“I’ve hurt a lot of people,” Evie breathed out sadly. “I’ve been selfish before, and I’ve burned a lot of bridges.”
“You can’t even be in the same atmosphere of trouble I’ve caused. You can’t imagine.” Emmitt shook his head adamantly.
“Then tell me,” Evie begged, running a hand over his cheek. “If you want to convince me I shouldn’t bother with you then make your case.”
“I’m not trying to chase you off. I meant what I said and not just because I was staring at your magnificent body. If I’m ever going to be a good guy, I feel like it could be with you. Plus, making a case about anything while you’re naked is difficult.”
“Then hold me, and let’s go to sleep,” she said, kissing his chest again as she snuggled close to him. “Or tell me why you’re so awful. Because I don’t see it.”
“When I was a kid I was pissed, every day really pissed, and my mother suffered for that. My brother and sister did too. I couldn’t be controlled, and I couldn’t be contained. I made their lives hell.”
“You don’t talk much about your sister; is she here in Boston?”
“She is. Harlan has had a rough go of things. I bailed on her when I enlisted. Then shit went downhill quickly for her. She had a deadbeat boyfriend who became her deadbeat husband, then a deadbeat dad to her kids, and now a deadbeat ex-husband.”
“You forced them to get married?”
“No,” Emmitt sighed as though she were missing the point, “but I wasn’t there to protect her.”
“You can’t run people’s lives for them. You can’t save them from their choices. I’m not convinced. Give me some more.”
“My mother,” he said, shaking his head. “I shot her nerves. I was arrested seven times before I was sixteen years old. I made a million promises and broke them all. The only thing I did with any sort of consistency was let her down. Worse than that, I never had a good reason when she asked why. I just felt like it.”
“You were a kid. An angry kid who made some bad choices. It happens all the time. Like I said, I’ve hurt people too. I’m still not convinced.” She traced a finger over the muscles of his chest and flashed him a small smile. “Try again.”
“I’ve tricked women into sleeping with me by telling them what they want to hear. I play games. I change my number. I go off the radar. I break up over text. I lie.” He was staring at the ceiling now, not able to look back down at her angelic face. “I like when my job puts me in a position to fight. Going a couple rounds with some prick who deserves to get knocked around is basically why I get up in the morning. If I go too long without hitting something, dodging a bullet or outrunning some danger, I start to get fucked up. I fight. I explode. I destroy.”
“You fought for your country,” Evie offered. “You’re doing all this for your brother. What’s the last thing you did for your sister or your mother?”
“I tossed my sister’s asshole ex out her front door when he came to pick up the kids drunk. My mom, I haven’t done much for. I just try to show up when she’s not well and stay out of her way when she is.”
“You said she has kids, your sister. Are you a good uncle?”
“No,” he laughed, “I’m the worst. I give them chocolate right before bed. I buy them drums and swear in front of them. I wake them up just because I want to see them. It drives my sister crazy.”
“But they run to you when they see you coming?”
Emmitt laughed. “Every time.”
“I’m sorry but I’m still not convinced. I hear a couple bad habits but deep down—”
“Okay, Evie,” Emmitt said, kissing the top of her head. “I’ll let you think what you want but don’t say you weren’t warned.”
“You’re a better guy than you think, Emmitt. You have to start believing that. And until you do, I’ll believe it for you.”
He let out a long sigh, wondering where Evie would be, what she’d be doing when she stopped believing.
Chapter 15
Evie slid her hand across the cold sheet and realized too late why it was not warm. Emmitt wasn’t in the bed anymore. The curtains were pulled closed, which meant it could be the middle of the night or the middle of the day and her tired eyes wouldn’t be able to tell.
“Emmitt?” she whispered into the darkness.
“I’m here,” he said, sounding caught. “Something came up. I’ve got to go. You can sleep in.”
“Emmitt,” she said, wiping the sleep out of her eyes. “If you’re just trying to hit the eject button on this don’t bother. I can leave.” Evie rolled off the side of the bed and covered her naked body with the sheet.
“Something really did come up,” he insisted, pushing his hand over the top of his nearly shaved head as though it was pounding.
“Take me with you,” she said coolly as though his answer wasn’t as important as it was. “If it’s work maybe I can help.”
“It’s not work,” he said, lacing up his black boots and slinging a backpack over his shoulder.
“Okay,” she said with an unsatisfied nod as she began to mentally formulate her plan. She’d wait until he was gone and then get dressed. He didn’t deserve even another passing glance at her bare skin.
“You could come,” he said clearing his throat uncomfortably. “It’s personal. Not work, but if you wanted to come for the ride you could.”
“Yeah,” she said, furrowing her brows as though it needed consideration. “I could, I guess, if you want me to.” She’d tossed him a softball; all he needed was to say yes. Yes, I want you to come.
“We’ll leave in ten,” he said, checking his watch.
She contemplated asking how she was supposed to get showered, long hair dried, and dressed in ten minutes. But the invitation felt like the closing door in an action movie. You had to just shut up and slide underneath it before you lost your shot. So she did. Dirty hair and wrinkled clothes, she hopped in the car.
“You seem frustrated,” Evie chirped as they sped down the dark road toward the rising sun.
“I turned the volume down on my phone. I didn’t want to be interrupted. I never do that.”
“And you missed a call?” she asked, squirming in the passenger seat of the rental car. It had been parked in the hotel garage with no intention of being used since he seemed to prefer cabs and limos but apparently this morning was the reason he kept it around.
“My sister,” he grunted reluctantly. “I won’t be long, but I need to deal with something at her house.”
“And I should wait in the car?” Evie asked, letting her voice do most of the talking. She didn’t hop in this car before the sun came up with no time to get ready just to be told to wait there.
“You can come in, but it’s not a friendly social visit. We won’t be staying long.”
“All right,” she sighed, wanting to probe further but realizing it wouldn’t likely get her very far. As they pulled off the highway and started down some residential roads she could feel Emmitt buzzing with adrenaline. His fingers tightened down on the steering wheel and his teeth ground together. “What’s her name again?” Evie asked.
“Harlan,” he said as he cursed the red light that seemed to refuse to change to green. “We’re here,” he announced suddenly, pointing across the intersection to a small white cottage covered in ivy.
“That’s a really cute house,” Evie said, attempting to sound positive. It was cute, but small and unkempt.
“My mother comes from a wealthy family and this used to be the staff quarters many years ago. A lot of the land was bought up around it but we still own the house. When my sister got divorced from that moron she wanted someplace to regroup. Something simple. Our family is worth over a billion dollars, and my sister is crammed into this hundred-year-old shack.”
“Did he come back?” Evie asked, wondering if Harlan had been hurt and if Emmitt was about to go crazy on her ex.
His face changed suddenly and then leveled off again. “Not the he you’d think but someth
ing just as bad.” He slammed the car into park and swung the door open. She wasn’t concerned that he hadn’t come around to open hers. Clearly something big was happening here.
He pounded on the old wooden front door a couple times until a light flicked on. “What the hell, Emmitt?” a tall dark-haired woman with familiar eyes stumbled out the front door and closed it behind her. “The girls are sleeping. What the hell are you doing here?”
Evie watched as Harlan shoved at Emmitt’s chest not even moving him an inch.
“I got your text message.”
“And?” she asked, still not seeming to notice Evie.
“How much money did you give him?”
“None,” she said slow and drawn out, but still defiant. “He didn’t ask for money. My text message wasn’t a flare I sent up for help. I was just letting you know Dad came by.”
The picture was becoming clearer now. Evie had heard bits and pieces of information about Emmitt’s father, and none of them were nice. She knew he skipped out on the family when the kids were still young.
“Are you inviting us in?” Emmitt asked, looking down at his sister with a softer stare.
“It’s not even six in the morning,” she huffed, “and who is this?” The skepticism in her voice reminded Evie instantly of Emmitt. It’s exactly how he’d have asked the question too.
“I’m Evie,” she said, extending her hand and smiling. Harlan hesitated but finally greeted her with a brief and unwelcoming shake.
“Did you not have time to drop her off after your booty call?” Harlan asked, still blocking their path into the house.
Evie opened her mouth to protest but Emmitt was already speaking. “She’s not a booty call. Don’t be a jerk.”
“Excuse me for using past experiences to try to figure out who you brought to my door this morning. It doesn’t help that the two of you look like you just rolled out of bed. The same bed.”
“Emmitt was worried when he read your text,” Evie said, trying to both explain and shoot a little barb at the same time.
“Are you letting us in?” Emmitt asked again.
“I don’t want or need a lecture right now, Emmitt. I don’t hate Dad the same way you and Mathew do.”
“You were too young to see all the reasons you should hate him and to know better than to let him in when he comes to visit.”
“I remember all the things you did to hurt this family, and I still love you. People can change. He had a ninety-day chip from Gamblers Anonymous. He promised himself he wouldn’t come see me until he had it. He wanted to see the kids.”
“You can buy those chips on line. Did you let him see the kids?”
Harlan bit at her lip and dropped her eyes down. “They were already sleeping. I told him some other time.”
“How much money did he ask for?”
“None,” she said, staring him down again. “I wouldn’t give him any money, and he knew better than to ask for it.”
“Of course he does. You don’t just waltz up to your daughter after being gone for ten years and ask for money. You do that the second or third time you see her. And if she says no, you just steal something and hope she doesn’t notice right away.”
“I love how stupid you think I am. I can handle myself.”
“You’ve been doing such a great job lately.” Emmitt gestured to the house as though its crooked shutters and chipped paint were perfect examples. “If you’d have listened to me about that dickhead Rylie and dumped him when I told you—” His mouth snapped shut as her hand struck him fast and hard across the cheek.
“If I’d have dumped him when you told me to those two perfect and special little girls upstairs wouldn’t exist. You don’t get to play Monday morning quarterback on my life. I’m where I am right now, and that’s because I need to be here. You, on the other hand, need to leave.”
“I’m trying to help,” Emmitt said, bringing his hand up to his cheek. “If he comes back, tell him to leave. If he really is interested in having some kind of relationship with us, he can start with me.”
“You’ll never let him back into your life. He won’t get more than a five-minute conversation with you.”
“Exactly,” Emmitt said, spinning and grabbing Evie’s hand as he left. “Kiss the girls for me. Tell them I’ll see them soon.”
“Right, until you get busy again or take off. And when you do come back don’t you dare bring them another musical instrument. I’ll do more than slap you.”
“I won’t,” Emmitt said, turning halfway around as he headed for the car. “I’m just thinking about an amp for that guitar I got them for Easter.”
“Murder,” Harlan called out. “I will murder you.”
“Harlan,” he said, his hand on the car door now, “just be careful with Dad. He hasn’t changed. Keep your guard up.”
She gave him an annoyed wave goodbye and headed back into her house. Evie sank into the passenger seat, suddenly feeling like she didn’t belong. It took all her willpower not to chime in, to offer her opinion on something that was so clearly not her business.
“Hungry?” Emmitt asked, checking his watch as he backed out of the driveway. “There’s a diner not far from here. We can get a bite to eat then I’ll drop you off at the hotel.”
“Where will you go after you drop me? More work to do for the Barringtons? I could help you maybe.” Seeing these different facets of Emmitt’s life didn’t make her want to bolt. It was the opposite. The deeper she got, the harder she wanted to hold on.
“I’ll be taking a couple days off from that,” Emmitt said, staring intently at the road ahead of him, looking careful not to elaborate.
“Are you going to find your dad?” Evie asked, trying and failing to not let her opinion come through.
“He hasn’t changed,” Emmitt said flatly. “If he’s coming around after all this time, it’s because he’s desperate. He knows Harlan is the weak link. Mathew and I would toss him out on his ass in a heartbeat. But she’s sentimental and fresh out of the divorce. She’s worried her daughters won’t have enough family around. He’s going to prey on her. I have to find him first.”
“Or he’s been clean for ninety days like she said and misses his family. Maybe he really wants to meet his grandkids,” Evie said since it seemed like Emmitt wasn’t even considering that. Why couldn’t his father changing be an option?
“Don’t,” he ordered, slamming one hand on the steering wheel. “You don’t know anything about him. You can’t imagine what he did to my mother and now what he probably plans to do to Harlan. She’s been through hell, and I’m not letting anything else happen to her. I know nothing ever goes wrong on that placid little farm you’re from, but this is the real world and shit is messy.”
“She just told you to stay out of it,” Evie reminded him boldly.
“I’m telling you to stay out of this, and you aren’t listening, so I guess we have that in common. I’m calling Mathew.” Emmitt clicked a few buttons on his steering wheel and connected the call.
“It’s early,” Mathew said, and Evie recognized the worry in his voice.
“Did I wake you?” Emmitt asked, not actually sounding like he cared.
“No. I’m already in the office. You don’t normally see this side of the morning. Should I assume you’re on some kind of a bender and haven’t gone to bed yet?”
“Assume whatever you want. But while you’re busy giving me shit your father is busy trying to scam your sister.”
“What?” Mathew asked, and Evie could tell the worry in Mathew’s voice was very real. “He went to see Harlan?”
“Last night,” Emmitt confirmed. “I lost track of him about eight months ago. I try to keep tabs when I can but he just vanished. He was in Vegas back then and still gambling and losing.”
“How much did she give him?” Mathew asked, drawing in a deep breath.
“She said he didn’t ask for money.”
“Of course he wouldn’t. Not on his first visit.” Math
ew was confirming the same instincts Emmitt had and it was making Evie think maybe she wasn’t taking this serious enough. “What did Harlan tell him?”
“That he could come back and visit the kids another day. They were sleeping.”
“No.” Mathew was talking through gritted teeth. “Not a chance. You need to find him and tell him this is not happening. If he gets in with Harlan, it’ll be Mom next. You know what you have to do.”
“Yes,” Emmitt asserted. “But it’ll take me off of this work for the Barringtons for a few days while I sort it out. I know you’re waiting on me—”
“No,” Mathew cut in. “Take care of this first. Harlan has this idealized vision of who Dad is or who he could be. He can’t get another chance to come see her. Do whatever you have to do, but get rid of him. If he’s here for money give him some.”
“Of course he’s here for money. But I’m not giving him shit. It sets a bad precedence. Every time he needs some, he’ll use Harlan to get me to pay.”
“Your other option is to beat the shit out of him, and if you do that you’ll get put away and not be able to do what I need you to with the Barringtons. Get rid of him the easiest way possible, and we’ll deal with a long-term solution later.”
“I’ll get rid of him,” Emmitt reluctantly agreed. “But if he pushes me, gives me a single reason to knock him out, I will.”
“I’ll make sure I call Evie this morning and tell her to come home. I’m sorry I got involved there. I thought she’d help but you don’t need that right now.”
Evie froze in her seat, afraid to give away she was in the car and could hear the call.
“Uh,” Emmitt said, glancing over at her, “I might be able to use her after all. Don’t call her.”
“What the fuck?” Mathew groaned. “Just yesterday you were bitching at me telling me to get her the fuck out of there. I told Jessica that Evie would be coming back here today. Now I have to tell her you changed your mind again. This isn’t like you. What’s really going on?”
“Nothing,” Emmitt said quickly and Evie watched his thumb hover over the disconnect call button on the steering wheel. “I just need her.”
Crazy Nights (The Barrington Billionaires Book 3) Page 8
