“You’ll get her through it, brother,” Rocket said, as he landed his hand on LJ’s shoulder.
He looked up. “Sorry, didn’t realize I’d spoken out loud.”
“We got your back, brother,” Zach said from across the table. “Your woman’s too.”
LJ grunted. “Pretty sure she ain’t my woman right now.”
“Eh,” Mav said with a wave of his hand. “Details.”
Leave it to Mav to finally have him cracking a smile.
“So, what do we d—”
The double doors leading to the chapel flew open, and as though he’d conjured her with his mind, there stood Holly.
Thunder ran up behind her a second later. “Shit! Fuck, Copper, I’m sorry. She ran past me. She’s fucking fast.” He shot Holly a dirty look, but she paid him no attention. Instead, her gaze shifted between LJ and Copper.
Her eyes were wide, frenzied and her chest rose and fell in a rapid clip. Could have been from running in there, but the way she was fiddling with the hem of her shirt led LJ to believe something was stressing her in a major way. Almost to the point of panic.
LJ stood. So did Copper. “What’s wrong, Holly?”
Ahh, so his oh-shit meter shot off the charts as well.
“I—” She looked around the room then shook her head. In a strangled voice, she whispered, “My father will be here in about ten minutes with I don’t know how much backup. He paid some woman named Carli to plant drugs in the clubhouse. I don’t know where and I don’t know how much, but I know it’s enough to have you all arrested for intent to distribute.” She spoke so fast the words rushed together.
LJ jumped to his feet. Jesus Christ, how had she found this out? Her father wouldn’t have told her without serious motivation. “Sugar—” he started at the same time Copper barked, “Later, LJ. You said ten minutes?”
“Holly nodded. I’d say ten to fifteen by the time they get the warrant signed and get here.”
Copper placed his palms flat on the table. He leaned forward and scanned each face in the room. “Get searching, men. Every fucking nook and cranny in this goddamned place. We start in the rooms of anyone who spent five seconds alone with Carli. Thunder?”
“On it,” he said before jetting out the door, looking a little green around the gills.
“Get fucking moving!” Copper barked. The men jumped to their feet, and all fled the room. The sounds pounding of motorcycle boots across the floors rang out a thunderous crescendo.
Though he needed to help his brothers, LJ stayed rooted to his spot, eyes glued to Holly. She stared at him right back. God, he’d missed her. Even frazzled as fuck, she looked so damn beautiful.
“Holly,” Copper said, breaking the spell.
“Y-yes?”
Fuck, LJ hated the uncertainty in her voice. As though she’d done something wrong by being related to the bastard.
“LJ needs to go search his room. If your father wants anyone to go down, it’s him.”
She gasped. “Yes. LJ, go please! You can’t—it’ll kill me if—” She swallowed and shook her head. “Please go. We’ll talk later.”
He didn’t move.
“You’re free to leave, Holly,” Copper said.
What? LJ wanted to body slam his president. Holly couldn’t leave. She belonged right there, tucked against his side where he could protect her.
Her forehead wrinkled.
“I’m sure you don’t want to be here when this all goes down. Your father might not let you walk if he starts making arrests. You can go before they get here,” Copper said.
Fuck. Good thing one of them maintained the ability to think straight. “He’s right, Holly. You need to get the hell outta here.”
Holly straightened her shoulders. Suddenly, the muscles of her face relaxed and she lost the tension in her spine. “I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be. Where I want to be. With you. So please go search your room because I’m going to be pissed off if I have to speak to you through bars tonight, when I spent a fortune on this skimpy as hell underwear for our make-up sex.”
Hot damn!
Copper did a shitty job of covering his laugh with a cough as Holly’s cheeks turned bright pink. A fucking stampede of wild elephants couldn’t chase him away from that sexy promise. He rounded the table, stopping in front of his woman. “Wouldn’t miss tonight for the world,” he said before giving her a quick, hard kiss. “Wait for me at the bar. I’ll be right back.”
“Wait!” Holly cried as he stepped through the door. She darted over to him and grabbed the sides of his face, pulling him down to her. “I love you,” she whispered in his ear, as though she might not get a chance to say it later. Then she kissed him stupid. “Now go find those drugs!” she said as she shoved him away.
Like some kind of lovesick pussy, LJ nearly floated up the fucking stairs. Holly loved him. And as soon as this clusterfuck of a day was over, he’d be giving those words right back to her.