Chapter 32 #2
If Axel had his way, we wouldn’t even be talking now. He and Flynn would have delivered the message with a thorough ass-kicking.
I hated violence, though, and I was on a hair trigger after my recent panic attack. So I really hoped these assholes were smart and didn’t push their luck.
Of course, no one would ever think Brick was smart.
“You’re all bluffing,” he said. “I’m not afraid of you. I bet these dogs are just cuddly family pets, aren’t they?”
He walked straight up to Bailey, making my heart lurch. I turned, fear flashing through me. “Back the fuck—”
Taz snarled and struck like a fucking snake, lunging forward to pierce tiny teeth into the hand Brick extended to pet him.
He yelped and yanked his hand back. “It bit me!”
Axel laughed. “Serves you right, asshole. If you really want to push it, Sugar here can take a piece of you too.”
He patted his rottweiler’s head, who growled low in her throat. Brick stumbled backward so fast he tripped over his own feet and landed on his ass.
“No, don’t! Keep those monsters away from me.”
Gray chuckled. “Count yourself lucky. Taz is fond of dicks.”
Brick lowered his other hand to cup his junk. “No, please.”
Curtis sighed and shook his head. “Jesus Christ, Brick, you’re an idiot.” His gaze flicked back to me. “So, your dogs can tear us apart, and I’m guessing that big dude back there knows how to handle himself.”
“I can make you hurt in ways you’ve never imagined,” Flynn confirmed.
He said it matter-of-factly. It wasn’t snarled like a threat. It didn’t need to be. The words carried weight because this was a man who could back up what he said.
Curtis gave him an uneasy look. “I got the message. So, what now?”
“That depends,” I said. “Are you going to stay away from Shiloh?”
“Yeah,” Curtis said. “He won’t ever see us again. You have my word.”
“But what about the money?” Brick protested. “He still owes us 20K, man!”
Curtis shook his head. “Learn when you’re outmatched, Brick. It ain’t worth the trouble we’ll find here.” He turned back to me. “Let us go, and you won’t ever see us again.”
“I’m glad you see it our way.” I tossed my keys at Bailey. “Move my car.”
“Really?” Bailey grinned and handed Taz over to Flynn, who looked even bigger while holding a tiny dog. He jogged over to the GTO and slid into the driver’s seat.
Once it backed off the road, Gray rounded the tow truck and flipped the switch that would tilt the truck bed so we could unload Brick and Curtis’s car.
While Gray worked on getting all the safety chains disconnected, Shiloh took a step forward.
“Hey, Curtis,” he called. “Just so you know, I really don’t have that money. I never did.”
His lips quirked. “Yeah, I figured that might be the case when I saw you with Sugar Daddy here.”
I rolled my eyes as Axel snickered at the nickname. I’d never live that down now.
“What do you mean?” Shiloh asked.
“If you had all that cash, you wouldn’t need him, would you?”
“Jimmie’s a liar.”
“Yeah, and he’ll pay for that,” Curtis said. “I don’t know when or how, but he’ll be sorry he fucked us over.”
“As long as you leave me out of it,” Shiloh said. “I never want to hear his name again.”
Curtis tipped his head in a nod. “Fair enough.”
We watched as they climbed into the car and drove off the ramp. As soon as they hit the asphalt, they whipped the car into the open lane and sped down the highway, taillights disappearing into the distance.
“Think we’ll see them again?” Gray asked.
“I hope not,” I said tightly. “But there’s no guarantee they won’t try again. I’m sorry, Shy. I wish I could do more.”
“You did more than I ever could have asked,” Shiloh said. “All of you. I’ve never had anyone stand up for me like this before.”
“Well, I wouldn’t worry too much about those guys coming back,” Axel said. “Dalton just texted me. Turns out, they’ve got warrants out in St. Louis, so he made a call to the authorities there. There’s going to be a nice welcome brigade waiting for them.”
“You mean…”
“They’re getting arrested as soon as they get home,” Axel confirmed with a grin. “This time with serious drug charges.”
“So it’s really over?” Shiloh asked, a hopeful note in his voice.
“It really is,” Axel said. “Unless you want to add to their charges? Stalking and extortion, maybe? Assault too.”
Shiloh shook his head. “Not unless they need me to put them away.”
“From what Dalton said, they’re looking at serious prison time either way.”
Shiloh exhaled shakily. “Good. Then I just want to put it all behind me.” He turned, smiling at me. “My life is here now.”
“Good answer,” I murmured.
We were back in the GTO before Shiloh spoke again.
“Curtis was wrong about one thing.”
“Just one?” I asked.
“He said I wouldn’t need you if I had the money, but that’s not true. I’ll always need you, Holden.”
I reached for his hand. Shiloh eyed me like I was a dangerous animal about to bite.
“I’m okay to touch,” I said. “Promise.”
“Okay, I wasn’t sure after…everything.”
Everything being my major panic attack.
“Your touch could never be like theirs,” I said. “I needed a little time for my nervous system to calm down, but right now, I want nothing more than to hold your hand and know that you’re safe.”
“Then I’d love to hold your hand, Holden Cross.”
Shiloh slipped his fingers between mine, and it was like coming home. A swell of comfort swept through me. In the beginning, it had been difficult to touch. I’d had to fight my instincts to pull away. But now? Shiloh’s hand was like my own, always welcome.
I squeezed his hand a little tighter, heart swelling. “Let’s go home.”