10 Hands Full
HANDS FULL
Jackson
A fter spending a couple of hours at the gym, I’m more than ready to unwind at the club. I walk straight up the stairs to the VIP section, where we have a regular table. Everyone’s already there, including Sebastian. Not my favorite guy in the world after he flew in and stole the girl I’d had my eye on, but it was my fault for not making a move sooner. A mistake I don’t plan on making again.
We buried the hatchet when we came together to rescue Lily from an overzealous admirer who thought kidnapping her was the way to make his intentions clear. Luckily, Sebastian had the resources to find her, and we made it there in time, but it was close. It’s why Eli gave me the advice he did, and why I took it. It would have been unforgivable if something happened that could have been prevented.
“Hey, buddy, it’s about time you show up. Did you double your routine today or what? I think your muscles might be protesting.” Braden loves to razz me about my gym time.
“Dude, you wish you had half this going for you.” I go to the gym as much for my mind as I do for my body. It’s my outlet—time to think, plan, and reflect.
“Hell, I’d take a quarter,” Braden says.
“You’re full of shit, Braden. I see you at the gym every day. Jackson’s just in a league of his own. It’s unattainable for us non-Hulk types,” Eli interjects.
“Hey, Sebastian, I haven’t seen you in a while. Aren’t you and Lily joined at the hip?” I get the inevitable out of the way and acknowledge his presence.
He chuckles. “Now and then, I let her out of my sight. She’ll be here after dinner with some other ladies from the office. So, what’s this I hear about some underage girl you’re hung up on?”
I’m sure Eli’s told him all about it. They’re tight, being twins and all. “Four more days until she’s legal, and so far I haven’t touched her. She is a fucking bombshell, though. My discipline has been remarkable considering, but I suppose the risk of bars makes it easier.” I say, hearing snickers from Braden and Eli.
Sebastian continues, “I hear she’s in trouble.”
“I’m not sure, but something’s up. I’m hoping to figure it out next week when we visit Cici and investigate some properties there.”
“You’re visiting Cici? How is she?” Eli never divulged, but I knew there was more to him and my sister than they let on.
“Yeah, finally. She seems to be thriving there. She’s been begging me to visit for months, dangling investment opportunities to entice me. It’s good timing.” Impeccable timing.
“I bet it is since your travel buddy will be legal, huh?” Braden lifts his beer to cheers.
“I can’t deny it won’t suck to finally get my hands on her, but I’m also trying to help, not just fuck her.”
“Fucking… helping.” Braden lifts both his hands in a pendulum-scale motion. “I’d say both are equally important. You’ve been pining over this girl for two months now. Might as well go for it already.” He’s the biggest manwhore of the group, thoroughly enjoying his single status over the last year.
Not that I have room to talk. Hell, weeks ago, I’d been making the rounds myself. Now, I’m just biding my time until I can satisfy my fantasy without the use of my hand and imagination. If her reaction to me caging her in at poker was any indication, it won’t be a hard sell.
“We’ll see. But I need to figure out what’s going on with her first. My gut tells me something’s up even though she insists there isn’t. She’s always tired and hasn’t been her usual self since I caught sight of those marks.”
My phone rings as I finish my comment. When I pull it out of my pocket, the security firm lights up the screen. Speak of the devil.
“Hello?” I answer immediately.
“Good evening, Mr. Soloman. I’ve just tracked Mia to an industrial building in the warehouse district. There are no windows at ground level, so I can’t see what’s happening without going in. A few nicer cars are parked outside, so there are a handful of people already here. I don’t have a problem checking it out, but I didn’t want to put you in a bad spot by blowing my cover and thought I’d get your thoughts first.”
Well, fuck. “Are you sure it’s not just some teenage rager? That seems typical for a Friday night.” I offer.
“There’s no loud music coming from inside, and I’d expect more teenagers to show up if that were the case. So far, I’ve only seen two other males enter, casually dressed in their mid-thirties. It’s your call, boss. We can go in or wait it out.”
“How did she look going in? Was she hesitant or scared?” If that’s the case, he should have started with that information.
“She appeared normal, cautious of her surroundings, but nothing out of the ordinary. She hesitated before going in, possibly from fear, but nothing I could make out from where I was standing.”
“Text me the address, and I’ll get back to you in five minutes with my decision. I have an idea what we’re dealing with. Thank you for the call,” I say before hanging up.
“Goddammit. Mia’s at another tournament, and it’s a lot seedier than the last one. What should I do? She doesn’t know I’m having her followed, so I’m reluctant to send security in. Any chance you have a connection to this one?” I show the address to Eli, who’s usually the one to hook us up when a good game comes up. I’m assuming this one is not, which is why we didn’t hear about it.
“Let me check.” He looks down and starts scrolling on his phone.
“Why don’t you just go there yourself and pull her out?” Sebastian asks. He wouldn’t hesitate to do just that, consequences be damned.
“Because there’s no reason for me to know she’s there. I’d have to tell her I’ve been having her followed, and I’m pretty sure that won’t go over well.”
“I agree with Sebastian. Fuck it. If she’ll end up mad eventually, why does it matter if it’s today or some other day?” Braden gives his two cents.
I scowl at him, telling him exactly what I don’t say aloud—he’s supposed to be on my side.
“Did you find anything?” I ask Eli, still not sure what the right move is.
“There’s a reason I didn’t suggest we go to this one,” he replies. “The guys putting it on aren’t ones you or I want to be involved with. It’s a bad idea for Mia to be hanging around this group. If I were you, I’d meet your guy and go in together. You don’t want to stir up trouble, but getting her out of there is probably worth the risk.”
“Fuck. How is she even getting into this shit? Maybe that’s where I need to start. How do you end up on the list for a game like this?” I direct my question toward Eli since he seems to be in the know.
“Sorry, man, knowing criminals is the only way to get into these kinds of tournaments, which means she’s somehow connected to the wrong people.” Eli shakes his head and sips his beer.
“Sounds like you’ve got your hands full with this one. Good luck with that,” Sebastian says.
“Yeah, I think I’ll need it. Could you contact the host and let him know I’ll be stopping by without causing any problems?” If Eli was able to find the game, I’m hoping he can make a connection.
“I don’t know, but I’ll try. I can’t guarantee anything, so tread lightly when you get there.”
“Be careful, man, and remember—four more days. Don’t do anything stupid,” Braden says. As if I could forget.
“Yeah, yeah, I get it. You guys enjoy. It looks like I’m out of here.”
I text my guy on the way out with instructions to wait and that I’ll be there soon.
Mia
This is nothing like the last tournament they sent me to. This one is filled with sleazy men who keep leering, making me uncomfortable. And because they only have one table for twelve, I’m sandwiched between two creepers who keep brushing against me too frequently to be considered accidental. It doesn’t help my anxiety that the last text instructed me to be extra nice and not cause any problems with these guys—that there would be consequences otherwise.
We’re already down to eight players after an hour, with a couple more about to go out. It takes thirty minutes to knock out the next three players, leaving five, including myself. The good news is that I won’t be here all night, but the bad news is that the last guy who went out didn’t leave and is trying to make a move on me. He’s standing behind me, and my anxiety skyrockets when he starts brushing my cheek while making lewd comments, causing the other guys at the table to laugh at his tactics.
The host, or whoever is at the entrance, calls for a ten-minute break at the absolute worst time, giving this guy the perfect window of opportunity.
He grabs me under my armpit and lifts me out of my chair. “Come here, baby, let’s get to know each other a little better.” The others just sit back and watch as he pulls me into him.
“I have a boyfriend,” I say, trying to stop him before he goes further.
“What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him. Come on now, you give me what I want, and I’ll let you finish the game. Or are you shy and want me to take you somewhere private?” He’s holding me tight and starting to lean in.
“No, I don’t.” I’m not sure what “causing problems” looks like, but I’d say it might be when I try to shove him away only to receive a slap in the face for my efforts. It’s so hard that my eyes instantly tear up from the pain.
“Listen, bitch, we were told you’d be good to us if we let you in. Now prove it. I was only going to have a taste, but I think I want the whole meal now.”
He spins me around sharply and bends me over the table, holding my back down while he fumbles with my button and zipper, ignoring my protests. He starts grinding into me with his crotch, and panic sets in as the tears start while I struggle to get free.
When I almost lose hope, shouting can be heard from the entrance. All heads swivel, and even though I can’t move mine, I recognize one of the voices. I never thought I’d be as happy as I am right now to hear it.
“You want to take your hands off my girl, motherfucker?”
I’m released immediately, and from over my shoulder, see the guy stepping back with his hands up. His girl?
“No harm done, man. We didn’t know she was taken—we thought she was here for some fun, is all.”
I turn to see Jackson walking toward us in utter rage. I’m afraid he might kill someone when I notice there’s a guy behind him who looks just as intimidating. He steps forward, pushing the guy who held me down away before Jackson has a chance to get his hands on him.
He pauses for a few heartbeats, taking in the sight of me before enveloping me into his chest. Without any hesitation, I wrap my arms around his waist and cling to him, letting the tears flow while I catch my breath.
That was too close. What is he doing here? What if Frank and Jay find out? What if he hadn’t shown up? What do I do now? I’m going into panic mode.
“Breathe, Mia. I’ve got you. You’re okay, now.” His whispered words calm me as he holds me tight and caresses my hair, rubbing my back with soothing strokes. I hear the others talking in the background but am too unhinged to pay attention to anything being said.
“What are you doing here?” I mumble into his chest, realizing this is the one question burning above all others.
He continues to hold me, running his hand over my back. “Shhh. We’ll talk when we get you out of here. How are you doing?”
I lift my head to look around. The guy who shoved me down and the man who came in with Jackson are gone. The others are waiting to play, and I’m not sure what to do. All I want is to go home, crawl into bed, and forget this night ever happened.
“I… I don’t know what to do.” A whisper is all I manage, but Jackson hears me. He’s staring down at me, rubbing my cheek, where I’m sure it’s red, and wiping the tears from my eyes.
“Can I get you out of here?” he asks gently.
“I guess so. Or… I don’t know. There are only four players left. I could just finish. I don’t want to lose my money.” It’s not an option to lose it after the rest was taken.
“Do you want me to get your buy-in back so you can leave, or do you want to finish? I’ll stay if that’s what you want.” Why is he being so nice to me? And because I’m half delusional, I ended up asking that out loud.
“Answer my question first, Mia. Do you want to stay?” I’m not sure how he manages, but somehow, his question is both soft and firm at the same time, compelling me to respond.
I shake my head.
He doesn’t hesitate. “What do you guys think about giving Mia here her money back to make up for the trouble and finish your game without her?” They start to balk, but he adds, “Unless you’ve already forgotten that she’s a better player than all of you combined and will no doubt be taking all your money if she stays.”
At that, they shut up and agree to his suggestion.
Jackson stays glued to my side, his arm wrapped protectively around me as he walks us to the entrance, where I’m given my money back. We step outside, and I recoil into Jackson at seeing another man waiting on the sidewalk. He squeezes me in reassurance.
“I got it from here. Thanks for waiting,” Jackson tells him. I look up and recognize the man who arrived with him.
“You got it. I’ll follow up in the morning.” He salutes, then stands in place as he watches Jackson lead me to his car.
I’m not sure what to say or how to act, and I can’t wrap my brain around what just happened or is currently happening. My mind is numb as he opens the passenger door and helps me in before walking to the other side. I take a deep breath before he enters, still trying to calm my nerves. He gets in and does the same. We sit in silence as I stare down at my hands, one squeezing the fingers of the other.
He turns toward me and pries them apart, slowly bringing one to his lips and holding it there with his eyes closed. He remains that way, taking deep breaths before finally opening and looking at me. My heart is pounding from the intensity of his stare.
He breaks the silence. “We can’t talk about what happened yet because I’m too angry about what I walked into. I just need to get you home.” An instant ache forms in my chest at the thought of being without him before he continues. “Can I take you to my place to make sure you’re okay? I’d like you with me right now.”
I’m too shocked to respond. Where is this coming from?
“Please,” he pleads.
“Um… sure? I’ll just need to text my mom and Walker.”
He doesn’t say anything, just nods and kisses my fingers before lowering our hands to the console, still not releasing mine from his grip. He drives the whole way using his left hand, unwilling to let me go, forcing me to make do with one hand as well.
I text my mom that I’m in for the night because I know I’ll be safe with Jackson. Next, I text Walker and let him know where I’m going and that I’ll explain later, but not to worry. His response, “You go, girl!” makes me smile for the first time tonight.
I could lie and tell myself that I’m only going to get answers, like how he knew I was there and who that man was, or I can be honest and admit that I feel safe and was relieved when he suggested taking me home with him. I don’t know what this means or why things suddenly feel different between us, but I do know I need him right now as much as he seems to need me.