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The eyes that stared back at her were the stormiest she’d ever seen. A shiver raced down her spine. At that moment, she had no doubt that LJ wouldn’t have hesitated to kill Rick Schwartz in cold blood had the other man been in the vicinity.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
LJ’S BLOOD POUNDED in his ears like a tribal drum calling him to war. Every instinct he possessed was screaming at him to hunt down Schwartz and peel the man’s skin from his body one inch at a time. Without a single detail, he was certain the cop was responsible for the destruction of his favorite face.
But one glance at the fat tear rolling down Holly’s bruised cheek had him checking his own needs in favor of hers. He shifted his head side to side, cracking his neck. Schwartz could wait. The motherfucker would pay, but it didn’t have to happen at that moment. Taking care of Holly needed to be priority number one.
In as level a voice as he could muster with rage simmering in his gut, he said, “Let me have the keys, sugar.”
Without a word, she handed them over. Five seconds later, LJ scooped Holly into his arms and carried her straight to the sofa. She still didn’t speak but rested the uninjured side of her face against his chest. With the force his heart was slamming into his ribs, she was in danger of getting bruises on that side of her face as well.
“LJ,” she said as he lowered her to the couch. The word sounded slurred passing through her swollen lip.
He kissed the top of her head then the shell of her ear. “Shh,” he whispered against her ear. “Let me get you some ice, pain medicine, and a drink. Then we’ll talk.”
“Thank you,” she whispered. “For not freaking out.”
He rested his forehead against hers. “It’s taking a lot of effort not to lose my shit.”
“I know. If it helps, it was about ninety percent an accident.”
He held back a snort. Didn’t matter the circumstances. Just mattered it happened. “Doesn’t help. Want to kiss you so bad right now, but I’m terrified of hurting you.”
With a one-sided smile, she brushed her lips against his lighter than the stroke of a feather. LJ groaned. The brief contact wasn’t enough. His body was fired up, wanting and needing to know she was okay in the most primal way possible. But along with fucking Schwartz up, taking his woman would have to wait as well. “I’ll be right back.”
He took his time grabbing some ibuprofen from her medicine cabinet, filling a bag with ice, and pouring her a glass of wine. In that time, he also fired off a text to Rocket letting him know Holly had been hurt and he’d need to find someone to cover for him at work in the morning.
Rocket: I can be there in fifteen if you need me.
LJ: Don’t have details yet. Good for tonight. Fill you in tomorrow. Might need to organize an ass-kicking.
Rocket: Anything. Any time.
When he returned to the den, Holly had her eyes closed, one hand resting on her stomach the other dangling toward the floor. LJ took a second to analyze the state of her injuries. Her right eye was swollen shut and so dark purple it was nearly black. Just below, her cheek was only a shade lighter and nearly as swollen. The right side of her mouth was puffed up as well.
How the fuck had this happened? Guilt hit him hard. He’d known, deep in his gut, he should have put a prospect on Holly for the evening. A fucking mistake that cost her dearly.
“I can feel you seething over there,” she said.
“Sorry, beautiful. Wouldn’t be a man if the sight of my woman injured didn’t wreck me.”
Her one eye popped open. “You’d still be a man, you just wouldn’t be the incredible man you are.”
Shit, this woman destroyed him.
“How bad is the pain?”
“Scale of one to ten?”
“Sure.” LJ knelt next to the couch and gently placed the towel wrapped ice bag against her cheek. Her cringe felt like an actual slap.
“’Bout an eight out of ten right now. Was a nine for most of the drive home. Not sure the pain lessened. Think I’m just getting used to it. Ohhh, that ice feels so good.”
“Leave it on a while. Want some meds too?”
“Yes. Hell yes,” she said as she struggled to sit up straight.
“Woman…” LJ rolled his eyes as he set the wineglass and pain medicine on an end table. “Let me help you for fuck’s sake.”
He lifted her back, then handed off the pills and drink.
“Washing pain meds down with wine,” she said with a chuckle. “That’s poor-decision making one-oh-one right there.”
LJ grunted. Watching her wince and groan as she moved had the need to pulverize Schwartz returning in full-force. Only way to keep it at bay would be to have Holly in his arms. “Hold on,” he said as she went to lie back down.
