by Brenda Novak
As soon as she realized that he’d tricked her, that the entire past hour had been a setup, she opened her mouth to cry out. But it was too late. By then he had his hands round her neck and was squeezing so tightly she couldn’t breathe.
“Leave Ethan Grimes alone. Do you hear?” he gritted through a clenched jaw, his eyes glittering in the darkness like the stars she could see over his shoulder. “Drop the suit and do nothing to threaten him or his job—or this won’t be the last you see of me.”
His hands still around her neck, he pulled her away from the building only to shove her into it again, this time lifting her a few inches off the ground as he did so and banging her head into the rough brick.
* * *
After the big Christmas party at school, Dallas had gone to the airport to pick up his three brothers, who’d flown into Burbank. They’d hurried back to Silver Springs to do a quick rehearsal for the wedding, after which they’d all had pulled pork, potato salad and barbecue beans at Cal’s ranch. It had been a loud, boisterous night with the nieces and nephews running around, trying to take the ornaments off the tree they’d decorated not only for Christmas but for the wedding.
Dallas had talked and laughed and played with the younger kids, carrying them on his shoulders or pretending to drop them to make them scream and laugh. He’d also enjoyed seeing the twins, Ryan and Taylor, who were on holiday break from graduate school, and Seth, who lived in San Francisco, worked as a sculptor and didn’t come around very often since losing his wife.
But the later it got, the more concerned he grew. He’d expected Emery to come through the door long before now and was beginning to worry that she hadn’t. The cookie store closed at ten and it was after one.
Where was she?
Aiyana had gone to bed and his two youngest brothers were gaming in one of the bedrooms since he, Seth, Ryan and Taylor were using the TV in the living room. They’d flipped off the lights, stretched out on the couches and put on a movie—a good one. Dallas should’ve been completely engrossed, and he would’ve been, except he’d finally broken down and texted Emery about twenty minutes ago to see where she was, and he still hadn’t received a response.
Was she angry with him? He’d known things were going to be awkward between them as they tried to navigate their friendship without sex, but he’d thought they could still communicate—until even his second plea went unanswered.
He thought of Cain and the night she’d had dinner with him. Had she met up with someone else from high school? Maybe she was having drinks with an old girlfriend and wasn’t checking her phone.
It had to be something like that, he told himself.
But she was in a lawsuit with her ex-boyfriend, and he’d heard the threats Ethan had screamed at her over the phone.
“What are you doing, man?” Seth asked, distracted by the light of Dallas’s phone going on and off every few minutes.
“Nothing,” he replied but when he stood, Ryan paused the movie.
“What’s up? Where are you going?”
“Mom told you about Emery Bliss, right?” Dallas said.
It was Taylor who answered. “Of course. That’s why I’m sleeping in the same room as Ryan.”
“Well, she should’ve been home by now. I’m going to drive to town, see if I can spot her car.”
Seth started to get up. “Should I go with you?”
“There’s no need to miss the movie. I’m sure everything’s fine. I’ll be back soon.”
* * *
It was one-thirty by the time Dallas spotted Emery’s car in the parking lot at the Blue Suede Shoe. It hadn’t taken long to find. Since that was one of the only places that would be open so late, it was the first place he’d looked.
He called himself a fool for being so worried and would’ve driven on past it and returned home, assuming she was inside enjoying herself—except he spotted a piece of paper shoved under her wiper that made him curious enough to stop and get out to see what it was.
A group of two men and three women came out of the bar. He could hear them laughing and talking as they made their way to their various vehicles, but the parking lot was quiet otherwise.
He pulled out that paper and turned it over.
I mean it, bitch.
Those four words, written in black marker, took him back. He stared at them for a second, almost unbelieving. Then he looked around to see if he could spot anyone who might’ve left it or seen the person who did.
The three women and two men who’d come out were in their cars, pulling into the street and driving off. It was late enough that most of those who crowded into the Blue Suede Shoe Friday and Saturday nights had gone home.
He shoved that paper in his van and decided to park so that he could go inside. But as he drove down the row of cars that remained, still looking to see if someone was lurking about, he spotted police lights flashing behind the building.
What was going on? A sick feeling came over him as he parked, got out and walked over. Two police officers—one male and one female—were talking to someone who was crouched on the ground and huddled against the back of the building.
As he got closer, he could tell it was Emery.
23
Someone had choked her. Not bad enough to kill her, but bad enough to give her a good scare—and make him mad as hell. Dallas couldn’t believe Ethan would have the balls to send someone out here to do what he heard Emery describe to the police, and he was determined to make him answer for it and everything else.
“You should go to the hospital and get checked out,” the female police officer—an Officer Valentino—told Emery after she and her partner had finished taking the report.
Dallas agreed, but Emery wasn’t having any of it.
“No. I’m okay,” she insisted. “I don’t want to go to the hospital. I got a couple of bumps and bruises, that’s all. This was just a warning.”
Dallas had so much adrenaline pumping through him it was difficult to stop himself from dropping Emery off at home and driving to Ethan Grimes’s house tonight. But with Aiyana’s wedding in the morning, he couldn’t leave. Even if he could make it back in time for the ceremony, which wasn’t until midday, she’d freak out if she woke to find him gone. And he didn’t want her big day to start out like that, not now that Emery was safe with him. He could take care of Ethan later—especially because there was no telling what might happen once he got there. The confrontation could easily turn into an altercation, and fighting risked winding up in jail.
The officers promised to get in touch once they had a chance to investigate. As they went inside to see if anyone at the Blue Suede Shoe could identify the man Emery had described to them, Dallas helped Emery over to his van. They’d have to leave her car in the lot and pick it up later; there was no way he was going to let her drive home.
“You okay?” He lifted her into the seat instead of expecting her to haul herself up. He could tell she didn’t have her usual strength. She was so rattled he even had to help buckle her seat belt.
She nodded and attempted to smile, but she was blinking rapidly, obviously fighting tears.
“We’re going to get that bastard. Don’t worry.” He wanted to unclick the seat belt he’d just buckled and pull her into his arms—hold her close until she could stop shaking. That felt like a much more natural reaction. But, at this point, he wasn’t sure she’d welcome it.
She nodded again, and he took off his coat and draped it over her to give her an added layer of warmth before walking around to the driver’s side.
“Wh-what made you come look for me?” she asked as he climbed in, her teeth chattering—more in reaction to what she’d been through than the cold, he guessed.
“I was worried about you,” he admitted. “When you didn’t come home, I couldn’t imagine where you were.”
“Th-thanks for going to the t-tro
uble of c-coming out.”
He hated the formalness that’d sprung up between them, especially when he was rattled and upset himself. “Why didn’t you call me? Tell me about that dick pic and have me come with you tonight?” he asked, but he already knew the answer.
“Your brothers just got into town,” she said, looking out the window instead of at him. “And it’s your mother’s wedding tomorrow. I didn’t want to impose.”
“Impose?” he repeated, bringing the van to a stop right in the middle of backing up. “Really? We’ve been fucking each other almost since I got home, Emery. You didn’t think I’d be willing to help you? If you’d called me, this wouldn’t have happened!”
He regretted being so harsh when the tears she’d been battling welled up.
“I’m sorry,” he said, speaking more calmly. He was only yelling at her because he couldn’t hold her, which was stupid. “I just... I can’t believe you tried to take care of it by yourself. You didn’t call me even after it happened. What’d you think, that you’d report it to the police and then drive yourself home?”
She didn’t answer. He got the impression she was struggling to hold herself together and didn’t dare get into an argument with him for fear she’d fall apart.
“He’s not getting away with this,” he said a few minutes later—to himself as much as her. “He has to be held accountable.”
“You should’ve seen the guy who did it,” she said dully. “You never would’ve guessed he could be c-capable of that.” Her hands went to her throat as though she was remembering it. “He seemed so nice.”
“I hope the police find that asshole. But even if they don’t, I know where Ethan lives.” She’d given him the address when he’d driven her to LA. He probably still had it in his maps, but he didn’t have Ethan’s phone number. “Share Ethan’s contact record with me, will you?”
She wouldn’t accept his phone when he tried to hand it to her. “No. I...I don’t want you getting involved. This thing is already bad enough.”
“Ethan and his friends won’t do anything to me. I’m going to put a stop to it.”
“You don’t know that.” She pulled the coat he’d given her up until only her eyes showed. “Maybe I should just drop the suit,” she mumbled, more to herself than to him.
He looked over at her. “Are you serious?”
“I don’t know. When that guy had his hands around my throat, and I...I couldn’t breathe, it didn’t seem worth it. The damage is already done. Everyone I ever cared about has seen that video. And I can’t get my old job back.”
Dallas didn’t say anything. He hated the idea of her dropping the suit. He wanted Ethan and the station to pay for what they’d done. But he couldn’t blame Emery for being tempted, not after tonight.
“You don’t think I should?” she guessed when he didn’t comment.
“Only you can make that decision,” he replied.
As soon as they reached the house, he told her to wait so he could come around and help her out. She allowed that, but once they reached the porch and could hear the movie playing inside, she pushed him away so she could proceed on her own.
“Sleep with me tonight,” he whispered, catching her hand before she could go in. “I promise I won’t try anything. I just want to keep an eye on you. You could have a concussion.”
“I’ll be fine,” she insisted. “You need to get a good night’s rest. Tomorrow’s a big day for your family.”
“Come on, Emery—this sucks.” He was referring to the distance between them as much as anything else, but she didn’t answer. All of her defenses had gone up; she wouldn’t allow him to get close to her again.
He missed her more than he’d ever missed anyone else. But he didn’t get the chance to tell her so. She didn’t wait any longer before opening the door, and the moment she did that, his brothers looked up and Ryan, once again, paused the movie.
“Everything okay?”
“Fine,” Dallas replied as he watched Emery cautiously navigate the living room, as though she was afraid her knees might give out on her.
“This must be Emery,” Taylor said, obviously surprised that there hadn’t been any introductions.
Emery stopped when she heard her name. “It’s been a rough night for me, guys, but I’m looking forward to meeting you all in the morning,” she said, and grabbed onto the railing to help her climb the stairs.
“What happened to her?” Seth asked after she was gone.
With a sigh, Dallas shoved a hand through his hair. “Her ex-boyfriend put the fear of God into her.”
“What does that mean?” Ryan asked.
“It got physical—at the Blue Suede Shoe,” he admitted.
Taylor sat up. “She okay?”
“She’s a little freaked out. Anyone would be. But I think she’ll be fine in the morning.”
“It’s a good thing you went over there,” Seth said. “Who was it?”
“I don’t know his name, but I sure as hell hope to find out.”
When his brothers glanced at each other, Dallas could easily guess what they were thinking, but it was Taylor who put it into words. “Is something going on between you two?”
“No, nothing,” he said, but that only caused them to glance at each other again.
Saturday, December 19
Emery’s throat hurt. She’d been so agitated and upset last night she hadn’t considered the physical ramifications of that frightening encounter with “Terrell.” She’d gotten off easy, considering what he could’ve done. But eight hours later, she could scarcely swallow.
She got up to go to the bathroom and was dismayed to see the discoloration on her neck. She could almost see where he’d put his hands—the bastard. Just remembering caused her to feel the same helplessness she had in those few seconds. She’d never forget the look on his face, the callous sound of his voice. Her throat would probably take only a few days to heal, but the emotional effects would take much longer.
Where had Ethan found this guy?
She’d never met him when they were together... Was his name even Terrell? She doubted it.
She could hear Aiyana and the many Turner men—as well as Cora and Savanna—talking and moving around the house. They were calling out to remind each other not to forget this or that, to ask whose turn it was to use the iron or to see if someone could sew on a button. She felt she should go down and help—but climbed back into bed instead. Although she had the day off so she could attend the wedding, she wasn’t sure she’d be able to go.
After warring with herself for another thirty minutes, she finally gathered the Herculean strength it required to sit up and reach for her phone. Part of her desperately wanted to call her mother—the child in her who was hurt and craved comfort. But she knew how selfish it would be to worry her mother when Connie was already going through so much herself. She couldn’t do that. She merely planned to see if she’d heard from the police.
No. Nothing.
She had, however, missed a call from her father.
Groaning when she saw his number, she debated whether she had the emotional reserves to call him back. Then she noticed that he’d left her a voice mail and, after listening to it, decided she definitely wasn’t prepared to talk to him. He was asking for her help in persuading her mother to accept his latest offer, but she had no idea if it was a fair offer, and she wouldn’t allow him to use her as a weapon against Connie. Although she was trying to remain neutral in the divorce—relationships could be so complex that she knew it would be unfair to judge—it was hard not to blame her father. After all, he was the one who’d already taken up with someone else.
It didn’t help that Deseret wasn’t anyone she liked...
“You’re on your own with this one, Dad,” she muttered. Why should she rush to his defense? He’d left her to manage Ethan and the loss of her job
all on her own. He was actually making her life more difficult because he was being so stingy with Connie.
A knock sounded at the door. Pulling the covers up to hide the bruising on her neck, she called, “Come in.”
Aiyana poked her head inside. “You awake, dear?”
“I am.”
She crossed over to the bed. She was dressed in a robe, but her hair and makeup were already done for the wedding. She looked beautiful with her olive skin, her kind brown eyes and long thick hair, which had been curled. “The boys told me what happened to you last night,” she said. “I’m so sorry.”
Emery swallowed hard, trying not to succumb to the self-pity Aiyana’s sympathy evoked. She couldn’t allow herself to get emotional again. She had to buck up, couldn’t cry all the time. “I shouldn’t have trusted him. But he played it so well. I honestly thought he was safe.”
She sat on the edge of the bed and took Emery’s hand. “Of course you did. You’d never expect something like that.”
Behind her, Dallas appeared in the doorway. He didn’t come in, but Emery could see him leaning up against the doorjamb, his arms folded across his broad chest, his face a dark glower.
“Are you going to be okay?” Aiyana asked. “Dallas mentioned that you might need to see a doctor.”
She reached up to touch the back of her head. It was tender there, too. But there wasn’t anything a doctor could do. Only time could cause her bumps and bruises to fade. “That would be a waste of money that I don’t really have at the moment.”
“Have you heard from the cops?”
“Nothing yet.”
“Well, I hope they find Terrell, if that’s even his name, and that he gets what’s coming to him.”
“Ethan’s the one who put him up to it,” she said. “Even if they arrest Terrell, something like this could happen again. That’s what I’m struggling with.”
