22. JW

TWENTY-TWO

JW

My eyes stay on Maeve's form since I've been cuffed with my hands behind my back, and now he's got another pair looped through them to the metal pole in the back area. Smith has no idea he managed to move us through the bakery until he had all three of us behind the cash register so Maeve could hit the panic button when his focus was on me. Thankfully the silent one or this place would have alarm bells blaring.

I whip my head around when I hear the light footsteps of someone who isn't Clayton Smith. Fletch comes in with his gun drawn and looks my way. I shake my head. He understands what I'm saying—take care of Maeve. If he uncuffs me, it will only delay her being rescued from that cocksucking motherfucker. As soon as he had me where he wanted me, the knife returned right back to Mae. He kept going on and on about needing money to get away.

He's talking right now while Maeve is staying stone-cold still where she is. "The last bitch didn't have any money. You, though, you have more than most but are such a tight wad. I'd have never fucked you, too fat for me. The minute the ink was dry on our marriage certificate, I'd have drained you dry. But you left before my plan could come to fruition. And when I tried to drain your business dry, nothing fucking happened." Smith is moving back and forth, holding Maeve. It's a manic motion, making me hyper-focused on what he'll do next. This is a ballsy move Fletch is doing, one that can backfire on all of us. If Clayton gets ahold of him, we're all fucked. I get it, though; it's either this or shooting Smith and potentially hurting Maeve. The last thing she needs is more trauma from this raging fucking lunatic.

When Fletch moves behind Clayton, I try not to give his position away. A subtle nod to Maeve lets her relax a little. Maybe she could hear the same thing I did, or maybe she's going to try and do something to get herself out of the situation. Whatever she's thinking, I hope she holds the fuck on.

"Did you hear that?" Clayton moves from one side to the other, yanking on Mae some more. Jesus fucking Christ, Fletch Wild, take this fucker down already .

"Nnn…no." Maeve's bravery is waning as the adrenaline pumping through her slowly leaves her. Damn, I hope she can keep herself upright for a few more minutes.

I watch as Fletch's hand comes up, gun in hand, and he smashes the butt of the handgun into Clayton's head. Before he even knows what's going on, it's lights out. Unfortunately, he takes Maeve down with him with the knife still to her neck, and that's when I go ballistic.

"Maeve! Mae! Maeve!" Fletch is busy moving Clayton away, grabbing a pair of cuffs himself when Officer Leonard rushes in with his gun drawn.

"Uncuff JW. I'm calling for an ambulance," Fletch says to Leonard. I've been pulling at my wrists, trying to dislodge the metal pole to no fucking avail. I'm sure the skin is chaffed, but right now, I don't feel a damn thing. My sole purpose in life is lying on the ground, blood trailing down her neck and onto her shirt.

"No, go to Maeve. Help her first. Go, goddamn it!" Leonard starts to come my way but thinks better of it. Officer of the law or not, I'll wreck his world if he doesn't help her over me. I'm handcuffed, not passed out on the floor bleeding and who knows what else. I saw the way her head bounced off the concrete floor. I've been around bull riders, team ropers, bucking broncs, you fucking name it. Hell, branding a calf has had a momma cow going after us. Lawson had a gash not long ago from a bull on Amos and Sienna's farm. Anything can happen and I've seen it, but it's so very different when it comes to watching someone you know is your fucking heart. I stay still, no longer trying to rip myself free.

Instead, I wait, clenching my jaw so hard my teeth fucking ache. I'll be surprised if I haven't ground them to nubs.

"Check her fucking pulse." The sirens are becoming louder and louder with each breath I take. "Fletch, man, please tell me she's okay." Leonard is officially on my shit list. This son of a bitch hesitates because of a little bit of blood. My irrational side is bubbling over, about to lose it on him. I get they have a protocol, but this is Maeve Oliver we're talking about. She's the sweetest, kindest soul, innocent in this fucked-up world, and while my woman has a mouth on her when she's pissed, it's for a good damn reason when she decides to unleash that tongue of hers.

"Leonard, go take care of JW." Smith is on his stomach, hands behind his back, a similar position to the one he put me in. He deserves a fuck of a lot worse than where he's at right now. Hell, metal bars and concrete walls are too good for him after the hell he's put Maeve and every other woman through.

"Hurry the hell up," I snap out, watching as Fletch finds a towel and presses it along Mae's neck.

Leonard keeps his mouth closed, grabs the universal key for the handcuffs, and unlocks one and then the other. Clayton tried to have me sit on my ass, but one look at me after he secured the cuffs to the pole had him rethinking things. My height and weight compared to his didn't make him feel like such a wise guy without a knife on Maeve's neck. He scurried away, making sure to take his knife with him. The second the cuffs loosen, I'm away from Leonard, sprinting toward Maeve and dropping to my knees.

"She's good, bud. Her pulse is strong. The bleeding has slowed, but she's not waking up. Could be trauma, could be her head hitting the ground, or could be something else. Either way, the minute the ambulance gets here, you both need to be seen to," Fletch says, giving me an update before heading back to Clayton.

He stands him up. The asshole is yelling obscenities, further implicating himself with his nonsense. Keep at it, motherfucker. I make a mental note to have Maeve give Fletch the security feed later.

"Maeve, baby girl. I need you to open your eyes." My hand cups her cheek. I dip my forehead to hers. She doesn't respond and it makes my gut sink to my feet.

"The patient is on the ground over here. Maeve Oliver is her name. The male beside her also needs to be seen to, JW Johnson." Fletcher is rattling on about the wounds she's received as well as my wrists. "They can ride in the ambulance together. He doesn't need a stretcher, but she will. I'd suggest not trying to separate them. JW's a big fucker, and I'm not getting between him and Mae."

"Got it." I don't leave her side until Logan, a firefighter and paramedic all in one, comes to Maeve's other side. He doesn't say dick as I stay where I am. It doesn't take long for him to assess she's able to be loaded onto a stretcher as he talks to his partner Mercy. They take her pulse, oxygen, and blood pressure. Through it all, Maeve doesn't wake up. She's still, and if I didn't hear it for myself that her levels are normal, I'd demand answers.

"Alright, we're going to load her up. I'll take a look at your wrists when we're in the ambulance," Mercy says.

"I'm good. She's more important." We stop talking when they load Mae up onto the stretcher, and only then am I forced to back away.

"JW, I'll lock this place up after we're done and meet you at the hospital. I'll also let the family know, both families." Fletcher's taking care of us yet again. We're all going to owe him an arm and a leg, and we'll return the favor time and time again for all he's done.

"Thanks, brother. "

"Anytime. Look after your girl." He tips his head, I return it, and then I'm off to the hospital with my woman.