“I always knew you were a bright little princess. Too bad it took you this long to figure it out.”
“Yeah, it did. You did a good job training your boy Harry here into an animal that's for sure. Bravo.” I give a slow clap. “Teaching him how to beat me down, trying to make me think I was less than nothing, so I wouldn’t pay attention to what you were doing. But you didn't win, did you? I did. It must be killing your dead black soul right about now.”
"They won't be able to hold me, princess."
"Yeah. Well, as of twenty minutes ago all your investors that were tangled up in your scheme came looking to collect.”
At least that’s what Sam led me to believe and the agent holding onto my dad nods, confirming my belief. “You held them off when I took over, but the rumor of Harry coming in, they didn't take that well. Not one fucking bit.”
My father’s face falls, and he knows he’s fucked. Yes, this might be better than him in cuffs. Watching his face crash as his whole world does. “What the hell did you do?”
“You did a good job selling me to your clients as my grandfather’s sweet little princess and a daddy’s girl.” The last fact makes my stomach clench. “But when Jaxson...” At the mention of my husband’s name my father snarls and I love how gleeful it makes me to know Jax is the one that put that stake in my dad’s coffin, “let the little fact slip to Dan Largo about Harry overseeing all the investments and that he would be taking over the company after our wedding and not me, he wasn’t pleased. In fact, that's why he wanted to leave the first time. Well, Mr. Largo let that information slip to a few of his friends. Then with the news of my engagement, his discovery spread like wildfire and helped dig your grave deeper because there was no denying the truth now. You are a thief and a liar.”
A bubble of laughter rises in my belly as I turn to Harry who is whiter than my dress. “I could kick myself for not knowing I was sitting on my ammunition the whole time. I mean, everyone hates you, Harry. They don’t trust you with their money as far as they can throw you. They think you’re a weasel. I’ve always known that, and I didn’t use that information to my greatest advantage. I mean, you were even questioning why you couldn't pile on the investors like my dear old dad could? It was driving you insane.” I place my hand on Harry’s shoulder. “I almost feel bad for you. Almost. He used you good. Now you’ll be paying for it. If only you were nicer to me, maybe I would have had mercy on you. But now that I remember your hands on me, I don’t feel sorry for you, so I hope you rot.”
“Bitch," Harry mumbles under his breath and jerks his shoulder from under my hand.
"Yeah, well. At least I won't be rotting in a jail cell. Oh, and by the way, dad, thanks for my trust money back. I'm really going to need it since your ass isn't worth a dime."
"All you did now is destroy your grandfather’s company,” my father hisses.
"No, you did that. He'd be proud of me seeing you in cuffs and so would Mom." I tilt my head. "I can almost see her standing behind you, laughing."
My father’s beady eyes narrow at me. “You think you’ll get away with this. But you won’t.”
“I will. I already have because I’m on the other side. A little broken, but I’m still standing. I’m going out into the fresh air, to live my life, and do it on my own terms. If I’m lucky, the only time I’ll see your face is in court when they lock you away for a long time.”
“It’s time to go,” the FBI agent holding onto Harry tells me, and I give him a nod.
“I’m done. Thank you.”
Done. It feels so good to wash my hands of my father. I feel the light of my mother and grandfather shining down on me. I know they’re proud of me, and though their legacy will be gone, they can be at peace knowing that justice has been served.
I can finally breathe.
There’s a flurry of activity outside the courthouse as my father and Harry are dragged to individual black SUV’s; flashing lights from cop cars, FBI agents, and uniformed cops keeping the onlookers back and running around while news reporters push their microphones into my face, bombarding me with their sea of questions all at once as I come down the stairs. Two agents put their arms around my shoulders and lead me safely to an SUV, away from the chaos. I’ve been hoping I could see Jaxson or Sam before I got put into this car but they’re nowhere to be found.
I ask the gray-haired agent that has slid into the front passenger seat if he's aware of their whereabouts, and I’m told they are at FBI headquarters giving statements. When I make it to headquarters, I’m placed into a drab gray office to wait. I almost feel like the criminal at the end of the desk, but everyone has been kind to me, offering me drinks and food. One of the FBI guys even gave me his jacket to go over the wedding dress that I'm still bound in.
What I really want to do is get out of this thing and burn it.
They also supplied me with the paper and pen I had requested.
I’ve been informed of what’s going on and have been told Sam’s agreement of giving me immunity from any of financial crimes committed by father using my name, as long as I come back to the states for my father’s trial to testify against him, has indeed been approved. Which means I have a choice of what to do next. I pick up the pen, and as I wait for the next person to take me to the next room to question me, I jot down everything on my mind before I lose my nerve.
"Mrs. Holden, if you’ll follow me."
I grin at the tan, FBI agent with thick black rim glasses calling me by my legal name. It’s odd to hear the name coming from someone else’s mouth other than Jaxson’s. Behind him, I spot Tony Holden in an FBI jacket, and I tilt my head at him. He gives me a warm smile and a salute.
"Um...can you give me a second? I need to talk to my father-in-law." I’m trying to wrap my mind around the fact that he of all people is standing here in this moment and looking a tad bit guilty while doing so.
"One second, but we really need to get you questioned.”
I nod, make my way over to Tony, and a small laugh escapes my lips. The shock and the surprise give away to hysterics. "Do I want to know?"
"Probably not," he chuckles.
“Does Jaxson know you’re here?"
"Yes. He wasn't happy, but he'll get over it."
“Do you know where he is?"
“He’s downstairs, helping still. If he’s lucky he might get himself a job here.” Tony chuckles and I frown.
“That would be amazing,” I whisper and bury my hands in the pockets of my newly acquired jacket.
He puts his hand on my shoulder. “What’s wrong, kiddo?”
I clutch the paper in my pocket, the letter I wrote an hour ago when the FBI said they fully agreed to Sam’s deal. I’m not sure what to do with it now. I wanted to give it to Jaxson in person.
"I'm sorry for what my father did to you,” I mumble, changing the subject.
"I'm sorry for what he did to you too, kiddo. You've been strong and I know what you did when you left Jaxson was to protect him and Scarlet. Thank you for that. I know it wasn't easy. Just know if you ever need anything to let me know."
I sigh and touch the paper once more.
Just breathe, River.
Your story has only started.
This letter will give you that start.
"There is one thing you could do for me."
JAXSON
Everything went down perfectly. The scammed investors came looking for their money once they got news that Harry would be taking over the company since he and River had allegedly gotten married. We left out the part where Harry would eventually sign it back over to Jeff, though I don’t think it would have mattered. Nobody likes to be deceived and they really can’t stand Harry.
My eyes are heavy; I’ve been staring at a computer screen helping the FBI collect data along with Sam. Since Sam has been working with them for months, we’ve basically become their consultants, doing most of the leg work.
But whatever keeps Jeffery Graham in jail.
“H
ow are you holding up?” Sam asks, handing me a Styrofoam cup of coffee. Thank fuck. I take it from her and place it down beside my keyboard and push myself back in my chair to look at her.
“I’d be better if I could talk to River. You haven’t heard anything yet, have you?”
“No. Sorry.” She frowns and my hand falls to my desk.
I’m itching to see her. I saw her for a quarter of a second when they led her into FBI headquarters. They don’t want us to talk right now because they want all our facts and information to be true and in no way manipulated or contaminated by each other’s points of view. Especially since we know different things.
“You’ll see her soon.”
“Yeah.” I close my eyes and rub the wrinkles in my forehead. I have to talk to her and this radio silence is killing me.
“It’ll be fine.” She pats my shoulder. “Why don’t you take a break?”
“I’m alright. This is keeping me busy.”
“Okay, I’ll check on you in a bit.”
“Thanks, Sam.” She gives my shoulder one last squeeze before she wanders back out of the room.
I pick up my coffee and drink it down, hoping the caffeine will give me a second—or eighth—life.
“Jaxson, I’ve got some news for you.” I turn my head and standing behind me is Stan, one of the technical agents I’ve been working with on and off for the last several hours.
“What’s up?
“I wanted to let you know the charges on that bench warrant you were arrested for have been erased from your record. The cops and the judge that handled it are being dealt with.”
“To be honest, I’d forgotten all about that.”
“Yeah, I bet you have with all this shit going on. Mr. Morgan brought it to my attention. I made sure it got washed away.”
“Thanks.” One less thing to worry about.
“You do good work, Holden. If you’re looking for a job now, you should put in your resume.”
“Yeah, I’ll think about it,” I say, but I’m really just brushing him off. I think after all this I’ll go back to tattooing. Maybe open up my own shop on that beach River wants to run to.
“Oh, he’ll think about it,” my dad’s voice echoes behind me. Agent Samuels claps my shoulder and tells me he will see me later. “How’s it going?”
“I’m exhausted, but I’m okay. More worried about River. Do you think, maybe, you can go see where she is? Check on her for me?”
“I can try.”
I’m clicking away, my head is throbbing, and my knuckles are sore from cracking them over a million times.
Who knew that was a stressful habit?
A hand clasps my shoulder and my head jolts up to my father. “Did you see her?”
“Yeah,” he says simply, not giving anything else away, which causes me to crack my knuckles again and my neck.
“And?” I stress. “How is she?”
“She’s doing alright. Looks about as exhausted as you. But she’s holding her own. She’s worried about you too.”
“When will I be able to see her?”
“Hopefully soon, but sometimes questioning can take days. She has a lot of stories to tell.”
Does she ever.
“Oh, before I forget, she wanted me to give you this.” He slips out a piece of paper from the pocket of his jeans and gives it to me.
“Why does this make me nervous?”
“I’m sure it’s fine. Are you hungry? Anyone?” he addresses me and the rest of the room and I look down at the lined paper in my hand. I know it says more than I love you and see you soon.
“I’m good,” I tell him as the rest of the room gives him their orders.
I open the note and a jolt of emotions runs through me as I read the first line.
Dear Jaxson,
If you are reading this, this is goodbye…
CHAPTER TWENTY
JAXSON
There she is.
Still as beautiful and alluring as the last time I saw her.
Even with the tears threatening to fall down her face.
Her brown hair is braided and thrown over her shoulder as she stares out the tiny window.
She hasn’t noticed me yet as I move down the aisle behind some big man in a tiny brown coat.
Come on, look at me, I plead with her, but she remains lost looking out the window playing with the ring on her hand. The one I gave her, on her left hand. Right where it belongs
I throw my bag in the overhead compartment, with a loud clunk and it rattles over her head, and that still doesn’t grab her attention. I slide myself in next to her and without any more hesitation, I grab her hand and push it to my lips. Her body freezes, but her head turns to me, finally.
“Babe, you need to remember to keep breathing,” I tell her, and she releases a heavy sigh, then a beautiful, freeing smile breaks out across her lips. “I don’t need you passing out in the air.”
She wipes a fallen tear with her free hand. “You’re here,” she lets out breathlessly and reaches over to touch my face. “I was afraid you wouldn’t get my messages. Or that you didn’t want to come.”
“I got it. I told you I wasn’t letting you go again. I’m just sorry I’m late. My Uber driver got lost.”
“It’s okay. I should’ve called and told you. I just, it took me forever to write that note. I didn’t know how to tell you out loud I still wanted to leave, and that I wanted you to come. To ask you to drop everything for me because I know we never got the chance to talk about it. But even after he was arrested, I still just wanted to…”
“I know, baby.”
“Even if I gave you that note in person, I think I planned to hand it off and run.” She giggles nervously, her eyes dropping to the ground.
I chuckle and cup her face. “It’s fine. I would go anywhere with you. But you could have started the note off a little better.”
“Sorry.” Her cheeks heat.
She gave me a minor heart attack at the start of her letter, but by the second line, I had no doubt I’d follow her to the ends of the earth.
All she had to do was ask.
Dear Jaxson,
If you are reading this, this is goodbye
on this chapter of this part of our lives.
I want a new start…
And I want it with you.
I know the idea of picking up everything is a lot, but I can't stay here. There are too many bad memories and god knows what the media will do when they find out.
If you haven't tossed this in the trash yet…know I love you. I never stopped. You’re the reason I keep breathing. You’re the reason I got through all of this. You're my soul and god have I missed you.
I know we have things we still need to rebuild. But I hope with the evil gone we can do so on less shaky ground. We might never be perfect, but as long as we're together I think it’ll be damn close enough.
I’ll send a plane ticket your way soon with where I'm going. Go pack, get shit together, and meet me at the airport. I really hope you come.
I know I’m asking a lot after everything, but I hope to see you soon so we can start a brand new chapter…with the past behind us.
I love you.
You are my air.
River
“I can’t tell you how happy I am…” she chokes out and leans in to kiss me.
“Hold that.” I capture her chin in my hand, and she pouts.
“Why? All I want to do is kiss you for the next twelve hours.”
“As much as I will enjoy that, as well as everyone on the flight would enjoy watching…” I chuckle and glance around at the crowded flight where an old lady with white hair to my left, gives me a wink.
“Don’t mind me,” she chuckles and picks up her crochet. “I admire young love.”
I turn back to River and she has turned red all over. “I have something I need to do first.” From my back pocket, I pull out a black sharpie.
“What are you doing?”
; “I thought maybe you needed a new tattoo.”
“Oh?”
“Give me your arm.” She puts out her arm and I roll up her sleeve. I pull the cap off the sharpie with my teeth and write the words:
She stares down at the new calligraphy on her arm and when she looks back at me, she pounces, wrapping her arms around my neck.
“I love it…I love you.”
I press a kiss into her hair, the sweet scent of her peach lotion hits my nose and makes my dick twitch. Fuck, I’ve missed her. “I love you, too, babe. Everyday till your last breath.”
“As long as you keep giving me air…I’ll live forever…”
“Look who is poetic now.”
She sticks out her tongue at me. “It was a perfect sappy moment. Leave me alone.”
“I also talked to Scarlet yesterday.”
“Yeah?”
“She wanted me to tell you she understands now why you did what you did, and thank you.”
"Really?" Her shoulders melt as the last of the tension falls away.
"Yeah and she wants to be made an aunt soon..."
Her face morphs from relaxed to deathly pale. "And we will talk about that while we’re naked on the beach," I murmur and lean down to kiss her. "I personally would like to enjoy us for a little while longer."
"Same."
"Then it's settled. Lots of practicing." My mouth is seconds away from consuming hers when she pushes me back.
"Wait! I have something for you."
"What?"
"But first I have to ask you, how would you feel if while we’re in Antigua, we did something crazy?"
Barely Breathing (Keep Breathing Book 1) Page 18
