Hide (Lakefield Book 2)

by Jennifer Vester

  He came forward and I stepped back.

  Still looking at me he said, “Julia, you know I’m the last person that’s going to hurt you. Everything is okay. I’m just going to come to you, so you don’t crack that pretty head of yours if you pass out. Got me?”

  No. I didn’t get him.

  Every cell in my body was screaming to run all the way back to the airport and fly far, far away from everything. I would probably die of a heart attack or lose a lung trying. At the same time, I felt like I needed to crawl under the nearest car, tree, porch or whatever and hide. Find someplace that was safe.

  This had happened before, several times in fact, with horrible results. But if I went in there I felt like I would die. The only other option left to me was to run back to the airport and cough up a lung doing it.

  Lungs were overrated.

  I turned and ran. I couldn’t face it again.

  Fuck it, I would get a new guitar. I would find some old friends and just bum a ride somewhere. Hide out where no one knew me. I could tell them I got this scar on my face in a car accident like I told everyone else. I would go to Alaska, Canada, anywhere else other than here.

  I heard John and Jake yelling behind me. It felt like I was being pursued by the demons of hell. If they caught me, I would die.

  A truck door opened in front of me when I got halfway down the block.

  A man I thought I recognized got out. He was massive, with a broad chest, wide muscled shoulders, short cropped hair, and a goatee. He moved in front of me and grabbed me around the waist. My arms were locked in against his solid chest. His hands wrapped around my back and he had me caged.

  He was going to kill me, I just knew it. My eyes closed even as I struggled against his tight arms. I screamed and screamed as the man whispered softly in my ear. Tears were running down my face and my throat felt sore. My mind was so scattered that I didn’t realize he had sat down on the sidewalk and had taken me with him.

  My face was against his chest and I gave up struggling. I was now just blubbering against some stranger. The neighbors would probably all move.

  “Breath Julia,” he said softly. His hands were running over my hair. I could hear the calm heart in his chest, beating boldly but steadily. His smell reminded me of fresh laundry. I flashed back to when I used to pounce in it as a child, while I watched my mother put it away.

  It reminded me of home, back when I was happy and safe.

  My breathing slowed and I opened my eyes to look at the chest in front of me. He was big. I could feel his muscles and now see them straining against his olive green t-shirt.

  The feeling of being protected in this man’s arms was overwhelming. I felt like if I sat here long enough, that the troubles I had been facing would simply go away.

  I looked up at his face and realized who he was.

  The one man that I wanted to see most, and hated the thought of seeing, was holding me tight. He was giving me the safe place I had been looking for.

  “But I hate you,” I whispered.

  Chapter Two

  “Liar.” Holden chuckled.

  I was pressed so tightly against him that I could feel the vibration of his laugh move through me. He was still holding and rocking me slightly when the rain started to make little tinkling noises on the cars and sidewalk.

  I kept looking at his light brown, almost golden eyes remembering the last time I had seen him.

  I had woken up in the hospital after Liv’s ex-boyfriend had taken me out to the lake. He had been attempting to kidnap or murder her in exchange for me. He had cut my face and taken her down the beach. My hands had been tied behind my back. I hadn’t been able to move to stop the flow of blood as it coursed down my face and I had eventually passed out.

  When I had finally peeled my eyes open, to the sound of beeping and distant voices, Holden had been asleep in a chair beside the bed. In that moment, I had forgotten why I had been mad at him. I had forgotten because he was there sleeping, a huge man of his size barely fitting into the small seat, and his head had been hanging to the side. A little bit of drool had been coming out of his mouth. His face had been smeared with mud. His dirty blonde hair and goatee had almost looked black with dirt caked to it.

  I thought he had been the most beautiful man I had ever seen right at that moment.

  He had stirred and I had closed my eyes so he wouldn’t catch me staring. Then I had fallen quickly back asleep. I remembered afterward why I had been so mad at him. A night at the club, him calling me a slut because I had been dancing with someone.

  But that one moment, after I had woken up and had felt a slew of other emotions just looking at him, was mine. I had stolen it and I had kept it to myself. Not that I was going to share that with him. He was still an ass.

  I frowned at him and tried to pry myself away. “Holden let me up.”

  He gave me a blank stare and then his jaw clenched. “No.”

  “I’m okay, just acting like an idiot as usual.”

  “I don’t see an idiot. Where were you running to?”

  I shook my head. “Back to the airport, I don’t know, somewhere. Catch a ride to Alaska.”

  I could feel a million little facial adjustments on my face as I looked at him. Confusion, joy, anger, sadness. All the emotions were probably playing across my face like a damn billboard.

  Holden’s face on the other hand, was a blank. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking, what he felt, if anything, right now. His eyes wandered over my face like he was trying to find something.

  Did I look so different?

  His eyes stopped on my cheekbone. Then he pressed his lips together and frowned. He looked angry.

  My makeup must have been wearing off between the rain and long travel. I had forgotten to check it in the bathroom because I was just so used to seeing myself reflected back. The scar was bad. It had faded some, but was still a scarlet line that ran from my temple, across my cheek and curved up slightly to my nose.

  Makeup hid it well but not perfectly. I could have it cosmetically covered, but the cost was incredibly high and I wasn’t exactly rolling in dough as a part time bartender back home.

  I moved my hand to cover it. He grabbed my wrist and pulled it out of the way.

  He looked up and past my shoulder. I had forgotten about Jake and John. I probably looked like an escaped patient from the psych ward running down the street.

  I heard John first. “Mr. Saunders we’ve got her sister passed out in the car.”

  His eyebrows went together. “Passed out?”

  Jake answered next. “Yeah she’s lit. Picked her up, she was drinking one after another at the bar in the airport. Then she had some in the car.”

  His lips pursed as he looked down at me. “You drunk too?”

  I shoved against him. “Get the fuck off of me.”

  Of course, he would think to ask me that question. I served the real drunks at the tiny bar I worked at, I wasn’t one. I had my fair share of drinks, but not like Allie and her pals. This last year, I only had a few after playing some shows at the bar or if I had really needed to forget about things. Not exactly the healthiest reason but it was nice not to feel anything sometimes.

  He ignored me and shoved my face into his chest. “No.”

  I growled. Was he always this annoying?

  John answered. “As far as I know, Miss White hasn’t had anything. Straight up panic attack. I’ve seen it before. She won’t go in the house.”

  The rain was coming down in a light dusting until then. The sky flashed with lightning and thunder followed shortly after. Then the drenching began. I could hear the heaviness of it coming down the street before it actually got to us.

  Holden stood up with me cradled in his arms. The rain hit us like a waterfall pouring from the sky. I buried my head in his shoulder.

  “John, unload the sister’s shit, and her, into the house. I’ll take Julia to my place. Drop off her stuff there later.”

  “Yes, sir,” I h
eard him say before hearing the wet slaps of his feet running down the block through puddles.

  Jake was close when he spoke. “Aiden and Liv wanted them at Muse later.”

  “Yeah, we’ll see.” Holden grunted. “I’m headed home.”

  I started to protest. No way. Not with him. “Holden—”

  His arms just got tighter and he cut me off. “My house Jake. Drop her things off.”

  “Alright,” Jake replied, before he too ran down the street in the rain.

  Holden swung toward the black Hummer behind us, opened the back door, and shoved me in. Then he surprised me by crawling in after me. I backpedaled in the seat trying to make room for him.

  “Holden! What are you doing?”

  He gave me a sarcastic smile and closed the door behind him. “Getting some shit straight with you.”

  I didn’t want to have this discussion with him. I had dreamed about him for the last year while I recovered from all that had happened. Dreamed that he had saved me, that he had been different toward me. I had dreamed repetitively about that shitty day in the hospital when I had woken up.

  Waking up. Holden. My stupid mind just wouldn’t give up on that one.

  “There is no shit. None. Just take me to a hotel. I can crash out there and figure out a flight back to California in the morning. Allie can fend for herself.”

  He gave me a sideways look and narrowed his eyes. “No.”

  I huffed and crossed my arms over my chest. “Jesus Holden, is that the only word you know? You can’t keep me here and I’m not going in that house.”

  He was suddenly all the way across the seat. I felt the door handle in my back when I ran out of room to run. I could easily just pop the handle and be gone. I grabbed for the handle but one of his huge hands reached out and grabbed my wrist. I jerked back against him trying to make him let go but he held tight. I put my other hand on his chest.

  “Let go! I don’t want to talk to you. I hate you!”

  I started to breath heavily and he pressed his body close to mine. He moved my arm around my back by my wrist.

  His eyes were glued to mine, but for a fraction of a second they flicked down to my mouth. My face flushed. I could feel the burn spread across my cheeks as I also looked down at his lips.

  “You’re such an ass. Don’t make me kick you in the nuts.”

  The side of his mouth tweaked up before forming a full smile. His eyes sparkled as he let out a low, unhurried laugh. “Ah, there she is. Claws and all. I thought maybe you were lost there for a minute. Have no idea what you’re doing with your hair, but that pink is pretty fitting, hippie.”

  Hippie? Had he lost his mind?

  Letting out a loud growl, I started trying to kick him. He rolled me so quickly my head spun and my cheek was suddenly on the leather seat. He moved behind me and pinned both of my hands together in the middle of my lower back.

  “What are you doing?!” I yelled.

  “Saving the crown jewels. Now stop moving Julia. We’re going to talk and you’re going to play nice.”

  “I hate you! There, satisfied? Talk over, I’m getting out.”

  He put some pressure on my hands and I heard something clinking behind me. I felt something slide around both wrists and heard the unmistakable sound of handcuffs clicking shut.

  “Yeah, you keep telling me that. Frankly, a year ago I was willing to let you, but not now.”

  I tried to wiggle my hands but couldn’t get them free.

  His face came into view beside me. I felt his legs stretched over mine, keeping them still and trapped under him. His huge chest was pressed against my back. One of his arms went down to the floor to brace his weight against me. His smell enveloped me. Fresh laundry and body wash.

  I growled at him and wiggled against him. “This isn’t talking, it’s entrapment. Like I said, there is no shit to settle.”

  “Not what I had in mind today when I heard you were coming back, but I’m not exactly disappointed either. Keep still.”

  I kept trying to move him with my body. “You’re a pig-headed Neanderthal, Holden.”

  “I’m about to be even worse if you don’t stop moving Julia.” He pressed his crotch into me and I could feel the hardness of his large cock against the back of my leg.

  My body stopped moving but a shiver ran up my back. Tingles ran down my legs.

  Was I actually turned on? That was the last thing I needed.

  My eyes looked over his face. “What do you want?”

  “Are you going to be nice?”

  “Yes.” Anything to get out of this situation, I thought.

  “Are you going to listen?”

  I rolled my eyes. “Maybe.”

  “I don’t care how much you think you hate me. Right now, you’re coming back to my house. It saves everyone a lot of time because they won’t have to assign someone to you. Second, you’re not going to do anything crazy at the wedding, like have strippers crash the reception. You’re going to have a date with you to ensure that won’t happen. Me.”

  “I’m WHAT?” I yelled. “I’m performing at the reception! You won’t see much of me. And why the fuck does everyone think I’m going to do something crazy at the wedding? I’m not that person anymore.”

  One of his eyebrows shot up. “Yeah, right. I know you’re performing, I’m still going to be your date.”

  “I would watch for poison in your drink then,” I said sarcastically.

  He narrowed his eyes at me. “Noted. However, I would also like to point out that I know how to kill people and dispose of their bodies where no one will find them.”

  “Oh, shut up Holden!” I spat. “So, this is kidnapping until after the wedding?”

  “Wasn’t planning on it, but now that we’re here, it sounds like a good tactical plan.”

  “Don’t you work? What are you going to do? Is it “take your abductee to work day” tomorrow? And why am I going to go as your date? It would be easier just to assign yourself and watch me do absolutely nothing. No strippers, no elephants, no gypsies. No one is ever going to believe we’re dating.”

  He chuckled and gave me a smug look. “I’m not working the wedding. The guys have too much to do as it is without babysitting our local trouble-maker. We can make this easy and just say that you’ve come to your senses and have admitted you really like me. Or, I can take you down to the station and turn you over to them for a while.”

  What the hell?

  My mouth dropped open in shock. “Based on what charge?!”

  “I can come up with something creative. Indecent exposure, disturbing the peace. I mean it’s not like you don’t have a few dings on your record. Maybe throw in another animal clinic protest.”

  My jaw clenched.

  This man was the devil.

  I had never known what an arrogant, devious man he might be. I knew he was a hard man. Not the type to bend or break easily. But never in my wildest imagination would I have pictured him blackmailing me over a date.

  “You couldn’t possibly get any of those to stick. And that protest was back in college. It wasn’t anything major.”

  His mouth twitched like he wanted to smile but didn’t. “It was a naked protest, angel. I have a friend down at the station that would make something new stick.”

  “You realize my dad is a cop, right?”

  He shrugged. “Yeah but if he knows you at all, I’m sure he wouldn’t put it past you to pull something crazy. Again.”

  I narrowed my eyes at him. “You are insane and an asshole.”

  “Thanks, I’ve been called worse,” he said flippantly. “So, deal or no deal. Your choice.”

  “Okay, okay. Just don’t expect me to like it.”

  His eyes roamed over my face and down to my mouth. “Oh, you will. The other part of the deal is you behave and play nice. Hold hands, say yes to everything, maybe even make out with me publicly. You know, like a regular relationship.”

  I laughed hard. “You obviously haven’t bee
n in many relationships if you think women say yes to everything. Making out with you is off the table. Maybe hold hands. Just dating. Can we just avoid naming it altogether? You know Liv isn’t going to buy this shit.”

  His eyes were still on my mouth. I wanted to look away, but turning my head at the moment, wasn’t an option. The longer he stared, the more I began to feel lightheaded. My stomach was fluttering and my heartbeat increased. I wondered idly what it would be like to be kissed by him and immediately dismissed the thought. I wasn’t attracted to overbearing, arrogant, crazy men.

  Was I?

  His eyes finally slid up to mine. “Oh, I think a kiss here and there wouldn’t hurt you. You need to be kissed. Would probably calm your ass down to get kissed frequently by someone who knows what they’re doing. I don’t give a fuck what they think. Makes it easier to explain the “bring your abductee to work day” though.”

  “Oh, so you’re an expert now on kissing too? I don’t need to be kissed!” I retorted as I began wiggling to get free again.

  He laid the palm of one of his hands on my ass and rubbed slightly. “Never heard anyone complain.”

  The sensation of his palm against me, rubbing near the bottom of one cheek, was setting me on fire. I wanted to bite him and punch him at the same time. “Are you sure? When was the last date that you’ve had?”

  He looked at me innocently. “Are we discussing dates or women I’ve been with. There’s a difference.”

  I growled. “Oh! You’re such a prick.”

  His mouth curved up on one side and he gave me a devious look. “We can discuss my prick too if you would like. Never had a complaint about that either. In fact—”

  “Ug! I dont want to hear about it! I agreed to the deal. With limitations. Should we shake on this or something?”

  He acted like he was considering that request for a moment. Then he pressed his crotch into me and rubbed. My eyes half closed from the tingling that raced through my body.

  His lips were suddenly beside my ear and he whispered, “I’m fairly comfortable right now. We’ll skip the handshake.”

  “Get off Holden. I agreed to play nice and pretend. Let me up.” It was all I could manage to say and it wasn’t even incredibly firm. More like a small protest in the face of the attraction I was feeling for him.