Scarlett nodded and lifted her vibrating phone to her ear.
“See ya then.”
Green waved Emily over as she was walking to her car, a smile on his face.
“I’ve been waitin’ to lay eyes on you all morning,” He said softly as he neared her.
True to his words, he pressed her up against her car and kissed her deeply.
Her heart stuttered and her breath caught, but he didn’t hesitate. He simply kissed her harder.
Emily planted her hands on his chest and kissed him back, hoping like hell they’d have a lifetime to make up for their mistakes and to kiss one another like that.
“It’s only nine in the morning,” She said against his mouth.
“Hello, you slept in my bed. I was awake the second your little feet hit the floor.”
Emily knew that to be true, because he’d tried to convince her about eight times that he had a present for her tucked under the blankets, and that it was not his peener…
Which it obviously was.
“Well, I’m getting ready to head home. I need to eat and change my clothes. Shave my legs, maybe.”
His eyebrows hit his hairline.
“Oh, you’re getting’ fancy for tonight, huh?”
Emily laughed and nodded, leaning in to kiss him again.
“I even have a fancy dress to wear that Scarlett picked put for me. It has glitter on it,” She whispered seductively.
He play-growled under his breath as he leaned in even closer, his pelvis pressed against hers.
“I love glitter and you fuckin’ know it.”
“I know and I’m even wearing some sparkly heels.”
“Should you? I don’t want you to be uncomfortable.”
Emily kissed her man for being so sweet because he truly did care about her comfort, and that meant the world to her.
“I promise to take them off if my feet start to ache.”
Mollified, Green took her hand into his and nodded towards her car.
“Why don’t you get in and I’ll drive us back?”
Emily agreed and sat down in the passenger seat when he opened the door for her, a smile on his face as he watched her get seated and comfortable.
“What?,” She asked.
“You look more beautiful every day.”
Emily blossomed at his words and patted his jeans right over the bulge of his peener.
“You too.”
He grinned wickedly and leaned down to kiss her once more before he climbed into the car and started the engine, his hand reaching for hers. It was so natural for her to hold his hand back, to squeeze his fingers, to relax into her seat and let him take the lead.
Sometimes, when they say like this, she thought about how badly he’d hurt her.
He thought about how badly he’d destroyed her, picked her apart only to leave her pieces, and sometimes it stung like hell all over again.
“Killian?,” She whispered.
He glanced at her and then back at the road.
“Yeah?”
“You’re not going to hurt me again, are you? Because, I honestly don’t know if I can handle it. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to forgive it a second time.”
Green was silent for so long that she thought he was pissed at her, but he wasn’t. He was obviously thinking about what to say and how to say it. She didn’t even know why she asked that, because they’d been having such a good time and neither one had brought up the past.
They’d been doing so well.
Finally, when he pulled his hand away from her and settled it onto the steering wheel, she figured he was done discussing it.
“What’s the one thing in the world that I go weak for?”
“Money,” she said immediately.
He looked at her through narrowed eyes.
“That’s honestly what you think?”
Emily nodded.
He swore and ran a hand through his hair, his fingers catching on the red strands before he looked at her again.
“You think the money makes me greedy? Huh? I don’t wake up cravin’ money. I don’t live every day hopin’ to catch a glimpse of it. I don’t fall to my knees at night praying to an unseen God, just for fuckin’ money, Em. You know what I do pray for, though? I pray that I’ll be able to find a way to take all your broken pieces and put them back together. I pray that I’ll be able to ease that hurt I caused to burrow so deeply under your skin that you think you can’t forgive me. I pray that one day, even if it’s years from now, that you’ll be able to look at me the way you did before everything went to shit! Greedy for money? No. Not a chance. The only greed I’ve got pumpin’ through my veins anymore, is all for you.”
Emily didn’t say anything for a long time. She didn’t know what to say. Didn’t know if she could say anything, but she knew that if she said nothing at all, that would be much worse.
“I do forgive you, Killian. I’ll just need a little reassurance every now and then. I know it’s hard and we’ll both have to work at it, but if I didn’t want to be with you, I wouldn’t be. I know that people make mistakes and one of the hardest things about loving someone is accepting the fact that they’re going to fuck up, and that there’s nothing you can do to stop it.”
She lifted his hand into hers and swallowed her tears as they pulled onto the lot.
“But, we can’t change the past. No matter how strong we get, it will always be there. I don’t want to go back to the way things were before, Green. I want it to be better this time.”
He relaxed as he turned off the engine and pulled her into his arms, his lips seeking hers.
Emily sank into his kiss and reveled in the fact that they’d done the impossible, and burned the bridge that separated them. That’s all she’d ever wanted, was to find a way to work together to forgive and move on.
Not forget, because she wouldn’t be able to, but move on because that was better than throwing away something that meant so much.
“Let’s get inside and change. I know you need food.”
Green’s words were soft and for a moment, Emily was terrified that he would change his mind; that he would tell her to forget the entire thing, take back her title as his old lady. But, she had to learn to have faith that he wouldn’t do that. That she could trust him again.
Everything will be okay.
Suddenly, her show seemed to loom overheard like the threat of a tornado during a thunder storm. She was already unsure about what was going to happen at her show, but now, everything seemed even more intimidating.
Emily realized shed be able to talk herself out of it if she kept on thinking that way, so she took a deep breath and meandered into the clubhouse, in search of food and some water. The baby in her belly kicked like a champion the entire time, obviously feeling her nerves tingling.
“Sorry, little one. Mama’s gonna make everything right tonight, okay?”
She was answered by another hard kick right to the palm of her hand.
Chapter 23
“You look gorgeous.”
Emily jumped at the sound of her father’s voice. She was surprised to see Bryan Monroe standing in an MC clubhouse, but there he was, dressed to the nines for her show.
“Thank you.”
She pulled at the hemline of her red dress, made in soft satin and covered in sparkles that glinted no matter what direction she spun in. Her hair was curled to perfection and pinned to one side, leaving the other half of her neck bare. She had ruby studs in her ears to match and her heels were a pretty silver pair that made her ankles look thin.
Bryan took her arm in his and handed her the small clutch she’d had waiting on the end of her bed.
“Are you ready? Everyone else is still getting dressed from what I could tell, but you should be there earlier than the rest anyways.”
Emily nodded and as they stepped into the hallway, Rayna caught her eye. She as dressed in a deep blue dress that was off the shoulder and she looked gorgeous.
; Everyone in the clubhouse was dressed to the nines, cuts included, and even though she kept looking for Green, she didn’t see him anywhere.
Seeming to realize who she was looking for, her father tugged on her hand and nodded towards the doors.
“Your man is already waiting for you at the gallery.”
Confused, Emily wondered why, when shed been under the impression that they were going to drive in together.
“Why is he gone already?”
Bryan shrugged, but Emily wondered if she was getting all of the story. Her father walked her to his rental car, something far too opulent for her tastes but right up his alley, and opened her door for her.
Emily slid into the buttery-leather-seat and sighed with relief at how comfortable it was. Her car was nice, sure, but it wasn’t a luxury sedan by any means.
“Are you excited? This is what you’ve been working for.”
Excited, nervous, terrified, yes.
“I am.”
Her father laughed and looked at her as they pulled out of the lot and onto the road, the clubhouse disappearing in the rearview behind them.
“You don’t sound too excited.”
Emily patted her father’s hand and leaned back in her seat, enjoying the ride.
“I am excited, I’m just nervous. I put my heart and soul into this show and I really want others to be able to see that.”
Bryan nodded, and he understood, she knew he did. But, this gallery was so much more important than selling art and making money or a name for herself.
This was life changing.
It was making a commitment she knew needed to be made on her end, to make a difference in the way the rest of her life could potentially play out.
This was giving herself to someone who wasn’t perfect and understanding that.
“When you asked mom to marry you, how did you know it was right at the time?”
Her father shrugged and made a slow right turn, leading them towards their final destination.
“I didn’t. But, I loved her and I wanted to make a family and have a home, so I asked her to marry me. It’s never the ‘right’ time, but if you truly love someone, you make the choice.”
What her father said made sense and as they pulled into the parking lot of the gallery, Emily unbuckled her seat belt and took a look at the cars in the parking lot.
She could see two bikes parked near the rear entrance, Limit’s and Green’s, and she had to wonder again why he was here without her.
“Are you ready, honey?”
Emily nodded and knew that it was now or never.
She stepped out of the car and took her father’s arm he held out for her again. Her heels clicked softly on the cement as they entered through the front doors, and instantly, her breath was taken away. Almost if they were tucked underneath a million sparkling stars, there were small lights hanging from the ceiling, and each panting was hanging from the walls, complete with their own spot lights. The only panting that wasn’t completely on display still had a sheet over it, and it was surrounded by more lights. Emily knew that one was the one only Scarlett knew about, but every other painting was ready to be sold.
Scarlett came around the corner, dressed in a gold dress that highlighted her hair and eyes. She was smiling like a fool when she saw Emily, and she rushed to greet her.
“So, what do you think! And, be honest. This is my first official show and I wanted it to be perfect for you”
Emily hugged her best friend and smiled as she pulled away, completely in awe of how well her friend had done.
“This…this is all amazing. I love it! The lights were a good choice.”
Green and Limit came around the corner and as soon as she saw him, she knew their argument from earlier had been forgotten.
He smiled tenderly at her and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in close.
“You, my lady, look perfect. Absolutely mouthwatering.”
Her father cleared his throat and nodded at Scarlett.
“That’s my cue. Take me around the place, show me the guest list. I want to see what we’re working with here.”
Scarlett seemed only too pleased to do so and gestured towards the rest of the gallery, her fingers surfing through a clipboard in her hands.
“So, are you ready? This is your big night, and baby, this stuff…it’s amazing. It’s…I didn’t even know you could do this with your hands,” Killian said softly.
That compliment had Emily over the moon in no time flat, because who wouldn’t want to hear that from the person they love?
“You really think so?”
Green turned her slightly so they were facing a large portrait of Rider leaning against his bike James Dean style, his legs crossed at the ankles. He was looking away, so only his profile was visible, and he had a cigarette in his hand pressed to his lips. It was a true representation of how she saw him on more than one occasion. It was so simple, but so captivating at the same time, and Emily had really just wanted the world to see how Rider looked every day.
“Look at that. Look at the subtle lines and curves you caught. Look at the stern look on concentration on his face, because Lord knows Rider was always thinkin’ about something. You caught him, Em. We all knew him, yeah, but you saw him.”
That made Emily feel so much closer to Rider so much more involved with him, because everyone second guesses their work. No person is one hundred percent comfortable in their art at all times.
Yes, she knew she could paint, but there was something different about letting people see her art and connect to it in a way that is private and special.
“I really hoped that came across. That’s all I was hoping for. I just wish he could be here to see it.”
Killian chuckled and pointed to the rest of the art hanging on the walls.
“He is, baby.”
As Green said that more than one person walked through the doors and that’s when she realized that her show was officially beginning.
“Green! There’s people here!”
He smiled wide and motioned for her to go and greet her guests.
“This is your show, Em. Go slay it.”
◆◆◆
It was halfway through the show when Emily decided she’d done enough circulating. It was time for her to unveil her center piece, her main course, the whole reason everyone was there. The painting that would change the entire inflection of her artwork in general.
The painting was large, the biggest in the collection, and it wasn’t for sale. It was for Killian.
“Excuse me, can I have everyone’s attention, please?”
More smiles met her gaze as the many guests in the gallery turned to watch her, curious about where she was going with her speech.
Scarlett came out of the shadows and handed her a microphone, which only served to make her more nervous.
Scarlett nodded encouragingly at her and Emily watched Limit take her hand. Prettyboy and Esme, Laney, Ox, Slayer, Fury, Rayna, Laura, Bryan, Torch, Carter, Axel, and Green were all standing by watching her with proud looks on their faces. Emily waved at Green so that he would know she wanted him close.
“This year has been one of the worst of my life. I’ve lost someone I loved, we all have. I’ve had my heart broken. I’ve had to pick myself up off the floor and convince myself to move forward, even when I didn’t want to. Ladies and gentlemen, these paintings you see are of two very special people. One of them is the father of unborn child. The other is this man right here, my ol’ man. My partner.”
Green’s gaze was dewy and sweet as he looked at her and took her hand in his.
Her other hand with the microphone in it reached for the sheet and pulled it from the canvas. The entire room was quiet, as well as Green, when the picture was revealed.
Emily smiled at the canvas, a gorgeous depiction of Green on one side of her and Rider on the other, both of their hands outstretched and resting on her pregnant belly. The kicker? Emily was wearing a wedding dress
in the photo.
The colors were rich and colorful, and Rider’s outline was filled with shadows and wisps of white and grey, ghostly, but still beautiful with the familiar smile on his face.
Green looked from her to the painting, and back again.
Emily motioned for Scarlett to hand her the second half of her presentation, a small velvet box in the color of burgundy.
“Even though this year has been terrible for the most part, I’ve found something so remarkable and it’s all thanks to Miles. I wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for him. His strength, his courage, his love. He was so damn kind, so sweet, and he loved me with his whole heart. He reminded me over and over again that forgiveness is the key to moving forward, so I owe all of this to him.”
Emily paused so she could look at Green as she said, “And to you.”
Emily was smiling happily at him, and even though he looked thoroughly confused, he was listening aptly.
“Killian O’Laughlin, you are the most obnoxious man I have ever met, and I love everything about you. You’ve put me through it, I swear you have, but you have taken excellent care of me ever since we found out about the baby. But, it’s more than that.”
Killian’s eyes widened when she struggled down to one knee and opened the box, a serene smile on her face.
“I did a little research, and I know it’s not a leap year, but I figured you wouldn’t mind. I was told once that finding someone who takes care of you is easy to find, but someone who takes care of your soul is much harder. You love me in way that even I don’t understand, but I sure appreciate it.”
Killian’s eyes were glued to the ring in her hand, a Celtic band she’d looked all over town for.
“Will you, Killian O’Laughlin, be mine? Forever?”
The room was filled with collective gasps, cries of joy, but Emily only had eyes for Killian. Butterflies were flapping wildly in her tummy the longer he stared at her before he slowly lifted her up into his arms and took the ring from her.
His watery, red eyes met hers as she waited on bated breath for an answer.
Please say yes, please say yes.
“You know about the leap year tradition?”
Greed (Seven Deadlies MC Book 4) Page 17
