Page 24 of Liam James
“Come on out, hero!” Jarod shouted. “Let’s finish this!”
He didn’t have to invite me twice.
When he leaned out for another shot, I was already there, slamming into him like a freight train. His gun went flying, and we hit the asphalt hard.
We fought fiercely, fists flying, boots stomping. He was strong—desperate men always are—but anger made me stronger. Anger for the little girl hiding in the backseat. Anger for Jenny pressed against the floorboard, praying I’d come back alive.
He got in one good punch. Split my lip. Didn’t matter.
I drove my elbow into his jaw, felt the crunch, then caught his wrist when he tried to reach for the knife at his belt.
“Not tonight,” I growled, ripping it away and hurling it into the ditch.
He swung again, wild, sloppy. I ducked, slammed him back against the SUV door, and drove my fist into his gut until he wheezed.
“Game’s over, Jarod,” I said, low and deadly.
Sirens wailed in the distance—someone must’ve heard the shots. He looked toward the sound, and that was his mistake.
One solid punch, and he was down. Out cold.
I stood there, chest heaving, sweat and blood dripping onto the road, until the lights flashed through the trees.
Jenny and Poppy were safe.
For now.
18
Liam
The red and blue lights hit the trees first, strobing through the trees like the whole forest was breathing in panic.
Two police SUVs skidded to a stop. Doors slammed. Officers fanned out, weapons drawn, voices barking orders.
And then I saw them—Forest and Fraiser climbing out of the lead truck, weapons down but ready. Their eyes swept the scene until they landed on me standing over Jarod’s prone body.
Jarod groaned, rolling onto his side as a cop yanked him to his feet, cuffs snapping around his wrists. His lip was split, and one eye was already swelling shut.
“Y’all don’t understand!” he screamed, spittle flying. “She’s my daughter! That lunatic sister of mine—she’s the crazy one! Took the girl, told everybody I was some kind of monster!”
He jerked against the cuffs, eyes wild. “All I was doin’ was tryin’ to get my little girl back!”
Jenny stepped out of the trees then, holding Poppy’s hand tight. The kid buried her face in Jenny’s shoulder, trembling.
“Daddy!” Poppy whimpered.
Jenny flinched like the word cut her.
Jarod saw it. Pounced on it. “See?!” he bellowed, voice cracking. “She wants her father! Y’all are arresting the wrong man!”
Two cops pushed him toward a squad car. He fought like a man possessed, ranting about lies, about how everyone was gonna regret this.
Then he snapped.
With a roar, Jarod twisted, slamming one cop to the ground. He snatched the man’s sidearm before anyone could react.
Forest shouted. Fraiser reached for his weapon.
