𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐓𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐎𝐍 ━━ 𝘫𝘫 𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘬

𝐂.44

Martha tilts her head cockily, her mouth twitching in a lopsided grin. Rafe heaves through his nose, shutting his eyes as he relaxes. He opens them, his icy blue eyes cold. Reluctantly, he lets go, releasing Marty from his hold.

She stumbles back, spitting out the excess blood on the marble flooring. JJ quickly rushes over, coming to her aid. "Shit baby," he holds her head up, his hands on each side of her face, his eyes softening at her tears. "Let's get you cleaned up."

"No," she gulps, placing her hands on top of his, "I wanna see this." She lowers his hands, nodding over to Rafe getting pushed against the wall. The couple watches as Deputy Shoupe recites his Miranda Rights as he forcefully handcuffs Rafe's wrists together.

"Let's go," Shoupe says, pulling Rafe back off the locker and out towards the exit.

Rafe scoffs, shaking his head in disbelief as he's escorted out of the locker room and into the main party.

JJ turns to Martha, his face absolutely flabbergasted. "You knew they were comin'?"

Marty nods, walking to an available sink and checking out her bloody face. "Uh uh," she grabs some napkins, wetting them quickly and wiping off the dried blood. "Come on," she rushes back around the corner, with a clean face and some napkins jumbled up in her right nostril. She grabs JJ's hand, pulling him outside and onto the deck, "I don't want to miss Ward's face."

Weaving in and out of people. Voices and commotion run rampant. Their hands never leave each other.

"What's going on?"
"Why's the police here?"
"Oh my God, way to ruin Ward's night."
"Shit, Rafe's in handcuffs."
"This looks serious."
"What did he do now?"

A crowd is already formed as the couple breaches the main foyer. "Excuse me," Marty says, pardoning her and JJ as they stop right before the grass. Her parents to the left of her, Kiara and Pope to the right of JJ.

Her mom smiles softly at her, her face falling slightly at her daughter's bloody nose. "I can't believe you agreed to this plan."

Martha shrugs, quickly leaning on her mom's arm for a short-lived side-hug. "It worked, didn't it?"

Her father chuckles at her nonchalance, "I don't think it's that successful, considering you got a bloody nose." He turns his head, his arms crossing over his chest as he regrets agreeing to the stupid plan in the first place.

"I might've gone a little overboard," she pinches the air, "with the distraction part." She sniffles, her left hand flying to push the napkin higher into her nose. "To be fair, they were a little late."

"Wait, Martha," she feels her hand being pulled. She turns, finding JJ hurt and stressed, she's never seen him this way before. The only close thing was last night when he confessed to her how fearful he was when he wasn't there to protect her. "You planned this? Why, why didn't you tell me? I could've helped, I thought"—

—"I know, J," she finishes his thought, smiling at him gratefully. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I wanted to, but Susan, I mean, Peterkin, forbade me from telling you," she whispers, leaning upon her heels and kissing him on the cheek. "The only ones who knew were Peterkin, Shoupe, my parents, and Sarah."

As she pulls away, he grabs her waist, pulling her into a deep and warm hug, not caring about the rare outburst of public affection in front of the Island club members. "I... " he treads his words, thinking of what to say next. I'm so proud of you. I'm always here for you. I was about to kill for you. I thought I lost you again. I never loved someone until I met you. I love you?

"...I will always be by your side," he finishes, whispering it into her neck, his hands gripping her waist so hard that she could barely breathe. But she didn't complain, there are worse ways to die.

"Susan!" Ward yells, his anger coming out in full force, startling the young couple. JJ and Marty break away as her parents quietly step in front of them. Their protective stances shielding the innocent from the wrath of Ward Cameron. "What the hell is this?! What he do?!"

He pulls away from a smirking Sarah and marches straight for the Sheriff, who stands her ground. He turned his head towards his son, who was surprisingly quiet as Rafe was pushed into the back of the cop car. "What's going on?"

"Please, calm down, Mr. Cameron," Susan states, raising her hand as she tries to control the situation. "Would you like me to say the charges here or back at the station?"

"Charges?! On account of what for? Do you even have an arrest warrant?" He yells again, his face becoming red as he practically spits in her face. Sheriff Peterkin doesn't bat an eye.

Rose Cameron quickly rushes over, pushing him back off the Sheriff, and gladly accepted to go to the police station. She's always been good with keeping their reputation intact, and right now, with about a hundred pairs of eyes, she feels the stability of their status crumbling.

"Sarah, watch over Wheezie, your father and I will be right back," Rose says, walking with Sheriff Peterkin and her husband towards an available police SUV.

"Sure, whatever," Sarah agrees, rolling her eyes, before strolling past everyone and making her way to Martha. Her plan actually did not fail. Never doubt Martha Holland.

The crowd soon disparts, once the crowned Knight of Robertshaw leaves, the party is practically over. They were there celebrating him.

"You okay?" Sarah asks Martha, her grin never dropping.

"I'm great, thanks to you," Marty nods, taking her hand and squeezing it.

"No problem," she shrugs it off. "Wasn't that hard, I am his favorite," she states smugly.