“You’re in some trouble, as I see it,” he said as he folded his arms. “Now, we got a couple options. I can slap some cuffs on you, toss you in the back of my vehicle, and haul you into the station. Be pretty embarrassin’ for your daddy, dontcha think?”
“It’s not my gun.”
He shrugged and grinned a creepy smile like he knew he held all the cards and she was fucked. “Don’t matter. You were drivin’. Makes you captain of this here ship. As captain, you’re responsible for everythin’ happenin’ on the ship, even if it ain’t your ship.”
The cinnamon roll—all right rolls—she’d eaten about an hour ago tried to make a reappearance, but Holly forced the sick feeling down. “What’s the, uh, what’s the second option?” she asked, barely able to get the sour words past her mouth.
Because without asking, she knew.
“Well, the second option is you sit in the front seat of the car instead.”
“W-what?” She shook her head. “I don’t, um, I don’t understand.”
His grin grew sinister. “Not much to it.” He grabbed his junk and gave it a solid heft. “You sit in the front seat of my cruiser and let me know how much you appreciate me not dragging you in on a weapons charge.”
Holly gagged as her stomach lurched violently.
“M-my father—”
“Cares more about takin’ out the MC than anything else. Trust me on that one, darlin’.”
God. Was it true? Would her father care more about his hatred for bikers than his daughter being abused by one of his own? Two weeks ago, she’d have said no. Now…no, she refused to think it. The sheriff-father card was her only card left, and she’d play it to the max.
“You willing to risk it?” she asked, forcing strength she didn’t feel into her voice. “Because it’s sexual assault. You’re a cop, you know that. Blackmailing me for a blowjob in your car is assault. You willing to put your job and your freedom on the line because you think my dad will overlook that shit? Trust me, he won’t.”
For the first time since he lured her out of the truck, Higgins focused his attention on something besides her body. He shifted and tapped his fingers against his pant leg.
A nervous habit?
Was his arrogance finally waning?
“Look,” she said, holding out her hand. “Just hand me my phone. I’ll call LJ, he’ll bring whatever paperwork you need to see about the gun. Then we’ll all just be on our way and forget the last few minutes.”
Higgins cocked his head and smiled that spine-chilling smile again. Shit, she was fucked. He saw straight through her false bravado and posturing. “You know what, darlin’?” he asked. “I’m gonna give you this one.” He held out her phone.
Of course, he held it close to his body, so she had to walk into his personal space to retrieve it. As her hand closed around the case, he held it firm. “And I’m gonna give it a few weeks. Figure by that point, your daddy will have arrested one or two of the Handlers. Whet his appetite. And he’ll be starving for more. Pretty sure he won’t give a fuck what any of us do by then. Guess you better watch your speed from now on, huh? This might turn out differently next time.” He winked.
Good thing he’d removed the gun from LJ’s glove box because for the first time in her life, Holly found herself willing and able to harm another human being to the point of death. Higgins was a disgusting asshole with a God complex. Like being a sheriff’s deputy in small-town Tennessee made him some kind of higher power.
She walked a good fifteen steps away from him. Being so close to him had her skin crawling with imaginary bugs. Even with some distance, the chill that had settled in her bones didn’t dissipate.
Holly wrapped one arm around her midsection and used the free hand to dial LJ. Man, oh man, this was not going to go well. If she could think of any possible way to keep him from finding out what Higgins proposed, she just might go that route. But LJ would know. She was shit at hiding her emotions.
With a sigh, she connected the call and lifted the phone to her ear.
“Hey, sugar. What’s up?”
Shit. Here’s goes nothing.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
ROCKET SLOWED TO a stop behind the police cruiser parked on the side of the highway, lights flashing. This song and dance with the cops wasn’t any of the Handlers’ first rodeo, so Copper drove a few more feet and pulled in front of LJ’s truck, flanking the officer and Holly. Gave them a little advantage.
Holly and the deputy both stood between the cars. Holly had her arms wrapped around her midsection as though she was hugging herself. She swayed back and forth.