“Chief, Marissa Llewellyn is on the line. She says the Travers boy is holding her hostage in her shop.”
Jax all but dropped his phone. “I’m here now.” Sweat beaded at his temple and tension rolled through his shoulders. “Send me backup ASAP.” He shoved his phone in his pocket, didn’t even bother to check to see if he’d turned it off. He slid his service revolver from his hip holster. As he leaned close to the glass door to see if he could get a good look inside, a crash echoed from somewhere in the back of the shop.
Not knowing what was going on inside, he had a split-second decision to make whether to go in or wait for backup. He didn’t even have to think about it. He moved over to one of the picture windows at the front of the shop, turned his gun around and smacked the glass with the butt of his gun. The window shattered on the second strike. Jax wasted little time stepping through the opening. He hunched down and kept his gaze peeled toward the back of the store.
There were no sounds other than his own labored breathing as he rounded the counter and made his way into the stockroom. From his vantage point, he could see that the door to Marissa’s office hung off-kilter. He took a moment to scan the kitchen area. No one was hiding as best he could tell, and with all the stainless-steel appliances some reflection would show.
He straightened as a loud bellow rang out, followed by a man yelling.
“You stupid bitch!”
Jax’s stomach plummeted as he rushed back to the office. A young man was behind the desk swinging his hands at the space beneath.
“Freeze, Travers.” Jax trained his gun on the man. The wail of sirens gradually grew.
Travers looked up, his eyes wide and wild. Instead of staying still, he staggered backward. “The bitch stabbed me.” He gripped at his thigh, fell against the wall, then slid down.
“Marissa?” Jax rounded the desk. He held his gun on Travers and tried to peer around the desk. The chair was half in the leg space. Something—someone—had hunkered down in the small space. “Honey, can you hear me?”
Travers moaned and blocked out any response he may have gotten from Marissa. Jax looked down at the guy. There was something sticking out of his leg, just above his knee. Blood stained the dark denim.
The sirens grew louder, and then a thunder of feet came through the shop. “Chief?” Connors came around the corner with his gun drawn.
“This guy needs medical attention.” Jax turned his back on Travers. “And arrest him.”
Travers moaned. “I’m dying here.”
“Shut the hell up,” Jax called over his shoulder before he dropped to his knees and crawled over to the space where Marissa was hunched under the desk. “Marissa, honey, it’s Jax.”
Marissa’s arms—bound with some black material—covered her head. Her entire body shook.
Jax reached out and set his hand on her shoulder. She jumped at his touch and shook harder. “It’s okay, honey. He can’t hurt you.” Jax let his hand sit on her shoulder for a long moment, let her get accustomed to his touch, then slid his hand up to her neck. “Marissa, can you look at me?” Jax nudged her chin with his thumb.
Slowly she lifted her head. Her red-rimmed eyes darted all around before her gaze finally landed on his.
“Hey.” He smiled at her. “You’re safe now.” He stroked his thumb across her chin. His smile fell. Fresh bruises covered her upper arms. “Are you hurt?” Other than what I can see, he wanted to ask.
“A little.” She winced as she shifted. “I don’t know.”
“Connors.” Jax kept his voice low so as not to startle Marissa. “What’s the ETA on the paramedics?”
“Any minute now, Chief.”
“What happened, Marissa? Can you tell me?”
For a long moment she stared off into space saying nothing. Finally she said, “I was leaving here last night and he just sh-showed up. He wants H-Hill.” Her eyes widened, her chin trembled.
“Hill’s safe, honey. He came to the station last night, turned himself in.” A bustle of noise echoed on the other side of the room as the paramedics arrived. Jax stood and waved Granger Peet over while Ian Duncan went to Connors to help with Travers. Granger had been a few years above Jax in school. He was a good guy and after working a couple of traffic accidents with him, Jax knew he had the temperament to handle a traumatized victim. “She’s been held since late last night, bound at the wrists. She has visible bruises on her arms. Travers was hitting her—” his voice caught “—as I came in. I have no idea what else he may have done.”
“I’ll take care of her.” Granger patted Jax’s shoulder and squatted down next to Marissa.
Jax moved back to give the man room to work. Truth be told, he’d love nothing more than to drop into the chair. His knees had threatened to give out the moment he found Marissa hunched up like a child. Then the bruises just about drove him over the edge. Had Travers not already had something sticking out of his leg, Jax wasn’t entirely sure he wouldn’t have beaten the hell out of him himself.
His phone vibrated in his pocket. It had been going off nearly nonstop since he’d moved into the shop, but he’d ignored it as instinct and duty took over. He slid it out and glanced at the screen. It was his sister. He pressed the ignore button and dropped it back into his pocket.
Duncan had Travers loaded up on a gurney. The leg of his jeans was split up to his thigh and a white bandage covered the area above his knee. He shook his hands but Connors had cuffed him to the railing. For a brief moment he locked eyes with Jax.
Whatever he saw written across Jax’s face stilled him, and he stopped struggling, then let his head fall back.
“Stay with him, Connors. As soon as he’s fit, I want him in a cell.”
Connors nodded and followed the gurney out. When the room was clear, Granger coaxed Marissa from under the desk. She stood on shaky legs and blinked rapidly.
“Chief.” Granger jerked his head for Jax to come over to his side. “I have scissors in my case. Will you…” He motioned for Jax to take his spot next to Marissa.
Jax was at her side in a heartbeat. He wrapped his arm around her waist and she grimaced. “Sorry.” He whispered into her hair as he kissed the top of her head.
When Granger turned from his medical bag, he eased up next to Jax and lowered his voice for Jax’s ears only. “He kicked her a few times when he found her hiding under the desk.”
Jax gritted his teeth.
“We’re going to take her up to the hospital.” His voice returned to normal. “We’ll get her checked out.” He cut the bindings at her wrist. When the material was free, Granger slipped it into a plastic bag. “That was your cruiser I saw out front?” When Jax nodded, Granger continued. “Miss Llewellyn, I’m going to get Chief Carlisle to drive you up to the hospital if that’s okay.”
Marissa gave an almost imperceptible nod.
To Jax, Granger said, “I don’t think it’d be good for her to be cooped up with the man who did this.”
Granger closed up his medical bag, then waved at Jax and Marissa to follow him out. In the front of the shop, they all climbed through the busted-out window. Marissa gave a small squeak. “My window.”
“I’m sorry, honey. I had to bust it to get in.” Jax settled her into the front passenger seat as Granger climbed into the back of the ambulance where Travers was loaded.
Officer Garrett was pulling in in front of the shop. Jax gave him a quick rundown of what had happened, asked him to get the window boarded up and see to the scene.
“We’re going to run you up to the hospital now,” Jax said as he climbed behind the wheel of his cruiser.
Marissa gave a quick nod, then leaned her head back and closed her eyes. She massaged her chafed wrists the entire ride up to the hospital. It had taken every ounce of his strength to be gentle with her and not bury his head in her hair. He wanted nothing more than to pull the cruiser over to the side of the road and take Marissa into his arms and hold her until his own shaking subsided. And then hold her longer
still.
He’d been in love with her just seeing her devotion to a homeless kid who had no one. And how she’d hadn’t backed down, didn’t take any crap from him… Not many people—men or women—stood up to him. The moment he’d realized she was in trouble, his heart all but stopped, then to see her injured… He realized then, too, that he loved her more than anything he’d ever loved before. He’d do whatever he had to in order to protect her and help her. He made a mental note to call in those last few favors for Hill. Whether she knew it or not, her family had just grown to include two very lucky men.
Jax pulled in right behind the ambulance; Connors was parked just up around the edge of the circular drive. Granger gave a few instructions to Duncan, who wheeled the stretcher in through the doors, then he met Jax at the side of the cruiser with a wheelchair.
The two men eased Marissa into it, then Granger whisked her inside.
Connors walked over to Jax’s side. “How’s she doing, Chief?” The young officer darted his gaze toward the hospital entrance.
“She’s the strongest woman I know,” Jax said almost to himself as he handed Connors his keys. “Will you move this for me before you go stand guard over Travers?”
Connors nodded and hopped into Jax’s vehicle.
Before Jax went into the hospital, he pulled out his cell phone and called Callie.
She answered on the first ring. “Jax, what’s going on? I’ve been getting all sorts of calls saying there was something crazy going on at Marissa’s shop. It’s all I could do to keep Marlie here until we heard something.”
“Is Marlie still there?”
“Of course. Didn’t I just say—”
“Yes, you did.” Jax couldn’t help but smile at his sister. She had the same take-charge attitude he did. “Can you do me a favor and drive her up to the hospital?”
Callie gasped.
“Marissa’s going to be okay, but there was an incident—” he gritted his teeth as he said it “—at her shop. She’s going to want her sister up here.”
“We’ll be there in a jiffy.” His sister hung up without any further comment. There was a first time for everything.
Chapter Twenty-One
Doctors and nurses had poked and prodded for nearly two hours. Jax had had one of his officers interview her in-between. She’d given him a statement about what had happened from the time Bryant Travers had shown up at her shop up until Jax had busted in and arrested him. At some point her sister had come to her room, but they’d only been able to speak for a few minutes before another doctor had come in to check on her.
Marissa had one broken rib from when Travers had finally gotten back into the office. He’d immediately found her under the desk. When he couldn’t pull her out by her hair he’d gotten frustrated and kicked at her until she finally managed to stab her letter opener into his leg. He’d screamed and carried on like he hadn’t been holding her hostage and trying to beat the tar out of her. During his onslaught, she’d managed to keep her head pretty well covered. Once, his booted foot glanced off her shoulder, then off her wrist until he made good—or bad as the case may be—contact with her side, which had netted her the broken rib. Though, truth be told, it might as well have been all of them broken, as badly as they hurt. She was also a little dehydrated, since Travers hadn’t let her eat or drink, but the doctor assured her she wouldn’t have to stay overnight despite all the tests they were running.
More than anything she needed blessed sleep. Her eyelids fell every quiet moment she had, which weren’t many. When the last nurse bustled out, she closed her lids on a sigh.
“She’s asleep.”
A voice jolted her eyes open. Hill and Jax stood at the opening of the curtains that surrounded her bed. “I’m awake.” She smiled and tried to sit up, but the pain stole her breath.
Hill paled but quickly schooled his face. He grabbed the lone chair in the room, slid it over to the side of the bed and sat. He was careful to grasp her hand, mindful of the IV. “How are you?” he asked at the same time she asked, “Are you okay?”
They both smiled.
“Two peas in a pod,” Jax said from behind Hill. “You both have your own crap to deal with and all you can worry about is the other one.” He shook his head.
“What are you doing here?” Marissa squeezed Hill’s hand.
“Chief Carlisle brought me up to see you.”
“He had to see for himself that you were okay. I told him you were one tough lady.”
“I’m sorry I ran off.” Hill ducked his head.
“You came back. That’s all that matters. I’m so proud of you.” Marissa’s chin quivered. “I’m the one who owes you an apology. I screwed up. I should have tried harder, gone the right route to help you.”
Hill shook his head. “You did more for me than anyone else has since my mother passed.” His voice broke a little. “I will never be able to thank you.”
“God, I don’t want thanks. I just want you to be safe. And happy.” She darted a glance to Jax, unsure how Hill would be either safe or happy if he was locked up for the break-ins, though she knew he needed to take responsibility for them.
Hill looked back over his shoulder. A wry smile tipped up the corner of his mouth before he wiped it from his face. “I’m sorry Bryant came after you.”
“It’s not your fault. The dude has issues that had nothing to do with you.” The young man had whined about his unfair life—from his parents’ refusal to buy him a car when he was sixteen to his older brother getting thrown in jail for peddling a few drugs. The kids were going to get their hands on them anyway, so why shouldn’t his brother make a profit? Nothing they had done wrong was their fault, therefore they shouldn’t be penalized.
Had she not been bound, Marissa would have smacked him over the head and told him to grow a pair.
“That’s enough for now.” Jax patted Hill’s shoulder. “Marissa needs her rest. The ADA is waiting for him to go over some of his statement.”
Hill stood but didn’t immediately relinquish his hold of her hand. The corner of his mouth quirked up. “Everything’s going to be just fine.” He gave her fingers a quick squeeze, then turned and left the room.
“It amazes me that after all he’s been through, he can still have hope.” Tears filled her eyes but she fought to keep them from falling. “Thanks for bringing him up here. I appreciate it.”
Jax nodded, but didn’t move closer or leave with Hill.
“Thanks for everything…at the shop.”
Again, Jax merely nodded.
She picked at the blanket. “You can go now.”
“Not just yet.”
“I already gave my statement to Officer Garrett.”
He smiled. “I know.”
“Then why are you here?”
“I think there’re some more apologies that need to go around.”
“You want me to apologize?” She should. It should have been the first thing out of her mouth. But as his smiled widened, she clamped her lips shut.
“Not you. Me.” He finally moved away from the opening and came into the room. “I should have listened to you about Hill. I’m sorry I wasn’t as open-minded as you asked me to be. He’s a great kid. Has a good head on his shoulders.”
“You were right. He needs to be responsible for his part of the break-ins.”
“And he is. He stepped up. Thanks to you.”
Marissa shook her head. “No. Thanks to him.”
“He would disagree.” Jax sat in the chair Hill had vacated. “He did agree with me on one thing.”
Marissa arched her eyebrows, then grimaced a little. Even her eyebrows hurt. How was that possible? Jax’s smile faltered as he took his hand in his. “I’m fine.” She smiled up at him. “What did y’all agree on?”
“That once he’s handled the charges against him, my house is bigger than yours for all of us.”
Blood rushed to her head. “Wh-what did you say? I think I must have hurt my head worse than I
thought.”
“I know you like your house.” He stroked his thumb over the back of her hand. “But it’s a little too small for two strapping men, and then add in Soldier—who adores Hill. Never seen the damned dog take to anyone as fast. Except maybe you. And then, or course, when we have kids my house has more bedrooms.”
Marissa tried to keep her mouth from gaping. “You want to marry me?”
Jax arched his left eyebrow. “Are you asking me to marry you?” He set his other hand over his heart. “I thought you’d never ask.” He leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. When he leaned back he was holding a small, leather box. “What fortuitous timing that I brought this with me today.”
He set the ring box in her trembling hand, and then popped it open. Afterward, he slid the chair to the side and got down on one knee. His head barely reached her shoulder and he laughed. “This worked better in my mind.” He drew the chair back over and sat back in it.
“I don’t…aren’t you…” Marissa looked at the ring in her hand. It was beautiful—a spectacular round diamond surrounded by twelve tiny diamonds set in a gold band. “But the other night. At my house.”
“Couples fight.”
She shifted her gaze back to Jax. “That was more than a fight.”
He leaned closer. “Then the makeup sex will be that much better.”
Warmth spread through her cheeks. And lower. “Jax…”
“Marissa.” His thumb once again stroked the back of her hand. “Do you love me? I think you love me. I know I love you more than I thought possible.”
The corner of Marissa’s mouth twitched. “I love you.” It came out breathier than she’d have liked. She hadn’t imagined lying in a hospital bed with tubes sticking out of her as she told him for the first time. “I love you more than anything.”
“Then it’s settled. It’s a yes.”
She chuckled before she could help herself. “Just like that?”
“Honey, I don’t know what more you need. We love each other. I don’t know about you, but seeing Travers standing over you took years off my life. I immediately flashed on how lonely it’s been the past few days without you and I don’t ever want to feel like that again.”
Baker’s Law Page 22