Chapter 297: What Will You Have Me Do?

David’s POV

The drive took just over an hour, but it felt like three. Holly stared out the window the whole time, arms crossed, not saying a word to me.

I didn’t push it either.

I just kept my hands tight on the wheel and my eyes on the road, trying not to think about how close I’d come to losing her tonight and how scared I was.

Okay. Let’s get one thing straight…I don’t love Holly Rodriguez.

I just… care about her.

There’s a difference.

How could I possibly love her? She’s just a girl. Like every other girl I’ve met. She laughs, she talks, she exists. That’s it. Nothing extraordinary.

Except—

Her smile isn’t just a smile. It tilts slightly to the left, like she knows a secret and might let me in on it if I don’t behave.

And her scent…God. It’s not just perfume. It’s warm and wild and addictive. I swear it follows me home, clings to my sheets, sneaks into my lungs and refuses to leave.

She’s cute. But not in a fragile way. In a dangerous way. The kind that looks soft until she opens her mouth and challenges you like she’s daring the world to try her.

She’s feisty and confident in an unapologetic way.

And I love the way she—

I love the way she what?

The way she looks at me like I’m more than what I pretend to be.

The way her fingers curl into my shirt when she’s trying not to smile.

The way she says my name like it belongs to her.

Good Lord.

My chest tightened as my pulse began to stutter.

I don’t just care about her. I love—

No.

…Do I?

I swallowed hard as I felt my body flutter with excitement and the need to please her all the time.

I love Holly.

The realization hit me again like a punch to the ribs.

I shouldn’t… but I love Holly.

Oh, no!  I’m absolutely, irreversibly screwed.

My thoughts were all over the place when we finally pulled into my driveway, the house looked too big, too quiet.

I’d had her grab a small bag from her place on the way out..clothes, toiletries, enough for a few days. I wasn’t letting her out of my sight. Not until this thing with Justin was resolved. Not until I knew for sure he wasn’t the monster I was starting to believe is emerging again.

And honestly? Even after that. I don’t want her to leave me.

I carried her bag inside, told her to make herself comfortable in the living room, and took it down the hall to the master bedroom. I set it down by the dresser, rolled my shoulders, and that was when my phone buzzed.

Norman.

I eased the bedroom door open just enough to peek out. Holly was still on the couch, knees pulled up, staring at nothing. Good. I slipped over to the window, turned my back to the room, and hit accept.

“Hey, man,” Norman said, voice low, like he already knew this wasn’t a casual call. “Been waiting. You with her now?”

“Yeah,” I muttered.

Silence stretched as I dragged a hand through my hair, feeling every bit of the last couple of hours in my bones.

“So you and Holly,” he started.

“Not now, dude,” I groaned.

“I thought she had that boyfriend. Tyler, right? The sweet guy she came with the other day?”

“It’s a long story, Norman.”

“It’s always a long story with you,” he said, half-laughing. “But I’ve got an even longer attention span. I’m always here.”

I let out a short chuckle despite everything.

That was Norman. The guy knew every ugly secret my family had. He was the only one who did. We went back to high school in Manhattan…he’d been the one holding things together while I was off in LA trying to tear the Millers apart piece by piece.

When Dad started losing it and Justin… well, Justin started being Justin, Norman was the one who stayed. He moved down here with us, helped start the company. He’s a bigger player than I ever was, but he’s loyal. More family than my actual brother.

“So,” he said, voice turning serious. “Justin. What are we gonna do about him?”

I leaned my forehead against the cool window glass. “I don’t know, man. Investigators are on it. If he’s tied to these murders…” I swallowed hard. “What then? Pack up and run again? Cut him loose? Lock him up? I’m so fucking tired of this.”

Norman didn’t even hesitate. “If he did it, we let him face the law. Your dad’s in that home now…he won’t even know his precious boy got locked up. And if he ever finds out? Tell him you’re done being the family’s scapegoat.”

I groaned. “I know. Those women… They were somebody’s sisters, somebody’s daughters. If Justin did this, just like back home in Manhattan, he deserves whatever he gets. And me?” My voice cracked. “I’ll turn myself in too. For covering for him all these years.”

“Hey, hey, hey,” Norman cut in, sharp. “You’re not going anywhere. You were just a kid yourself, David. A scared kid carrying the whole damn family on his back. No way I’m letting you go back to jail.”

I huffed a bitter laugh. “What, you wanna take my place?”

He immediately started coughing…fake as hell. “Whoa, man, the network's getting bad. Can’t hear you…hello? Hello?”

I rolled my eyes, but then… that feeling hit. Like someone was watching me. The hairs on my neck stood up. I spun around fast.

But it was nothing. Just the empty hallway.

I crept to the door anyway, heart thudding harder than it should. Norman was still rambling, “You there? David?” as I peered out.

Holly was exactly where I left her, curled up on the couch, staring at her hands.

I exhaled, long and shaky. Thank God. For a second I thought she’d heard everything.

“I gotta go,” I told Norman. “Just… keep your eyes on anything Justin-related.”

“Will do, man,” he said, then added with a grin I could hear, “And hey…take it easy on Holly, alright? I know that it’s the weekend, but give the girl a break. Don’t pound into her all night.”

“Get lost, asshole,” I muttered before hanging up.

I placed the phone on the dresser, rubbed both hands over my face. I needed a shower. Badly. And yeah, part of me wanted to add sex to that list…God, did I…but no. Not tonight. Not until she knew everything and still chose to stay.

I headed down the hallway and into the living room. Holly looked up when I walked in, eyes wary.

“Come freshen up,” I said, trying to sound normal.

She didn’t move. “What do you want to tell me, David? Start talking.”

I glanced down at myself…rumpled shirt, day-old stubble, probably still smelling like panic and whiskey. “I need to clean up first. Then we will talk. I promise.”

She raised an eyebrow. “You’re not planning on us showering together, are you?”

I let out a small laugh…first real one all night. “No. I’ll use the guest bathroom. You take the master.”

She studied me for a long second, then nodded, still cautious. She stood up, padded past me toward the room, and closed the bedroom door softly behind her.

I watched her go, then headed to the guest bath, stripped down, turned the water scalding, and just stood under it.

I was so damn tired.

Tired of carrying everything alone since I was seventeen. Tired of cleaning up Justin’s messes. Tired of looking over my shoulder.

If Justin really was guilty… if Norman and I followed through and turned him in…

Did that mean I was finally free?

Free from protecting what was left of this broken family?

Free from the Jamesons and all the deals I made to keep my family out of a cage?

I pressed both palms against the tile, let the water pound my back, and for the first time in years…

I hoped.