CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

“If he tries anything funny, you let him have it.” Eli closed my fingers over the taser he’d pushed into my palm a few seconds ago. We were about three houses away from John’s, huddled behind a tree. “I’ll be right there, just scream and I’ll—”

“Eli,” I curled the fingers of my free hand around his wrist, “I know. Stop worrying.”

“Don’t ask me that, it’s something I’ll never be able to do.” His dark brows pulled together, his gaze intense. Using my thumb, I smoothed the frown that marred his forehead before touching my lips to his in a quick kiss.

I drew back and beamed at him. “Everything is going to be fine.” Even though I was nervous as hell, I truly believed the words I’d spoken.

“Just promise me you’ll use the taser.”

“Promise.”

Eli stared at me for a few moments, then wrapped his arms around my shoulders and pulled me close. I could feel his heart thundering away inside his chest. “In case you didn’t know,” he said against my hair. “I’m so damn proud of you, sunshine.”

The emotion in his words somehow lodged itself in my throat, I had to suck in a few deep breaths before I could speak, “Thank you.” Even though there was plenty more I wanted to say to him, now wasn’t the time.

I pulled free from his embrace. With my eyes locked onto his, I walked backward for a few steps, then tucked the taser into my back pocket and spun around. As I got closer to John’s house, I glanced over my shoulder. Eli wasn’t there anymore, but in my peripheral vision, I spotted Holden’s car.

My hands trembled as I pushed through the little white gate, my heart beating a mile a minute as I approached the imposing black door. I swiped my palms over my denim-clad thighs, “I can do this.” With those words, I raised my fist to tap my knuckles against the wood.

Seconds slowly ticked by while I waited and waited for him to answer the door. Again, I knocked, and again, I stood staring at the door while the birds chirping and the sound of cars driving by became almost deafening. How ironic was it that as soon as I finally, finally, found the courage to face him, he wasn’t even home?

With a snort, I shook my head and turned to leave. I’d made it two steps when the sound of wood creaking stopped me in my tracks. My heart quickened as I steadily turned around, I clenched and unclenched my fists before pressing my flattened palms against my legs.

And there he was, standing in the doorway, looking a lot less intimidating than I thought he would. I’m so damn proud of you, sunshine. Eli’s words, along with his and Molly’s faces flashed in front of me, giving me the strength to step forward.

“Well, well, well,” John drawled. “I knew you’d be back. Couldn’t find someone who does it like I do, eh?”

Straightening my spine, I looked directly into his cold, cold eyes. “You mean someone who is too much of a self-centered jerk to take no for an answer? Yeah, I’m having a hard time finding someone with your lack of morals.”

His eyes narrowed into thin slits. “You’d better watch your mouth.”

“Or what?” I reached behind me to grip the taser in my pocket. “You’ll take me against my will?” I cocked a brow, “Didn’t you do that already?”

He licked his lips. “You asked for it, shaking your ass around in that barely-there skirt.”

“Right, no, please don’t and stop translates to ignore the words coming out of my mouth and the tears streaming down my face, have your fill, because I’m wearing a short skirt.”

The veins in his neck looked almost ready to pop. “I said, watch your rancid little mouth.”

“What are you going to do? Set fire to my gallery? Oh, yeah, you did that too.”

John gritted his teeth, his jaw ticking at an alarming pace. The menacing look on his face while he took a step forward should have scared me, but for whatever reason, it filled me with determination. “You don’t scare me, John.”

Another step forward. “We’ll see about that.”

“You’ve done your worst and still I’m here. And while you’re rotting away in a prison cell, I’ll be living my best damn life.”

He threw his head back, a sinister laugh slicing through the air. “Oh, that’s real cute, kitten. And why exactly will I be going to jail? If memory serves, the police saw right through your little act that time you tried to get me arrested for something you wanted.”

When John advanced on me, I dug my heels in and pulled the taser from my pocket. I never got to use it, because he’d made all of three steps when a powerful force yanked him back and slammed his head against the porch post.

I wasn’t even mad that Eli had chosen that exact moment to swoop in. I’d said what I’d wanted to say, and that was enough for me. John didn’t break me; he knew that now. Pinned against the post with his hands behind his back, he looked quite pathetic.

“You okay, sunshine?” Eli’s words drew my attention to him. When I’d left him on the sidewalk earlier, his unmasked concern had been written all over his face. Now, nothing but pride lit up his beautiful features.

A huge grin tugged at my lips. “I am.” I was better than okay; I was great, I was free.

“This is assault, your ass is going to jail,” John spat while he tried and failed to break free from Eli’s grip. However, Eli’s gaze remained locked on mine as he pushed John further into the post. More curses filled the air.

A couple of cars pulled up to the curb, a second later Holden and a few uniformed officers stepped on to the porch. “John Hammond?” Holden inquired.

“Yes! Thank goodness you’re here, this man assaulted me—”

“I have a warrant to search the premises,” Holden held up a piece of paper with one hand while motioning for the officers to go inside with the other.

“What the hell is going on here?” John’s eyes flitted between me and Holden.

Eli leaned down, with ice in his tone he said, “You’re under arrest, asshole.”

Holden turned to me and playfully rolled his eyes. “He’s taking my lines now.” Then he walked over to where Eli and John were. “I’ll take it from here.”

A shiny pair of cuffs caught my eye right before they circled John’s wrists. “As he said, you’re under arrest.” Holden pulled John up just as someone from inside the house yelled, “Found it!”

“Found what? I demand to know what’s going on!” I almost laughed at how panicked John sounded. His face turned ashen the moment an officer emerged from his house holding three bags filled with white powder.

The officer addressed Holden, “There’s a lot more in there.”

Eli sidled up next to me, wrapping an arm around my shoulder while mine banded around his waist. We didn’t say a word while we watched John thoroughly lose it as realization dawned. Maybe there was something wrong with me, because I couldn’t bring myself to feel even an ounce of guilt.

Tilting my head, I peered up at Eli. The love shining in his eyes lighting my entire world. “Let’s go home.” His lips lifted into that smile that always made my heart skip a beat as we turned together and started walking toward the steps.

Behind me, I heard John yell, “This was her doing. She set me up! The little b—” I didn’t look back to see what had shut him up; I had a suspicion it might’ve been Holden’s fist. I snuggled deeper into Eli’s side as we leisurely strolled down the sidewalk to where he was parked.

Once we reached the truck, he turned to me and stooped so we were at eye level, “You’re one hell of a woman, Zoe Carlisle.”

I leaned forward until our mouths were only a breath apart, “I love you, too, Sheriff.”