Page 66 of Holding Out For A Holiday Hero

Braden groaned again. Blood dripped from his busted lip. “B-bastard…”

“Hello, Braden,” Jake snarled right back. “Made the naughty list this season did you, you sonofabitch?”

Braden twisted and heaved but couldn’t get free of the lights.

“You’ve been stealing from the museum,” True accused. She crept closer, but she did not lower the gun.

Braden’s fuming glare shot to her. “Why the hell couldn’t you just leave? I only wanted you to leave town. No one had to get hurt! But you wouldn’t get scared off, no matter what Dylan and I did. Then Dylan—shit, he got crazy. Or crazier because I knew the bastard was always a bit unhinged. I knew I had to be careful with him—knew it ever since I met him when I was doing psych research on rehabilitating criminals.” A rough laugh tore from him. “It was so perfect at first. I took things that had been forgotten. Dylan sold them. We split the cash. But you came to town, you landed the Egyptian display, and you got all of those big ideas about revitalizing the museum. You were gonna ruin everything. Everything! I just wanted you to leave!” Spittle flew from his mouth.

“And I want her to stay, asshole,” Jake blasted back. He hauled out his phone. Dialed, then put the phone to his ear. “Harris, if those patrol units of yours are close, get them to come in my condo. Why? Because I’ve got our criminal mastermind tied up in the Christmas tree.” A pause. “Yeah, I said what I said…tied up in the Christmas tree.” His gaze had never left Braden. “The perp is Braden Wallace, one of the museum guards. Yeah, the psych student. True has his gun, and I have him.”

She crept a bit closer to the bound man. “You trapped me in the sarcophagus.”

Braden’s breath heaved. “I wanted you scared. Why the hell didn’t you leave? Why did you need to stay in this town so damn badly?”

Because it had been her home. Her happiest times had been in this town. Before Braden and his pal had started to terrorize her.

“No one else gave a shit about the museum.” Braden let out a shriek when he couldn’t get out of the lights. “Why did you?”

Jake stepped closer to her. His fingers curled around hers as she held the gun. “Mind if I take this?”

“Please do,” she whispered.

He slid it from her fingers. His gaze swept over her face. “You okay?”

Okay? She’d been sure that her attacker—Braden—might pull the trigger at any moment. She’d been afraid to call out for Jake because she hadn’t wanted him to run inside and get shot. She’d been terrified that Jake might die in front of her.

“True?”

“I’m not hurt.” Not physically.

“It’s over,” Jake promised her, voice gruff. “This prick is about to go to jail. He won’t ever hurt you again.”

“I have jewels!” Braden cried out. “I have cash! I’ve been stashing it all—I can give you money, mister! So. Much. Money! Just let me go. I’ll give you everything I have. Just let me go.”

Jake shook his head as he focused back on Braden. “Trying to bribe me? Or buy me off?”

“Yes!” Braden screamed. He was covered in green needles from the tree.

“No deal. I’m not for sale.” Jake’s jaw clenched. “There isn’t enough money in the world for me to ever let you go. Not after what you did to her.”

Braden went still as Jake leaned over him.

“You made a fatal mistake,” Jake told him. “You went after the woman I love.”

True grabbed the edge of the couch as shock rolled through her.

“You don’t terrorize the woman I love. You’ll be paying for that a very long time. See, I know where you’re going, Braden. I know the kind of people who will be waiting when you’re convicted of murder. The worst and most dangerous bastards you’ll ever meet. Some of those bastard actually owe me favors.” His smile was ice cold. “Maybe I’ll be calling in on those favors.”

“Oh, God.” Braden began shuddering. And maybe crying.

“You terrorized her. You put her in a coffin.”

“I was just trying to scare her!”

“Now I’m putting your ass in a cell. And you won’t be getting out anytime soon.”

She could hear the wailing of approaching sirens.

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