Hold Me Closer: A Rebel Walking Novel (4 page)

"Is this how you want to play?"

"It's a game of strategy.  Don't be a sore loser."  Her laughter is contagious.  This might end badly, but she changed the rules just now.  Luckily, I can adjust quickly.

Chapter
Four

Lyndsey

Oh, that was probably a bad idea, but I've decided that I will win this game at all costs.  I'm not beneath playing dirty to get this victory.  He seems like a person that could use a loss every once in a while to keep him humble.

Not missing the easy shot, I hit the last striped ball perfectly.  The eight ball is the only thing between me and a win. 

"Side pocket."  He follows me around the table and stops just as I aim my shot.  My determination and focus is spot on, that is until his touch.  Closing my eyes, I try to pull it all back together as his hand runs across the skin on my back. 
Damn it all to hell.

His touch is obviously a weakness for me.  The chills running across my skin are doing one hell of a number on my focus.
  Opening my eyes, I hit the cue ball.  It rolls directly toward the eight ball, knocking it into the pocket that I called, but sadly the cue ball follows it in. 
Crap.

Rising from the table
, I come in direct contact with his body.  My back is flush against his front.  I can step aside and force the distance, or I can stand here and feel the heat from his body burning mine. 

Choosing to see where he takes this, I remain as still as I can with my heart again beating insanely fast. 

"Since I won, I'm calling a rematch.  But next time, the bar is closed.  It'll just be your sexy ass with me for a game we'll both remember.  That is, if you think you can handle upping your game?"

Oh hell.
  Words escape me.  That kind of talk will have me naked in no time.  Why again do I want to push him away?  Because I've just decided that was the dumbest idea ever. 

He walks away, leaving me standing
here with these mixed up feelings.  I do this every time.  I decide I don't want a guy in my life, then one swoops in and does something to break me.  Holden just has a different way of doing it.  According to Eaven, he's not a complete worthless ass that'll want to live in my house, so at least this will be a step up from anything I've tried recently.

He sits down at one of the booths and turns to look at me.  Knowing he's watching me pulls at me a little, but I walk over to join him. 

"Well, Fantasy Man, you have quite the plan there, don't ya?"

"I'm just telling you what that game just cost you.  Are
you saying that you don't want a rematch?" 

"How am I supposed to answer that?"  What kind of question is that?  If I answer yes, I'm a horny slut, if I answer no, he'll think I'm not interested."

"Honestly."  

"I'll take that rematch."  I'm so glad that I'm not wearing that homeless outfit from earlier because I'm sweating in this tiny get up
that I've got on now.  Can you imagine how ridiculous I'd be if I was wearing that?  I begin to fan myself with a drink menu.

"Aren't y
ou glad you dropped your skirt in the parking lot?"  He has jokes.

"Yeah, but I'm not sure there would have been this heat if I hadn't."

"You didn't fool me."

"You have a thing for granny clothes?"

"Haha.  No, but I'm not an idiot.  What made you dress like that, anyway?"

"I wanted to crash the date."

"Oh, well, thanks for that."

"It's nothing against you.  I've sworn off men for a
while until I get my stuff figured out.  Plus, I tend to be a terrible judge of character and pick loser guys to invade my life after I take them home."

"That's not good.  So would you have picked me to take home?"

"I'm not answering that."

"Why not?  It's a yes or no question."

"Okay then, no.  You're too much for me."

"I can handle that."  His eyes are so honest.  I can see he wants to say more, but he's holding back.  His naughty smile says the same.

"Why the mischievous smile?"

"I was just thinking.  Maybe one day, I'll tell you what just went through my mind."

"Will you always be a puzzle that I have to figure out?"

"That's a great question coming from you.  Will
you
?"  He might just be spot on about my personality.  It seems we're more alike than I thought in the beginning.  I can still tell there are many things we don't have in common, but the few we do seem to be intriguing. 

"Yeah.  I'm complicated like that.  Gotta keep you on your toes.  Are you hungry?"

"I could eat."

"Would you like to take me somewhere
else to eat dinner or are you going to be a cheap ass and only drink free beer at my bar?"

"Hey!  I'll pay for the beers
and
take you to dinner.  You just pick the place."  I hate this part.  Making decisions when I don't even know the other person is difficult.  What little I know about him, some place casual with a fun environment seems like it would be perfect.

"How about wings?"  He seems surprised by my choice, but eager to go once I suggest it.

"Sounds great!  I'll drive."

Chapter
Five

Holden

We take her car home before we go to dinner.  I don't miss pointing out to her that she should've just ridden with me in the first place.  Wearing her down was challenging and fun for me, though.  It's nice to have a female who isn't dropping everything to spend a moment with me.  Working with Rebel Walking has its benefits, but there's a point when it all gets old.

We spend hours talking over wings.  Getting to know how she found out about her brother tears me up inside.  I can't imagine losing either one of my brothers that way.  You can tell they were very close.  The depth of her sadness when she speaks of him is a horrible thing to witness.  I don't like when I can't do anything to make someone feel better, especially when they hurt like that.  There are some things you just can't fix.  Coping with death is one of them and she's lost so much in her lifetime.  Even time will never heal the heart that loses people like that forever.  You can only hope in time the memories will help you through each day.   

We talk about Rebel Walking and where everyone is right now.  She seems genuinely concerned about how we're all grieving Lilly's death.  How can she be worried about us when she's dealing with her own loss?  It just proves her sincerity and her kind heart when she tears up as I tell the story.

It doesn't occur to me that I've just shared stories that I normally don't talk about until we're about ready to leave.  She's very easy to talk to.  I can't think of the last time I talked to anyone this long.  It's odd for me to open up like I just did with her.  I don't usually do emotions, but it was nice to interact with someone outside the normal group I talk to. 

The drive to her house is very short and before I know it, I'm standing at her front door while she unlocks the door.  The fact that a light is on catches my attention.

"Do you have a roommate?"

"No."  Just as she says that, I hear a strange noise coming from inside.  Stepping in front of her, I stop her from opening the door. 

"What are you doing?"

"Shhh.  Go get in the truck."

"What's wrong with you?"

"Someone's in your house."

"Are you sure?"

"I know I heard something in there." 

"Just open the door."  Turning the knob, I can tell right away that something is off.  Using my left arm to guide her behind me as I open the door, I begin to wish I had my gun with me.  The fact that I'm not familiar with the full layout of her house occurs to me when I push the door open further to find the room isn't the same as it was when we left. 

Her desk drawer
is pulled out and appears to have been poured out.  I back out of the house keeping her shielded.  Closing the door quickly I yell louder than I mean to.  "Get in the truck
now
!"

Pulling out my phone on the run back, I dial Aiden
as I tell Lyndsey to get help.  

"Call the police.  Someone
is in your house."  I figure we should get them here and the break in on record in case I have to hurt an asshole.

Aiden answers and over hears me telling Lyndsey to make the call. 

"Tell me where, man.  I'm on my way."  His loyalty is proven yet again.  I couldn't ask for a better business partner to start a security
firm with.  He's been there for people that mean a lot to me and he's always been a perfect addition to this crazy life we try to keep calm on the road with the band.

"610
West Jefferson.  I'm sending her down the road until I know it's clear.  I'm going in."  Reaching under the seat I pull out my gun and hand her the keys. 

"Wait.  You can't leave me."  She interrupts her phone call with the dispatcher to stop me.  "The police will be here any minute.  He says they
're in the area."

"I'm going in.  You drive down the road and don't get out of the truck until you see me again."

"Holden.  No.  Please just go with me until the police get here.  There's nothing in there that I need."

"I want to catch that bastard before he runs."

"Let him run.  It's not worth it.  You don't know how many are in there and it's not worth taking the chance."  Her terrified expression grabs my attention and I quickly realize that I need to stay with her.  How did this night turn so quickly?

I move the truck down the road far enough to watch
the house, but out of harm’s way if something were to go down.  We sit in the cab of my truck waiting for the police, watching the house for any sign of movement.  There's nothing.  Not a light that flickers, not a shadow in the trees, nothing. 

The police arrive and I meet them in front of the house to tell them what we saw.  Three officers move to the house and run
do a run through with their guns drawn and ready for anything.  One by one they step back outside with no sense of urgency. 

"Sir.  There doesn't appear to be a problem in th
e house."

"The desk drawer was
pulled out."

"We can escort you both inside to do a closer inspection, but it doesn't appear that there's any reason for concern."  I get Lyndsey and lead the way into her house only to find everything exactly how she left it.  This pisses me off because I know for a fact the drawer was pulled open when I opened the door the first time. 

"Lyndsey, will you look in this drawer and tell me if anything is missing?  Is anything out of place?"

"It seems messier than usual, but I can't think of anything that's missing."

"Think, Lyndsey.  What's usually in this drawer that someone would want?"  Her thoughts are jumbled and she can't seem to come up with anything off the top of her head.

"Everything is here.  I just don't know why this happened.  I don't have anything that anyone would want."  Her tears begin to fall as she frantically rummages through the contents remaining. 
From what I can tell, it's your usual office necessities in the drawer—stapler, tape, letter opener, pens, calendar, and other small items.  It's all basic, but my mind tries to guess what could have been in here. 

My protective nature is in full effect and seeing her scared like this starts to get to me. 

"We'll figure it out.  Let's check the other rooms and see if you see anything out of place."  I don't let her out of my sight as we inspect every room.  Aiden arrives mid-search and we both watch her become frantic as she searches everything.  We don't stop until she's searched everything all the way down to jewelry boxes and closets.  She can't think of any material items that are missing.

The police finish their reports and leave without looking back and it really frustrates me.  I know someone was in here and there's no way I can leave her here by herself, open to become some sort of victim that I'll hear about tomorrow.

Her defeated expressions and posture let me know she's as upset about this as she should be. 

"Do you know who could've done this?"
  Aiden begins to ask the same questions I've already covered.

"I have no idea."

"I'm not leaving you here by yourself."  She has to know this about me even if we just met hours ago.  My protective tendencies scream loud and clear the instant anything goes wrong.  It's something I can't turn off.  I guess it comes with being the big brother.

"I appreciate that, because I'm f
reaked the hell out right now.  I just don't know if I could sleep here tonight."

"You can come to my house.  It's completely secure and no one will enter unless I let them."

Chapter Six

Lyndsey

Why would someone do this?  I have nothing worth stealing, so I don't get what they were after.  If I hadn't caught a glimpse of the desk around Holden earlier, I'd think he was a paranoid crazy person.  I'm so glad his instincts kicked in and he was aware of the signs before I just opened the door on someone who was obviously still in my house.  Who knows what would've happened if he hadn't stopped me.