“Don’t make this hard, Mr. Landon.” He glances subtly at our audience.
“You don’t have the fucking authority.”
“The order came directly from the Attorney General’s office.”
There’s a beat while my eyes well up, and Jax stills with cold realization. I should have known the Marshal thing wouldn’t stay buried. You can’t kill a cop and get away with it.
With watery eyes, I find my baby sister’s face and try to find solace in the fact that it’s me and not her. She looks like she’sabout to throw up, face a ghostly white. But she’ll be okay. Jax will make sure of it, if nothing else. But in order to do that, he has to step back.
My hand feels detached from my body as I place it on his shoulder and step in front of him.
“I don’t want to make it hard.” My voice cracks.
“No!” he roars in disbelief and then pushes me back into Nix’s arms.
In the same movement, he shoves the agent.
A series of clicks rings out as the troopers and sharks all pull out their weapons. A gasp leaves me as the agent points his gun directly at Jax’s chest.
“Shoot me!” Jax shouts. “Fucking shoot me! Because that’s the only way you’re touching her.”
The agent’s jaw ticks but keeps the barrel steady. “Stand down, Mr. Landon.”
Jax doesn’t flinch. He looks carved from fury with his shoulders squared, chest lifted, every muscle and vein thumping with war. His eyes are wild and desperate with the absolute refusal to let me be arrested.
“Jax,” I breathe, or maybe I whimper—it’s hard to tell with how my throat is closing. My fingers tremble as I reach for him again, but Nix tightens her grip around my arm, holding me in place.
“Don’t,” she whispers, terrified.
The agent shifts, widening his stance as the troopers come to stand behind him.
“Come forward, Ms. Noland.” He nods at me, keeping the gun on Jax.
“Donot,” Jax snaps.
“Try anything,” the agent says to him, “and Iwillshoot you.”
“Don’t. Please,” I cry and shake off Nix. “I’ll go.”
“Kira, if you so much as—” Jax tries to tell me not to move, but Caleb cuts him off.
“Jax.”
Slowly, the younger Landon puts his hands in the air, and one of the troopers trains their gun on him. Inching toward his brother, he keeps his fingers splayed. My heart all but stops beating as Nix grips my arm. I don’t know what they see in Caleb’s eyes, but the troopers let him shuffle next to Jax.
He keeps his voice low as he angles his chin down toward his older brother. “We’ll get her out,” he says. “But we can’t do that if you get yourself killed.”
Jax shakes his head, the profile of his jaw hard. Tears burn down my cheeks, and I force myself to put my hands up, to step forward as well.
“Jax,” I whisper. “Please.” I stand beside him. “They’ll kill you.”
His eyes are glassy as they roam over my face, and when he blinks, a tear falls. “I can’t,” he finally says.
“You’ll get me out.” I try to smile despite the fear wracking my body. “Just like Caleb said.” I don’t believe I’ll ever see the outside of a prison ever again, but I keep it to myself as I nod at him encouragingly.
“Kira…” My name breaks in his throat. His hands clench like he wants to grab me, push me behind him again, or pick me up and run. But that would only get him shot.
I force myself to hold his gaze, even though the grief in it makes my bones feel hollow. “It’s okay,” I lie again, gentler this time. “I’m a tough girl, remember?”
