Chapter 20 #2
The quaver in his voice broke me. I didn’t know who moved first, but suddenly he was in my arms. He pressed his face into my neck, his tears streaking my skin as sobs wracked his body.
I held him close, cupping his head and stroking his back. “I’ve got you. He can’t hurt you now, Arlo. I won’t let him.”
“I didn’t know what to do,” he said between sobs. “I didn’t want to go with him, Jack. I swear, I didn’t.”
“I know, baby. I know. You were so brave holding it together like that. You did exactly the right thing. I promise.”
I kept him held against my chest, relieved when his shaking started to subside. In the distance, sirens filled the air.
Like he suddenly remembered himself, Arlo pulled back, wiping at his eyes. “Thought I gave instructions that you weren’t supposed to be here tonight.”
I couldn’t stop myself stroking away a tear that he’d missed. “Technically you said I couldn’t be present at the venue, and I wasn’t. I was in a van outside, monitoring the surveillance.”
He gave me a wry smile. “Trust you to find a workaround.”
“Anything to keep you safe, Arlo. Always.”
He huffed, crossing his arms over his chest protectively. “Yeah, well that was never the issue with us, was it?”
A million unspoken things hung in the air between us. So much I wanted to say to him. Now wasn’t the time, not with his stalker screaming obscenities as my friends dragged him further away, but what if this was the only time I got with him? Would I even see him again after this.
Taking a deep breath, I tried to summon the same courage Arlo had shown tonight. “Arlo, I—”
But I was cut off by a cacophony of noise.
“Arlo?”
“Are you okay?”
“Dylan, let us past.”
“For fuck’s sake, the guy is contained. Move.”
The other members of Caffeine Daydreams were shouting at their security guards to let them past. Luca, Kai, Silas and even Ollie all looked furious.
We’d had to remove them for their own safety in the past, but never leaving one of them behind.
I’d known they wouldn’t be happy about it, but in these situations you had to protect those you could while working out how to save those you couldn’t.
Dylan, Rhys and Ryan were looking to me, waiting for my signal.
I nodded, letting them know it was safe.
As Arlo’s friends surrounded him, I quietly moved away. My heart fucking bled to leave Arlo, but I wasn’t who he wanted or needed right now. I left his friends to comfort him as I joined Corey and the still-yelling Smith.
“Fucker sure has a mouth on him,” Alex said, joining us too.
“You’re telling me.” I eyed Smith in disgust, not letting myself get too close in case I gave in to the temptation to introduce more of his body parts to my boots. “Do we know what he was using as a weapon?”
“Beer bottle,” Alex said. “He dropped it in the struggle.”
A beer bottle wouldn’t have tricked any of us at Phoenix, but Arlo didn’t have the experience we had. Something I was damned grateful for.
Smith caught sight of me, his yells ceasing as his lips twisted in a sneer. “Ah, the love interest. How does it feel knowing your boy will be mine?”
Alex’s arm snapped up across my chest, but it wasn’t necessary. I didn’t have any intention of engaging with his fucked-up games.
“You can’t protect him forever,” Smith taunted. “Especially when he won’t let you. It won’t be long and I’ll have my fun with him. I can show him things he hasn’t even dreamed of.”
“The only thing you’ll be doing is going to prison,” Corey growled, shoving on his shoulder until he was forced to sit on the floor. “Now sit down and shut the fuck up.”
Smith began to laugh as the officers approached. The sound was grim, sending chills up my spine. “Oh, that’s not going to happen. This is just the beginning. Don’t worry, you’ll catch up.”
I rolled my eyes, turning my back on him. Guy was delusional. There was no way he’d be seeing the outside of a cell for a long time.
Shoving my hands into my pockets, I watched Arlo being fussed over by his friends. His cheeks were a good colour now, and his breathing had returned to normal. He looked pissed off, which I’d take over him being upset any day.
Should I go over? I was torn. I wanted to, so badly. But I wanted to not hurt Arlo more. I’d seen him. I’d kept him safe.
Now it was time for me to go.
Saying goodbye to him in my mind, I turned and started back towards the van.
There were several officers there, taking statements from Will and Alex.
I’d give mine, then I’d go back to headquarters and bury myself in work.
Or maybe to The Closet. Fuck knew I needed a drink after tonight—might help me sleep.
Who was I kidding? After witnessing Arlo in danger, holding him in my arms, just being in his presence, there was no way I was sleeping tonight.
I’d be lucky if I could close my eyes for the next month without remembering how he felt.
His face pressed to my neck. His fingers clinging at my shoulders.
I was a few feet away from the van when I heard someone approaching rapidly. “Jack, wait!”
Turning to face Arlo, I struggled to keep my face composed. Looking at him felt like coming home after deployment. All those videos of soldiers returning and sweeping their loved ones into their arms made sense to me now. I’d never had anyone to come home to before.
Now I had the person, but I’d realised it too late. How could I have been so fucking stupid?
“Where are you going?”
“To give my statement, then I figured I’d head back to base.” I wavered. “Unless…Did you want something else from me?”
Arlo bit his lip for a moment before blowing out a defeated breath. “Yeah, Jack. I do.”