SWNOVELS Fierce Obsession: Chapter 14
Holding onto Jax’s hand, I squeeze it tightly, reminding him he’s not alone in this. I hate that he’s staying here in Dallas without me, even if it is only for a few days, but I understand why. His father almost died, and while I know that Jax has a difficult relationship with Harvey, I also know the type of man my husband is. He won’t rest until he finds out who did this. He may not call Harvey dad any longer, but there is still something there between them, even if it is buried deep beneath years of pain and anger.
The door to Harvey’s room opens and we all look up to see the Sheriff walking inside. He tips his hat in greeting and stares straight at Jax. “Jackson Decker?”
“Yeah,” Jax replies.
“Sheriff Hicks,” he says with a curt nod.
“You have any idea who did this?”
Sheriff Hicks hooks his thumbs into his belt loops, his eyes narrowed as he continues to glare at Jax. “I was about to ask you the same thing.”
“No,” Jax replies, his jaw ticking with the effort of maintaining his temper. “I’m just here on my honeymoon.”
Hicks glances at me and then back to Jax. The hostility is practically oozing out of the Sheriff’s pores. What the hell is his problem?
“You have any idea what he was doing in Rocky’s bar tonight?”
“No,” Jax snaps. “Do you?”
“I hear you and him don’t get along?”
“And who told you that?”
Hicks sucks on his teeth. “People.”
I hold onto Jax’s arm. It feels like every muscle in his body is vibrating with anger as he glares at the sheriff. I trace my fingertips over the inside of his forearm, trying to remind him to stay calm. The way this sheriff is questioning him, it wouldn’t surprise me if he was looking for any excuse to throw Jax in a cell for the night, and that is the last thing any of us need.
“Hmm,” Jax rubs a hand over his jaw. “Well, people talk in small towns. You can’t believe everything you hear, Sheriff.”
Hicks goes on glaring at him. Trying to provoke a reaction but Jax stays silent. He might be the most ruthless and dangerous man I know, but he is also the smartest, and he knows what pissing off the sheriff in a small town like this will do. I have no doubt my father would have him out of there by morning, but it’s still precious time we can’t afford to lose.
“Well, maybe your father will have some answers when he wakes up,” Hicks glances at me and Molly before training his glare back on Jax. “Or should I say if…”
The muscles in Jax’s forearm flex beneath my fingers. “He’ll wake up,” Jax insists.
“Well, if he doesn’t, I suppose this will become a murder investigation, won’t it? So you make sure not to leave town now.” He tips his hat again and then turns on his heel.
“Asshole!” Jax mutters.
“What was his problem?” Molly adds with a frown. “I mean shouldn’t he be out there looking for whoever did this?”
“I’ll find whoever did this, Molly,” Jax assures her. He doesn’t trust the cops, and especially not after the way that sheriff just eyeballed him like he was the only suspect. “I want you two to wait here and I’m gonna swing by Rocky’s and see what I can find out.”
“Be careful,” I say to him.
He lifts my hand to his face, kissing my fingertips. “I will, baby.”
“Yes, please be careful, Jax. That jackass, Hicks, seems to be looking for an excuse to toss you into a cell if you ask me.”
“Yeah, I got kinda got that,” Jax says with a frown as he looks out of the window where Hicks is standing talking to Dr. Addison.
As soon as Hicks leaves, Jax does too, leaving Molly and me sitting either side of Harvey’s bedside.