Little Jack

by Atlas, Lilly

  A red-faced and sweaty Schwartz began uncuffing the men, one by one. Each had some sort of snarky comment for the deputy that had him bordering on purple, and seconds from detonation.

  When he freed Maverick, the man hopped to his feet. “Well, this has been fun, boys, but I’m feeling a little unsatisfied. When my woman cuffs me, she usually goes to town on my dick.” He patted his crotch. “Any takers?”

  Holly gasped and LJ shook his head with a laugh.

  “No?” Mav shrugged. “All right. This mean I’m free to go find my woman?”

  Schwartz ignored him and moved on. As he released LJ, LJ whispered something to him that sounded scarily like, “I’m coming for you.”

  The moment everyone was free, the officers started filing back outside. Each resembled a man whose puppy had been kicked. Holly almost felt bad for the innocent ones dragged along in her father’s fool’s errand.

  “Guess I won after all, huh?” Copper said, rubbing his hands together.

  “Everyone get the fuck out,” her dad yelled. “I want to talk to Copper alone.”

  When no one made a move to leave, Copper laughed. “You’ve concluded your business here, Sheriff. My men don’t answer to you.”

  “We have shit to discuss.” Her father couldn’t stand still. He shifted and squirmed like a junkie coming down from a high.

  Copper nodded as he folded his thick arms across his chest. “That we do.”

  What did the president have planned for her father now? Copper had promised he wouldn’t physically go after him, but that was before everything they discovered today. Though she didn’t want her father harmed, she couldn’t honestly say she’d blame Copper if he decided to take aggressive action. Had Holly not happened to walk into the sheriff’s station this afternoon, things would have turned out very differently for the club.

  And that fell one hundred percent onto her father’s dirty shoulders.

  “Head on out, men,” Copper said. “Holly, you and LJ okay to stay?”

  “Uh, yes.” She sounded like a squeaky mouse.

  “Wouldn’t miss this for the world, prez,” LJ said.

  “I want everyone back here tonight with their ol’ ladies. We got some celebrating to do. Sheriff Lane is stepping down.”

  Holly sucked in a breath. While she stared on, stunned, the rest of the men cheered, then headed on out.

  In just a few moments, only the four of them remained in the clubhouse. Though Copper hadn’t informed her of what he planned to say, she just knew he was going to tell her dad what she’d overheard. Her heart pounded so hard, she felt it in her head as well as her chest.

  Then the warm slide of LJ’s palm against hers had her staring down as he interlaced their fingers. “It’s going to be okay,” he said, voice full of conviction. “You’re going to be okay.”

  She nodded. “How did it come to this?” God, could she sound weaker and more pathetic? But she couldn’t stop it. “My family is destroyed.”

  He cupped her chin, tilting her face up. “Then it’s a damn good thing my family fucking loves you and is ready and willing to adopt you,” he said right before placing a soft kiss on her lips.

  God, she loved this man.

  “Sit,” Copper said, his voice like steel. The tables had turned, and the outlaw now held all the cards in this little power play. With his confident stance and commanding voice, the man was clearly in his comfort zone issuing the orders.

  Her dad sat at a four-person table about fifteen feet from the bar. Holly couldn’t stop staring at the man who’d protected her for most of her life. Who claimed to love her and want only what was best for her. The man who’d once been her hero was a stranger to her now. At the moment, Holly felt stunned and confused. As her brain struggled to process the new state of her life, one where her parents no longer played a role, she had to remind herself everything that happened today had been reality. No matter how fantastic it seemed.

  “Sweetheart, you feel like sticking around or is this too much?” Copper asked.

  “What?” Holly blinked and tore her attention away from her seething father. The man who just inquired about her wellbeing was so in contrast with the one who’d spoken to her father. Yet they were one and the same. Copper clearly had many layers to him. “I’ll stay.” She sat at the table across from her father. LJ immediately slipped into the seat next to her then pulled her chair so it was flush against his. The warm, solid arm he placed across her back kept her anxiety in check.

  Now that the ball was in play, she had to see it through to the finish.

  Maybe watching this unfold would provide some kind of closure before she was forced to move on with her life. But the moment she looked up into her father’s face, her heart shattered. Nothing. No guilt, regret, remorse, or even love. Just pure black hatred for the two men flanking her at the table. Nothing mattered to this man beyond his hatred. It ruled his life.

  Well, it would no longer rule hers.

  Forget what Copper had to say, she had a few things of her own to get off her chest. Just as Copper opened his mouth to begin, Holly pulled her phone out of her back pocked and slapped it down on the table.

  All three men whipped their heads in her direction, but she kept her gaze locked with her father’s. With trembling fingers, she unlocked the phone. The recording from earlier still remained open from when she’d played it for the bikers earlier. Without a word—because what the hell could she say about it—Holly pressed play. Schwartz’s voice filled the clubhouse.

  Her father instantly paled. “You?” he said in disbelief. “You ran to them?” He started to stand. “You fucking betrayed me!” Both LJ and Copper’s hands landed on his shoulders at the same time, shoving them back into his seat. For the first time, her father seemed to shrink before her eyes. As though he realized his chances of leaving the clubhouse of his own accord weren’t great.

  Now he was scared.

  “Keep listening,” she said. Who cared about his fear? What about the fear of the man rotting away behind bars for a murder he didn’t commit?

  No one spoke as the recording continued to play. Listening to her father admit to framing a man for murder hurt just as much the second time around. But some of the shock had faded, leaving room for sorrow. “Why?” she asked.

  Her father tilted his head. “Because he was scum, Holly. His entire club was full of filth. Just like this one.”

  “But he didn’t kill her!” A sob lodged in her throat as the pain of losing her twin rose to the surface as though a fresh wound.

  “You don’t think he killed others? What about all the kids who OD’d on the drugs he sold? Huh, Holly? Don’t you think they deserve some justice?”

  “Not this way!” Holly screamed as her emotions became too much to bear. It all crashed down around her at once. The loss of her sister. The betrayal by her father. The intense fear and anxiety she’d been experiencing all afternoon. The damn finally broke. “Not this way! You can’t swap out one crime for another. You need proof, evidence!” She slapped her palms on the table. “A man is in jail for life. For his entire life because you lied! And you tried to do it again today. All for what? Hatred of a group of men you don’t even know. I’m trying to understand it, but I just can’t wrap my head around it. You’re my father! I thought I knew you.” Her voice broke. Oh, God, she was yelling, rambling, completely losing her shit, but the hole in her heart hurt so bad she couldn’t stem the flow of words.

  “Baby,” LJ said. His strong arms encircled her, scooped her up off her chair, and settled her on his lap like she weighed nothing more than a paper doll. It was then she realized her cheeks were wet. “Shh, I’ve got you, sugar,” he whispered in her ear. “I’ve always got you.”

  She nodded and buried her face in his neck. Looking at her father had just become too painful. LJ stroked his hand up and down her back over and over.

  “I’m going to make this simple,” Copper said. “Three conditions and I’ll keep this recording quiet.”<
br />
  Holly gasped. Resting her cheek on LJ’s chest, she watched the exchange between her father and Copper.

  The president held up one long index finger. “You step down as sheriff.” His middle finger popped up. “You leave town.” The ring finger joined the other two. “None of us, and that includes Holly, ever hear from you again.”

  Her father’s fists curled where they rested on the table, but he just nodded. What the hell else could he do? Copper had the power to destroy him.

  “Same goes for Schwartz and Higgins. I so much as catch a whiff of one of you after today, this video will be in the hands of every news outlet in the country. Are we clear?”

  “We’re clear,” her father said as though the words felt like a hot poker stabbing in his gut.

  “Good. Get the fuck out of my home. Someone will be by your house tomorrow as well as Schwartz and Higgins to ensure you’ve left. Trust me, you don’t want to fucking be there.”

  Her father stood. His gaze shifted to her and for a heartbeat the man she remembered reappeared, but then his eyes hardened, and he turned and strode out without another word.

  It was over. Her family reduced to rubble.

  Yet it all could have ended very differently.

  “Copper,” Holly said. The man gave her his intense attention. “Thank you.”

  He just nodded. She probably should have said more, explained herself better, or thanked him specifically for not killing or harming her father. Though she’d never ask, she had a feeling the outcome of this exchange would have been very different had it not been for her. Copper didn’t strike her as a man who let his enemies walk away freely. But he did today.

  For her.

  “You’re family, sweetheart,” he said as he stood. “And family is fucking everything.”

  Holly snorted.

  Clearly that meant something different to Copper than it did to her father.

  LJ’S HEART BROKE for the woman in his arms.

  His woman.

  She sighed, wrapped her arms around him, and pressed her forehead to his chest. He just held her close. How did he comfort her when her own flesh and blood had tried to destroy her?

  Copper gave him a chin lift then turned and strode away. Just before the prez disappeared into his office, LJ heard him on the phone. “Bring me fucking Carli,” he said, probably to Zach, then he was out of sight.

  Grateful for the privacy, LJ tugged on Holly’s ponytail. The middle of the clubhouse probably wasn’t the best place for what he wanted to say, but he had shit that couldn’t wait.

  Holly lifted her head and gazed into his eyes. The sadness in hers felt like a punch to the gut.

  “I can’t change what happened today, sugar. And I realize it’s gotta be fucking with your head real bad. You take as much time as you need to get things straight in your mind. I’ll be right here by your side the whole time, trying to make you smile, trying to make you laugh, trying to make each day a little better than the one before it. And of course, making you come as often as possible.”

  With each word he spoke, Holly’s spirit seemed to lighten, but that last statement drew a laugh from her.

  “LJ,” she whispered,

  “I know you feel like you lost your family today, but you didn’t. Your family is here with me. And like Copper said, it’s fucking everything.”

  “You’re everything,” Holly said. “I l—”

  He covered her mouth. “It’s my turn, sugar. I love you, Holly. And if you choose to be with me, choose my family, I will not be the only one who loves you. You’ll have a huge group of brothers and sisters that will drive you crazy for the rest of your life.”

  She smiled and it lit his fucking world. “Can I say it now?”

  He nodded.

  “I love you, Jack. And I’m not going anywhere.”

  “Good. That means I don’t have you chase you, sugar.” He kissed her then, pouring everything he felt into it, especially the one promise he planned to use every ounce of energy working to fulfill.

  One day soon, he’d hold her through the night. And it’d be the first of many. The first of every night moving forward with Holly by his side and in his arms.

  EPILOGUE

  “THIS WAS A mistake,” Holly said aloud to the empty room. Well, not entirely empty. Biscuit tilted his head and let out a low whine.

  “Don’t judge me,” she said to the dog.

  Holly groaned. Who the hell had thought this was a good idea?

  She did.

  Oh yeah, and frickin’ Maverick. Stephanie, too. Stephanie, who was now going to pay for her ol’ man’s damn idea. About a month ago, the two horndogs had asked Holly if she and LJ ever got a little frisky with some frosting. Her face had been hot as hell as she’d told them no, but the idea had stuck. And now…

  After snagging her cell off the counter, Holly scrolled through the contacts until she found Stephanie’s name. Her friend answered on the third ring.

  “Hey, Holly! What’s up?” Steph’s bright voice greeted.

  “This is all your fault. It’s all your fault, and now I’m freaking out. Because of you.” Oh, God, she sounded like a lunatic, which she probably looked like as well.

  “What’s my fault? Are you okay?” Steph’s tone took on a level of worry.

  “No, I’m not okay. I’m sitting on a barstool in my kitchen, naked, with frickin’ frosting on my tits! What the hell was I thinking?”

  The squeal that came through the line had Holly yanking the phone away from her ear. “Holy shit!” Stephanie yelled. “You did it? Maverick, come here! Holly did it! The frosting sex thing!”

  “Shhh! Don’t tell him!” Why would she tell Maverick? “Whatever happened to girl code?”

  “Hey,” Steph said, humor lacing her voice, “you’re the one who said it was Mav who inspired you.”

  “Uhh, no I believe I said it was his stupid-ass idea that I’m now regretting. I’m gonna wipe this off and go get dressed. Thank you! Bye!”

  “No, no, no! Wait! Don’t do that.” There was some muffled back and forth, then Mav’s voice came through the phone.

  “Hol? We got you on speaker. Don’t you dare clean up!”

  If the apocalypse could occur in the next five minutes, Holly would be indebted to the universe.

  “What are the chances you’d be willing to shoot a selfie and send it my way?”

  “Maverick,” Stephanie said right before she giggled hysterically. The traitor.

  “What’s the chance you can survive twenty-four hours without your balls?” Holly fired back.

  Mav fell silent.

  “There you go. Chances are about the same. I need to go shower now.”

  “No!” They both yelled at the same time.

  “Look, woman,” Mav said. “LJ is gonna lose his fucking mind in the best way. I can promise you that with one hundred percent certainty. The man is gonna walk in, take one look at you and fucking pounce. So stop fucking overthinking. You’re a goddess, and your man knows it. Put on your confidence panties and own your sexy shit!”

  “What the hell are confidence panties?” Steph asked, muffled in the background.

  “Well, shit, Maverick. Who knew you could be such an awesome motivational speaker?” All of a sudden, Holly felt foolish for feeling foolish. Mav was right. Never once had LJ given her any indication he found her body anything less than incredible. He was gonna love this.

  “Uhh, I did.” Mav said, and the sound of a smack filled Holly’s ear.

  “Ow! Shit, woman, you’re gonna pay for that,” Mav said, and the words were followed by more of Stephanie’s giggles. This time with a husky quality to them.

  Holly’s cue to hang up. “Thanks, guys! Have a fun night.”

  “We will now that you got Mav all revved up,” Steph said, but it quickly turned into a moan. “Knock ’em dead, girl!”

  Gross. “Make good choices!” Holly yelled, and the last thing she heard before the line went dead was Maverick’s bark of l
aughter.

  All right. She could do this. She was sexy. She was confident. With a glance down at the vanilla frosting coating her nipples, Holly rolled her eyes.

  She was ridiculous.

  A quick swipe of the frosting followed by a taste had her lips quirking.

  At least she tasted delicious.

  And that’s when the giggles started which abruptly stopped when LJ’s key jangled in her lock. They’d maintained their individual apartments but exchanged keys months ago. Though they still hadn’t spent a full night together, they spent almost every waking moment they weren’t working in each other presence.

  “Hol?” LJ yelled as he entered the apartment.

  Biscuit let out a low woof then loafed off to greet his favorite person.

  “Hey, bud,” LJ said. “Where’s your pretty mama?”

  The description had Holly smiling as she took one last peek at herself. Fluffy white frosting topped each breast, and she’d even created a little triangle of frosting in her bikini area. She leaned one arm on the counter, spread her legs slightly, and tried for a smoldering expression.

  “Sugar?” LJ called out. The clicking of Biscuit’s nails signaled the duo’s arrival in the kitchen seconds before they appeared in the doorway to the kitchen. “Holy fucking shit,” he said as he came to a dead stop.

  Holly smiled. The moment she saw the appreciation in his gaze, all nerves evaporated, and desire shot through the roof. “Hey,” she said in a breathy voice she barely recognized. “Thought we might have dessert first tonight.”

  “You’re a fucking genius,” LJ said as he stripped off his shirt right there in the doorway. Next, he went to work on his boots. Last to go were the jeans. He straightened in all his super tall muscley glory. Damn, her man was a feast for the eyes.

  “Going commando today?”

  He winked. “Musta known I’d need quick access.”

  Holly threw back her head and laughed. LJ shot across the room in a second, his mouth kissing a trail up her exposed throat. “How the fuck did I get so lucky?” he whispered against her ear.

  “You liked my baking,” she said.