Page 48 of Holding Out For A Holiday Hero

Jake dodged the blow and because he was tired of bullshit, he drove a hard right cross straight to Richard’s jaw. The dick went down, groaning, and he didn’t get up.

Jake crouched next to his prey. “The cops are coming, and before they arrive, you’re going to understand some very, very important facts.”

Richard blinked blearily at him.

“She’s not your wife any longer. She’s not your anything. You don’t stalk her. You don’t scare her. You don’t get near her again.”

“True!” Richard shrieked.

Jake didn’t even like the prick saying her name. “You’re the dumbass who lost her,” Jake rasped. “And I’m the lucky bastard who has her now.” He never took his gaze from Richard’s face. “I’m also the bastard who knows how to fight in order to keep her. I went easy on you today.” For the camera. Because he knew how to wait and how to drive a man to attack. Thanks for the footage. Your ass will be in a cell soon. “I’ll never go easy again.” You’ve been warned.

Jake would offer no additional warnings.

He rose and shook his head in disgust as he studied the sprawled ex. “Really, True? What the hell did you see in this guy?” Jake turned to face her.

Horror filled her expression as she stared down at her ex.

“I’m sorry, True!” Richard cried out. And, yep, some of those words slurred. The more he spoke, the more slurred his voice became. “S-sorry for the affair! Sorry for hurting you! I’m s-sorry about the baby!”

Jake stiffened. Every muscle went rock hard.

What baby?

“I want you back. N-nothing is the same without you. I want you back! Please, True. Please. Give me another chance!”

True shook her head. “That’s not ever going to happen.”

In the distance, a siren wailed.

And Jake realized that wasn’t just horror on True’s face. It was pain. Grief.

What baby?

Jake stepped toward True. Lifted his hand and carefully curled his fingers under her chin. “True? You okay?”

Her lower lip trembled. Jake pulled her against him. Held her tight. Curled his body around hers and hugged her. He could feel her pain, and he didn’t know how to take it away.

He was still holding her when the cops arrived.

There were some hurts that never ended. Sure, they’d dull with time. The sharpness couldn’t cut like a knife forever. But the ache would remain.

Richard’s appearance…and his words…they’d stirred up the past.

I’m s-sorry about the baby.

She stood on her porch and watched her ex-husband get loaded into the back of a patrol car. Talk about how the mighty had fallen. Richard had always been the man who prosecuted criminals. But he’d just been cuffed. And he’d be heading to the station soon.

She’d fallen for him so long ago because she’d believed Richard when he said that he wanted to make the world a better, safer place. But somewhere along the way, he’d stopped being the idealistic guy with the big dreams. His ambition had gotten the better of him. The cases he’d taken had been less about serving justice. More about getting his name splashed in the media.

“Guy wouldn’t submit to a breathalyzer. Shouting about how he’s a lawyer and knows his rights.” Harris stood on her sidewalk and glanced up at True. “But we found two empty whiskey bottles in his car. He reeks of the stuff. We also got the footage from the neighbor’s camera.” A wave of his hand toward the brick house to the right. “We can arrest him for assault. Dude is most definitely drunk and disorderly.”

Jake stood near Harris. When True glanced at him, though, she found Jake’s eyes locked on her. No emotion covered his face. “You want him arrested, True?”

She wrapped her arms around her body. “He was at the museum last night.”

Jake nodded. “We both heard him admit that.”

“Do you think he put me in the sarcophagus?” Would Richard do something like that? Once, she would have said no, absolutely not. But then again, she would have also said that he’d never try to assault someone, yet he’d gone at Jake right in front of her.

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