10. Jack
Chapter 10
Jack
The safe house is stocked to the brim, just like Gabriel promised—food, water, medical supplies, even extra clothes. Everything we need to stay hidden and survive.
I sit on the floor beside the sofa, resting my head against the armrest. The faint rise and fall of Holly’s chest reassures me, but it’s not enough to calm the storm raging inside me. Every part of me wants to roar in frustration—at the bastards who hurt her, at myself for not taking them out sooner, at the world for forcing her into this mess.
The room settles into a calm stillness, broken only by the crackling fire and the soft sound of Holly’s breathing. My mind refuses to quiet, though. It never does in moments like this. Planning, assessing, running through the events that brought us here—all of it is on an endless loop.
Holly’s hand is wrapped in mine, her grip light but deliberate. Even in sleep, she doesn’t let go. The small gesture is enough to crack through my hardened edges, the walls I’ve spent years perfecting.
It’s just her and me and the quiet promise of something better waiting on the other side of all this chaos. And I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure she gets there. Safe. Whole. With me by her side.
I watch her for a moment, her profile illuminated by the firelight. Her face is soft, the tension she’s carried over the past few days finally giving way to exhaustion. Her lashes cast faint shadows on her cheeks, her lips slightly parted as she breathes evenly in her sleep.
She’s been through hell—more than anyone should have to endure—yet she’s still here, still fighting. I’ve seen men break under less, but Holly? She’s unshakable.
This life she’s been thrust into—it’s not fair. She’s had everything ripped away from her, and she’s still standing. Still fighting. Still smiling at me like I’m something more than the man who’s dragged her from one safe house to the next.
Rubbing my hand over my face, I scrub at the fatigue threatening to creep in. I force myself to relax, but it’s a losing battle. My mind races through scenarios, each one worse than the last. Every snap of a branch, every gust of wind outside, feels like a threat. I’ve been trained for this—staying alert, keeping control, being ready for the worst—but it’s different now. It’s Holly.
I adjust the blanket over her, ensuring her injured leg is propped up just right. Every instinct in me screams to keep moving, to double-check the perimeter, to reinforce the locks, but I stay rooted here. For her.
The fire dims slightly, the embers glowing faintly as they shift. I sigh and close my eyes for a minute. I must drift off because when I open them again, the clock on the wall tells me it’s almost midnight.
Holly stirs, her brow furrowing before her eyes flicker open. She looks at me groggily. “Jack,” she murmurs. “You’re still here.”
“Where else would I be, Hollyberry?”
Her lips curve into a faint smile, but something lurks behind her eyes—doubt or maybe fear.
“Jack…” She hesitates, her fingers tightening around mine. “What if they find us again?”
“They won’t,” I say firmly, leaning closer so she can see the conviction on my face. “Gabriel’s safe house is off every grid. No one’s getting to us here. How’re you feeling?”
She blinks a few times, then lets out a small sigh. “I’m okay.” Her gaze drops to her leg, and she winces slightly, as if the sight of the bandage is worse than the pain itself.
“It’s holding,” I reassure her. “No complications. Just needs time.” I pause, shaking my head. “I should’ve taken those bastards out before they even had a chance to fire. You shouldn’t have been hurt.”
“Jack,” she says softly, squeezing my hand. “You were fucking awesome. Aside from the whole bad men with a vendetta and getting shot parts, it was kind of hot watching you morph into Super SEAL mode.”
Her dark humor is so unexpected that I burst out laughing. This is what I need in my life. She’s what I need. What I want. Her sunshine in the darkest of times, looking danger in the eye and finding a way to make me laugh when the world feels like it’s closing in. She’s seen me at my best and worst and embraced every part of me. It’s humbling, and I may be a selfish bastard, but I’m not letting her go.
I grip her hand a little tighter, my thumb brushing over her knuckles. “Yeah, well, remind me to work on my timing. Could’ve done without the audience and the bullets.”
“Whatever,” she scoffs, waving her hand, her hazel eyes teasing. “You’re still my hero.”
Her words hit me like a punch to the gut, and I swallow hard, my throat tightening. There’s no cocky retort for this, no deflection.
I look at her, really look at her. She’s pale, worn from everything we’ve been through, but her eyes shine with a fire that refuses to be extinguished.
“And you’re mine,” I finally murmur.
Her lips part in surprise as she studies me, and her eyes fill with tears. The silence between us is thick, weighted with the things we’ve been too scared to say.
“You know,” she starts, her voice soft, almost hesitant, “when this all started, I thought you were this stoic, unshakable protector my father hired. A means to an end.” She pauses, a faint smile curving her lips. “But now, I see you. The real you. And Jack... you’re so much more than I ever expected.”
Her words unravel something inside me, a tightly wound thread I didn’t realize existed. I feel exposed, vulnerable in a way I’m not used to, but I don’t back away. Because with Holly, I don’t have to.
“You’re everything I didn’t know I needed,” I murmur, my gaze locking onto hers. “Your strength, your humor, your fire—it’s all I can think about. All I want.”
Her breath catches, her eyes widening slightly. I see the emotion ripple across her face—surprise, warmth, something deeper.
She leans closer, her free hand brushing against my cheek. “Then stop overthinking, you beautiful man,” she whispers, her lips quirking into a small smile. “And kiss me.”
I don’t need to be told twice. Careful not to jostle her leg, I slide onto the leather sofa beside her. I gather her close, my lips capturing hers in a kiss that’s more than passion—it’s a promise. A vow. Whatever comes next, whatever hell we have to face, we’ll do it together.
A faint moan escapes her as I pull back. “Jack, I need you.”
I shake my head, fighting the desire to sink inside her supple body, to reassure myself she’s okay after nearly losing her. “No, baby girl. You’re too sore, and you need to rest.”
She sighs, knowing I’m right. Her bottom lip pushes out in a pout. “Spoilsport.”
I take her hand and press it against my hard cock. “Believe me, he agrees. He wants nothing more than to be buried in your wet little pussy, and I’ll be only too happy to oblige him once your leg has healed.”
Holly’s eyes kindle, her previously pale cheeks now flushed. “Do you always talk about your penis in the third person?”
I tip my head back and laugh, a spontaneous, full-bellied laugh that releases the tension I’ve been holding for what feels like years. Fuck, she’s precious. When my gaze returns to hers, she’s watching me with fascination.
“Dear God, you were hot before, but when you laugh like that”—she fans herself with her hand—“if I were wearing panties, they’d be incinerated.”
I groan, dropping my forehead to hers. “Now is not the time to tell me you’re not wearing panties, Hollyberry.”
“It’s not?” she asks innocently. She flips our hands so mine is pressed against her pussy. “Since we’re talking about our genitals in the third person, she thinks it’s a great time and can’t wait to welcome your big, thick cock inside her again. She’s so empty without him.”
“Fuck, you’re torturing me, woman,” I growl, nipping her bottom lip before forcing myself away from her. As much as my cock screams to be inside her, I won’t put my needs above her comfort. Despite the lust bubbling between us, she needs to rest and heal.
Holly gives a resigned sigh, admitting defeat. “So, what’s next, hero?” she asks, her voice soft but steady.
I pace in front of the sofa. “We’re safe here while we decide our next move. There’s a satellite phone, so I thought we should try to call your father.”
Holly tenses, and her expression shutters. “Yes. I have a few things to say to him. But is it safe? It can’t be traced?”
“It’s a government model with strong encryption. We’ll be fine as long as we keep it short.”
Holly nods. “Okay, let’s do it.”
I move to the kitchen, picking up the satellite phone from the charger and dialing her father’s number from memory. As I move back to the living area, each ring is a reminder of the man at the other end—a man I work for, but now, a man I resent for putting Holly through all of this.
“Hello?” His voice is cold and measured, every word calculated. “Who is this? If you think you can barter?—”
“Sir, it’s Jack,” I interrupt, keeping my tone neutral.
“Jack? Where are you? Is my daughter safe? Is she alive?” Is that genuine concern in his voice?
“Yes, she’s alive. We’re in a safe house in the mountains. We had some trouble on the way, had to leave the car. I’m using an encrypted satellite phone, but we should keep this short. What are your instructions?”
Victor’s rueful chuckle reaches me from the other end. “Seems you have more contacts than you let on.”
“I always have a plan, sir. I’ll protect Holly with my life.”
“Yes, I know. That’s why I assigned you to her.” There’s a pause, a moment of consideration on Victor’s end. “Is she there?”
“Yes.”
“Put me on speakerphone. What I have to say concerns both of you.”
I do as he says, handing the phone to Holly.
Her brows knit together, a flicker of unease crossing her face. She takes the phone slowly, her grip tightening around it. “Dad?”
“Holly.” Victor’s voice softens, losing its usual commanding edge. “I’m sorry.”
Her lips part in surprise, but she doesn’t respond immediately, so he continues, his tone raw in a way I’ve never heard before.
“I’m sorry for everything, Holly. My decisions… they’ve brought danger to you and your mother and brother. I never wanted this. I thought I was building a life for us, protecting us, but all I’ve done is make us targets.”
Holly’s voice shakes as she replies. “You put power and greed above your family, Dad. You never stopped to think about what it was doing to us.”
“I know,” he admits, his voice cracking. “You’re right. I’ve been a terrible father in so many ways. But this—I can fix this. I’m doing everything I can to make things right. It won’t undo the damage, but I’m working to ensure you’re safe, that this doesn’t come back to you.”
“It already has,” Holly whispers. “What did you do, Dad?”
Victor takes a deep breath on the other end of the line, the sound crackling faintly through the satellite connection. His pause is heavy, laden with the weight of choices he can’t undo. When he speaks, his voice is low and deliberate.
“Holly, my business was never clean. You know that. I tried to keep you, your mother, and your brother away from that part of the business, but the empire I built—it’s collapsing because I made enemies of the wrong people.”
He hesitates, and for a moment, I think he might stop there, but then he continues, his tone growing darker.
“I expanded too quickly. Deals with dangerous people. Promises I couldn’t keep. It started with small operations that turned into networks. Drugs, weapons, laundering money through legitimate fronts. The cartel I partnered with wanted more control, but I refused. I thought I could outmaneuver them. I thought I was smarter.”
Holly’s knuckles whiten as she grips the phone. “You thought wrong.”
Victor doesn’t argue. “I did. And when I refused to give them what they wanted, they started picking apart my operations, city by city, territory by territory. My men turned against me. And then there are the politicians I paid off—they’re running scared, throwing me to the wolves to save themselves.”
“You made our lives into a battleground for your ego,” Holly spits, her voice trembling with anger. “And now you’re sorry?”
“Yes,” Victor replies, his voice cracking again. “Because now they’re not only coming after me. They want to destroy everything I care about. You. Your mother. Your brother.”
Holly closes her eyes, taking a shuddering breath. “What are you doing to fix this?”
“I’ve started negotiations,” Victor says after a pause. “With the cartel, with the factions that have turned against me. I’m selling off assets—properties and businesses. I’m handing over control of territories to neutral parties. I’m trying to give them what they want without giving them a reason to come after you.”
“That’s not enough,” Holly snaps. “They’ve already come after me. Twice.”
Victor’s sigh is deep and weary. “I know. And I’m not taking any chances. I’ve arranged for your mother and brother to leave the country. They’ll be in a secure location within the week.”
“What about me?” Holly’s voice is sharp, cutting through the tension. “You’re just going to leave me here, running for my life?”
“No,” Victor replies firmly. “That’s why Jack is with you. Holly, I may have been a terrible father, but I’ve always known one thing: Jack is the only man I trust with your life. He’ll keep you safe. I didn’t assign him to you just because he’s the best at what he does. I saw the way you looked at each other. I saw how he looked at you. I may be a shitty father, but I knew—he would protect you with his life. And I wanted you to have someone who’d put you first, even if I never could.”
Holly’s eyes brim with tears, her voice barely above a whisper. “You’re saying I can’t come back, aren’t you?”
There’s a long pause on Victor’s end, heavy with unspoken truths. “No, Holly. You can’t come back to this life. It’s not safe for you, not now, and maybe not ever. That’s all I can give you, Holly. A way out. But Jack…he’ll look after you. He’ll give you the life I never could.”
Holly glances at me, her expression conflicted. “And what about you, Dad? What happens to you when all this is over?”
Victor chuckles softly, a sound devoid of humor. “That’s not important. What matters is that you and your brother and mother are safe. If I have to pay the price for what I’ve done, so be it.”
Silence blankets the room as the weight of his words settles over us like a thick fog.
Holly swallows hard, her voice barely above a whisper. “Do you even care about what happens to you?”
“I care about ensuring you’re free from the mess I’ve created,” Victor says, his voice steadier now. “That’s all that matters to me.”
Holly’s grip on the phone tightens. “What if it’s not enough? What if they don’t stop?”
“They will,” Victor says, his tone hardening. “Because if they don’t, they’ll regret it. Even with what little I have left, I’ll ensure they regret it.”
His voice holds a fierce determination, revealing the man who built an empire from the ground up, ruthless and unyielding.
“Holly,” he says after a moment, his tone softening again, “I need you to trust Jack. He’ll get you through this. He’ll take care of you in ways I never could.”
Holly’s eyes glisten with unshed tears, and she nods, even though he can’t see it. “I trust Jack with every part of me, including my heart,” she says quietly, her gaze locking on mine.
The intensity of emotions in those hazel eyes causes me to catch my breath. Fuck. Is she saying what I think she’s saying? But I don’t have time to consider the implications of her words as she continues to address her father.
“I don’t know if I can forgive you.” Her breath hitches as she swallows back a sob.
“I don’t expect forgiveness, Holly,” Victor replies, his voice tinged with regret and acceptance. “But I’ll keep doing whatever it takes to keep you safe. That’s the only way I know how to show you that I love you. Stay safe, Holly. Both of you.”
She presses her lips together. “Goodbye, Dad.”
“Goodbye, Holly.” His voice drops, quieter now. “Merry Christmas.”
The line clicks, and silence fills the cabin, broken only by the faint crackle of the fire. Holly lowers the phone, her hands trembling as she stares at it.
“You okay?” I ask softly, moving closer.
She hands the phone to me, wiping her cheeks with the back of her hand, but the tears keep coming, her emotions breaking through her usual composure.
“I can’t see them again, can I?” she whispers, her voice trembling. “My mom…Harry. He’s just a kid, Jack. How can I leave him like this? How can I leave her?”
Her grief cuts through the room like a blade, and the weight of it settles in my chest. I sit beside her, placing my hands gently on her shoulders. “Holly, I know this isn’t fair. None of this is. But right now, staying away is the best way to protect them. Your father’s trying to shield them from the fallout like he’s trying to shield you.”
She shakes her head, her lips trembling. “They’re all I’ve ever had, Jack. My father was always so distant, so cold. But my mom? Harry? They’re my heart. How can I just… leave them behind?”
I squeeze her shoulders, steadying her. “You’re not leaving them behind, not in spirit. You’re keeping them safe by staying away. Your father said they’re safe, and I believe him. He knows what’s at stake.”
Her eyes flicker with uncertainty, a battle waging inside her. “But how do I know they’re okay? What if he’s lying? What if something happens to them, and I’m not there?”
I take a deep breath, meeting her gaze with steady resolve. “I’ll find a way to get updates, to check on them. I’ll make sure they’re safe, Holly. I swear to you.”
Her tears slow, though her breathing is still uneven. “It’s… so much, Jack. I don’t even know where I belong anymore.”
I cup her cheek, brushing away a stray tear with my thumb. “You belong with me. I can’t replace your family, but I can promise you this: you’ll never have to face anything alone.”
Her gaze locks onto mine, searching for answers, for reassurance. “Do you really think they’ll be okay? My mom, Harry?”
“I do. And if anything changes, we’ll know. I’ll make sure of it. Right now, the best thing you can do for them—and for yourself—is to keep moving forward.”
She nods slowly, though I can see the pain lingering in her eyes. “I hate that this is how it has to be. But… I trust you, Jack. If you say they’re safe, I’ll try to believe it.”
I slide behind her on the sofa, settling her carefully between my thighs so her back is resting against my chest. She leans into me, her body trembling as she fights to steady herself, her grief and love mingling with the quiet determination that’s always been a part of her.
“I don’t want to be a burden to you, Jack,” she whispers.
“Hey.” I tilt her chin up slightly, forcing her to meet my gaze. “You’re not a burden. You’re… everything.”
The words come out rough, unpolished, but they’re true. I clear my throat, wondering if I’ve revealed too much too soon. “You need to rest.”
“I’m fine,” she says, though her voice lacks the conviction to back it up. “You need to rest too. You can’t stay on high alert forever.”
“I’ll rest in a bit.”
She snuggles into the crook of my neck, her lips twitching into a faint smile, her fingers curled loosely around mine. “Stubborn,” she mutters.
“Takes one to know one,” I shoot back.
That earns me a quiet laugh. It’s a good sound after the emotional upheaval of her phone conversation with her father.
Holly’s breath evens out, and her body melts into mine as she falls asleep again. I sit back, cradling her against my chest as the fire dies down to embers. The weight of her in my arms and her steady breathing ground me. It’s enough to remind me of what I’m fighting for. Of what I’ll protect at all costs.
Her. Always her.
She’s burrowed herself into a part of me I didn’t even know existed. For years, I’ve been a machine. A protector. A man built for survival, not connection. Yet here she is, turning everything I thought I knew upside down.
I glance at her, her face relaxed in sleep, her brow no longer furrowed with worry. My chest tightens, not with fear or anxiety, but with something deeper. Something I’ve avoided for so long that I almost don’t recognize it.
I love her.
The realization lands like a sucker punch, but instead of knocking the wind out of me, it roots me deeply. I love Holly. Not just her beauty, though that’s undeniable, but her strength, her vulnerability, the way she fights to hold on to hope even when the world has given her every reason to let go.
And it terrifies me. Because loving her means risking everything. It means giving her the power to break me, to leave me hollow. But it also means protecting her with every ounce of strength I have, not because it’s my job, but because I can’t imagine a world without her in it.
I brush a strand of hair from her face, careful not to wake her. Her lips part slightly, and she murmurs something unintelligible, snuggling closer. My heart aches with a tenderness I didn’t think I was capable of.
This is more than a mission. More than duty. Holly isn’t simply someone I’ve been hired to protect—she’s my entire world.
She stirs slightly, her hand curling against my chest, and I press a kiss to her temple. I don’t know what the future holds for us, but I love her. And I’ll fight to give her the life she deserves—the safety, the freedom, the peace. Because she’s worth everything.