by Angel Smits
When he edged away from Amy, she followed. “We’re in this together.” She looped her arm through his. He almost swept her back into his arms again, but didn’t think getting shot was a good way to start out their life together.
“Hold that thought.” He smiled down at her.
Gavin walked up to them and whipped out the pair of handcuffs Jace had left dangling on the bed rail at the hospital.
The sheriff opened his mouth to speak, but abruptly closed it when a half-dozen people stepped off the sidewalk and moved toward him. It seemed to take him a second to realize they weren’t coming after him, but were showing their support for Jace.
“You don’t really want to do that, do you, Gavin?” Hank asked, as he stopped beside Jace and stacked his hands atop his cane. It wasn’t a true threat, but it was close. After what Hank had admitted doing to Matt, Jace knew he had the resources to destroy just about anyone’s life.
“You leave him alone,” Katie screamed from the doorway of the store. The thump of her crutches sounded on the sidewalk. “He didn’t do anything. I already told you that. Big dummy.” She mumbled the last bit.
“Now, Katie, dummy’s not a nice word,” Amy reprimanded her. Katie ignored her mother, something Jace was sure they’d see more of in the future.
“Pretty tough, aren’t you?” He looked down at Katie. She simply grinned back and he returned it, his smile tinged with a healthy dose of pride.
The street grew silent as a squad car turned the corner. Not Gavin’s car, but the state police.
“That’s enough,” the sheriff said. “All of you. This man is under arrest for his escape. We’re still investigating the other charges.”
“No, we’re not.” The voice came from outside the growing crowd. The townsfolk parted, admitting the policemen who’d visited Jace in the hospital.
“Officers.” Jace nodded.
“Mr. Holmes. Sheriff.” Officer Wade walked up to Gavin. “I thought we clarified that this was our case.”
“Yes, b-but you weren’t here....” he stammered.
“Ah, I see. And you were going to call us when?”
“Soon.”
“Good. We were just on our way to see you. It’ll save you the trouble.”
Gavin was acting very strangely, more so than usual, anyway. Jace frowned. The officers didn’t even seem interested in him.
“Shall we step into your office?” Wade waved toward the building behind them. Gavin led the way...and the whole crowd followed. The lobby could barely hold them all, and Ellen quickly took care of that by ordering everyone out.
“Mr. Holmes, Ms. Grey, Katie, this involves you,” Wade said, gesturing them inside.
Jace met Amy’s confused frown with his own. He knew he hadn’t done anything wrong, but not for the first time, he wondered what Gavin was up to.
He swung Katie up into his arms, his bruised ribs feeling only a twinge now. Jace tried not to think about the last time he’d held her like this. He gave her a hug that made her giggle.
Officer Wade didn’t look too happy, but whatever he’d come here to accomplish wasn’t going to take long, Jace guessed. His partner stayed near the door, apparently on guard.
Wade looked around and sighed. “For a couple of years now, there have been large thefts from the Statler Mine in the next county. Copper ore mostly, as well as some postproduction copper and turquoise. We’ve been investigating for some time.”
“Why wasn’t I aware of this investigation?” Gavin huffed.
Neither officer spoke at first. Wade simply reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope. Slowly, he opened it and dumped something grimy onto the desktop. It thunked loudly on the old wood.
Jace couldn’t see what it was. Leaning close, he frowned. A badge? Encrusted with dirt. It didn’t make sense.
“You recognize that badge, Sheriff?” Wade asked.
Everyone turned to look at Gavin. His face had gone bright red. He spun around and headed toward the back door of the office. For once small-town nosiness paid off, as Rick and Hank appeared in the doorway, blocking any escape.
“He asked you a question,” Hank said. “I think you’d better answer.”
“I—I don’t know what he’s talking about.” Gavin tried to squeeze past the men.
“I think you do.” Wade stepped forward. “We’d like you to come to the Phoenix station for questioning in regards to recent thefts from that mine.”
“I...I don’t know anything about that.”
“That was a polite way of asking, Sheriff.” Wade leaned into Gavin’s face. “I’d rather take you in handcuffs, but apparently my boss thinks we should be at least marginally civil.”
“You have no proof.”
Jace leaned toward Amy. “Do you have a clue what they’re talking about?”
“No. Do you?”
“Nope.”
Wade looked around and sighed. “Sorry, folks.” He looked Jace in the eye. “My supervisor would like me to extend his apologies. The sheriff has been trying to turn our focus on you, Mr. Holmes, hoping to throw us off.”
“Off what?” Amy asked.
“The activities in that mine. It’s on private property, but because we were able to get in to investigate Katie’s disappearance, we were able to find all the information we needed. That old mine your little girl got lost in? It’s a back door into a whole honeycomb of mines in this area.”
“That has nothing to do with me,” Gavin said.
“Your uncle Eustace is already in custody,” Wade stated.
“That no-good—”
“He just bought my house,” Amy interjected.
“I wouldn’t count on that sale, ma’am.”
Distracted by all the revelations, no one saw Gavin shove Hank until he stumbled and fell into Rick. Given all the furniture, the people and surprise, Gavin was able to make it out the back door.
Wade swore and ran after him. His partner went out the front and struggled through the crowd gathered there.
Amy took two steps and Jace snagged her arm. “Oh, no. We’re not finished yet. And I am not chasing that man.” He set Katie down, and she hobbled over to the window to watch.
Amy laughed. She looked around the now-empty jailhouse. “I knew you’d end up in jail if you came back, Jace.” She tried to sound upbeat, but he could hear a tremor in her voice.
He pulled her close, tilting her chin up and staring into her beautiful eyes. “Amy, I—”
“Mama?” Katie’s voice came from the door, which had been left wide open.
“She’s busy,” Jace murmured as he nuzzled Amy’s neck.
“They got him. Can I go over to Lisa’s house? She said I could stay for supper...maybe spend the night?”
“Yes!” both Amy and Jace said.
The thump of her crutches on the pavement faded quickly, or maybe they just weren’t listening anymore. It didn’t really matter. They were finally alone.
Gently, Jace slid his hands along Amy’s chin. First he kissed each eyelid, then trailed his lips down her cheekbone, and found her mouth. She opened for him, and he swooped in, taking all she had to give.
Home. The word whispered through his mind with her sigh.
Several minutes later, Amy pulled away, struggling to catch her breath. He’d put that distracted, thoroughly kissed look on her face, and his ego wanted to high-five something.
“Wait,” she whispered, and took a step away. “I...we need to talk first.”
He was glad she’d said “first.” It implied there’d be a later. “Okay.” He had to struggle to focus, she was so close and tasted so good. But she was right.
“This...” Amy lifted her arms to indicate the world around them. “This insanity is my life. Katie runs in and out. The st
ore is always open. Every person in town knows my business.”
Jace crossed his arms over his chest, not to intimidate her, but to keep from reaching for her. “Is that supposed to scare me away? Because if it is, it’s not working.”
“Don’t you see?” She suddenly sounded defeated. “You’ve been on your own since you were sixteen. Going whenever you want. Being whoever you want to be. Nothing tying you down.” There was a note of envy in her voice.
“No. That’s not how it’s been.” He looked at the floor, not especially proud of the life he’d led, and reluctant to shatter the positive impression she had of him. It wasn’t something he was used to, and he liked it. “I was homeless. I lived on the streets. I had nothing and no one.”
He met her gaze and this time didn’t try to hide his shame. “The night Mac found me, I’d been mugged and had a pretty deep knife wound. If it hadn’t been California, where it was warm, and he hadn’t known how to get me free medical care, I’d have died that night. I owe him my life.”
“Oh, Jace. Is that why you’re back? For him?”
Jace saw the fear in her eyes. “No. Never. Let me finish. He taught me the value of family and the horror of being alone. I’m here because you’re important to me.”
“He really was a good man, wasn’t he?” Amy’s voice broke.
“Yeah, he was. But that life’s behind both of us now. All of it.” Jace reached out and took her hands in his. “I’ve had a lot of time to think. I want to start building a new life, one that includes you.”
Amy gasped. “Really?” It was so hard to trust. But looking up at Jace now, seeing the need in his eyes, feeling the warmth in his touch, she realized she already did.
He’d taught her to trust—not only him, but her friends, and most importantly, herself.
She reached up to twine her arms around his neck. “I’d like that.”
“I love you, Amy.”
“Ah, Jace. I love you, too,” she declared, knowing that was true, but that there were other words, important words he needed to hear. “And...I trust you. Completely.” She laughed, then kissed him.
“Sorry, folks.” Officer Wade’s voice broke the silence. He hauled Gavin into the office, hands cuffed behind his back, his uniform dirty and his badge blatantly missing.
“That’s okay. We were just leaving,” Jace said.
Amy squealed when he leaned down and scooped her up. Officer Bryce grinned and held the door open. She laid her head on Jace’s shoulder as he strode down the sidewalk.
A crowd still lingered in the street. Hank and Rick turned around. Jace faced them when they reached the store. “Katie’s at Lisa’s for the night...and none of you will need any groceries until tomorrow.”
He walked into the store. Amy flipped the Closed sign over and locked the door. “Now we’re in business,” she said, and kissed him. He tasted of dust, sunshine and sweet warm man.
Her man.
* * * * *
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CHAPTER ONE
WHEN JESSICA TAYLOR lost her virginity three months and six guys ago—after fiercely guarding it for fifteen years—she’d been stone-cold sober.
She hadn’t made that mistake again.
Her stomach rolled. From the Jack Daniel’s, she assured herself. She should’ve stuck with beer. It always gave her a nice, mellow buzz without making her want to puke. Mostly because she knew her limit. Whiskey was a new beast, one she hadn’t figured out her tolerance to yet.
But Nate had been so sweet when she’d arrived at the party a few hours ago, teasing her into trying J.D. and Diet Coke, making sure her glass was always full, adding more soda when she choked, her eyes watering at the first taste.
Yeah, he was a real prince.
A cold sweat broke out along her hairline. Her stomach churned again. Because of the alcohol. It had nothing to do with her being on her back in the middle of the freaking woods.
She stared up at the moon peeking through the branches of the trees and pretended she was somewhere else, anywhere else, doing anything except what she was doing. That she wasn’t wasted—yet again. And that Nate Berry, with his floppy, pop-star hair and tight circle of friends, really liked her. Cared about her. That he wasn’t using her.
That she wasn’t letting him use her.
Her skin grew clammy. Prickled with the cold. Nate’s fingers clenched her hips, his face pressed against her neck. He was just another boy. And this was just another meaningless, drunken hookup in what was quickly becoming a long line of meaningless, drunken hookups.
Tears stung the backs of her eyelids and she squeezed her eyes shut. No. No feeling sorry for herself. She had every right to have sex with whoever she wanted, whenever she wanted. It was her body after all. Her choice to give it to some guy or not.
She was in control.
Her back and butt scraped against the rough earth. Her neck was stretched back, her hair caught between the crown of her head and the ground, pulling painfully each time he moved. She just wanted it to be over. Wanted to pretend it had never happened in the first place. Just like all the other times.
Clutching his arms, she lifted her hips to keep from getting the mother of all brush burns, to stop the contents of her stomach from sloshing. She inhaled deeply, breathed in the scent of Nate’s cologne and the pungent smell from the bonfire in the clearing outside the trees. His grip tightened, his nails digging into her skin as he groaned hoarsely and shuddered then finally—finally—stilled.
Thank God.
He collapsed on top of her, surprisingly heavy for a guy who looked as if he’d never heard of carbs, let alone ate any. His heart beat frantically against her chest, his breath hot and ragged against her shoulder. They had connected in the most elemental way. And still she felt alone. Always alone.
Her throat closed. Without a word, without a kiss or a murmured endearment or even an outright lie about how fantastic it’d been, how fantastic she was, Nate climbed to his feet. He turned his back and adjusted his clothes.
The cool night air washed over her bare skin. She shivered but couldn’t find the energy or the care to cover herself. After she’d lost her virginity to a smooth-talking college freshman, she’d stopped believing guys’ lines. Had quickly learned they’d do and say anything to get into a girl’s pants.
Yeah, she’d learned. But she hadn’t stopped hoping, couldn’t stop wishing that each time would be different. That, when it was all over, the guy she’d been with would think she was…special. Instead, once she gave them what they wanted, they all thought she was trash.
She was starting to wonder if they were right.
As she yanked up her jeans, shouts of excitement from the party still going strong reached them. The bonfire ill
uminated the colorful graffiti on the huge rocks that formed a barrier between the woods and what passed for civilization around here. Flames shot high into the air—probably from someone tossing gasoline onto the fire.
What a bunch of idiots.
“Come on,” Nate said, facing her as he stuffed his hands into his jean pockets. “Let’s go. Sounds like the party’s getting wicked wild.”
Jess snorted. “Yeah.” She lurched to her feet and swayed. He held out a hand to steady her but she slapped him away. She didn’t want him touching her again. “I’m sure it’s a crazy wild time,” she continued, her words slurring. “At least by this town’s standards.”
“Mystic Point not good enough for you?”
Okay, so she’d pissed him off, either with her comment or her slap. Good.
She rolled her eyes—and immediately wished she hadn’t when she almost tipped over. “Relax. God, why is everyone so defensive about this place?”
“Maybe we don’t like outsiders slamming our town.”
Outsider. That was her. And she was glad. She didn’t want to belong here. She just wanted to go home.
“There’s a whole big world out there,” she said, waving her arms. “Places where parties are held in actual houses instead of in the middle of nowhere surrounded by some stupid rocks.”
She’d much preferred last week’s party at the secluded part of the beach. The one and only thing she liked about Mystic Point was its proximity to the water. She loved the sound of the waves crashing on shore, the smell of salt water, the power of the ocean. But word had spread that the local cops had gotten wind of the underage drinking going on there and were going to increase their patrols of that area.
Which is how she ended up at some old quarry at the edge of town.
“If you hate it here so much, why don’t you go back to Boston?” Nate’s tone was snide, superior, as if he knew damn well why she was stuck here.
He thought he was better than her because he had a normal family, a mom who didn’t spend all her time so strung out she barely remembered she even had a kid. A dad who not only acknowledged him, but spent time with him.