22. Sacrifices

SACRIFICES

C amera crews were parked at the edge of town. Seven days since Vanessa's press conference bomb, and every morning I'd wake up hoping they'd gotten bored and left. No such luck. Just more vans, more cameras, more strangers trying to turn my quiet town into their next big story.

Grabbed donuts from Sarah's on my way to check the outpost. Hank and Rio had been pulling double shifts keeping the vultures away from Elliot's place, least I could do was bring them breakfast. Sarah threw in extra maple bars - her way of saying thanks for protecting our own.

Found Hank exactly where I expected, looking like he'd rather wrestle a bull than deal with another reporter. Man was built like a brick wall and had about as much patience for bullshit. Rio sat in his cruiser, probably finishing paperwork from the night shift.

"Morning, boss." Rio climbed out, eyeing the donut box like a lifeline. "You're a fucking saint."

"Don't let the press hear you say that." Passed him the box, watched him dig for the jelly-filled ones he pretended not to love. "How bad was it overnight?"

Hank spat in the dirt, his version of editorial commentary. "Had three try to sneak through the back field. City folks don't realize electric fences hurt like a bitch."

Couldn't help grinning at that. "They learn quick?"

"Quick enough." Rio finished half a donut in one bite. "Though one genius tried arguing with Hank about property rights. Thought he was gonna shit himself when Hank started quoting local ordinances."

"Been doing my homework." Hank didn't smile, but satisfaction rolled off him. "Figure if they want to play lawyer, might as well speak their language."

The sunrise painted everything gold, making even the media vans look almost peaceful. Almost. Could see them setting up for morning broadcasts, probably spinning more bullshit about Elliot's "crisis" or my town's "backward ways."

"Need more bodies out here?" Asked even though I knew they'd say no. Pride ran deep in Oakwood Grove.

"Got it covered." Rio crushed his coffee cup, suddenly serious. "Town's behind you both, you know that right? Nina's been keeping a list of which reporters to accidentally spill drinks on."

"Thanks. For all of it." Jake said.

"Just doing our jobs." Hank's gruff voice carried more meaning than the words. "Now go see that boy of yours before he thinks we're keeping you hostage out here."

The drive to his place felt longer with cameras tracking my cruiser. Knew they were probably getting shots of the sheriff visiting his "secret boyfriend." Wondering if this was the scandal that'd finally break us. Fuck 'em all.

Elliot answered my knock looking too perfect for this early, every hair in place like armor against the world. But the moment that door closed, something in him cracked. His kiss tasted desperate, hands fisting in my uniform like he needed an anchor.

"Missed you." The words came rough against my mouth. Been less than twelve hours since I'd seen him, but felt longer with all this shit between us.

"Missed you more." He tried for light but his smile didn't reach those green eyes. "Coffee's ready. Figure we need it for this conversation."

My stomach dropped. Nothing good ever followed "we need to talk." But I let him lead me to the kitchen, grabbed him before he could start stress-cleaning. Pulled him into my lap because fuck it, needed him close for whatever was coming.

"Jake." His voice caught on my name. "Vanessa called yesterday."

"Fuck." Tightened my arms around him, feeling him shake. "What'd she say?"

"She's got photos. Of us. Someone's been watching the house, documenting everything." His laugh came bitter. "Guess I should've expected it. She always was thorough about gathering ammunition."

Red filled my vision. Someone watching us, turning our private moments into weapons. "I'll find them. Whoever's been spying"

"That's not-“ He cut me off, fingers pressing against my lips.

“She's using them for leverage. Says if I don't drop the custody case, she'll release everything. Make sure every tabloid knows about us."

The implications hit like a punch to the gut. My quiet life, my carefully built reputation, all of it exposed. But more importantly, what this could do to Elliot's case. To his chances of keeping Tommy.

"I'll step back." The words burned coming out. "Give you space until the hearing"

"Don't you fucking dare." His kiss landed fierce, claiming. "Not letting her dictate this. Not letting her use us against each other."

"But your case"

"Is stronger with you in it." His hands framed my face, making me look at him. "You're stability, Jake. You're roots and pancake mornings and everything Tommy needs. Everything I need."

Fuck if that didn't undo me completely. "El"

"No, listen." That familiar stubborn set to his jaw. "I've got a PR team. Let me call them, get ahead of this. Do it our way instead of hers."

"You sure?" Had to ask, had to know he wasn't sacrificing everything for me.

His smile finally reached his eyes. "Only thing I'm sure of lately is us. This. Whatever we're building here."

"Okay." Pressed our foreheads together, breathing him in. "Okay, we do it your way. But promise me something?"

"Anything."

"We face it together. No noble sacrifices, no running away. Whatever comes, we handle it as a team."

His kiss tasted like promise and possibility. Like future mornings in this kitchen, like shared battles and quiet victories. Like love, maybe, though neither of us was ready to name it yet.

"Team, huh?" His fingers traced my badge, thoughtful. "Think Oakwood Grove's ready for that kind of show?"

"Fuck yeah." Let my certainty show in my voice. "Town's already chosen sides. Should see what Nina does to reporters who talk shit about you."

That startled a real laugh from him. "God, I love this place. These people."

"They love you too." The truth came easy. "You and Tommy both. Already part of the family here."

He went quiet, processing that. Could practically see his brilliant mind working through angles, weighing options. "Call the PR team with me? Rather face this together from the start."

"Whatever you need." Meant it with everything in me. "I'm here. All in."

The laptop screen flickered to life, a beautiful woman’s face appeared in high definition - bags under her eyes and that look I recognized from dealing with crisis situations. She had that same intensity I'd seen in hostage negotiators, like she was ready for war but keeping it all under wraps.

"So, this is the sheriff." Her eyes scanned me through the screen, professional assessment mixing with genuine curiosity. "Got to say, Elliot, you've got interesting taste in scandal partners."

Elliot's hand found mine under the table, squeezing tight. "Sarah, behave. Jake's not just some scandal."

"Clearly." Her smile softened slightly. "Given that you're willing to risk everything to keep him around."

Fuck. My chest went tight hearing it laid out like that. Because yeah, Elliot was risking it all - his privacy, his custody case, everything he'd built. For me. For us.

"We need options." Elliot's voice stayed steady but his grip on my hand told a different story. "Vanessa's threatening to leak photos, make this ugly. I won't let her use Jake against me."

Sarah's fingers flew across her keyboard, probably already mapping strategy. "Timeline?"

"Could be anytime. She's got someone watching the house, documenting everything." The rage in Elliot's voice matched the fire in my gut. Someone turning our private moments into weapons.

"Fuck." Sarah's professional mask cracked slightly. "Okay, we play offense. Get ahead of it. Control the narrative before she can poison it."

My police instincts kicked in. "What kind of control are we talking about?"

"Your town's got a newspaper, right?" She leaned closer to the camera. "Local journalist you trust?"

"Riley." Elliot answered for him. "Riley Stanton. Used to be circuit press but came home. He's solid now."

"Perfect." Her eyes lit up with that predator gleam PR folks get when they smell strategy. "We give him the exclusive. Your story, your way. Beat Vanessa to the punch."

Elliot shifted beside me, thoughtful. "Riley would do it right.”

"But the custody case" The words slipped out before I could stop them. Couldn't bear the thought of him losing Tommy over this.

"That's why we need to talk to Cassidy first." Sarah's voice went gentle, like she got what was eating at me. "Make sure our moves don't fuck up the legal strategy. But Elliot?"

"Yeah?"

"This could work in our favor. As it shows that you’re not hiding anything.” Sarah said.

The logic made sense, but fuck if it didn't terrify me. My whole life had been about keeping private shit private. Now we were talking about putting it all out there.

"Jake?" Elliot turned those green eyes on me. "You okay with this? It's your life too we're exposing."

"I'm okay with anything that keeps you and Tommy here." The truth came easy. "Just want to do it right."

Sarah's smile turned approving. "Good answer, Sheriff. Now, Elliot, you need to get to New York. Today if possible. Need to coordinate with Cassidy, get everything lined up legally before we move."

Reality crashed back in. Elliot leaving, even temporarily, felt wrong. But she was right - this needed handling properly.

"I'll drive over.” Elliot was already reaching for his phone, then stopped.

Sarah cleared her throat. "I'll email the strategy outline within the hour. Elliot, text me your arrival details. And boys?"

We both looked up.

"This isn't the end of the world. Might feel like it, but trust me. Love stories play better than scandal any day."

Love stories. The words echoed in my chest as the screen went dark. Because that's what this was becoming, wasn't it? Not just attraction or convenience or temporary comfort. Something real. Something worth fighting for.

"You should pack." The words came out reluctant. Didn't want him leaving, but knew he had to.

"Yeah." He stood, pulling me up with him. "Walk me to the bedroom? Help me decide what says 'responsible father dealing with hostile ex' instead of 'gay crisis in small town America.'"

Had to laugh at that, even as my heart ached. "Pretty sure Zayn's got you covered there. Man's got opinions about your wardrobe."

"True." His smile faded slightly. "Jake?"

"Yeah?"

"You're sure about this? Going public, dealing with all the shit that's coming?"

Pulled him close, needing him to feel the truth in my words. "More sure than I've been about anything in a long time. You're worth it. This, us, what we're building here? Worth whatever storm's coming."

His kiss tasted like goodbye and promise all mixed together. Like fear and hope and something bigger than both of us.

"I'll call when I get there.” His words came breathless against my mouth. "And Jake?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you. For being willing to fight for this. For me."

"Always." Pressed our foreheads together, memorizing how he felt in my arms. "Now go pack before Sarah sends a search party."

The hospital doors hissed open, letting in that antiseptic smell I'd grown to hate. Left Elliot packing, heart heavy with everything unsaid, but duty called. Always fucking did.

Found Liam exactly where I expected - slumped in one of those plastic torture devices they called chairs outside Jimmy's room. Dark circles under his eyes told stories about sleepless nights and constant worry.

"Hey." Kept my voice soft, not wanting to startle him. "Any change?"

His smile came tired but real. "Doc says his vitals are improving. Brain swelling's going down." A pause, heavy with hope. "Just waiting for him to wake up now."

Settled into the chair beside him, ignoring how it dug into my back. "That's good news."

"Yeah." He shifted, turning to face me properly. "Caleb told me about you and Elliot."

"Guess news travels fast."

"Small town." His laugh held no judgment. "Got to say, didn't see that coming. The big bad sheriff falling for a racing champion?"

"Trust me, neither did I." The honesty felt right here, with him. After everything I'd put him through, he deserved truth. "Kind of hit me out of nowhere."

"Love's funny like that." Simple words, but they knocked the air from my lungs. Because yeah, maybe that's what this was. Love. Real and terrifying and worth every risk.

"Liam, about before" The words caught in my throat. All those years of guilt pressing down.

"Stop." His hand landed on my arm, steady and sure. "That was a lifetime ago. We were kids, and you were carrying shit I didn't understand then."

"Doesn't excuse what I did." Had to get this out. "Outing you at prom, making your life hell. I was a fucking monster."

"You were scared." Simple statement that cut straight through my defenses. "Scared of what you saw in yourself when you looked at me and Caleb. Easier to lash out than face it."

Christ. Trust Liam to see right through me, even after all these years. "Still. I'm sorry. More than I can ever say."

"I know." His smile went gentle. "And I forgive you. Have for a while now. Caleb helped me see that holding onto that anger only hurt me."

The weight that lifted from my chest nearly doubled me over. Forgiveness I never thought I'd get, never thought I deserved. "Thank you."

"Just promise me something?"

"Anything."

"Be happy." His eyes flicked to Jimmy's door then back to me. "Life's too short for hiding who you are. Who you love."

"Working on it." My voice came rough. "Elliot makes it easier somehow. Makes me want to be better."

My phone buzzed, cutting through the moment. Smith's name on the screen sent ice through my veins.

"Sheriff." His voice came tight with urgency. "We've got a problem. Ramirez is gone."

"What do you mean gone?" Stood so fast the chair scraped against linoleum.

"Cleaned out his house, emptied his accounts. Davis swung by on routine check and found the place stripped bare."

Fuck fuck fuck.

"Get me everything." Already moving toward the exit, Liam's concerned eyes following. "Bank records, traffic cams, anything that might tell us where he went."

"There's more." Smith's voice dropped lower. "Found files in his trash. Records of payments from New York. Big ones. And boss? They line up exactly with when Jimmy moved here."

The implications hit like a freight train. Ramirez hadn't just attacked Jimmy - he'd been watching him. Waiting. Following orders from whoever in New York wanted Jimmy silenced.

"Lock it all down." My voice came out harder than intended. "No one sees those files but us. And Smith?"

"Yeah boss?"

"Find him. Whatever it takes."

Ended the call, turned to find Liam watching me with knowing eyes. "Go." He nodded toward the door. "Do what you need to do. I'll keep watch here."

"Thanks." Meant it for more than just the moment. For forgiveness, for understanding, for everything. "I'll keep you posted on Jimmy's case."

His hand caught my arm as I passed. "Jake? Be careful. Something about this feels wrong."

Wrong didn't begin to cover it. But I nodded, squeezed his shoulder, and headed out to face whatever storm was brewing.

My phone buzzed again - Elliot this time. Probably about to head to New York. Wanted to stay focused on the case, but hearing his voice felt necessary right now.

"Be safe." His warmth came through even over the phone. "I'll call when I get there.”

"You too." Let myself have this moment of connection before diving back into the darkness of Jimmy's case. "El?"

"Yeah?"

"Whatever happens while you're gone, remember I've got your back. No matter what."

"I know." Simple certainty that steadied me. "That's why I'm not afraid anymore."

Ended the call feeling like the world was shifting under my feet. In less than an hour, I'd gotten forgiveness I never expected and discovered that Jimmy's case went deeper than any of us realized.

But that's what being sheriff meant - protecting your people, no matter how complicated things got. No matter what shadows you had to chase down.

Time to find out exactly what Ramirez had been up to, and who in New York wanted Jimmy quiet badly enough to pay for it.

The storm was coming.

Good thing I'd never been afraid of rain.