Page 141 of Hard to Hold
“Good. Now, the three of you need to talk it over and let us know what you wanna do where this asshole’s concerned. We’re behind you on this.” He leaned in. “And you’ll understand that Amy makes the decision here and we’re all here to watch her back. No matter what.”
“I understand. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Now come on. It’s fuckin’ hot out here.”
With that, I followed the two men back inside.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Wolfe
I opted to take Amy back to my place so that the three of us could discuss our plan in private. Now that my family was fully on board and they knew what was going on, I managed to relax. A little. Knowing they had my back helped.
Granted, it didn’t seem to do a damn thing for Amy. When we walked in my front door a few minutes ago, she had started pacing the floor and hadn’t stopped.
She shook out her hands as she stared at the floor. Back and forth. Back and forth. I sat on the couch, Rhys in the chair. I was getting dizzy watching her, but I could see her brain was working overtime, and I damn sure didn’t want to interrupt her thought process. Whatever she decided to do, I was behind her. We would get through this. One way or another.
Finally she turned to me.
“What do you think I should do?”
I should’ve known she would ask me that. “Honey, I can’t make that decision for you.”
“Do you think the detective is right? That I should fight him?”
I shrugged. “It’s not a bad idea. If you bring it up publicly, he’s no longer the boogey man. He can’t lurk in the dark, because someone’s gonna have their eye on him.”
Amy nodded. “Doesn’t necessarily mean I’m any safer.”
No, it didn’t. Considering the kind of power the chief of police had—especially the chief of police of the largest city in the state—the guy could probably pull a lot of strings and make some serious puppets dance.
“On the flip side,” Rhys added, “it won’t be pretty, Amy. Once you make that accusation, people are gonna come out of the woodwork with questions. Your life will no longer be private.”
“So you think I should stay quiet?” she asked Rhys.
“That’s not what I’m sayin’. I just want you to consider all the facts. Do I want that bastard to go down for what he did? You’re damn right I do. And I’ll stand right behind you the entire way.”
“What if people don’t believe me?”
I had already thought about that. “There will be some people who don’t. There’s nothin’ you can do but be honest.”
Amy faced me directly. “Do you believe me?”
I got up from my spot on the couch and walked right over to her. I tipped her head back and stared right in her eyes. “Every word, baby. No one here doubts you at all. But that doesn’t mean someone won’t.”
She shook her head. “I don’t want to come out with it. I just don’t. I want to go about my life without having him in it.”
Unfortunately, that wasn’t going to happen. No matter which decision she made. If the detective was right and Kelly Jackson had visited Embers Ridge, the man knew where Amy was. It was only a matter of time before he played his hand.
“Do I have to do this right now?”
Rhys joined us. “No. You don’t. I’ll make sure my department is aware of the potential danger to you and ask my deputies to keep their eyes open.”
“And my family will keep an eye on you at all times.” No way would any of us not be vigilant from this point forward.
Amy sighed. “So, basically, I’m gonna be a prisoner again.”
I frowned. “No. Not at all.”
