Go back to him that small voice inside her urged. She’d felt a pull to Logan since the day she’d left and seen Jackson on that first ultrasound, and throughout her hard pregnancy.
Emily had to talk to Gram, so she glanced at the time and knew Gram would still be up. She called and smiled when Gram’s loving voice answered the phone.
“Emily!”
“Hi, Gram.” Emily put cheer in her voice that she didn’t feel. “How are you?”
“Oh, I am tired and I think I’m coming down with a cold. I just don’t feel right.”
“Oh, Gram. Make sure you rest and drink lots of orange juice.”
“I am, dear, but enough about me. How are you? How are your travels going?”
“Fine. There is a lot to do.” Emily hoped Gram didn’t ask her much about where she was. She’d not taken the time to look through a brochure to come up with some adventure she was on this week. She’d just missed Gram’s voice.
“Oh good. When are you coming home? I miss you.”
Emily nearly lost it and had to pull the phone away. She started to tell her about Jackson, but then her mother’s contorted face appeared. You are such a screw-up. You ruin things and then expect everyone else to take care of it.
Emily wiped her tears away and took a deep breath. “Soon, Gram. I’ll be home soon.”
“Is everything okay? You sound upset.”
“No, everything is fine, Gram. I promise. I’m just tired. I’ll be home soon.”
Emily changed the subject, and an hour later when she finally got off the phone with Gram, she blew out a breath. The urge to go home was stronger than ever. Gram would understand her fear, but then Emily was terrified that she’d just hurt her family even more by showing up with Jackson. She put her face in her hands and cried until she could barely sit up straight. When her eyes closed, she’d had dreams of Gram with Mama’s face, and she screamed at her while Emily begged for forgiveness.
* * * *
A week later, and despite the terrible dreams, the voice in her head was louder than ever. Her bank account continued to dwindle away, because even fifteen dollars an hour wasn’t enough to live on in this part of California, even with the tiny apartment she’d rented. At least her tech support job could be performed from home. She talked to clients over her computer and helped them solve their internet issues. She missed Logan more than ever. Sometimes so much it physically hurt. Was it because he was Jackson’s daddy? If felt deeper than that though. Emily rubbed her chest and tried to move her attention to cooking.
She’d finally finished with her last client and logged off for the night. “What should we have for dinner tonight, sweet baby?”
Jackson watched her from his portable swing and put his fist in his mouth.
“Chicken alfredo? That does sound delicious.” Emily pulled out the last two chicken breasts and a jar of alfredo sauce. She pursed her lips as she looked through her freezer. She didn’t see any carrots. “Well, we’ll just throw some broccoli in there.”
Jackson’s gaze followed her as she melted the butter and cooked the onions before adding in the defrosted chicken. She was amazed at how he watched her. She’d seen other babies his age, and they didn’t seem that aware of their mothers until they were crying to be fed. Jackson always seemed to be aware of where she was and watched her. She sang to Jackson about the wheels on the bus as she cut up some salad to go with the alfredo.
Just as she sat down at her small table in the dining area to eat, Jackson started giving her his hunger cues. “Figures.” She sighed, picked Jackson up, and lifted her shirt for him to latch on. He got settled, and she turned her attention back to her supper.
She looked at the blank wall and couldn’t help but imagine Logan sitting here with her. His large frame would fill up her tiny apartment. He would look around in disgust actually. He hated small places and preferred large houses out in the country. He’d barely tolerated her house in town, not the size but the lack of open space.
Emily’s chest hurt again, and a tear ran down her cheek. Maybe she should just go home like that pesky voice kept insisting. Even if she only saw Logan, it may help the ache disappear.
“One day, maybe we’ll go and see Daddy,” she murmured. “And his roommate,” she added. Even the thought had her blushing and remembering the way Ash had returned her heated looks. It was too crazy to want both men though. That’s not how relationships worked.
Emily finished feeding Jackson, put him in his crib, and got to work cleaning up. “A tidy home is a happy home,” she told Jackson as he slept. “At least that’s what Gram says.”
An hour later, Jackson started to stir and Emily decided to hit the store now. It wasn’t as crowded at night, so even though it was nearing nine o’clock, she strapped Jackson in his seat and then kissed his toes. His face broke out in a huge smile, and he cooed at her as she took a few moments to play before getting up and leaving their apartment. These times were so precious to her.
The sidewalk was dark as Emily walked along. She looked up and noticed another lamp was out. That was what she got for choosing a cheaper complex.
Her eyes wandered the trees from the nearby strip of woods and bushes. She could almost hear the horror movie music as she walked along the dark sidewalk. There was no one else out, and several of the apartments had their porch lights off as well.
She could not shake the feeling that someone was watching her, and they meant to harm her. Glancing behind her, she thought she saw glowing eyes in the dark woods. How crazy was that? She turned back around and walked faster to her car. She hit the unlock on her key fob, glanced again at the woods, and saw there was nothing there.
“You’re losing it, girl,” Emily scolded herself.
The supercenter was nearly empty, which was odd. It was almost deserted tonight. She just needed a few things, so she wouldn’t get home too late.
Hours later, Emily finally checked out. She hadn’t planned to run into a friend from the baby group she’d joined or to get pulled into a conversation. It helped to ward off some of the loneliness that still plagued her, but now it was very late and dark outside. She paid and quickly walked to her car. The dread in her gut was already festering as she walked through the dark parking lot. The lights from the street lamps did little to ward off the feelings of panic she felt.
There was a man with black hair and strange eyes smoking a cigarette by one of the cart returns. She tried not to look at him, since she was sure he was just some random man and she was being paranoid. Still, she almost ran to her car and didn’t draw an easy breath until she got Jackson loaded and then herself in her car.
She looked in her rearview mirror and saw the black-haired man flick his cigarette and get in a beat-up red truck. He backed up, and without so much as glancing at her, he drove away.
“Oh god, Emily. You’ve got to pull yourself together. That was just some random man in a very large city.” She adjusted her mirror, started her car, and made her way home with her hands sweating the entire time.
Her stomach flip-flopped as she thought about getting out of her car. Someone had knocked out the parking lot lights by her apartment, and it cast her parking area into blackness. The trees that were meant to dull the inner-city parking lot made her parking area more concealed.
It’s your imagination, girl. There is no one watching you. Why would there be? Gram thinks you’re seeing the world, and no one knows where you are. Matt wouldn’t hide, and Logan doesn’t care.
Still, her brain went to the big city crime, and how criminals hunted their prey. Hunted. She couldn’t drop the feeling that she was being hunted by someone that meant to kill her. She snorted and said, “That is crazy. There are punks all around that apartment complex that bust out the lights so they can deal drugs.” She couldn’t force herself to believe it though.
Go home. Go to Logan. She almost heard the whisper this time instead of just feeling like it was inside her head.
As she turned in her park
ing space, her dread ratcheted up another notch to near panic. More lights were out now, as well as some porch lights from other apartments near hers. If anything happened to her and someone peeked out, they would only see darkness.
With shaking hands, Emily pulled into her space. Were those glowing eyes she’d just seen in the bushes? Emily blinked again and breathed a sigh of relief. It looked like a dog, but it turned away. This place allowed pets, and sometimes a dog got loose. If anyone was around when she pulled Jackson out of his seat, the dog would bark. She felt a fraction safer now. First thing in the morning though, she was going to the office and demanding better security. It may be a low-end apartment complex, but she deserved to feel safe.
She got out and listened. She heard the rustling from the dog in the bushes, but no other sound. She pulled Jackson out of his car seat and pressed her key fob to open the trunk.
A menacing growl split the air and made Emily gasp. She spun around, looking for whatever made that sound. It didn’t sound like a dog at all, but some kind of hell demon. She heard footsteps on gravel, and she backed away from her car while holding Jackson close to her. She covered his head with her hand and said, “It’s okay, baby boy. Mommy has you. I won’t let anything hurt you, sweet baby.”
Her breath rasped in and out, and her eyes felt huge as she scanned the blackness. The shadows were so deep, but she thought she saw glowing eyes. How could eyes glow with no light?
With trembling lips, Emily whimpered when she heard a snarl and the sound of jaws snapping together. One of the growls sounded like laughter. She flinched at the menacing sound, and backed away from her car and the line of trees and bushes surrounding it.
Another snarl sounded just at her heals, and Emily screamed as loud as she could. She nearly tripped, but thankfully, she managed to catch herself as she ran toward the building. She dropped her keys though and didn’t dare spend the time to pick them up.
Heavy breathing and snarling followed her as she raced to the building. “Help me!” Emily screamed as she fought the compulsion to look behind her.
A door opened and Greg, a bodybuilder, looked out. “What’s going on out here?”
Emily ran to him while sobbing incoherently. “Help me. Something is chasing me.”
Greg squinted into the darkness. “Fuck, someone’s dog is out again. Come on in here.”
Emily barreled into his apartment and the blessed light. She’d not noticed through the roaring of her own ears that Jackson was crying.
With shaking hands, she pulled him loose and looked him over. His tiny hands were fisted, and his face was red as he screamed. Had she hurt him, or was he reacting to her own fear? Jackson was very in tune with her emotions, and he reacted to them.
“Is the little guy okay?” Greg asked with a concerned frown.
“I think so.” Emily took off his sleeper, lifted his arms, and looked him over. Thankfully, she didn’t see any red marks except for his face. She put his sleeper back on and snuggled him close.
“Do you want to stay here for a bit? I called the manager, and she is sending someone to check on the loose dogs. Those were some big fucking dogs, too. I didn’t think they allowed big breeds here.”
“Maybe they’re from somewhere else. I’ve never seen big dogs here before.” Emily concentrated on soothing Jackson as he cried out his fear.
Figuring she’d be here for a little while, she grabbed Jackson’s blue blanket and covered him before lifting her shirt to nurse. He latched on with a last whimper and began to suck.
Greg didn’t turn from the window as he said, “My sister nurses all of hers, too. I am going to go and make a snack. You want anything?”
Emily shook her head no before realizing he couldn’t see her. “No thank you.” Her nerves were far too shot to tolerate any food.
Greg nodded and walked from his front window to the small kitchen. His apartment looked much like hers, except his had that definite bachelor pad look with the huge-screen TV, leather reclining couch, complete with cup holders, and TV trays for his supper. His tiny dining room held gym equipment and towels that looked like they were meant for wiping sweat.
Later, a loud knock had Emily jumping. Greg answered the door and spoke with a man. “Well, the dogs seemed to have run off. They didn’t find any.”
“Great,” Emily said sarcastically. Now there were dogs running around and they couldn’t catch them. She would never feel safe stepping outside again.
Her cell phone buzzed in her hand, and she nearly dropped it with a scream. God, she had to calm down. She swiped the screen to see a message from an unknown caller. She pressed it, wondering if it was her apartment complex texting to apologize or offer her an escort maybe.
Emily. Matt here. Gram had a nasty stroke and isn’t doing well. Please come home now. It’s bad. Drop what you’re doing and come home now. I can’t talk, just come now.
Gram? Oh no, no, no, no. She couldn’t lose her Gram before she worked up the courage to tell her.
OK, I’ll leave tonight.
Emily would drive all night and only stop for naps.
She’s home now with some nurses, but she needs you, now.
Greg walked over to her. “Would you like me to walk you home or something?”
Emily moved her gaze up to his. Everything was hitting her at once. Jackson was sleeping peacefully in her arms. He depended on her for everything, and she couldn’t let him down. The voice in her head grew louder. Go home. Logan will protect you and Jackson.
It was clearer than it had been in the last year. She knew what she had to do. She was done running and hiding, and now she needed to go home. If her family rejected her, she’d find a way to live with it.
“Actually, could you help me pack some stuff up? I have a family emergency.” Emily didn’t have a lot of her own personal things. The apartment had come with most everything she needed. She didn’t have a lot of clothes anymore since her body had changed after her pregnancy, and Jackson grew so fast she only kept a small supply of clothes for him. She’d be packed up to leave soon.
“Sure,” Greg said as he nodded. “Where are you going?”
“Home, to North Carolina.”
Chapter Three
Days later, Emily tapped her fingers on the steering wheel. New Year’s was over, and it seemed everyone was returning to their homes on the same night she was trying to make it to hers. The interstate out of Chattanooga was bumper-to-bumper traffic. Worry made her heart pound and her hands shake. She should have never left Gram and Matt, and now she may spend the rest of her life regretting her cowardice.
Oddly, the feelings of being hunted were gone now. She’d stopped at several seedy truck stops where men leered at her. She’d blown off their lustful looks and pumped her gas with a normal amount of wariness. No matter why or what was going on, it was good to be so close to home.
The exit came up to the bar, Sinister, where she’d encountered Logan and discovered she needed a bite of pain with sex. She glanced in her mirror to see the back of the infant car seat. She’d handled everything terribly, and now it was a huge mess.
Finally, traffic began to clear, and she got up to highway speed once again. It wouldn’t be long now and she’d cross the state line to North Carolina and be back in Wolf Creek.
* * * *
Emily pulled her sedan into the assisted-living complex Gram had lived in. She started crying all over again. She couldn’t get ahold of Matt at the number he’d texted her from, and his old number was disconnected. All she could imagine was that Gram died and Matt was furious with her for leaving.
She closed her eyes and remembered the last night she’d seen her mother.
Her mama’s boyfriend, Tommy, and Mama were fighting again as she hid with Matt in the closet. When Mama started screaming for help, Emily ran to the old phone in her mama’s room and dialed 911.
“911, what is your emergency?”
Emily twirled the phone cord and cried into the phone. “Mama and T
ommy are fighting and he’s hurting her. Can the policeman come and help my mama?”
“What’s wrong with your mama, sweetheart?”
“Tommy is hurting her. Can they come and help my mama?”
“Okay, they’re on the way, sweetie. What’s your name?
“Emily. I’m scared. He’s yelling really loud and Mama’s crying.”
“They’re almost there, Emily. They’re pulling into your apartment complex now.”
Emily had been so relieved when a loud bang on the door announced the police had arrived. One of the officers came into the bedroom and smiled as he took the phone from her. “You were so brave to call and help your mom.”
He gave her and Matt toys. She got a doll and Matt got a new truck. Emily thought everything would be better now, but as she looked over at her mom’s bruised face, she saw her angry eyes. It was not a good thing when Mama had angry eyes.
As soon as the police left with Tommy, Mama grabbed her arm and shook her. “You called the police?”
Crying, Emily nodded. She’d thought her mama would thank her, but she couldn’t have been more wrong.
“Look at what you’ve done, you little shit. You screw everything up. Ever since the day you were born, you’ve been nothing but trouble to me. I hate you.”
“Mama,” Emily cried, but Mama pushed her away.
An hour later when Mama grabbed her keys and said, “Come on, kids,” Emily thought they were simply going out. Maybe they’d finally get something to eat. Her and Matt had eaten the last of the cereal for breakfast and lunch, and now her stomach hurt again.
Emily had her doll and Matt had his truck, because they didn’t get toys very often. Mama never bought them anything, and she took their birthday money away last month. Neither of them paid any attention as their mama drove for hour after hour.
“I’m hungry,” Matt whined.
“I have to go potty.” Emily squirmed with the need to go.
Enforcers Embrace [Southern Supernatural Alphas] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 5
