One by one they all reached for Torch, welcoming him to his new home.
◆◆◆
Fire.
Emily stood outside, completely naked. Ash circled her with hungry eyes as he added more debris to the fire burning high into the midnight sky.
“Are you cold?,” He asked menacingly.
Emily nodded, her dark eyes clenching closed as more water dripped from her eyelashes. Not tears- water.
From the hose he held in one hand, still spewing water all over the dirt. It coated her toes, wet and grainy, until she couldn’t see the bright red polish on them anymore.
He blasted her with the hose again and she cried out from the pressure of the water against her sore skin, tainted black and blue from Ash’s hands.
“Don’t be so weak, Emily. Take another step closer to the flames.”
She immediately did as she was told, her feet making slick sounds in the mud.
“One step! No more!”
His demand was followed by the loud smacking sound of wood against wood as he tossed another log into the fire.
It bit at the air around her, teasing her, giving her just a taste of the warmth she craved so readily.
Emily wanted to defy him and step even closer to the fire, but she knew that he wouldn’t let her get away with that. He would make sure she paid for it.
“Are you going to tell me no ever again?,” He asked.
Emily shook her head, water splashing down her bowed back as she curled even further into herself in an effort to maintain some semblance of warmth.
“I hate having to teach you lessons like this, Emily. But, sometimes I think you really are as stupid as everyone says you are.”
The words didn’t hurt her anymore, not after what he’d done to her the night before when she told him no. No to sex, that is.
Her panties were sticking to her skin in a sopping mess and he’d already forced her to remove her bra, and apart from that, she was completely naked. Off in the distance Emily could barely make out of the form of Jonah, but he was obviously trying his best not to look at her.
“I’m sorry,” She said, her voice hushed.
She was afraid to speak any louder than that lest it anger him more.
“What was that, bitch?”
“I said I’m sorry,” She said a little louder.
Ash eyed her like a dog after a big, meaty, bloody bone.
And wasn’t that what she was anymore?
A sack of bones and blood and regret?
A ghost, a shadow, an unanswered equation?
Jonah whistled and Ash glanced at him, watching him wave his phone in the air.
“Time to make the drop, Ash. Better get going.”
Ash turned to her and nodded towards the house.
“Get your ass inside and cleaned up. I expect you to be waiting for me when I get back.”
Emily opened her mouth to tell him no, but nothing came out-
“Emily!”
Emily’s eyes snapped open as she sucked in a harsh breath, her eyes filled with tears and her fingers clenching Rider’s blanket. She was in the middle of fighting her way back to reality, crawling her way back from the past, when Green’s face came into view.
“Baby? Are you okay? What’s wrong?,” He asked.
His brows furrowed with worry as he took a seat on the edge of his bed, his red hair falling into his eyes.
Emily shook her head and tried to get her head in order before she said anything, like, maybe telling him everything about Ash, and the many ways he’d humiliated her.
“Sorry-I-I had a nightmare,” She said.
Green’s fingers were wiping away her tears as she sat up in his bed, wondering what time it was.
“It’s late, nearly noon. I didn’t want to wake you,” He told her.
She nodded and silently thanked the Lord, because she’d been more than exhausted the night before. Resting a hand on her belly, she smiled at him before nodding towards the door.
“I’m starving, I think I’ll go see if I can find some food.”
Green nodded, but he didn’t look like he believed that she was alright. Just as she was rolling off the side of the bed, he caught her wrist lightly.
“Hey, you know you can tell me anything, right? I won’t judge ya.”
Emily teetered on the verge of tears for nearly ten seconds before she decided, why not?
“It wasn’t a nightmare, it was a memory. Of the time Ash made me stand outside in the middle of the night while he doused me with a hose, completely naked, while making me watch him build a fire. It was one of the coldest nights recorded in the mountains. He was angry with me because I told him I didn’t want to have sex the night before,” She admitted.
Even though it wasn’t her sin, she still felt shame wash over her for letting Ash treat her that way.
He was right, I am weak.
Green’s arms came around her from behind, his beard tickling the side of her neck.
“I’m sorry you had to go through that. I’m glad the fucker is dead now, and I know you are, too. You’re safe here with us. With me.”
Emily relaxed against him, her head falling back against his shoulder.
“I know. Thank you, for everything.”
Green’s nose slid along the column of her neck, his lips so close to her skin, her heart started to pound.
“Don’t thank me, just let me in.”
Emily slid his hands to her waist, to press against her hardened belly.
“I have, you big dummy.”
Green’s grip on her tightened almost imperceptibly before he slowly turned her around in his arms, his expression intense.
“Ox told me you wanna quit your gallery gig and work on the bikes here. Is that true?”
Emily ducked her gaze and tucked some hair behind her ear before she slowly nodded.
“Yeah, I asked if I could take Rider’s place in the garage. Does that bother you?”
Green shook his head.
“Only if you’re givin’ up your dreams because they ain’t what ya want anymore. If detailing bikes is what you want to do, then I’ll support you one hundred percent. But, Em… you could do so much more with your talents. When we cleared out your apartment, I saw some of your work. You can make it big,” He told her.
Emily’s heart swelled at the pride so evident in his voice when he talked about her and her art. She hadn’t ever experienced that before, and it did make her second-guess her decision.
“I don’t know,” She said honestly.
Green ran a hand through his hair and caressed one of her cheeks.
“What if you do both? What if you finish your gallery work first, and then get to work in the garage? Prettyboy can hold down the fort until you’re ready.”
Emily didn’t think that was too a bad an idea, actually. She could finish what she’d started months prior, and this time her art would be done for her instead of her father. For her baby, so she could show her child just how much she did love and appreciate its father, because that’s what Rider deserved.
“Deal.”
Green sighed before he wrapped her up in a hug that had her little heart fluttering in her chest, and then he asked, “Did you mean it last night? When you said you forgive me?”
Emily smiled as she tugged on his hand, pressing their palms together.
“Yeah, I meant it. I didn’t think I’d ever get there, honestly.”
His eyes searched hers, all mossy-eyed-magic.
It was no secret that they’d been vile to one another in between bouts of near hysteria and downright agony.
“What did I do differently? What changed your mind? Because, I gotta tell ya, Em…if you change your mind again, I won’t be able to stand it…”
Emily gripped his shirt in her hands and shushed him.
“I know things have been insane, nothing was easy, and that was both of our faults. I just- you’ve been so helpful. You’ve been here for everything, and maybe if Ride
r was still here, things would be different. But, they’re not. This is where we’re at now, and if I ever want to move forward, I have to let the past go…and that means forgiving your mistakes, too.”
Green’s eyes looked suspiciously wet as he leaned forward to kiss her gently, soft as a butterfly’s wing.
“Can you forgive me, too?,” She whispered uncertainly.
Green frowned as he watched her.
“For what?”
“For keeping secrets, for being so stubborn.”
Green shook his head as he pulled her into his chest and held onto her tightly, so damn tight. It felt good and right and so much better. It felt easy and just like she remembered, and yet, different, because this time there were no secrets.
Emily didn’t have to worry about Green finding out about Ash, or anyone else for that matter.
She didn’t have to make herself sick imagining the worst possible scenario when Ash got out of prison, either.
“You want to have dinner with me tonight? The rest of the club is going out to celebrate Torch getting’ patched in.”
Emily’s eyes widened at the happy news, her face overwhelmed with a genuine smile.
“One: Oh my God! He finally made it, I’m so proud of him. Two: Yes, I would like that very much.”
Green nodded, his eyes skittering across the room to land on the collage of photos bundled together on the wall. Emily looked at them, too, her gaze glued to the sonogram picture that stuck out like a gold shiny star.
“You’re really excited about my baby, aren’t you?”
Green chuckled under his breath before he nodded and pulled out his wallet, flipping it open to reveal two pictures stuffed into the first compartment. One was of her, crinkled and fading…the second was another sonogram picture.
Her heart skipped a beat at the sight, and she looked up at him with what could only pass as dewy eyes.
“I never gave up on us, baby. Not for a second. I understand why it took you so long to come around, and I know we got a way to go yet, but…yeah, I’m excited as fuck about your baby. I hope that one day it can be considered ours. I mean, not mine, because Rider is obviously first and foremost…”
Emily cupped his cheeks and pressed a finger to the bow of his lips.
“I understand what you meant, and I want that, too.”
Chapter 18
Three days later
Emily tucked her paint-splattered hair back behind her ear and stared at the half-finished canvas in front of her. The lighting was perfect, her morning sickness was cooperating beautifully, and all in all she was pleased with her progress.
Two paintings done so far, at least two she was absolutely sure about.
Her bare feet made no sound as she moved back a couple of paces to get a better look.
His nose needs to be slightly crooked, leaning towards the left…
Rider’s face was coming alive before her as she waved her brush in the air and closed one eye, making sure her angles were correct.
“Looks amazing.”
Emily jumped, turning to see none other than…her father.
“Daddy?”
Bryan Monroe was an imposing man; he oozed sophistication and although he was a hard man to deal with in the business world, he loved his daughter dearly.
Emily tossed her brush aside before she made her way to him, careful not to reach for his expensive suit. At the last minute, he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her close. Emily sank into his hug, surprised and pleased at the affectionate gesture.
“What are you doing here?,” She asked.
Bryan’s gaze fell to her white t-shirt, and below it, her baby bump.
“My daughter is pregnant. Doesn’t that count as a reason to visit you?”
Emily tugged on the hem of her t-shirt as she nodded.
“I guess so, yeah. Sorry, I wasn’t expecting to see anyone else today, so I’m kind of a mess.”
Bryan cupped her cheek and smiled.
“You look beautiful, Em. Barefoot and pregnant looks good on you. Let’s see what you’ve got done so far, huh?”
Emily was nervous to show her father such a personal collection, but she was proud of the way she was progressing. It wasn’t easy to let all of her sorrow pour onto the canvases, not as easy as it had been before, but this time was different.
This time she wanted the collection to be both mournful and happy.
Glorious, even, because everyone involved deserved happiness.
“These are magnificent, Emily…”
Her father’s voice trailed off as he stepped towards the largest one so far, a tall eight-by-eight masterpiece done in mossy greens and deep blues with splashes of candy-apple red. Rider was smiling, his perfect teeth on display, and beside him, Green was laughing with his signature grin.
“Which one is the father?”
Emily wasn’t surprised in the slightest by her father’s blunt question.
“Rider. This one.”
She ran her fingers along his cheek bone, wishing he were still around so she could do it in person. A pang of sadness clutched her heart, but she pushed it aside.
No more hiding.
No, she was going to conquer this show, conquer her own world, and more than anything, she wanted to pick up every single piece of herself and put them all back together.
“And the other one?”
Emily smiled to herself as she touched Killian’s face reverently.
“That’s Killian.”
Her tone gave her away, and her father was no fool; he saw right through her, and raised one eyebrow.
Bryan watched her, his dark eyes searching for a better answer.
“He’s the one, daddy.”
Her father’s eyes widened and he looked back at the picture, his gaze speculative.
“Are you sure?”
Emily nodded, her answer in her own eyes.
“Yes. I’m sure.”
“Well, I want to meet this man that’s stolen your heart.”
That’s not all he’s stolen…
Emily had no idea how introducing her thieving…man? Lover? Ex- man-lover? They weren’t a couple anymore, but they would be. Someday…Soon?
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”
“Of course, it is and I wasn’t asking. Meet me for dinner tonight, the both of you. I’ll text you the time and place. I only had a few minutes of free time, but I wanted to come and see you before I meet with a potential client for lunch.”
He bent forward to kiss her cheek, and all Emily could think was, what the actual fuck?
How was she going to ask Green to meet her father when they weren’t even an item? She had a feeling that he wouldn’t argue, he’d probably be over the damn moon, but she didn’t want her father to hurt his feelings.
Well, if he truly wants to be with me for the long haul, he may as well get a better idea of what he’s getting into.
Okay, yeah, like we’ve traveled the yellow brick road from day one, right?
With a sigh and a grunt, Emily pulled her phone out and checked the time. Early afternoon, not too late.
She had enough time to get back to the clubhouse, shower, eat, and ask Green out to dinner.
With her father.
I can barely contain my enthusiasm…
◆◆◆
Green was adjusting his button-down shirt, his cut resting on the end of his bed, when Emily pushed his bedroom door open. He glanced at her in the reflection of the mirror over his sink and smiled.
“Don’t you look as a pretty as a wildflower in the morning.”
She blushed and winked at him, her fingers closing around the knob of his bedroom door.
The material of his shirt was a deep green, setting off his eyes, and his jeans were obviously expensive. He surprised her further by wrapping a checkered tie around his neck that tied the whole ensemble together. When he was done, he held out his arms and smiled.
“What do you think?”
His eyes narrowed playfully as he planted his hands on his hips.
“Oh yeah?”
She nodded, still laughing.
“Yep. Where’s your pot of gold?”
Green growled under his breath before he trudged across the room and yanked her into his arms, his hands reaching down to grip her ass tightly.
“I’m lookin’ at it,” He rasped.
Emily felt those butterflies in her belly again- or was that the baby?
This time, however, she didn’t question him or stop him when he leaned down to kiss her. His hands pressed her pelvis against him, and Emily could clearly feel the hard ridge of his cock pressed against the underside of her belly.
Thankfully her little bump wasn’t big enough to come between them, because it’d been quite a while since she felt Killian’s body against hers.
His lips fell to her mouth, and then flickered back up to meet her gaze; he was waiting for her to make the first move, for her to set the pace. Emily knew that didn’t have a lot of time, but she couldn’t help the fact that she’d been thinking about kissing him all morning.
One little kiss won’t hurt, right?
Just one…?
Her hands wrapped around the back of his neck and tugged him down to her level, her mouth opening slightly so she could taste him. He didn’t even let her meet him halfway before he had her shoved against the door and his tongue was tucked between her teeth. Fuckkk, he tasted like whiskey and mint and so damn good, and her fingers tugged on his hair as he deepened their kiss. He’d always kissed her like he was dehydrated, and she was water, but now?
Now it felt like pure heaven. Pure bliss.
His kiss was rough and needy and oh-so-sexy as his hands gripped the sides of her waist. Not too tight but nowhere near gentle, and that only told Emily how much he wanted her.
“I miss the feel of ya, tell me I can touch ya. Just a little,” Green whispered against her lips.
Hello, yes, touch me a lot!
His accent made its debut and Emily was a sucker for that stupid lilt; she’d never been able to say no before, and it didn’t appear that she’d be able to now.
“We have to hurry, I don’t wanna be late,” She gasped.
Greed (Seven Deadlies MC Book 4) Page 13
