KNOCKOUT

Chapter 4

The door closes with a loud thud and the only sound left in the room is Holden's heavy breathing from behind me. Information swirls through my mind and I'm struggling to keep up with everything from today. I thought I was through with needing answers, that I was content with only knowing half of the story, but I was wrong. Luke brought up even more questions and his warning about Josh has me extremely on edge.

Josh knows way too much about my past and Holden's, and I'm nervous about it. He could easily destroy Holden with a single statement, and I'm sure he can find a way to destroy me, too.

I haven't even started thinking about how I'm going to explain everything to Holden, but I can feel his hands on my shoulders, gently turning me to face him.

"What the actual hell, Tatum?"

Subconsciously, I run a hand through my hair, shaking it off when I realize it's a gesture picked up from the man in front of me. "I don't know."

"You don't know? You have no idea why that grade A asshole was in my gym?" His jaw becomes more defined as he tenses.

I don't respond. I push myself up under one of his arms, wrapping my arm around his waist to help him move to one of the benches.

Everything is fighting to be a priority in my mind, but one look into Holden's green eyes reminds me of everything he's been through because of me. Yes, I have other priorities, but he can't be dragged into them anymore. I have to figure out this mess for myself.

"He came to talk to me," I explain.

"Yeah, I got that. Why isn't he in jail?"

I shake my head, sitting Holden down and standing between his legs in front of him. His hands find their way to my hips as always, his thumb rubbing small circles on my hipbone over my clothing.

"He said he got out on good behavior."

His nostrils flare as he takes in a deep breath, "I'm sure his parole officer would count him coming to see you as 'good behavior.'"

"Luke's not supposed to be near either of us. It's one of his conditions."

I can feel a headache forming, but I try to push the throbbing away. My hands find Holden's shoulders, lightly massaging them in a poor attempt to calm him down.

"Then let's call the precinct and get his ass thrown back in jail. I have security cameras," Holden says. "I have proof. You never have to see him again."

Before I know it, I'm shaking my head. Seeing Luke definitely brought back ill feelings from both Holden and I, but if I'm being completely honest with myself, I don't care if he goes back to jail. Luke made it clear that he was here to ask for a favor, not to piss us off. All of my problems with Luke seem minuscule to everything else happening.

"Luke doesn't matter, H. Just drop it," I try.

Just like I expected, Holden's beautiful green eyes nearly bulge out of his head.

He tightens his grip on my hips, causing me to shift before he lightens up. "Drop it? He abused you for years, physically and verbally, and you want me to drop it?"

"He's not important anymore, Holden."

I know it doesn't matter what I say. Holden has his own vendetta against Luke now, making Luke his biggest issue. He doesn't plan to see Josh again, doesn't care where Eli is, and has no clue about Jack's involvement in any of it.

The headache only gets worse.

"H, he wasn't even here for me."

"Then what was he here for?" Holden asks.