“I don’t make a habit of repeatin’ myself. It’s best he’s here when I say my piece to y’all.”
“Emma, go fetch your dad,” the woman orders.
“No,” Emma says and she tightens her grip on my hand. “I’m not leaving Aiden’s side.”
“Is that so?” her mom sneers. “Seems you’ve forgotten your manners while shacking up with this man.”
I shake my head, and I let out an aggravated chuckle. This woman has some nerve, doing this in front of me.
“You don’t want to go there with me,” I warn her. “I don’t care if you’re a woman. I swear, if you disrespect or threaten Emma one more time, I’m gonna lose my shit, and my mama taught me better than that. Now, get your fuckin’ husband.”
Lucky for her the fucker comes around the corner. My first impression of Emma’s father is that he looks like a weak rat. His entire posture is hunched in. This man doesn’t have a backbone to speak of.
“I don’t really care what y’all’s names are,” I start. I take a deep, calming breath as I glare at Emma’s mother. “If you were a man, I’d beat the shit out of you. You can be so fuckin’ glad you didn’t abuse Emma in my backyard. You’d be rottin’ behind bars.”
I take a step towards her dad, and he cowers backward.
“You’re a fuckin’ coward that’s a disgrace to your force. I’m reportin’ you first thing I can because you shouldn’t be trusted with people’s lives. You can’t even protect your own daughter against your insane as fuck wife.”
Emma’s mother lets out a disgruntled snort while the father appears to have enough self-preservation to at least look scared.
“Don’t come after Emma. Don’t phone her. Don’t fuckin’ contact her in any way. If you so much as step foot on U.S. soil, I will fuckin’ end you.” I lock eyes with Emma’s mother. “You don’t want to see what I’ll do to y’all in my country.”
“Don’t you threaten me in my own house,” her mother hisses as she stands up.
“Lady, that wasn’t a threat. It’s a fuckin’ promise,” I growl, matching her step for step as she comes toward me.
When we’re in touching distance from each other, she looks up at me with contempt.
“I should give you the beating your mother obviously never did,” she snarls, and it makes fumes of her wine-drenched breath waft in my face.
Clenching my jaw, I take another step closer, putting my chest right in her face. Fuck, I’ve never wanted to hurt someone as badly as I do this woman.
“Try,” I growl. “I fuckin’ dare you.”
“Lovey,” Emma’s dad almost whimpers, his voice trembling with fear as he leans forward, and taking hold of his wife’s elbow he tries to pull her away from me. He looks like he’s about to piss his pants while his eyes stay glued to me.
She yanks her arm free from him, her hate-filled eyes never leaving mine.
Taking a step forward, Emma takes hold of my hand, and says, “I have something to say.” It’s the first time I’ve heard her voice so tense with anger.
Emma’s mother glares at her, her eyes take on a beady look.
Emma’s dad quickly moves forward. “Calm down, lovey,” he whispers to his wife.
“Don’t tell me what to do! This is my house, and here my word is law. Emma is my daughter, and he’s not going to poison her against me,” she shrieks at him.
Pointing a shaking finger at Emma, she sneers, “Are you going to let him talk that way to me?”
Instead of answering the question, Emma asks, “Why? Just tell me why you abused me. What did I do to make you hate me so much?”
Her mother lets out a bitter bark of laughter. “I never abused you. Don’t be so dramatic.”
I fist my hands so I won’t do something I’ll regret.
“You’ve always been so temperamental. You wouldn’t even let me breastfeed you as a baby.”
My mouth drops open at the pathetic reason she gives Emma for all the hell she caused her.
“And that justified you hurting me?” Emma asks, sounding as dumbfounded as I feel.
“You look like your good-for-nothing father. From the moment you were born, I no longer existed. He only had time for his precious little girl. I thank God every day that Byron takes after me, but you’re a constant reminder of how I had to compete with my own daughter for the love of my husband. ”
Confused I glance between Emma and her mother, because she looks nothing like her pathetic father.
“I was a baby!” Emma cries. “I can’t even remember him.”
Fuck, now I’m really not following who they’re talking about.
Emma continues, “Where’s my father now?”
“Oh, he died not long after I took you and left. He drove off Van Reenen’s pass during a breakfast run with his motorbike club.”
“This man isn’t even your father?” I ask as I point to the sack of shit hiding behind Emma’s mother. Now it all makes sense.
“No, he’s my stepfather,” Emma says, looking exhausted from the confrontation.
There’s nothing more I have to say to these people. I tug at Emma’s hand to get her attention. “Let’s go, Em. You can’t reason with insanity.”
“Wait,” she whispers. There’s no emotion on her face as she looks at her mother. “I don’t want to hate you, because it means I will have to think of you, and I never want to think of you again. I’m going to forget you. You’re an unhappy, old woman and that’s really just sad. Wallow in your bitterness, and when you think of me just remember that I am nothing like you.”
“We’re done here,” I say as her mother sucks in an offended breath.
As I pull Emma toward the hallway so we can get out of this hellish house, her mother grabs hold of her arm.
Emma twists around, yanking free from her mother’s hold, and with a heaving chest, she practically growls, “Don’t touch me.”
“I’m your mother! I own you,” the woman shrieks, her voice shrill with anger.
“You’re not my mother. You’ve done nothing to deserve that title,” Emma snaps, then she turns her back on them and pulls me down the hallway.
Stepping outside, I’m so fucking proud of my girl.
CHAPTER 38
EMMA
I slide in behind the steering wheel as Aiden climbs in the passenger seat. Leaning over the handbrake, I bring my hands to his jaw and crush my mouth to his.
There are so many emotions whirling inside of me. Pride, triumph, confidence, and a certainty that I can face my fears and beat them.
And there is immense admiration and gratitude for Aiden.
The man who taught me the meaning of love.
It’s not just a four letter word. Love strikes like lightning, unexpected and undeniable. It doesn’t come with demands or conditions. Love doesn’t break you down, but instead, lifts you up, making you stronger, because you’ve finally found someone to believe in.
I try to convey all of this in a single kiss, and as I pull back, and I see the same feelings on his face, I whisper, “You’re my everything.”
Wanting to be alone with Aiden, I’ve brought us to a secluded spot which overlooks the ocean.
Unsure of what will happen next, I turn in my seat, and ask, “How long are you staying for?”
“Come here,” he says, instead of answering my question.
Climbing over to his side of the car, I straddle him, resting my hands against his chest.
My eyes search his for answers, as he places his hands on my sides.
He pulls me closer, until I’m flush with his chest, then says, “I only have a few days before I have to get back to work.”
I knew he couldn’t stay long, but it still hurts to hear.
“Come back with me, Emma,” he says, his eyes pleading with me.
“I wish I could,” I whisper as I press my face into the crook of his neck to hide my heartache from him.
“Give me a reason why you can’t,” he says, as he tilts his head forwa
rd, pressing a kiss to my neck.
“I can’t afford it. I don’t have a visa. I have to find work so I can take care of myself,” I list the main reasons.
“Those are all problems I can take care of,” he argues.
Lifting my head, I let out a hopeless sigh. “Even if we get a visa, I can’t let you pay for the plane ticket. It costs a fortune. And what will I do in Lyman? To apply for a work permit, I need a job.”
“Emma,” he says earnestly as he frames my face, “stop thinkin’ about the financial aspect.” Looking deep into my eyes, he declares, “I love you. Forget about all the reasons why we can’t be together and focus on why we deserve a future with each other. I want to marry you. I’ve already applied for a marriage license.”
My lips part with surprise when the words leave his mouth.
“You really want to marry me?” I ask, a hopeful smile wavering around my lips.
“This is not how I wanted to propose to you,” he says, the corner of his mouth tipping up into that sexy smile I love so much. “Will you marry me, Em? Will you become my wife, and allow me to provide for you, to protect you, to cherish you?”
“I want to say yes with my whole heart, but I have nothing to offer you in return,” I admit my fear to him.
“Emma, I just want you. I want you to give me mornings where I can wake up with you in my arms. I want you to give me nights, where I can lose myself in your body. I need to know I’ll be comin’ home to you after dealing with the worst of the world.”
I press a kiss to his parted lips, savoring his words as my heart almost bursts with happiness. “Yes, Aiden,” I whisper against his mouth.
Meeting his eyes again, I quickly add, “Though, I’m not sure I’ll get used to you providing for everything. I still want to work.”
“I’m fine with that but until you find something, let me take care of you,” he says.
“Okay,” I whisper as I inch closer for another kiss.
Aiden pulls back before I can seal my mouth to his. “So you’ll come home with me?”
I nod, a happy smile pulling at my lips. “You’re my home, Aiden. Wherever you go, I’ll follow.”
“Thank fuck, I was about to kidnap you.”
My burst of laughter is smothered as Aiden pulls me into his body, showing me just how thankful he is.
CHAPTER 39
AIDEN
I know it’s only five A.M. back home, but I phone Zac while Emma’s helping Chloe make something for lunch.
He answers after a few rings. “Mornin’, how are things that side?”
“Hey, Zac. It got ugly. Damn that mother of hers is a real piece of work.”
“Where y’all at now?” he asks.
“We’re at Chloe’s. I have to find out where the embassy is so we can get Emma’s visa sorted.” That’s the only thing I need to worry about right now.
“So, I was thinkin’,” he says. “We have to request Emma to appear as a witness. They have to let her come because she’s part of an on-goin' investigation.”
Everything else fades away but Zac, and what he’s telling me.
“Are you tellin’ me to fuckin’ bring her in?” I ask, making sure I heard him right.
“Do you have a better idea, Aiden?”
No, I don’t. I don’t have one that will get her into the U.S. tomorrow. Everything else will take time.
“No,” I snap, feeling cornered.
“I’ll get Jake on it first thing. We’ll subpoena Emma as a material witness. I’ll email it to you as soon as I have it. I should get it this afternoon. You can get her back here with it. Just keep that in mind,” he says.
“Okay. Talk to you later.”
Not mentioning my talk with Zac to Emma, I wait until the subpoena comes through just after four.
I walk to where Emma’s packing dishes away in the kitchen. “Em, can we take a walk?” I ask.
“Sure.” She places the last cup in the cupboard. “Let me just tell Chloe.”
Once we’re walking down the beach, I say, “I have a way to get you home.”
I wait, and she doesn’t say anything, her smile doesn’t waver.
“I’m going to subpoena you as a witness to testify against Colton and Katia. That way, they have to let you back into the U.S. I didn’t want to. The other girls’ testimonies were enough to put them away, but this is the only way to get you back on U.S. soil.”
“Okay,” she says. Just like that with no argument. “Can I ask a favor, Aiden?”
“Anythin’,” I say quickly. I’m waiting for the outburst. This means Emma will have to face Colton and Katia in court, and that she’ll have to testify. Maybe she doesn’t understand.
“Can I see my gran before I go?”
“Of course.”
It’s surprising how fast things get sorted out when the law gets involved. I can take Emma home. Finally.
It’s all I can think about as we’re driving to her gran’s place. We pull up to a quaint retirement village, and I have to admit that I feel apprehensive about meeting the woman who raised Emma’s mother.
A petite grey-haired woman with a kind face opens the front door. She looks nothing like I expected.
“I heard what happened, dear,” her gran says, and Emma goes straight into her arms. They hold each other. “She’s just stubborn, that one. She’ll come around, you’ll see.”
“She can come around all she wants, Gran. I’m finished with her.” I can hear the finality in Emma’s voice. Then her face lights up again. “I want to introduce you!” She turns to me and holds out her hand. I take a step closer.
This is very different from what went down at her folks' house.
“This is my Aiden.”
My heart fucking melts. Her Aiden.
“So this is the young fellow.” Her gran’s sharp eyes give me a once over. “Even better looking in person.” She winks at me. “Give me a hug.”
“Pleasure to meet you,” I say as I lean in to hug Emma’s gran. I can see who Emma really takes after. They have the same green eyes.
We go inside, and things get emotional when Emma sits down next to her gran.
“I’m leaving, Gran,” Emma whispers as if she’s trying to soften the blow.
“It’s all good, Emma-dear. My time is almost up, and then you would’ve been alone with that old hag of a daughter of mine. But now I can rest in peace knowing that you’ll be taken care of.”
Her gran looks at me. “You will take good care of my granddaughter, won’t you?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
A sad look crosses her features, “Do a better job than I have.”
“Why didn’t you help Emma? Why did you allow your daughter to abuse her?” I ask, needing to know the answer.
“Abuse breeds abuse,” she murmurs as her eyes glaze over with memories. “My husband wasn’t a kind man. He liked the bottle too much. By the time he passed away… I guess it all became a way of life. I tried to give Emma all the love I knew she wasn’t getting at home.”
She lifts her life-weary eyes to Emma. “I’m sorry I failed you.”
Emma hugs her gran, whispering, “I forgive you.”
When the emotion passes between them, her gran points to a cabinet. “Look in that box there, dear.”
Emma gets the box her gran points to. It’s decorated with butterflies and one big dragonfly. She handles it with care. Her gran opens it with old, shaking hands, and takes a book from it.
“I want you to have this while it’s still mine to give to you. It’s my most precious possession.” She hands it to Emma who has a look of awe on her face. She caresses the book.
“It’s your bible,” Emma whispers.
“My first one. It gave me the strength to get through this life. Soon, I’ll be up there watching over you.”
“I’m not saying goodbye,” Emma chokes.
I start taking deep breaths as my eyes tear up. This is way too emotional for any man to handle.
“Of
course not. It’s never goodbye for us. I’ll see you again.”
Dammit. I watch them hold each other. Emma needed this moment with her gran, and I’m glad I could give it to her.
CHAPTER 40
EMMA
The flight back to Lyman was much better with Aiden than flying alone even though we slept a lot.
I’ve just unpacked my clothes in the main bedroom and sitting on the bed, I stare at everything around me.
This is my new home… our home.
The thought settles warmly in my heart.
Even though Aiden asked me to marry him, I’m not sure if it will happen. He hasn’t said anything more on the topic, and I don’t want to push him. Especially not with the trial looming over our heads.
I have no idea how I’m going to face Katia and Colton. I’ll have to tell Aiden what really happened that week because a courtroom is the last place I want him to hear about it.
Aiden comes into the room, and a broad smile spreads across his face. He places his hands on the bed, caging me in.
“You look so good in my room,” he says as he leans in to kiss me.
I wrap my arms around his neck, pulling him down on top of me.
I’ll tell him tomorrow. Right now I just want to be with him.
CHAPTER 41
AIDEN
Walking into a home where the woman you love is cooking for you while shaking her sexy ass to a tune she’s humming, is a fucking amazing feeling.
I stand and watch her stir something before she switches off the stove, and I can’t help but grin like a dumbass. I should go lock my gun and badge away before she sees them, but I want to look at her just a little longer. It’s been a month since she moved in and the sight of her in my home never gets old.
Our home.
She wipes down the counter and turns slightly. The look is priceless. She’s smiling, a content look on her beautiful face.
“Hey, you,” I say, and her face lights up even more when she sees me.
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