Page 28 of Finding Us Again

“I’m a freaking Captain,” Foster groused.

Brock laughed. “Aww, you’ll always be Lieu to us, big guy.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose. They would be the fucking death of me. Frustration simmered under the surface, slowly reaching a boil.

“Can we please focus?” I asked.

Brock looked appropriately chastised. “Sorry, guys.”

Adam shook his head before saying, “So, we plan to put you both front and center as soon as possible. In-person appearances, social media posts, lives, you name it. We want to flood the world with your faces. Post your schedules and shit so everyone and their brother knows exactly where you’re going to be."

Katie stiffened up. I started to protest the plan, but she said, “How…how do you plan to keep us safe? No offense to the team, but so far, Jackson’s nearly been killed, and we’ve both been taken captive and tortured.”

I could hear the emotion in her voice. The tremble as she spoke. Her body quivered against my side. She was so fucking strong.

“Numbers. There will be no less than four guards for each of you. Plus, we’ll have two extra for each of you to provide overwatch. We’ll send people ahead to whatever venue to do a securitycheck. Just like they do with the president and other government officials,” Brock said.

“So, zero privacy,” Katie sighed.

Adam nodded, “Yes. Unfortunately.”

“Y’all do realize we’ve got a lot of healing to do? Hell, Katie’s going to be on a cane or crutch for a couple of weeks. Not exactly the publicity we want.”

Celeste and Heidi looked at one another, then at Lucia and the others.

Celeste cleared her throat and said, “Jackson, Katie, you know that we’re not going to be able to keep this quiet forever, right? Right now, they think you had a car accident. There’s going to be a trial, and given the fact you’re both celebrities, there’s no damn way it’s going to be kept under wraps. This will be splashed across every news outlet and social media platform there is.”

Not if I have my way.

Katie sobbed softly. Hate rushed through me at the sound of her tears, setting my skin ablaze. I stared at Celeste. She had to know I wanted to get my hands on those motherfuckers and show them exactly what happened when you messed with a Holt.

“Can you guys give us a minute?” I asked.

Everyone stood and walked out, leaving Katie and me alone. I pulled her into my arms, tucking her head beneath my chin. “Are you okay?” I asked.

“No. Not in the fucking least.”

I bit back a laugh. Katie was always so circumspect that it surprised me and cracked me up when she cursed.

“Quit laughing at me.”

This time, I couldn’t keep the chuckle contained. “Sorry, darlin’. When you cuss, it’s like a little kid did it. It’s fucking comical.”

She smacked my chest, and I gasped.

“Oh God! Jackson, I’m so sorry. Are you okay?” She sat up, staring at my face, brushing my hair back from my forehead.

I laughed, and she smacked me again.

“Quit being an ass. I thought I hurt you.”

I pulled her to me, intent on kissing her, but stopped at the last minute. I looked into her eyes for permission. She smiled at me softly before pressing her lips to mine.

I was scared to death of frightening her away, but the feel of her in my arms with her mouth against mine had never failed to get a rise out of me. Now was no different.

I shifted so my hard-on was angled away from her. I’d been there when she’d been examined and stitched up. Even if she was up for some fun, she was out of commission for several weeks. I didn’t want her to feel pressured just because my dick was a randy motherfucker that couldn’t take a hint.

He took even less of a hint when her tongue slipped between her lips to lick at mine. She hummed, and my cock throbbed painfully.

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