Hot Rocks

over her bruised cheekbone. “Can you hold on?”
    “Sure. No problem. I just want to sit here.”
    Max walked over, crouched by Crew. “Alive,” he said after he checked for a pulse. Then he studied the torn, battered and bloodied face. “Did a number on him, didn’t you?”
    “I hit him with the wine bottle.” The room was moving, she realized, ever so slightly. And there seemed to be little waves in the air, like water. “Twice. You came. You got my message.”
    “Yeah. I got your message.” He patted Crew down for weapons, then went back to Laine. “You sure you’re not hurt?”
    “I just feel numb right now.”
    “Okay then.” He set his gun on the floor beside them and wrapped his arms around her. All the fear, the fury, the desperation he’d fought off for the last hour rolled into him, rolled out again. “I gotta hold on,” he murmured against her throat. “I don’t want to hurt you, but I’ve gotta hold on.”
    “Me too.” She burrowed into him. “Me too. I knew you’d come. I knew you’d be here. Doesn’t mean I can’t take care of myself.” She eased back a little. “I told you I can take care of myself.”
    “Hard to argue with that. Let’s see if we can stand up.” When they gained their feet, she leaned into him, looked down at Crew. “I really laid him out. I feel . . . empowered and satisfied and . . .” She swallowed, pressed a hand to her stomach. “And a little bit sick.”
    “Let’s get you outside, get you some air. I’ll take care of things in here. Cops are on their way.”
    “Okay. Am I shaking or is that you?”
    “Little of both. You’ve got a little shock going on, Laine. We’ll get you out, and I want you to just sit down on the ground, lie down if it makes you feel better. We’ll call for an ambulance.”
    “I don’t need an ambulance.”
    “That’s debatable, but he sure as hell does. Here we go.”
    He led her out. Jack sprang from the corner of the house, the knife in one hand, a rock in the other. Laine’s first muddled thought was how silly he looked.
    Then he lowered both arms, and the knife and rock fell from his limp fingers to the ground. He stumbled forward, swept her in.
    “Lainie. Lainie.” Pressing his face to her shoulder, he burst into tears.
    “It’s all right. I’m all right. Shh.” She cupped his face, drawing back to kiss his cheeks. “We’re all right, Dad.”
    “I couldn’t’ve lived. I couldn’t—”
    “You came. You came when I needed you. Aren’t I lucky to love two men who are there when I need them?”
    “I didn’t know if I was coming back,” he began.
    On a wave of tenderness, she brushed tears from his cheeks. “But you did, didn’t you? Now you’ve got to go.”
    “Lainie.”
    “The police will be here any minute. I haven’t gone through all this to see you arrested. Go. Before they come.”
    “There are things I need to say to you.”
    “Later. You can say them later. You know where I live. Please, Daddy, go.”
    Max stepped back out with the phone to his ear. “Crew’s secured. Laine’s banged up but she’s okay. Crew’s going to need some medical attention. Laine and I’ll wait here. What’s your ETA? Good. We’ll wait.” He clicked off. “Vince and the rest of them will be rolling in. You’ve got about five minutes,” he said to Jack. “Better get moving.”
    “Thanks.” Jack offered his hand. “Maybe you are—almost—good enough for her. I’ll be seeing you. Soon,” he added as he turned to Laine. “Soon, baby girl.”
    “They’re coming.” She heard the sirens. “Hurry.”
    “Take more than some hick cops to catch Big Jack O’Hara.” He winked at her. “Keep a light burning for me.” He jogged toward the woods, turned for a quick salute, then disappeared into them.
    “Well.” Laine let out a long breath. “There he goes. Thanks.”
    “For what?” Max asked as she kissed him.
    “For letting my father go.”
    “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ve never met your father.”
    On a muffled laugh, she rubbed her eyes. “I think I’m going to do that sitting-on-the-ground thing now.”
     
     
     
    It wasn’t difficult to win a debate about a visit to the ER with a man who was so relieved you were alive and whole he’d have given you anything you asked for. Laine took advantage of it, and of Vince’s friendship, to go straight home.
    She’d be required to give a more complete statement to the chief of police the next morning. But