“You’re home!” she squeals. She runs to me, almost bouncing with delight. My heart swells with love, and I catch her, pressing her to me.
“I missed you,” she whispers into my neck.
I hold her tightly, needing to feel her body melt into mine.
“Ow.” The word bursts into my neck and I quickly let go of her. She tries to rub her breast without me seeing, but her eyes are on the side of my chest where the holster is.
Dammit! The gun.
“Ahh… give me a sec.” I jog up the stairs to lock it away. I can kick myself for not doing it first.
Opening the safe, I unclasp the holster and place the gun inside. Taking my badge off, I hear Emma behind me.
I glance over my shoulder as I close the safe.
“Can I see your badge?”
I hand it over to her, thinking that I’ve taken down so many men and women who don’t deserve to be called humans. But here I’m standing in front of the woman I love, and she has the power to take me down.
Her fingers wrap around my badge, and her lashes lower over her eyes as she looks at it.
“Detective Holden,” she says, and all my blood flows south. She steps closer to me and puts the badge back in my hand. It’s a damn miracle I don’t drop it when she leans up to my ear. “Where are your handcuffs?”
“My cuffs?” I ask like an idiot, although I’m already reaching for them behind my back. Holding them up with one finger I ask, “Is this what you’re lookin’ for?”
She gives me a sexy smirk as she takes them from me.
“On the bed,” she demands, and I’ve got to say, I really like where this is heading.
When I sit down on the bed, she flicks her finger towards the headboard. I move back until my back is resting against the pillows.
Emma climbs onto the bed and straddles me, then taking hold of my shirt, she pulls it off.
As Emma tries to figure out how the cuffs work, I suppress my laugh. She finally fastens one around my left wrist then pushes both my hands up to the headboard, where she loops the cuffs behind a bar before cuffing my right wrist.
Emma bites her bottom lip as her eyes sparkle, then scoots down my legs and begins to unbuckle my belt.
When she has me naked and cuffed to the bed, I ask, “You’re enjoyin’ this, aren’t you?”
“Immensely,” she whispers as she pushes her jeans and panties down her legs. Drawing her t-shirt over her head, she quickly unclasps her bra before crawling back up to me.
When her fingers wrap around my cock, my lips part on a harsh breath. My eyes dart down as she positions the head of my cock at her entrance. She sinks down on me drawing a hiss from between my teeth.
Damn, it feels amazing as I take her bare for the first time.
She frames my jaw and crushes her mouth to mine as she starts to swivel her hips, grinding down on my cock.
It’s so fucking hot I can’t keep still. I wrap my hands around the bar and start to thrust my hips up, needing to bury myself deep inside Emma.
Fuck, this is every man’s fantasy, and she’s all mine.
CHAPTER 42
EMMA
Lying in Aiden’s arms, I open my mouth for what must be the tenth time, only to snap it shut again.
The whole day while he was at work I’ve been planning how to tell him about Katia and Colton, but every time I try, nothing comes out.
“You keep doing that? What do you want to tell me?” he asks, as he rolls onto his side so he can look at me.
Taking his hand, I weave our fingers together and hold them against my thundering heart.
“With the trial coming up,” I begin to say, then swallow hard. “I don’t want you to hear what happened to me for the first time in a courtroom.”
Pressing his forehead against mine, he says, “How about I go first and tell you about Laurie?”
I nod, grateful that he’s willing to share something about himself. It will put me more at ease if I’m not the only one talking about my traumatic experience.
“We weren’t even on duty.” He takes a deep breath, and I curl my fingers tighter around his. “We’d just finished our shift and were headin’ home when we stopped at a gas station. Some kids drove by, and they started shootin’ up the gas station sign beside our car,” he whispers, but I can hear his sorrow in every syllable. “One hit me. The scar you saw. Laurie was shot twice.”
He takes a shuddering breath then his lips set in a grim line.
“I tried so fuckin’ hard to stop the bleedin’. Laurie bled out on the scene. Never found the kids, either.”
Frantically, I search my mind to find the right words to say to him to ease his pain, but I have nothing. Instead, I press a kiss to his fingers, then keep my mouth against them as I close my eyes.
“Tell me what happened?” he whispers as he pulls one hand free from mine. He curls his body around me, his hand going into my hair.
I press my forehead against his chest as I whisper,
“I saw a doctor when I got back to South Africa. They did tests which came back clean.” I suck in a deep breath and push through. “Colton held me down. He had his legs locked over mine so I couldn’t close them. That’s how I got the bruises you saw.”
He wraps his arm tighter around me, his hand fisting in my hair.
“Katia cut my clothes off and then she…” my words trail away as the memory makes me shudder with revulsion.
“Did she force herself on you?” Aiden asks, and thankful that I don’t have to say the words, I nod against his chest.
He pulls his other hand free from the death grip I have on it and tucks me entirely under him.
He presses kisses to my shoulder, taking shuddering breaths between each one as his body starts to shake.
“I’m so sorry, Em.” His voice is hoarse with tears, and hearing his pain makes my own fall.
We comfort each other with soft touches and gentle kisses, and I know the worst is over. I’m not scared of facing Katia and Colton because I know there’s nothing they can do to me.
My biggest fear was Aiden rejecting me, but instead, he loved me.
CHAPTER 43
AIDEN
“Did you ever have a boyfriend?” I ask Emma one night while we’re sitting in the den.
She stops reading and glances at me.
“Where did that question come from?” she asks as she closes the book.
“I want to know everythin’ about you, even the little things,” I say as I pull her into my side.
“I had one,” she says, then adds, “When I was twelve.”
I burst out laughing.
“Damn, my girl started young,” I tease her.
“I’ll have you know, he was a real looker.” She pokes me in the chest with a slender finger. “Blue eyes one could drown in. I was madly in love with the boy.”
I take hold of her hand and tug her closer. My eyes drop to her mouth.
“Who taught you to kiss?”
“You’re not going to believe me if I say him, are you?” She wrinkles her nose, and it’s fucking cute.
I shake my head. “Not a chance.”
“My brother’s friend. He was kind enough to teach me how to drive, and he was quite the teacher in the back seat of his car.”
Her shoulders start to jerk as she struggles to keep in her laughter.
“He took it upon himself to teach you quite a bit.”
“He was really kind and considerate,” she bursts out laughing.
“Was he now?” I growl, leaning in.
“Uh-huh.” She’s all smiles as she leans back playfully. I slip my arm around her to keep her from moving.
“Show me,” I whisper.
Her eyes lock with mine. They’re sparkling with fun.
“Show you?”
“Yeah, show me how this kind friend taught you.”
Her eyes dance between my mouth and my eyes. Then she nods, and she starts to lean closer. At first, her lips are feather-soft aga
inst mine. Then I feel her fingers brush against my jaw, tentatively, as if she’s asking permission to touch me.
She pulls away slightly, her breath hot before she nips at my bottom lip, sending a streak of lightning right down to my cock. I force myself to sit still, to let her show me this, but then she presses her mouth to mine as her hands slip into my hair.
And I fall.
I’ll never stop falling.
Her tongue slips slowly over mine, and I groan, wanting more of her. And then she pulls away and smiles as she walks her sexy ass to the stairs leading up to the books.
“You’re gonna read now?” I ask, a little too hoarsely.
She’s not going to read now. No way that’s fucking happening.
“I was thinking about it. Why?”
She is really enjoying this.
“I was thinking something more along the lines of you and me in the bedroom,” I say as I get up.
I stalk towards her, but she darts for the hallway, laughing as she glances over her shoulder.
“But I’m not tired,” she teases.
She looks in front of her to check for the stairs, and I go for her. I throw her over my shoulder, and Emma lets out a shriek of laughter.
Racing up the stairs and into our room, I drop her on the bed and pin her arms above her head with one of my hands.
I brush a hand down her side, and she squeals, squirming to get out from under me. I straddle her to keep her in place and moving my hand upwards, towards her arm, she starts to thrash with wild laughter.
“Nooooo, please!” she gasps.
She tries to twist her hips under me.
“It’s unfair,” she shrieks. “You’re stronger. You’re-” she screams with laughter as I brush my fingers all the way from her breast to her elbow.
“Sorry, my hand slipped,” I tease, “I’m not even ticklin’ you. I haven’t started.”
I start back toward her elbow, and she yells, “Sto-op! I’ll do anything.”
I lie down next to her and pull her hands to my chest where I cover them with one of my own.
“Anythin’?”
“Yes.” She’s nodding, smiling, laughing. It’s perfect.
I brush some of the hair from her face, drinking in her happiness.
“Did you know eagles mate for life?” Her eyes are sparkling from all the laughter.
“Yeah.”
“I want to make you laugh. I want to make you happy,” I say, and she smiles wide.
“You do make me happy.”
I pull the ring from my back pocket and bring it up between us.
“For the rest of your life,” I whisper. “I want you to be my eagle, Em?”
She takes a deep breath and stares at the ring with wide eyes.
I’m just about to start worrying when she practically throws herself at me, and her musical laughter fills the air.
“Yes.” She presses a kiss to my lips then looks at me with so much love, it makes my heart skip a beat. “I’ll be your eagle, Aiden,” she whispers, promising herself to me.
CHAPTER 44
AIDEN
When I pick Emma up for the hearing, she gives me a nervous smile.
“You’re gonna be fine,” I say, taking her hand and kissing her fingers.
“I know. You and Zac will be there. I just want to get this over with.”
When we get to the courthouse, Zac comes toward us.
“Mornin’ Emma. You ready?” Zac smiles at us.
“Yes.” The word is clear, but her smile is stiff. I wish she didn’t have to do this.
“We won’t be able to sit with you because we were the arrestin’ officers,” he says, and it’s the first time I’ve wanted to slap him upside the head.
I forgot about that.
“Okay,” she lets the word out on an anxious breath.
I hold Emma outside the room she has to wait in until they call for her.
“I’ll be right there, Em. You’ll be able to see me throughout it all.” I don’t want to let her go, but the proceedings are going to start soon. “I love you.”
“I love you most,” she says. I kiss her hard, wanting to give her all of my strength.
Walking into the courtroom, I take my place beside Zac.
Waiting for it all to start is excruciating torture. Zac elbows me and tips his head to our left. I glance over my shoulder and see Wyatt and Cole taking a seat in the row behind us. We give each other a chin lift. I haven’t talked to Cole since all this shit went down. He told Wyatt that he needed some space from the family.
Then Emma comes in with some of the other girls, and I hate that I can’t be at her side.
The proceedings start as soon as they line Colton, Katia, and the rest of the clowns up. Then the judge is announced. As Judge Flo Johnston calls the court to order, I suppress a smile. She’s a tough cookie who scowls a lot, but fuck, she’s fair.
We listen to the prosecutor’s opening statement and a summary of the evidence. The first witness is called up. I lean forward, placing my elbows on my knees and I grimace when both the prosecutor and defense attorney practically tear her apart.
When they call for Emma, I straighten in my seat.
She takes the oath and sits down when instructed to. Everything seems okay until the defense attorney circles in on her like a damn wolf.
“Ms. Bowen, please correct me if I’m wrong, but are you not in a relationship with Detective Aiden Holden?”
“I am,” she confirms. I can see where this is going.
“So you knew what you were getting’ yourself into?” he asks again.
It all goes to shit right there.
Thirty minutes later he’s still going at her. When she starts to cry those silent tears of hers, I lean forward, clasping my hands together, so I don’t go flying out of the seat and beat the shit out of the fucker.
The defense attorney is out for blood.
The prosecutor keeps saying words like ‘relevance’, and ‘badgering the witness’ which doesn’t help at all.
Then Emma snaps. “Nothing you say or throw at me makes what they did right! You can stand there and try and make me look like the bad person all you want, but they kidnapped me.” She sucks in a breath. “They held me against my will for a week. For a whole week, that woman,” she points to Katia.
Sucking in a shuddering breath, Emma glares at the defense attorney.
I want to get up and take her away, but the second I move, Zac’s hand comes down hard on my arm.
“She needs to. Don’t,” Zac whispers.
“She...” Emma looks like she’s going to be sick and it’s fucking gutting me.
“Do you need a moment, Miss Bowen?” Judge Flo leans forward, surprising me when she shows compassion.
Emma shakes her head. “No, I need to just get it over with.” Emma takes a few quick breaths and then the words just come. “Colton held me down while Katia sexually assaulted me.”
It feels as if my heart is breaking all over again. I want Emma down from there. I don’t want everyone to hear this.
“By sexual assault, you mean what exactly, Ms. Bowen?” The defense attorney asks.
Emma looks at Katia and Colton and as the seconds tick by, I grow tenser.
“She used a replacement for an erection,” her voice has lost all emotion.
The blood drains from my face, and I feel Zac grab hold of my shoulder. Whether it’s to keep me still or to offer support, I don’t know.
“Katia inserted it into herself and me and proceeded to assault me.”
“Was that all Katia Peres did?” The defense attorney asks.
Emma locks eyes with the attorney. “A woman who had no right to touch me, bit me until my skin broke. A woman who I never gave any encouragement to, had sex with me. If you mean whether that’s all, then yes.”
The second they excuse her, she walks right out of the courtroom. Ignoring Zac as he grabs for me, I run after Emma.
Halfway down the hallway, I
grab hold of her arm and yank her to my chest. I wrap my arms around her and tucking her head under my chin, I drop kisses to her hair.
“I’m s-sorry.” She struggles to catch her breath through the tears as sobs jerk her small frame.
“I’m the one who’s sorry, Em.” I hold her for a while, apologizing again while I caress her back.
Leaning down, I catch her eyes. “I have to go back in.”
“Can I wait here?” She sounds so small.
I give her the car keys. “Sure. My phone’s on silent, but call me if you need me. I’ll check it every few minutes.”
“I’ll be fine. Go and work.” She stands on her toes, pressing a quick kiss to my mouth before she heads to the car.
Judge Flo scowls at me when I walk back into the courtroom.
Cole and Lily get their chance, and it’s just as bad as when Emma was up. My heart can’t stand any more of this.
It drags out forever before they call it a day.
I catch Cole outside the courtroom.
“Cole, wait up.” He doesn’t let go of Lily’s hand but instead pulls her close to his side. This is going to suck. “Hi, Lily. I’m Aiden Holden. I’m sorry for your loss,” I say before I turn my attention to my cousin. “I am really sorry. It wasn’t meant to go down that way.”
Cole’s jaw clenches tightly, and he looks down at Lily.
“I get it. I would’ve gone in for Lily, too. Wyatt said you didn’t know about her. He explained the whole thing about Emma being taken as well. We heard what happened to her. You heard what happened to us. Shit happens.” His arm slips down from Lily’s shoulder, and he links his fingers with hers.
Lily hasn’t responded to me at all. She looks absolutely devastated.
“But I’m going to need some time,” Cole continues. “I only came here because I had to. I’m not ready to do the whole family thing yet. Lily’s my priority right now.”
I don’t hesitate in my reply, “Sure. Take all the time you need.”
I watch them walk away, hating that this case has hurt my relationship with my cousin. I know with time we’ll get back to how it once was between us, but for now, it sucks.
The Ocean Between Us (A Southern Heroes Novel Book 1) Page 21
