Holidays and Handcuffs (Bringing Home Trouble)

Prologue

Emily

You know how some cars come with a spare tire, only used when the real one goes flat? That’s me.

The backup. The one no one pays attention to unless something goes wrong with the favorite. That’s how it’s always been with Billy and me. He’s the star, the one my parents built their world around. And me? I’m just the insurance policy, the one they keep on hand for when Billy needs saving.

After Billy was born, my parents decided they loved him too much and couldn’t bear anything happening to him, so they decided to have another child through IVF. Me. I had no choice in the matter of course, and still don’t to this day.

I pull my coat tighter around me as the wind picks up, pushing my hair into my face. It’s getting dark, but I’m not ready to go home yet. Not after the phone call I got earlier. Billy’s in trouble—again. I don’t know the kind of trouble that he’s in this time, but I know it involves the police, and my parents haven’t asked me to do anything to save him this time like they always do.

I’ve been “saving” Billy my whole life. Always stepping in, taking the fall for his silly actions, and cleaning up his messes. I’m only twelve, but I carry the weight of making sure my elder brother gets through whatever disaster he gets himself into. At least not this time, because my parents won’t even tell me what it is.

Billy has always lived knowing he has spare organs, blood, tissue…all things that belong to me, though I don’t have rights to any of it. He lives in the fast lane because he knows I’ll be there to fix the damage. He’d get into fights, and now, of course, he’s started hanging out with the wrong crowd.

Last night, I heard Mom whispering to Dad about how they can’t let their precious boy be sent to prison. Dad even said he wishes there was a way to make me take the fall.

Tears pool in my eyes as I think of the fact that my parents won’t hesitate to put me in prison for a crime I didn’t commit just so they can save their golden boy.

Blinking the tears away, I sigh and glance around the street. I should have taken the bus home after my book club, but I couldn’t bring myself to. The longer I stay out, the longer I can avoid the inevitable drama waiting for me at home.

My cell buzzes in my pocket, and I glance at it. It’s my mom again. I already know what she’s going to say, so I ignore the call and keep walking. My feet drag as I head down a narrow alley, my mind spinning with all the things I’m going to face when I get home.

That’s when I hear it. Laughter, rough, loud, and not the good kind. I freeze, the hair on the back of my neck standing up. A group of boys step into view at the other end of the alley. They’re older than me, maybe high schoolers, but it’s hard to tell in the dim light.

“Hey, girl!” one of them calls out, grinning. His friends snicker, and they all start walking toward me.

Panic tightens in my chest. I don’t know what to do. Run? Scream? My feet are glued to the ground, and my heart is pounding in my ears as they close in.

“Where you headed all alone?” another boy asks, his voice low and mocking. They’re close now. Too close.

That’s when I recognize them. William and Richard. They’re seniors at school, friends of Billy’s, and they’ve always found ways to make my life a living hell. They taunt me every chance they get. But the look in their eyes now is something different. Darker. Predatory.

My body finally kicks into action. I turn on my heel, ready to bolt, but I slam straight into something hard, solid, and unmovable. It knocks the breath out of me, and before I can hit the ground, a pair of strong arms catches me, steadying me before I fall.

I’m frozen in fear. It wasn’t a wall. They’ve caught me.

“Please don’t hurt me,” I whisper, my voice trembling as I squeeze my eyes shut. All I can do is beg; my mind is too foggy to think of a better plan.

I hear a grunt from the person holding me, and the hands gripping my shoulders tighten just slightly before loosening, as if to reassure me—but doesn’t make sense. They’re being gentle. Too gentle.

“Hey, we don’t want any trouble with you, man. Just step away,” William’s voice cuts through the air, filled with an unsettling mix of fear and aggression. “Or… you could join in the fun. The more, the merrier.” Richard’s laugh follows, low and dangerous.

It’s then I finally open my eyes, blinking against the sudden rush of adrenaline. My gaze shoots upward, and my breath catches in my throat.

I know him.

Jack Donovan. He’s a senior in my school.

He stands there, towering over me, his broad shoulders casting a shadow over the alley. His grip on my arms is firm but protective. His deep blue eyes cold, calculating flick from me to the boys who’ve surrounded us.

“Walk away,” Jack’s voice is low, threatening. It’s a command, not a suggestion.

William snickers, though I can hear the unease in his laugh. “Look, man, we don’t want any trouble. We’re just having some fun with her.”

“Fun?” Jack’s voice drops even lower, a warning in every syllable. “You think harassing a girl is fun?”

Without warning, he lunges at William with a speed that takes my breath away, a gasp escaping my lips. His fist connects with William’s jaw in a sickening thud, sending him sprawling to the ground.

Richard’s eyes widen in panic, and he takes a few steps back, but Jack is on him in seconds. Richard tries to fight back but Jack is stronger. He lands another punch in his abdomen, causing him to double over. He grabs Richard by the collar and slams him against the brick wall with such force that the sound echoes down the alley.

“Ha!” Richard cries out as Jack’s fist connects with his jaw, and Richard falls to the ground.

I should look away—but I don’t. I’m frozen in place, my heart pounding in my chest, my eyes locked on the scene unfolding before me.

William stumbles to his feet, clutching his jaw, but before he can run, Jack’s on him too. William manages to throw a few punches at Jack, but Jack got the upper hand and in no time, he’s pleading for Jack to stop.

“Next time you think about touching her,” Jack growls, leaning in close to William’s ear, “remember this.”

Jack releases him, and William crumples to the ground, clutching his arm, gasping for breath. Jack straightens, his chest rising and falling as he stands over the two boys, now broken and whimpering on the ground. His hands are clenched into fists, knuckles white, and I can see a bruise forming above his left eye.

He turns to me, his eyes softer now but still dark with anger. “Are you okay?”

I can’t find my voice. My legs are trembling, but I manage a nod, staring at the two boys who are moaning in pain. Jack moves toward me. Instinctively, I take a step back, my mind racing with what I just witnessed. He stops, his expression softening further when he notices the fear in my eyes.

“You don’t need to be scared of me, Princess,” he says quietly, reaching out a hand as if to comfort me. His voice is still low, but the anger is gone, replaced by something else. Concern. Did he just call me Princess? No one has ever called me that.

I stare at his now bloodied knuckles, then at him. He’s not the same boy I remember. This Jack is different. Darker. Dangerous. Yet, I don’t feel unsafe with him. Quite the opposite.

He's a senior, effortlessly charming, and every girl at school seems to have a crush on him. They practically melt whenever he walks by. In all the time I’ve known him, he’s never so much as spoken a word to me. So why is he helping me now?

“Are you okay?” His voice breaks through my thoughts, pulling me back to the present. I nod, though I’m not sure if I’m convincing either of us.

“Come on,” he says, his voice gentler now. “Let’s get you home.”

Jack

I walk beside her, my fists still clenched, rage simmering just beneath the surface. My muscles are tight, like I’m one bad thought away from turning around and finishing what I started with those assholes.

Just thinking about them makes my blood boil. I wanted to break more than just their arms, and it’s taking everything in me not to march back and show them exactly how much worse it could get. What could’ve happened if I hadn’t shown up?

Emily walks quietly beside me. I notice her glance my way a few times, but she doesn’t say anything at first. She’s probably scared out of her mind.

“Thank you,” she says suddenly, her voice small but clear. “For… for helping me.”

I glance down at her, seeing the way her hands are still shaking slightly. She’s trying to keep it together, but I can tell she’s rattled. Of course, she is. I let out a sharp breath, trying to cool the heat inside me.

“You should be more careful,” I mutter, my voice a little harsher than I mean it to be. “You shouldn’t have been walking alone at night. Anything could’ve happened.”

Her steps falter for a second, and I immediately regret the way I said it. I didn’t mean to come off like that, but I can’t help it. The thought of what could have gone wrong if I hadn’t shown up… it’s eating me alive. Those bastards were seconds away from doing something unforgivable.

I stop for a second, running a hand through my hair, trying to shake the tension out. I sigh, swallowing the rest of my frustration. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to come off like that.”

She’s quiet again for a moment. “Were you following me?” she asks softly, like she’s still processing the whole thing.

“No. Just… saw you by chance.” I respond with a shake of my head.

“So, what were you doing out there alone, anyway?” I glance down at her, noticing how her hands tighten around the straps of her bag.

“I was coming from my book club,” she says softly, not quite meeting my eyes. “Didn’t want to take the bus.”

I raise an eyebrow at that. “Why not?”

She hesitates, just for a moment, and I catch the flicker of something in her expression before she replies, “I just like to walk sometimes.”

I don’t press her further, though I’m not convinced that’s the whole story. There’s something she’s not saying.

After a beat of silence, she turns her head slightly toward me and says, “Thank you… for saving me. What can I do to pay you back?”

Her voice is so soft, so genuine, it tugs at something inside me. I glance down at her. “Princess, you don’t have to pay me back.”

She stops walking for a moment and reaches into her school bag, pulling out a small bead bracelet. “I want you to have this. I made it myself.”

It’s simple, with small colorful beads strung together. My gaze shifts from the bracelet to her face, there’s something about the fact that she’s offering me something she made herself.

Instead of taking it, I hold out my left hand to her. “How about you put it on me?”

She blinks in surprise, then a soft smile spreads across her lips. She carefully slides the bracelet onto my wrist, her fingers brushing my skin as she does. When it’s in place, she steps back and looks up at me, her smile growing as she says, “it suits you.”

I glance down at the bracelet on my wrist, a smile tugging at the corners of my mouth.

“Well, thanks. I’ll make sure to wear it every time.”

We’ve reached her house now. “You should go in,” I tell her gently, nodding toward the door.

She looks at me for a moment longer, then nods. “Okay. Goodnight, Jack.”

“Goodnight, Emily.”

She steps up to the porch and unlocks the door, glancing back at me once before disappearing inside. I stay there, my feet planted on the sidewalk, watching the house, she’s home. Safe.

I shouldn’t be here, especially with what I’m about to do tomorrow. As I walk away, glancing at the bead on my wrist, my mind goes back to all the events of the past few months.

Tomorrow, I’m about to turn her family’s world upside down. I’ve got proof that Billy, her brother, is dealing drugs to high school kids.

I’ve seen him several times, sneaking around behind the gym after hours, handing out little baggies to kids who didn’t know any better. For weeks I have been taking pictures and videos of the whole thing. It wasn’t just rumors anymore; I had the evidence. The kind that would stick.

Billy’s been getting away with this for too long, and I’m sick of it. Sick of him poisoning our town, sick of the mess the likes of him are making in our town. But mostly, I’m sick of how he’s left Emily to fend for herself while he plays King of the Dirtbags.

I’ve spent too long watching Billy spiral out of control. I gave him the benefit of the doubt, hoping he’d straighten up, but he never did. Now, he's dealing to minors. That’s a line you don’t cross.

The next day, I walk into the courthouse with the evidence I had on Billy. I testify, laying out everything I saw and every bit of evidence I collected. The pictures, the times, the locations. By the time I’m done, there’s no doubt left in anyone’s mind.

Billy is guilty.

It’s a weird feeling, watching the judge deliver the verdict. Part of me feels relief, like a weight’s been lifted. The other part? Guilt. Not because Billy didn’t deserve it. He absolutely did, but because I know how this will affect Emily. She doesn’t deserve any of this.

Shortly after Billy was sentenced, my family moved out of Auburn. It wasn’t by choice. I would’ve stayed if I could. New assignment for my dad who’s in the military, meaning we had to move. But as the years went by, I couldn’t stop thinking about Emily. One day, I’ll protect her and love her the way her family has always failed to do.