Page 26 of Holding On

“He did WHAT?!” I bellow into the phone as Jett springs into action, calling the police and reporting the assault and location.

I’m known as the Ice Man. I don’t yell. I don’t lose my cool. But the idea of someone hurting Tinsley, physically harming her, has my blood boiling with fury.

“All of that. And the bodyguards here? They’re on Rick’s personal payroll; they don’t protect her from him,” Allie rambles on about what happened, and something about a broken lamp and Rick bleeding.

“Listen, Allie, I’m going to have police and additional security members there momentarily. The police,” I look at Jett and he nods, “are already en route to you right now. Stay in that bathroom until I specifically tell you to come out, okay?” I switch into problem-solving mode as I signal for Jett to come with as he continues on the phone with the 9-1-1 dispatcher.

“We can do that. Hurry, Jack. This door doesn’t seem like the sturdiest thing in the world.” Allie’s voice trembles slightly, and as concerned as I am for her well-being in general, I’m incredibly concerned about Tinsley. Jett runs ahead to our security desk in the lobby of our headquarters, and multiple members immediately rush out of the building toward company SUVs as we exit to my driver.

“Can you put Tinsley back on?” I ask Allie before turning to my driver. “Ethan, get us to The Pointe as fast as possible. It’s an emergency.” He nods and we are off. Ethan is a former SWAT officer and knows the fastest way to get anywhere in Nashville. He had twenty years in law enforcement before a knee injury sidelined him, and I convinced him to take early retirement and be on my personal security team after he worked a few events for us. Ethan has never heard me say anything was an emergency in the eight years he has been my driver.

“Jack? Are you coming? I’m sorry to bother you. I tried Wells, but he didn’t answer and I didn’t know who else to call,” Tinsley is rambling and crying as I hear Rick threaten her actual life in the background, even through the door. “I’m sorry, I just can’t deal with this anymore and I’m so tired, Jack. And he’s never touched Allie, or anyone else. I don’t know what to do. I’m sorry! Please … please, help me.”

“Tinsley, I’m on my way, honey, you just have to stay put, okay? Can you do that for me?” My voice is calm and collected, but my heart might beat right out of my chest. I trust Ethan to get us there as soon as possible, but it’s not fast enough. She needs me now and I’m not there.

But I’m coming—and I will demolish anyone that stands between me and Tinsley.

She whimpers as another loud noise carries through the receiver. “Yeah, please hurry, Jack.”

Ethan obviously read the situation when we left headquarters, and after making a call, we suddenly had a two-car police escort to The Pointe, cutting our driving time in half. There are also cops on-site with a concert this size. Lux has two other artists at The Pointe opening for the show with our own security on-site, in addition to the venue’s security, and Jett had our security call ahead to get our own team members to her dressing room.

Anyone on Rick’s payroll will be fired and blacklisted without question.

Anyone affiliated with Rick in any way will be blacklisted. He will not be able to run and hide from my wrath. He hurt Tinsley. He beat her.

And I will destroy him.

“Jack? There’s something going on outside the dressing room.” Tinsley’s voice sounds so small and I fucking hate it. She’s a radiant shining star and should always be bright and joyful—never terrified, and sure as shit never fucking beaten. “I hear a lot of shouting, but Rick’s not yelling at us through the door. There are other people in the room.”

“Thank you, ma’am. Yes, we should be arriving soon. Thank you so much for your swift assistance. We really appreciate it.” Jett disconnects from dispatch. “They have officers on the scene in the dressing room now.”

“Baby, did you hear that? Those are officers out there, okay? But just wait until I say it’s safe to open the door. We’re almost there. I’m almost to you.” Ethan whips into the underground parking and screeches to a stop outside of an elevator. Jett holds up three fingers, telling me Tinsley’s dressing room is on the third floor. Ethan throws my SUV in park and follows us into the elevator. If we need him to physically help, I know I can depend on him and he is always carrying, but Ethan is also great at handling anything with the police as he tends to know whoever is in charge.

The elevators open to the third floor to absolute fucking chaos.

People are rushing away from the direction I want to be moving, and we have to strong-arm our way against the crowd to the dressing room that is now surrounded by a mixture of our security personnel and Nashville’s finest. They part as I see Rick up against the wall in the hallway with his hands cuffed behind his back, and Debbie Jo fighting against her own handcuffs at the end of the hall while sobbing incoherently.

“Jack! Jack, thank God, you’re here. This is all a misunderstanding! That’s my stepson’s partner. Jack? Can you get these monkeys off me?” Rick calls out to me as though I’m going to do anything to help him.

“Who do you think called them, Rick? You’re lucky they got to you before I did,” I snap before pushing into the dressing room.

A young officer steps in front of me with a raised hand. “They won’t come out, sir. We need a few minutes to get them to open the door,” an officer tells me as Ethan pulls the officer away to talk to him.

“That’s because I told them to stay put.” I walk across the room before speaking into the phone. “Tinsley, it’s okay, I’m here. You can come out. It’s safe.” I try to sound calm, but I might have an actual fucking heart attack with how pissed I am. Before the bathroom door unlocks, my eyes sweep around the room. Her dressing room has shattered glass all over the vanity and floor, multiple chairs tipped over, and a large lamp with what looks like blood on it lying on the floor. The room is destroyed.

And none of it matters so long as she is okay.

The chaos and mess all fade away as she opens the doors and flies into my arms. I don’t care who’s watching or what anyone will think. I wrap my arms around her and pick her up. “It’s okay, Red, I’m here. I’ve got you,” I murmur into her hair. I take a deep inhale of her scent. I fucking love how Tinsley always smells so good. It’s a mixture of vanilla and cherry blossoms. I don’t know what it is, but it’s just her and my heart rate instantly slows just having her in my arms.

Allie comes out behind her, so I get Jett’s attention before I tilt my head to Allie, and then the door. Jett understands my request and goes over to escort Allie to follow us. I turn to walk out of the room when some other young officer tries to stop me.

“Sir, she can’t leave. We need to get a statement from her and make sure she’s okay.”

“Ethan?” I call over my shoulder.

“On it. Listen Officer … Wagner, she isn’t leaving the scene, we are just moving her across the hall to a secure room. We will fully coordinate with law enforcement, and I already spoke to Sergeant—” I don’t hear the rest of Ethan’s spiel as we turn the corner and step into an empty green room. I sit on a couch, with Tinsley still shaking from sobs in my arms, now sitting on my lap.

“Shh … Tinsley. It’s okay, you’re safe. He’s never going to hurt you ever again, okay?” I hold her tight as I look over to see Allie leaning against the wall, blinking but staring off into space. “Oh, Allie, are you okay, sweetheart?” The left side of her face is red and already swelling. “Jett, can you get us some ice or an EMT or something?”