Holidays and Handcuffs (Bringing Home Trouble)

Chapter 4

Jack

I thought about Emily all day after watching her walk away. It hurt my chest to see her disappear towards the hospital. She said her brother is sick and then she canceled plans for tonight, but something in my gut tells me it’s more than that.

I pull up to Emily’s apartment at eight o’clock after changing out of my uniform. The town looks like it belongs in a winter postcard. Snow blankets the ground, and every doorway in her complex is decked out with Christmas decorations. Except for hers. Her doorstep is bare, just a thin layer of snow covering the mat, like she hasn’t had time to decorate or doesn’t care to.

When the door opens, her eyes widen in surprise. “Jack?” she says, her voice soft.

God, I love hearing her say my name. It rolls off her tongue like it belongs there, and for a moment, I just stand there, taking it in.

“What are you doing here? How did you know where I live?” She looks at me like she can’t believe I’m really here.

“I might have a few connections at the station,” I admit. “You cancelled dinner, and I just wanted to check in on you.”

She relaxes her shoulders and sighs, leaning her head against the door frame. “Jack, I’m sorry, I—”

“You don’t have to apologize. I just wanted to make sure you were okay. You left in a rush this morning.”

For a moment, she just looks at me, her guard faltering. Her shoulders drop ever so slightly, and I can see the exhaustion in her eyes, the kind that comes from carrying too much for too long.

“Yeah, I’m good,” she says with a forced smile. I can see right through it, though. Someone or something has upset her, and I want to drive my fist through a wall.

I take a slow inhale to calm my nerves. “Mind if I come in?”

Without hesitation, she steps aside, opening the door wider. “Yeah... sure.”

I walk into her apartment, and it feels like her, cozy, warm, comfortable. There’s a stack of books on the table, a blanket thrown over the couch the glow from the TV casts a soft light across the room, playing some reality show.

“You didn’t have to come all the way down here. I’m okay, really,” she says with a tired smile.

“I know,” I repeat, leaning against the wall. “But I wanted to.”

I can see the stress written all over her face, the tension in her shoulders, and I so want to take all her stress away. What is stressing you out, Princess?

"Why?" she asks, her voice soft with confusion. "Don’t you have some Christmas Eve party to go to or something?"

I give a small shake of my head, a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of my lips. "I do, but I’d rather be here with you."

She opens her mouth, but no words come out. She takes a deep breath before trying again. "That’s…really sweet.”

She says it like she never expects anyone to do anything sweet for her, and it breaks my heart. Has no one shown her how special and beautiful she is after all these years?

"You’re doing it again," I interrupt gently. "There’s no need to apologize."

She bites her lip, cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "I’m sorry, I—" She stops herself, frustration coloring her face.

"You really can’t help it, can you?" I ask, trying to hide my amusement. Her lips trapped between her teeth are doing things to me she probably doesn’t even realize.

She shakes her head, still biting down on that lip, completely unaware of how much restraint I’m exercising right now just to keep my hands to myself.

Clearing my throat, I look away from her lips. “I know you said you don’t feel like dinner, and that’s okay. But what if we just went out for a bit? You’d be surprised what some fresh evening air can do for your spirits.”

She lets out a small, tired sigh, her lips curling into a shy smile. “Is it that obvious that I’m stressed?”

I nod, offering a gentle smile in return. “Sort of. It’s only written all over your face.”

Her smile fades slightly, and she looks down at the floor for a second before meeting my eyes again. “I guess I haven’t been doing a great job at hiding it.”

“Hey,” I say, stepping a little closer, “you don’t have to. Not with me.”

She looks at me for a moment, her eyes softening, then nods. “What did you have in mind?”

“Well,” I grin. “Maybe I know the perfect spot for stargazing. It’s actually great for stress relief.”

She raises her eyebrows, looking surprised. “Stargazing? I’ve never done that before.”

“You’re about to get your first experience,” I say with a wink. “Promise, it’ll be worth it.”

She bites her lip, and for a second, I think she’s going to decline, but then she gives a small nod.

“Alright…”

“Great.” I almost pump my fist in triumph.

She pauses, glancing back into her apartment. “Just give me a minute to get changed. Do you want anything to drink while you wait?”

I shake my head. “Nope, I’m all good.”

She flashes a small smile before disappearing inside to get ready. While I wait for her, I pull out my phone and order food for us to pick up on the way.

A few minutes later, she steps out, dressed in a thick knitted sweater dress, a scarf wrapped loosely around her neck, and knee-high boots.

“Hope you still like chocolate chip cookies? I ordered some and hot chocolate, and a couple of those mini strawberry donuts.”

Her face lights up in surprise. “Yes, of course, I still love those! How did you know?”

I shrug. “I remember you loving them when we were kids.”

“You do? I never thought you noticed me back then. Except for that night…”

I step towards her, my height towering over her; I can see her fight the urge to back up towards the wall. “I always noticed you, Emily. You are very noticeable. I’m sorry if the way I left Auburn made you think differently, but I hope you’ll let me show you that I never stopped thinking about you.”

“Oh…” she gasps, her cheeks reddening, and for a moment, neither of us moves, just staring at each other. Her lips part slightly, and I swear all I can think about is how much I want to close the distance between us and kiss her.

But my phone buzzes, pulling me back to reality. It’s a notification about our order being ready. I clear my throat, forcing myself to look away from her.

“We should head out,” I manage to say, though my voice feels tight. God, I feel like a nervous teenager.

“Yeah,” she replies softly, her tone just as breathless as mine.

We both walk out of her apartment in silence, the crisp winter air greeting us as we step outside. Once we’re in the warmth of the car, I feel at peace knowing she’s at my side, knowing I can be there if anything happens. What haven’t I been able to protect her from all these years? Emily is a small woman, someone who wants to make sure everyone else’s needs are met before her own. That stops tonight though. She doesn’t know it yet, but now that I’m here, I’m never going to let anything happen to her.

“So, tell me about your day,” I say as I start the car, pulling away from her place. The scent of her perfume fills the space between us, lavender. I inhale, taking it all in as I drive.

She sighs, her shoulders slumping slightly. “It was… a lot. My brother’s sick. I’m sure you remember Billy?”

My jaw tenses. I’m not sure how, but she doesn’t seem to know what happened ten years ago, how I’m the reason her brother went to jail. My hands grip the steering wheel.

“My parents…” she continues. “Well, they’re a whole other issue.” She hesitates for a moment, as if debating how much to say. “Thankfully he’s going to get better.”

“Your parents are…protective over the two of you?”

She lets out a shaky breath, her fingers fidgeting in her lap. “No, just over Billy. Whenever… Billy gets sick, my parents always make a point of reminding me of my duty.”

My brow furrows. “Duty?” I grip the steering wheel a little tighter, feeling a rush of protective anger on her behalf.

She continues. “Honestly, I’m just tired. Tired of always being second to Billy, of being the one to save him.” Her voice cracks slightly, and she quickly looks away, as if embarrassed by her own vulnerability.

“Why do they think it's your duty to save him?”

Her silence stretches out for a moment, and I wonder if I pushed too far. Finally, she glances at me, her eyes wide with hesitation. “Promise you won’t tell anyone about this?”

I pause before answering, already thinking about all the ways I know how to kill and bury someone without anyone ever finding them or realizing they’re missing. “Yes, I promise.”

She takes a deep breath. “I’m... I’m a savior sibling. For Billy.”

I draw in a sharp breath and stomp on the breaks so hard her seat belt engages.

“Jack, wh—”

“You’re a savior sibling for that piece of shit?”

Emily’s head snaps my direction. “What?”

I think about all the times Billy got into fights in school, picking on kids way bigger than him. I think about how he was carelessly and recklessly was dealing drugs to minors and doing every drug he could get his hands on—and it’s all because he knew Emily would be there to mop up the mess he made.

“Emily,” I grind out. “Why didn’t you tell anyone?”

She open and closes her mouth before answering. “I—how could I? I was a minor, and I…I didn’t know I could escape.”

I’m seeing red and have to fight to not ruin the date I have planned for us. This is a big chance to win Emily, to show her I’m here for her, that I would never, ever use her like her shitty family. I swallow hard and pull back out into the darkened street. My stomach twists with disgust at the thought of what her parents have put her through, of what I could have done for Emily.

I glance at her, my heart aching at how small and vulnerable she seems right now.

“Emily,” I say, my voice soft but filled with the frustration I can’t hide, "is this what you’ve been going through your whole life? They made you feel like you exist just for him?”

She nods, her eyes glistening. “Yeah. My whole life has revolved around Billy. Whenever he’s sick, I have to be on standby…just in case he needs any vital organ.”

I shake my head, furious. “You’re not... a fucking insurance policy.”

Her lips press together. “I sort of am.”

“ No , you’re not,” I bark out. She turns to look at me, her eyes searching mine as if she’s weighing the truth in my words. I take a deep breath, trying to calm the storm inside me. “You’re more than that, Emily. So much more.”

Her lips twitch, almost like she wants to smile but doesn't quite manage it. “Sometimes, it doesn’t feel like it. Sometimes it…it feels like I’ll never have a life of my own.”

I glance over at her, my chest tightening at the sadness in her voice. “They don't define you,” I say quietly, my voice firm. “You get to decide who you are. Not your family.”

She looks down at her hands, her fingers still fidgeting. “I wish it was that easy.”

“It’s not easy,” I admit, keeping my eyes on the road. “But it’s possible. You don’t have to live in their shadow anymore.”

“I used to dream about leaving, you know? About getting out and starting over somewhere far away. I was actually really jealous of you when I heard you left after graduation.” She huffs out a laugh.

Guilt radiates through my chest. “What stopped you?”

Her eyes drift toward the window, and she shrugs. “Guilt, mostly. Fear, and, honestly, I didn’t think I could ever escape them. Even if I left, I felt like I’d still be tied to them somehow.”

“That’s no way to live.” The words come out harsher than I intended, and I soften my tone. “You deserve a life that’s yours. Not one dictated by what they need.”

She doesn't respond immediately, but I can tell she’s absorbing what I said, turning it over in her mind. When she finally speaks again, her voice is quiet.

“Do you really think that? That I can just... break away?”

I glance over at her, meeting her gaze. “Yeah, I do. And you will, because I’m going to make sure of that.”