I’d never been able to have long hair as a child. Thankfully, after I’d gone into remission my hair had grown back nice and healthy. Once it had, I’d refused to cut my hair again. Now I was rethinking that decision. It was long and thick. Without help from a blow dryer, it would take hours to fully dry. I wrapped a towel around my head. I’d figure it out later. Right now, I wanted to find Jax. I also had to talk to my dad before I left, but I needed Jax more and more with each breath.
Mom helped me into a pair of athletic shorts and an oversized T-shirt before we left the bathroom. The second I stepped into the living room, I automatically looked for Jax.
He was sitting on the couch with my dad. Both men were deep in soft conversation. When they spotted us, they both stood. Wrath went to my mom and put his arm around her while Jax came to me.
Instead of pulling me into his arms, he steadied me at arm’s length before bending to pick up a shallow box. He opened it and urged me to pick up the contents.
“My property cut?”
“Yeah, sweetheart. If you’ll have me.”
“You know I will, Jax.” I threw myself at him, needing to be in his arms. I lost the towel, but it didn’t seem to matter. Jax hugged me, wet hair and all. When I finally let him go, he helped me into my cut before lifting me into his arms. I put my legs around his waist and clung to him. I knew there were things that needed saying, especially with my dad, but I couldn’t right now. It was obvious Wrath and Jax had worked it out since Dad didn’t voice his objections. I’d trust everything was fine.
“Razor’s gonna take us to the little house in the middle of the property. It’s not far from you guys and was just finished. El Diablo said to take it if we wanted. Thought we could try it out. See if Holly likes it.”
“I like you, pup,” Dad said, leveling a look at Jax. “But you only get one shot at this. You break her heart, I cut yours out with a rusty knife.”
Jax gave my dad a solemn nod. “On my life, Wrath. I’ll protect her heart, body, and soul.”
“Dad?”
“Yeah, baby.” He stroked the back of my head, and I looked up from where my face had been pressed against Jax’s neck.
“I’m sorry I left without telling you anything. I’m so sorry.” I needed Dad to understand I knew I’d fucked up.
“We’ll talk about it later. I’m not mad. I promise. I’m just happy you’re home safe. If Jax ain’t good to you, you come get me and I’ll take care of everything.” He kissed my temple. “You’ll always be my baby girl, Holly. Nothing will ever change that, or how much I love you. We’re good, you and me. I’m sure you’ve already talked with your mother, so you two are good, too.” It was about as much of a reprimand as my dad was capable of giving me, and I almost grinned.
“We did,” I whispered. “I love you, Daddy.”
“I love you too, Maddog.” He smiled at me. It was yet another piece of my past that had shaped who I was. For years after I’d come here and settled in with all the people here, I’d refused to answer to anything other than Maddog. I’m sure a therapist would have loads of fun with that little tidbit. I was sure I did it because “Maddog” wasn’t afraid of anything. Holly was afraid of everything.
Jax carried me to the waiting Bronco in the driveway. Razor drove us to the little house Jax had described. It was only four houses down the small block, but there was no way I was up to walking that distance and Jax knew it, bless him.
Once inside, he took me to the bedroom and sat on the bed, settling me between his legs. I was confused at first, but then he picked up a brush on the nightstand and began working it through my hair. I rested my chin on my knees and let the soothing strokes of the brush lull me into a space between asleep and awake when all I cared about was the next stroke of the brush.
The next thing I knew, Jax had laid me on the bed and wrapped himself around me. My hair lay in a long braid over my shoulder and Jax’s arm was solidly around my waist.
“Jax?”
“I’m right here, baby. Ain’t goin’ nowhere. Get some sleep and I’ll keep you safe. I’ll still be here when you wake up.” The last thing I felt was his lips on my neck as he whispered. “I love you, little Holly. I love you.”
Chapter Nine
Jax
Holly slept like the dead. After a couple hours, I had to move to a chair I’d pulled up beside the bed so she could see me if she woke and I could hold her hand if she needed me to. I wanted to hold her hand whether she was awake or not, but Wrath was blowing up my phone with information they were getting out of the girl. Alistair, the prick, wasn’t talking. Didn’t matter much if he talked or not. Apparently, his phone, and a private server he thought was impenetrable, had a wealth of information on them. None of it good for Chris Alistair the Third.
I’d just finished reading a text when Holly moaned and rolled over on her side, facing me. Her eyes opened and I reached for her hand.
“Hey, baby. Sore?”
She gave me a sleepy smile. “A little.”
“Fury sent something for pain if you need it. Not too strong, but it’ll help you sleep.”
“No.” Holly gripped my hand. “We need to talk first. Probably should have already.” Those clear blue eyes of hers could drown a man. Especially when she looked at him like she was looking at me now. There was no guile, no hedging. Holly was exactly as I saw her now. Sure, she could be brash and sarcastic, but I knew it was how she protected herself. When things were going wonderful in her life, she was like this all that time. When things got rough, she shored up her defenses and concentrated on surviving. Likely due to the leukemia she’d had as a child.
“We’ll talk about whatever you want to talk about, whenever you want to talk about it.”