Page 176 of Chaos

As Lux stations herself beside me, Jackson plants himself in front of both of us, demanding, “Are you arresting her?”

Mark practically pouts—I wish, I see written clearly across his bitchy little face. “No. But if she refuses to cooperate—”

“She’s avictim,” Jackson hisses. “She could’ve been seriously hurt.”

“Yet she wasn’t. How miraculous.”

I think I actually see steam pour from my brother’s ears. “Whatever you’re implying,don’t.”

“Listen, man, I’m just trying to do my job.”

“Then do it instead of harassing my family.”

“Oscar,” he dares to address my brother by the first name he loathes. “We both know that’s exactly what I’m doing. The girl’s got a record. This isn’t personal.”

“I take you attacking my sisters pretty personally.”

Like he’s just now remembered that more than one of us Jackson women are present, Mark’s gaze slips to his ex. To the mother of his goddamn child, not that he’d ever admit that.

In perfect unison, Jackson and I bark, “Don’t look at her.”

Mark drops his gaze to the ground real fucking quick.

“Lottie’s given you her statement,” Jackson continues. “If you wanna arrange additional questioning, then the officer assigned to our case can contact our lawyer.”

“I’m the officer assigned to your case.”

A booming, mocking laugh leaves my brother. “I’ll be calling the Sheriff and fixing that. And if you don’t want me to file an excessive force complaint too, then I’d get the fuck off my land.”

Like the spineless little toad he is, Mark backs off. He casts another glance at Lux, and I resist the urge to snap my teeth at him like a wild animal—maybe I don’t actually resist it all thatwell because as he scuttles away, he eyes me like I’m one rabid move away from chasing him down.

Finn’s grip tightens like he fears the same.

Only after Mark gathers his cronies, ducks into his squad car, and starts driving back to whatever hellhole he crawled out of does Jackson tear his gaze away.

“Are you hurt?” he asks me.

I shake my head.

“Okay.” He rakes his hands through his hair, sighing. “Grab some stuff. Lottie, you can stay in your old room until we get this sorted out. The rest of you,” he calls out to the other ranch hands lingering a few feet away, “can use the guesthouses.”

The warm hands cupping my outer arms drift down to my hips, squeezing gently. “I’ll stay at the main house.”

Eyeing Finn, Jackson pulls a face.

“Respectfully,” my boyfriend says, that Southern twang shining through a little more brightly than usual. “I’m staying with Lottie.”

Jackson opens his mouth—to refuse, I’m sure, but all that comes out is a pained puff of air as an elbow finds his ribs. Rubbing his side, he drops his gaze to Lux, sighing as she mouths something I can’t quite make out, but I swear I recognize the wordshelicopterandparent.

“Fine,” he relents, looking none too happy about it, and slashes a dismissive hand through the air. “Go pack. I’m gonna make a phone call.”

With mumbled variations ofyessirandaye aye captain, we disperse, picking our way through the wreckage that is our home. Leaving the others on the first floor, Finn follows me up to the attic, hissing through his teeth when glass crunches beneath our booted feet. When his gaze lands on the brick resting leisurely on my pillow, he makes an entirely un-human noise. “Jesus, Lottie.”

I shrug. What am I supposed to say? I’ve already reassured him a hundred times that I’m fine. We both know it could’ve been a whole lot worse; there’s no use dwelling on it. “Bet it’s that lucky tattoo.”

The look he pins me with is utterly unamused.

To be fair, I’m not all that amused either. I’m irritated by this entire situation—deeply, murderously so.

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