The Legacy series: The Love series, the Wrapped series, and the Burning Souls series.

by Mj Fields

  ���I am not sure, just look into it please,��� Brody said goodnight and went up the stairs.

  * * *

  Brody opened the door and checked on London and then Lexington, Emma was standing next to her crib watching her sleep.

  ���Em, everything alright in here?��� Brody whispered.

  Emma shook her head and wiped her eyes. Brody hugged her and took her hand and led her out of the room into their bedroom.

  ���Why the tears love?��� He asked softly wiping them away.

  Emma shrugged her shoulders and peered up at him, waiting and hoping he would tell her what was going on.

  ���Let���s get you into bed, it���s been a very rough week,��� Brody walked into the closet and brought out night clothes.

  Emma was in the bathroom brushing her teeth when he walked into the room, ���Stop disappearing on me, it worries me.���

  Brody smiled but the truth was he couldn���t afford to stop worrying and he knew it.

  Emma looked up at him with pleading eyes, ���What is it Em?���

  ���Brody, I just wanted you to tell me���just once for you to tell me,��� Emma cried and shook her head as she started out the door.

  Brody grabbed her hand, ���Hold up Em, you have me at a disadvantage here, I literally have no idea what you���re������

  ���I went to find you…stop lying to ME!��� Emma sobbed.

  Brody pulled her tightly to him, ���Are you spying on me Em?���

  ���NO!��� Emma snapped.

  ���We can chat in the morning, it���s been one hell of a day. Were both exhausted please Emma, let���s go to bed.���

  ���Unreal������ Emma started.

  ���Look I���m sorry about what happened earlier, those fucking videos and all of the shit. I love you Emma, I wish, I could make it all go away. But I can���t and now I���m on the defensive with literally everything in my life. Emma I promised you a happy life, I promised you I would make sound decisions for us and our family and I���m failing miserably. This is awful and I���m trying Emma, damn it I���m trying!��� Brody sat on the edge of the bed frustrated.

  ���I���m tired, and I���m sorry Brody that you feel like you have to do all this alone. I can look past all of the ugly that���s happened, because I love you. But without,��� Emma took a deep breath, ���I���m tired, goodnight.���

  Emma climbed in bed and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and laid down.

  Brody eventually laid next to her and pulled her into his arms and they fell asleep.

  * * *

  Emma came into the kitchen and watched out the window as Brody shook Clive���s hand and Clive pulled out the driveway. Emma made tea and had two cups waiting on the counter when he walked in.

  ���You���re up early,��� he smiled at Emma.

  ���You too,��� Emma handed him a cup of tea.

  Emma waited for him to say something and when he didn���t she rolled her eyes and started to walk away.

  ���Wait,��� he grabbed her hand.

  Emma stopped and looked at him, ���We have a bit of time before the girls wake up correct?���

  ���Yes,��� Emma said leaning against the counter.

  ���Alright Em, we should discuss something,��� Brody looked down and tried to figure out how to start.

  ���I have no idea how to start���The last time I was in England one of my contacts spotted your sister visiting a family. There was a man a women and a child, well young man, about fifteen years in age. Emma, he resembles me,��� Brody stopped and looked up at her.

  ���Okay, that could be������ Emma began.

  ���He looks like Lexington. I���m not sure what that means however Clive���s looking into it. He is going back,��� Brody stopped and waited for the information to sink in.

  ���Are you seriously thinking that our daughter who���s less than one resembles a teenage boy���Brody, you can���t possibly be serious?���

  ���There is also the fact that she visited them, that she brought gifts, and when Clive looked into their accounts there���s been sizable deposits made monthly dating back at least seven years, Emma. I���m going to talk to your sister this morning, try to figure this out. I wanted you to know. You asked for honesty and that���s what I���m trying to give you here,��� Brody ran his hands through his hair and leaned back, ���I���m so fucking sorry.���

  ���I���ll go with you, you���re not doing this������ Emma started.

  ���No Emma you are not,��� Brody said and walked to the door.

  ���YES Brody, I am!��� Emma yelled.

  Brody stopped and looked at her, ���You need to understand a few things love������

  Emma walked out the door and up the stairs. Brody stood with his jaw dropped shocked that she walked out of the room.

  He walked into the bedroom, ���What the hell was that?���

  Emma turned sharply and glared at him, ���Really what was that���God, you���re so���God!���

  Brody scowled at her and she returned the look.

  ���Do you realize right down there you���uugghh���you spoke to me in the same damn tone the first time you were at Lila���s you self- righteous, arrogant, self- absorbed���ASS!���

  Emma turned and walked into the bathroom and shut the door. Brody opened the door and walked in with his hands on his hips looking at her.

  ���What?��� She snapped.

  He didn���t reply.

  ���Just go! It���s not like anything I have to say means beans to you buddy, so just GO!��� Emma snapped and walked to the kitchen and started cooking breakfast.

  Brody followed her into the kitchen, ���Em please understand������

  ���No you understand, you don���t have������ Emma took a deep breath and stared out the window, ���Brody just go.���

  Emma walked into the bathroom and locked the door. She heard him leave and she cried. She washed her face and pulled herself together and grabbed her phone and dialed it.

  ���Hey Tessa, you still want to go on vacation?...Great, were in, the sooner the better,��� Emma said softly, ���I think all of this, Troy���s death, Brody���s disappearance, all of it is connected. I could really use someone to talk to, someone I can trust���great. Thanks���see you then.���

  * * *

  Emma was packing when Brody walked into the bedroom, ���What are you doing Em?���

  ���Well, I���m going to take the girls and go away for a while. You���re going through whatever you���re going through, and can���t talk to me about it and Brody I���m scared and very much alone. I just want to take them somewhere safe. I would love to think you could be part of this, but I just���Brody I know you don���t take what I say seriously and that you don���t trust me with…None of this is coming out right������ Emma blinked her eyes holding back tears.

  ���Can we talk Em or are you just going to take off?��� Brody closed his eyes waiting for her to reply.

  ���Go ahead Brody, whatever you want to tell me. I���m listening,��� Emma sat on the bed and looked up at him.

  ���I saw your sister. She said the child is a friend of hers that passed away and she���s helping his adoptive family because she promised she would, I don���t buy it. She���s afraid which scares me, I have no idea what she may possibly do. Clive���s going
to dig a bit and get some samples for DNA comparisons to be done. My father���s dead, London���s father���s dead, I don���t believe they were accidents. There are holes in the months I was missing and I���m not getting answers fast enough. I���m not going to the police; my foundation, my career, our children, everything Em, would be destroyed. My biggest nightmare would come true, my privacy, your privacy, and that of our children, would be shot to hell. I���m going to figure this out. I promise you, I���m going figure it out,��� Brody waited for Emma to respond as she continued looking down, ���Nothing Em? Really ��� you have nothing to say?���

  ���What a mess,��� she whispered.

  ���I���m very sorry,��� Brody shoved his hands in his pockets and looked at her.

  ���I don���t know if I can do this anymore,��� tears fell from Emma���s eyes.

  ���Do you love me Em?��� Brody asked kneeling in front of her.

  ���Of course I do, but������ Emma began.

  ���No buts, Love. Trust me to fix this, please trust me to make this better for all of us,��� Brody took her hands and kissed them, ���I love you Em, I Always will.���

  Emma closed her eyes and wiped her tears.

  ���And forever. You did not say it,��� Brody began to stand and Emma looked up at him.

  ���Brody, do you think that child is yours?��� she whispered.

  ���I���m not sure Em, but I have to find out,��� Brody looked at her. ���Will you hate him, will you hate me?���

  ���No, of course not. I just don���t know how you���ll explain������ Emma stopped and looked at him.

  Brody���s eyes were wide and he looked terrified, she felt his hands shake slightly and held them tighter, ���If you walk ��� I���ll understand, it may even keep those little ones safer, but you must know that I love all of you more than I do myself Em.���

  Emma gasped and threw her arms around his neck, she hugged him tightly, ���I love you. I love you so very much.���

  ���Emma if you���re leaving me������ Brody whispered, ���I understand.���

  ���No, no, no,��� Emma cried.

  ���Alright Love alright,��� he rubbed her back.

  ���You���re going back there������ Emma cried softly.

  ���No Emma, I���m going to figure out what needs to be done to ensure your safety and that of our children���s first. And then there���s a possibility,��� he hugged her tighter, ���This isn���t just going to go away on its own, it���s much bigger than I first feared.���

  ���What do we do Brody?��� Emma whispered against his neck.

  ���You should take the girls wherever you had been planning. I���ll meet you when I can, when I know it���s���safe,��� Brody shuttered.

  ���Ok, I will. Brody you���re not going back there right? Promise me,��� Emma began to pull away and he held her tighter.

  ���Not yet Em. I can���t promise I won���t though. Again, whatever it takes to keep you all safe, don���t ask me to do otherwise,��� Brody kissed her head and looked down at her.

  * * *

  Emma pulled into the driveway and was greeted by Tomas, Collin���s equivalent to Clive. He carried their bags into the house and then took Lexington���s carrier out of her hand and Emma carried sleeping London to the room they would be staying in.

  ���Is that all ma���am?��� Tomas asked.

  ���Yes, thank you.���

  ���They���ll be arrive tomorrow late evening, I���ll be here until then. Anything you need please let me know,��� Tomas left the room.

  Emma tried to call Brody and there was no answer. She sent him a text telling him they���d arrived safely and asked that he call her.

  She watched the hours pass on the clock as she waited to hear from Brody.

  * * *

  Emma lay in bed tossing and turning when she heard a commotion from outside the room. She reached into her bag and pulled out the gun she used for target practice and turned on an air purifier to muffle the sound so that the girls would sleep through whatever it was that was going on in the other room.

  Emma opened the door slowly and took a deep breath and tried to stop her hands from shaking. She heard the loud smash of something glass and stepped into the hallway. Emma closed the door quietly behind her and took a few deep breathes. She wanted to call for Tomas but she couldn���t find her voice.

  The room the noise came from was dark and she heard two distinct male voices and what sounded like a physical fight. She reached around the corner and flipped on the light switch and saw Brody and Tomas struggling on the floor. Brody was trying to reach for the gun that was near them.

  ���Em, get back,��� he shouted.

  ���No Brody stop, Tomas don���t,��� she kicked the gun away before either could reach it.

  Brody looked confused and Tomas jumped up and grabbed the gun and stood beside Emma.

  ���Get the fuck away from her!��� Brody yelled as Emma ran to him.

  ���Brody what are you doing here?��� Emma was shaking uncontrollably as Brody pulled her into his arms and took the gun, ���Please stop.���

  Emma wrapped her arms around Brody and began to sob, ���Who is this Emma?���

  ���Brody its Tomas, he works for Collin and Tessa. You met him at the Cape,��� Emma said looking up at him.

  Tomas still had his gun drawn, ���Ma���am, do you trust him?���

  ���Of course I do,��� Emma continued to shake and Tomas lowered his weapon.

  ���Brody what are you doing?���

  He continued looking at Tomas and was clearly confused, ���You met him at the Cape, Brody.���

  ���Okay Em, I���m sorry,��� he held her tighter.

  ���Hand me the weapon Hines, slowly,��� Tomas instructed.

  Brody slowly gave him the gun. Tomas locked the door that led to the outside.

  ���What is going on?��� Emma whispered.

  ���Shh love it���s alright,��� Brody kissed her head.

  ���No it���s not, why did you not call or text? Why don���t you remember Tomas?��� Emma asked nervously.

  Tomas stood waiting for an answer, Brody knew he wouldn���t leave the room without one.

  ���We had a break in last night after you left. Elizabeth���s missing. Where���s Rupert?��� He asked looking around.

  ���He was with you, we decided I would be safer���Brody?��� Emma hugged him tighter.

  ���He was supposed to be here, I sent him here,��� Brody grabbed his phone and tried to call him, there was no answer.

  ���Its safe here ma���am,��� Tomas sat behind a desk and continued typing on his computer.

  ���Brody, please talk to me. Do you know what could have happened tonight? You didn���t remember him?��� Emma asked concerned.

  ���It was dark,��� he looked away.

  ���No Brody, even after the lights were on. Don���t withhold information from me!��� Emma snapped and pulled away still shaking.

  ���Em, not now,��� he said still looking at Tomas.

  ���Yes now!���

  ���Em, I���I���ve been having some episodes,��� he whispered.

  ���What do you mean?��� Emma asked shocked.

  ���Blackouts, they don���t last long and normally it���s li
ke my nightmares, but not tonight,��� Brody looked angry.

  ���How often Brody?��� Emma demanded.

  ���More lately,��� Brody said looking in her eyes.

  ���Why haven���t you told me, how have I not noticed?��� Emma said sadly.

  ���Em, don���t do that to yourself. I���ve had Clive and Rupert, they���ve������ He began.

  ���Rupert knows?��� Emma gasped.

  ���It was to keep you safe Em. It was the only way I knew how to let Clive go and to still be here and keep you safe,��� Brody tried to explain, ���FUCK!���

  Emma grabbed his hand, ���We���ll be okay Brody. We���ll figure it all out.���

  ���Em, it���s late. I miss the girls. Let���s go get some sleep,��� Brody said and hugged her.

  Brody followed her into the bedroom and held her until she shook and snuck out of the room.

  Tomas was sitting at his desk and looking at him cautiously.

  ���I���m sorry,��� Brody sat with his hands in his hair.

  ���Alright,��� Tomas said and continued typing.

  ���I need to move them in the morning������ Brody began.

  ���Mr. Abraham���s working on it,��� Tomas interrupted, ���He���ll be here������

  ���No, it���ll put you all in danger,��� Brody snapped.

  ���We���re aware of that. He���s working on it. He���ll be here in the morning to discuss it with you. In the meantime there���s another room down the hall, it would probably be best if you slept in there. I���ll be out here to ensure all of your safety. There are security cameras everywhere here. I have two men who will be outside securing the perimeter. I���ve been researching some things. I have a question, are you familiar with a drug called Forget Me Not?��� Tomas asked and handed him a printout.

  ���I think I am,��� Brody let out a deep breath and sat back.

  ���I think you need to look into it. In the meantime trust us, we���ve been researching a few things since Mrs. Abraham���s cousin���s death. Mr. Abraham will discuss it with you in the morning. Please get some rest.��� Tomas smiled softly at him.