. “Hollis?” I stare at her in shock. How does she know my name? “I’m Lane, one of Bowie’s friends.” Great! Of course, he has some girlfriend who found out about me and now I’m probably going to get my ass kicked because of him. Ugh! I hate him! Lane laughs a little, “When I say friend I mean friend. We’ve known each other forever so I’m not some scorned lover coming to take it out on you.” I feel the flush of embarrassment creeping up to my cheeks. Am I that transparent? “Look, right now I don’t have a lot of time to explain but Bowie needs you.”

  “He needs me?”

  “Yes, no one has been able to calm him down. You’re the last one that I can think of that might be able to,” she says, as she turns away and starts retracing her path. I’m guessing she expects me to follow her and I guess I have two choices. Stand in line and get my food like I always do and let Bowie go or follow her and find out what the hell is going on and possibly help Bowie. Before I even decide my feet are moving to catch up to her.

  “Lane, what’s going on?” I finally ask once we’re outside.

  She stops and gawks at me for a second. Her eyes are heavily rimmed with black and those have to be fake eyelashes but she pulls them off, “Damn Bowie, wasn’t kidding when he said you keep your head down.” That’s the only statement she makes before she takes off walking again.

  “I don’t like the attention.”

  She shrugs, “I get that. So okay I don’t know how much Bowie has told you about his home life but it’s kind of not so great right now. Anyway, long story short there’s this kid that keeps picking on one of Bowie’s younger brothers, Ace. He confronted the kid and now the kid’s brother wants to fight Bowie. To top it off the kid’s brother started running his mouth about their mom.” Lane makes a face that shows that was a clear mistake. As we approach, I see Bowie’s brothers, Axell and Jagger trying to talk to him and a very worried Roscoe looking on.

  I glance at Lane and she nudges me in Bowie’s direction with her shoulder. I take a deep breath to steady my nerves still unsure about how I can help but I’ll try. I cross the rest of the distance between us once I’m close enough all three of the James boys turn toward me. Jagger and Axell both show a glance of relief at the sight of me. “Look, you won’t listen to us but maybe you’ll hear her out,” Jagger says, motioning toward me, with that both of his brothers walk back to Roscoe and Lane.

  ****

  Bowie

  I’m pacing back and forth when I notice Hollis approaching. My brother’s quickly leave us alone to see if she can talk me out of this fight but she can’t, “You shouldn’t be here, Hollis.”

  She tilts her head to the side and studies me, those stormy gray eyes unwavering, “Why?”

 
“Because you don’t belong here,” I say harshly. I don’t mean to be so harsh to her but I’m seeing red right now and all I want to do is go blow for blow with the dumbass running his mouth.

  Hollis shrugs slightly, “I don’t belong anywhere but I’m here.” Her words hit something inside me. They feel familiar, they wrap themselves around me and warm a part of me that has been cold for so long. I don’t belong anywhere either. I’m different from the rest of my brothers. Axell and Jagger have their girls and Ace has mom and Jovi is still too young to really know anything. I’m the black sheep. I’m the one that fights just to feel something aside from the numbness. Being around Hollis wipes the numbness away but I hadn’t seen her today. “Why are you fighting?” Hollis asks.

  “He ran his mouth about my mom and his little brother was picking on mine,” I explain.

  “I know that part and I also know that you already protected your little brother and that fighting is probably the last thing your mom wants you to do right now so why are you doing this?” I narrow my eyes and turn away from her but she calls me out on it. “Don’t turn away and don’t tell me I wouldn’t understand. You’re doing this for you, for your own selfish reason but I want to know why. After the last few weeks, I think you can tell me why. I think you know that I won’t judge you for it.”