Little Jack (Hell's Handlers MC 6)

“I’m going to make this simple,” Copper said. “Three conditions and I’ll keep this recording quiet.”

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…