24. Holden
Chapter 24
Holden
Day 869 without you: The worst part of being away from you is knowing you think I chose to leave you.
W e’re on a quieter main road, only a few miles away from home, when a blacked-out SUV shoots out of a side street. The distinct sound of pop, pop, pop cuts through the air a split second before I hear the impact on my driver-side door and window.
“Fuck. Hurricane, get down.”
Olivia screeches next to me, and warm coffee flies around the cab as I swerve to the right, trying to avoid crashing into Maverick and Beck, who have hit their brakes.
Not ideal in this situation, but reflexes are a bitch to control sometimes.
“Shit, sorry.” I glance at Olivia’s frozen form and bark again, “Get down. Head between your knees. Now.”
I adjust my speed to the SUV before us, which has picked up its speed again. “We’re okay, Hurricane. Nothing will happen. The SUVs are bulletproof, but please stay out of sight anyway.” I try to soften my voice for her but don’t dare take my eyes off the road or my death grip on the steering wheel. Although, the need to touch Olivia to reassure her physically is almost too overwhelming.
We’ve personally tested how effective our vehicles are, but even my reflexes want me to be erratic and dodge the bullets. My heart beats so wildly behind my ribs that it’s almost painful, but I try to ignore it as best as possible. My body is on high alert, tense from top to bottom.
Move. Do something. Whatever it takes to keep her safe.
The urge to swerve to the side is strong. But landing in a ditch right now would ironically be much worse than getting shot at.
Maybe if I was alone and knew what I was up against, I could be reckless and lure the assholes out that way.
But I have precious cargo with me.
Who the fuck are those guys though?
More bullets come our way, and I try to see the shooter, but the window of the beat-up gray SUV is only a few inches open, showing nothing but the barrel of the gun.
As I think it, the gun disappears, and the window closes.
Are they giving up?
I don’t have time to be hopeful before their SUV makes a hard right and slams into Maverick and Beck’s SUV. Tires scream against the asphalt, and the sound of metal on metal erupts like thunder.
Since Maverick and Beck were blocking us from the front, this move opens the way for the assailants to slam into us next.
The side of their SUV is already covered in dents and scratches, yet they keep coming, slamming into us a second, then a third time.
Their gun comes out again, and they unload what I’m pretty sure is the entire magazine. Their proximity intensifies the noise, and full-body shivers rack my body.
Thunk, thunk, thunk.
“Oh my God,” Olivia whimpers.
Not only are the gunshots loud, but the impact of them on the exterior and the window echoes as though someone is pounding a heavy fist against it.
I’m not looking forward to seeing the damage. The repair and paint job will be a pain and not cheap.
But at least you’ll be alive. You both will be.
Gunshots from behind snap my gaze to the rearview mirror, and I sigh in relief. Maverick and Beck are gaining on us, with Beck halfway leaning out of his window.
Good job. Show them you can’t fuck with us.
After a few more shots, the rearview window of the battered SUV shatters, bursting with an eerie crack that sends shards flying across the pavement. The gunmen must finally realize they don’t stand a chance against our armored vehicles and speed away.
My fingers move across the steering wheel to connect me to Jax, who picks up his phone immediately.
“You all good?”
After a glance at Olivia, I say, “Yes, you too?”
“Yup. Want me to follow?”
“Please.”
“Got it, boss. Meet you back at the house.”
He hangs up and disappears down a side road after the gray SUV. I let out a pent-up breath without taking my foot off the gas pedal. I dial Maverick next and reach out to touch Olivia’s arm. “You okay there, Hurricane?”
A nod is all I get from her before the call connects.
“Boss?”
“We’re heading back to the house as planned. Keep your eyes out.”
“Got it.”
Olivia pushes my hand off her arm, and a trickle of disappointment runs down my spine at the blatant dismissal. Until she intertwines our fingers and enfolds them with her other hand. Her grip is so tight my bones protest, but I couldn’t care less. If this gives her the comfort she needs, she can break every single one.
“What do you need, Hurricane?”
Her breath comes out in a huff. “Right now?”
“Yeah.”
“I could use a damn hug, but that can wait until we’re safe.”
Shit. What I wouldn’t give to pull her over the middle console and straight into my arms this very moment. But she’s right. No matter how much I want that, stopping would be stupid. We need to get back to the house as soon as possible.
“Just five more minutes, and I’ll give you the biggest hug you’ve ever gotten.”
I almost miss her quiet, “Okay,” as I focus on the road and getting us home safely.
We make it back without running into any more issues, and once the engine sputters to a stop in the garage, I click the release button on Olivia’s seat belt. Before I can even reach for her, she already half scrambles and half leaps toward me. And then she’s on me, wrapping her trembling arms around my head and burrowing her face into my neck.
I encircle her body and hold her tightly to me.
I could have lost her today.
We stay this way until my door opens so forcefully the hinges screech in protest.
“Fuck. Are you guys okay?” Archer fills the doorframe, coming close as if he’s going to join our tangled limbs.
He puts a hand on my shoulder and one on my hand that’s on the back of Olivia’s head. “Anyone get hurt?”
I shake my head. “We’re good. Just a bit shaken.”
His cheeks fill with air before he exhales loudly. “Well, fuck this shit. When we find whoever is behind this, I will tear every limb off their body as slowly as possible. All of these motherfuckers are driving me insane.”
“I’ll help you.” I let my head fall back, slightly soothed by Olivia’s warm breath near my ear. She stays quiet, but at least the trembling has lessened. My gaze locks on Archer. “Have you heard from Jax? He followed the SUV.”
“He called me from the road and told me what happened. He was able to catch up with the SUV, but by the time he got there, it was abandoned. Empty except for some food wrappers. I called O’Neal, so hopefully, he can get some fingerprints for us.”
He brushes his hand through his hair, down his face, and over his jaw. If he keeps this up, he’ll rub his skin raw. But I get it. This was way too close. I think neither of us expected things to escalate like this, if the attack is even connected to the other incidents.
“Thanks, Arch.”
He squeezes my shoulder. “Of course, man. I’m just glad you guys are okay.”
“Me too.”
He steps back and straightens to his full height. “Do you need anything?”
I scrunch my nose. “Nah, thanks.”
He points a thumb over his shoulder toward the door leading inside the house. “I’ll check if there is any news. And then I’ll bake some cupcakes or something.”
Olivia mumbles something into my neck.
Archer tilts his head and furrows his brows. “Did she just say lemon?”
Olivia hums.
Relief spreads through my chest at that one simple sound.
Archer’s confusion morphs into a beaming smile. “Lemon cupcakes for my buttercup. You got it.”
I groan at his ridiculousness, but he’s gone before I can say anything. And there are a lot of things I could say. Like, stop calling Olivia all of those ridiculous pet names. Stop smiling at her. Stop flirting with my wife, and don’t look at her either.
But of course, I’d never do that. Archer might push my buttons sometimes, especially regarding Olivia, but I’m glad he’s concerned for her and her well-being. Baking the damn cupcakes will help calm him down and make her happy too—a win-win.
Plus, she’s in my lap and clinging to me as if I’m the only thing that keeps her alive, so there’s no competition.
I know this doesn’t mean she’s forgiven me, or that she’s entirely mine, but it’s a step in the right direction. Having her this close, protecting her, has got to be enough for now, even though it hurts not to have her fully.
Until then, I’m the anchor I promised to always be for her.
And I can pretend to be the man she deserves for a few stolen moments.
If I were a better person, I would have found a way out of this. I could have had Archer work his magic and void this marriage, or I could have walked away and let someone else keep her safe.
But it took mere minutes alone with her to turn me into a selfish bastard. In the blink of an eye, I forgot why I should stay away from her. The need and instinct to protect her, to be the one to keep her safe, took over. She consumed me in seconds, and I knew someone would have to pry me from her side because I wouldn’t leave willingly.
The same way I didn’t leave willingly the first time, but she still doesn’t know that.
Coldness seeps into the car, and I shift Olivia around in my arms, keeping one hand on her back and putting the other one under her butt. “Hold on, Hurricane.”
Olivia tightens her hold around my neck and waist, and with careful maneuvering, I get us out of the SUV and into the house. The second I step from the mudroom into the kitchen, Stormy is on us. I’ve always been convinced dogs have a sixth sense, which only proves it once again. They’re pretty much angels in disguise.
She runs around us, jumping, whining, and barking, sensing something is going on with Olivia. Olivia knows it too, and slowly disentangles her death grip on my neck to reach down to Stormy with one hand.
Turning her head to the side, she speaks to her pup in a hushed voice, “I’m okay, sweetie. All good.”
I stride from the kitchen to the living room and sink into the soft leather couch with Olivia in my lap, the cushions yielding under our weight. Stormy immediately jumps next to us, getting close enough to lick our faces. I try to reassure her by petting her head, while also trying to push her back for some room.
Olivia smiles at her, and eventually, Stormy gets the message and settles down beside us, with Olivia brushing soothing strokes over her head.
Then, Olivia finally turns her head to look at me. Her mouth curls up at the corners into a small smile, but one that never reaches her eyes.
“Talk to me, Hurricane.” Reaching out, I brush her hair back and cup her cheek. “How are you holding up?”
She tilts her head toward my hand as if my touch comforts her. Her throat bobs on a swallow. “I . . . I don’t even know what to say. It all feels like a nightmare I just woke up from. Because I don’t understand why someone would try to kill us. I mean, this kind of stuff doesn’t happen to normal people, right? I mean, shit. That was so scary.”
I nod. “I’ve never been more excited that we switched to armored vehicles last year. Insanely expensive, but so worth it.”
A shiver rolls through her body. “I can’t even imagine how different tonight would have gone otherwise. I’m so glad no one got hurt.”
I shift my gaze away from hers. “Considering what happened to my sister, I should have gotten them sooner. Before something bad happened.”
This time, her hand goes to my cheek as if it’s her turn to offer comfort. “Not a single thing that happened was your fault. Not with your sister, Phoenix and Evie, or with me. Holden, you’re the reason I’m here right now without a single scratch on me, so thank you.”
Her thumb moves over my lower lip for a split second before she leans in and presses her lips to mine.