The water Dalton had given her was making a beeline through her bladder. But right before she was sure she was going to pee her pants, a tiny woman peeked her head out from behind the behemoth. She was pretty with auburn hair and beautiful green eyes.
She placed her hand on the huge man and said “Calm down, Cash. Questions first, guns later.” She joked. And then the women stepped beyond him, not paying attention to the glare he cast her way.
The woman seemed familiar to Emma but in her current state of mind she just couldn’t process it at the moment. Emma also couldn’t remember if she had actually seen a picture of Ryleigh on the website she seen when she looked up The Holly Group at the library before all this happened. What got her, and almost made her start giggling like a lunatic, was the site before her. The petite woman had on pajamas with bunnies all over them. Her slippers were even shaped as bunnies; complete with a pink nose, whiskers, and ears, making her look almost childlike. The contrast between the two people was disarming. all Emma could think was, ‘the princess and the biker’.
The woman tried to walk closer to Emma, with her hand out, but the behemoth stopped her.
“Ryleigh, we don’t have any idea who she is or what she has under that coat,” he said as he gently pushed the woman behind him, gun in his hand but not pointed up.
Dalton walked out from the kitchen to find a fully charged situation. Cash was holding a gun on Emma and trying to hold back Ryleigh at the same time. Not fucking good! Fuck. Dalton had hoped to introduce Ryleigh first, without Cash going all Alpha on Emma. He didn’t like the look of sheer terror that was currently on her face and he wanted to beat Cash for putting it there. He knew Emma was special, but his willingness to kill his Second, and one of his closest friends, because he dared to scare her was clueing him into the bigger picture that he wasn’t quite sure he was ready for. Emma was special alright. She could be everything. Getting his temper under control barely, he decided to appeal to the softer touch in the charged room.
“Oh, hey Ryleigh. I was just about to come and find you. Cash, Ryleigh, I would like you to meet Emma,” Dalton said, motioning in Emma’s direction. “She was down at the diner and she needs some help. Ryleigh, I told her you could take a look at her. She has some pretty nasty cuts on her hands and she didn’t want to go to the clinic.”
Dalton tried to convey with his eyes that Emma wasn’t a threat but needed help. However, Cash wasn’t paying any attention to him; his sole focus was on Emma. Ryleigh, on the other hand, instantly took in the situation. When her face softened Dalton knew, Emma would get all the help she needed.
Dalton didn’t take his eyes off of Cash. He was the biggest threat in the room at the moment.
“I know we don’t generally bring people up here, but she is in desperate need of some medical attention and she refused to go to the clinic,” he elaborated, trying to ease his Second.
Dalton hoped that he had defused the situation, but Cash was still holding his sidearm and he was a lovely shade of red. The man was not happy. At least he had directed his anger towards him instead of having his sole focus on Emma.
“Listen up asshole, you know the fucking rules: no unknowns in the lodge,” Cash barked at Dalton. “Did you even ask what her story is, or at least do your fucking job and frisk her? She could have anything under that damn coat. Do you care so little for Ryleigh’s safety that you would put her and the baby at risk? What the fuck were you thinking!?”
That just pissed Dalton off. He knew Cash was going to be pissed, but how could he question Dalton’s loyalty. They had been together since they were kids and he would never put Ryleigh or the baby at risk. Shit, he wouldn’t put any woman at risk; that is why he brought Emma here. Dalton's bear was right on the surface.
As he stomped toward Cash, Dalton said, “Listen asshole, I would never…”
Emma didn’t know what to do. Tensions were so high that it was freaking her out. She didn’t like how the big man attacked Dalton, when all he had been trying to do was help her. Making the only decision she could, Emma removed her last layer of protection hoping it would make a difference. Maybe if the big man could see all of her, he would realize that she wasn’t a threat to anyone.
Ryleigh interrupted them, “Guys, I don’t think you have to worry about what Emma has under her coat unless you are afraid a baby might get me. I would think that might be kind of hard since it is still in her belly. But hey, with everything else that has happened, you never know.”
Dalton and Cash turned at the same time and focused on Emma. She could feel the blood draining from her face and her knees started to shake. Holding onto the closet door, she did the only thing she could think of and looked at both men square in the eye. She hoped the move was showing them that she was strong, but also that she meant no harm. She felt like prey in that moment.
Dalton was floored. Emma was very pregnant and by the size of her belly, he was pretty sure she was about to pop at any moment. Either that, or she was having a litter. She had on a pair of dirty jeans that were just hanging off of her body and a very tight t-shirt. That was when he took in all of the bruises that littered her arms. He had only gotten a small glimpse in the diner. This woman needed help and he would fight Cash to get her some. He was also pretty impressed that she was still standing; Cash was an intimidating man, even on good days, and today was not a good day.
Shit, even Dalton knew he was being unreasonable; he was already thinking of Emma as his mate. The legend said it would be quick, instant, but this was fucking ridiculous and he needed some answers. He just wasn’t sure where he could get them. What he did know was that his bear was calm and he was drawn to Emma. He wanted to protect her, but he also wanted to possess her. What a fucked-up thought. He was starting to understand his Alpha’s behavior over the last couple of months and wondered how he was strong enough to actually leave Ryleigh’s side. Dalton couldn’t even stand the thought of Emma being out of his sight, and they had only been together a matter of hours. But he still had questions, tons of them. First and foremost, was she already attached to someone else? She had said it wasn’t an ex that was coming after her, but what did that truly mean? What if she was married and had more kids? Fuck, what was he thinking? He didn’t even know this woman, but he couldn’t deny the pull he felt for her. He would just have to talk to her after she got some help.
The big guy noticed as well and came out of his dazed state. Cash’s next words were a shock, even to Dalton.
“Hey little one, what do you need?” Cash gently asked Emma.
Cash felt like an ass when he finally took a closer look at Emma. But he had a duty to his team, and specifically to his Alpha, to keep Ryleigh and the baby safe. That didn’t mean he wouldn’t help. He just couldn’t trust her yet.
His odd statement, calling her ‘little one’, kind of freaked Emma out, but she needed these people at the moment. If Cash was willing to give her a reprieve, she wasn’t going to turn it down. Emma couldn’t keep eye contact with them any longer. She hated asking for help.
So, while looking down at her feet, finally finding her courage, she said, “Dalton stated that Ryleigh had medical experience and she could check the cuts on my hands. He thinks they are infected. I haven’t been able to see a doctor, so I was hoping that she could check the baby and me out to make sure everything was okay.”
That was an understatement. Emma was pretty sure that she needed a lot more than these people could offer her, but at the moment getting cleaned up and some bandages sounded exquisite. She would deal with the rest when the time came, maybe.
Dalton was so proud of Emma. She might have only been able to look Cash in the eyes for a minute, but she had still done it. Being able to tell them what she needed, he knew that took a lot of courage on her part. She was strong and she kept on surprising him. He was pretty sure that if another woman was in her position, she would be crumpled to the floor in tears by now. But not Emma, she was standing on her own, asking for what she needed
and he couldn’t help but be a little more drawn to her.
“I can’t go to a clinic.” Emma elaborated. “I know I am asking a lot of you, but Dalton said that Ryleigh was part of the Holly Group and I would very much appreciate her help if that is okay.”
Cash was not happy with the state this woman was in. And yet he couldn’t help but think she was playing Ryleigh like a fucking fiddle. Asking for help and mentioning The Holly Group was a sure way to pull at Rye’s heartstrings; the woman couldn’t turn anyone away that needed help. Cash wasn’t cold hearted. He knew that Emma needed help. He just didn’t think Ryleigh was the one that needed to give it to her. All the members of Alpha Team had medic training. It might be basic, but he could assess a wound just as well as she could. But before he could make the suggestion, his crazy charge decided to take things into her own hands.
Ryleigh surged forward, managing to get out from behind Cash before he could stop her.
“No problem, Emma,” Ryleigh said. “We have an exam room down the hall. Why don’t we get you into a nice warm shower and then I can take you to the exam room? I will check out your cuts and the baby. How does that sound? We don’t have everything for a prenatal exam, but I think I saw a Doppler back there, so we will at least be able to hear your little one's heartbeat. But honey, you need to see a doctor. I have medical training and can treat some of your problems like your hands, but we should call down to the clinic and see if one of the doctors are willing to come up here and give you a full exam. I think you need it Emma.”
Emma was far from a stupid woman; she knew that she needed more medical care than Ryleigh or the guys could offer her, but she couldn’t risk it. No, that wasn’t right, she wouldn't take that chance. If the people that had been holding her found her again, she knew she wouldn’t survive. Anyways, doctors, hospitals, even clinics, left a paper trail. She could probably use another name and not present any identification, but she didn’t know. And how the heck would she pay for something like that? So, for right now she would take what she could get. Warning Ryleigh and getting the heck out of there was the right thing to do, for all of them. At least that was what she was trying to convince herself of. But why did the thought of leaving Dalton cause her heart to ache? Maybe she was more broken than she thought.
“I would just like to make sure everything is okay,” Emma responded, “And I can honestly say that I would love a shower. It’s been a really long time. Do you mind if we wait on the doctor? I don’t plan on staying long and can find one closer to the cabin I am heading to, if that is alright.”
Ryleigh didn’t like this situation any more than Cash did, but she knew she needed to help Emma. She had the resources and could never turn away a person in need, especially if she could do something about it. The only problem was that Ryleigh didn’t know if she was the right person for this job. Emma needed a real doctor. She could tell just by looking at her. All she would be doing would be equivalent to putting a Band-Aid on a much bigger problem. So, she was determined to give Emma some comfort that she needed and convince the woman.
Walking with her, she couldn’t ignore what her body, and more importantly what her baby, needed. Shit, Ryleigh thought. Talk about calling the kettle black, or whatever, she had been doing the exact same thing; working day and night, trying to find answers in Dr. Franklin’s data, not paying attention to her own basic needs or that of her babies. What kind of mother was she going to be? Maybe it was hormones or maybe it was a realization, but Ryleigh wanted to cry. Wow could she convince Emma to do something when, until this exact moment, she hadn’t been able to convince herself? Damn-it.
Ryleigh lightly took hold of Emma's elbow and started to lead her down the hall, but Emma couldn’t help but look back to Dalton. She needed some kind of reassurance that this was the right move to make. Without saying a word, he offered his approval by nodding his head and smiling. Emma took that small gesture and went with it. She would trust him until he proved he couldn’t be trusted. Emma was pretty sure that would never happen for some reason.
Further down the hall away from the men, Ryleigh continued, “Okay, I have some sweats that will fit you and I am sure Dalton can give up one of his precious t-shirts. I don’t have a bra that will fit you, but I do have some panties that are still in the package, as long as my husband hasn’t found them yet,” Ryleigh quipped. “I haven’t had any luck teaching him that sometimes a woman needs the comfort of cotton panties. Can you believe that he calls them ‘granny panties’?”
Emma felt some of the tension that she had been carrying leave her at the mention of ‘granny panties’. Guys just didn’t get it; they weren’t sexy but the comfort that they provided were second to none. Before all this happened, Emma had a drawer full of them. Being a foster kid, it always seemed like she didn’t have enough of anything, so when she became an adult and finally got her own place she went a little overboard. People just didn’t understand how important it was to have as many pairs of socks and underwear you could get. She guessed that not many people would unless they had lived in her shoes.
Emma gave Ryleigh a small laugh. She knew it didn’t reach her eyes, but she appreciated Ryleigh trying to distract her from the tension of the situation they found themselves in. When they finally made it to their destination of the bathroom, Ryleigh started to show her around.
“Okay Emma, everything you should need is in the cabinet,” Ryleigh said. “I am going to go and get those clothes for you, but I am going to take them to the exam room. I will have one of the guys bring you a robe and put it outside the door. That way we can get an idea if we need to call down to the clinic. Please Emma, you need to think about it. I just don’t have the expertise that I feel you and more importantly your baby requires right now.”
Emma wasn’t shocked by the elegance of the bathroom she stood in; it fit the rest of the home with all of its high-end finishes from the polished stone floor to the brushed chrome fixtures. If a bathroom could exude warmth, this one hit its target. Too bad she just didn’t care at the moment. She was holding on by a thread. She gave a meek, “Thank you,” and nodded her head. Emma knew that she wasn’t going to risk seeing one of the doctors they were talking about, but she knew if she protested too vigorously then these people would just call them in whether she liked it or not.
“Okay then, I am going to go and get the exam room ready,” Ryleigh said, stepping towards the door. “I will send Dalton down to show you the way, unless you would rather I come back for you.”
“No, you can send Dalton.” Emma blurted out involuntarily.
Emma needed Dalton. She didn’t know why and couldn’t exactly explain it to herself or anyone else, but he made her feel safe and right now she needed that feeling more than she needed air to breath. She hadn’t felt safe in a very long time and if she honestly let her mind wander, she didn’t think she had every really felt safe until the moment Dalton sat down at the table with her in the diner.
When Ryleigh stepped out of the bathroom, Emma closed the door. She didn’t bother locking it because as soon as she was alone Emma’s fight to keep her tears at bay was lost. Why would anyone want to hurt Ryleigh? The woman was friendly and she could tell that she genuinely cared about people. Why else would she just take someone off the street or at her door and offer her help? Emma came to the decision that she would help Ryleigh in any way she could. The huge tattooed man scared the crap out of her, but she hoped that he could keep Ryleigh safe. And Dalton had mentioned that there were others that were away on a mission, including Ryleigh’s husband. Maybe they could help.
Stripping out of the clothes and dropping them where she stood, Emma debated throwing them in the trash. She had been wearing them for the last few days and she never wanted to see them again. They were ‘his’ clothes and if she could have gotten away with burning them, she would have in a second. But she didn’t want to press her luck any further. The people helping would assume she was crazy if she started a fire in their bathroom, and she
was pretty sure that Cash would come in, guns a blazing. Emma climbed into the shower turning it to as hot as it would go, and the tears came harder. It was unbelievable how something as simple as a kind word or a shower could change things for a person when they had been denied them for so long. The enormity of what she had been going through had finally caught up to Emma. Falling to her knees and curling into a ball, she cried for all that she had lost, for the baby she was now carrying, and every other thing that had happened to her. She never let those assholes that held her see her cry, but the floodgates were now open and it didn’t look like it was going to stop anytime soon.
Chapter 11
Cash reamed Dalton for a good fifteen minutes before he seemed to lose steam. Dalton knew things with Cash were going to be bad; he was going against procedure. But damn it, wasn’t it their job to help people in need?
“Dude, you know better than to bring an unknown back to base,” Cash said, “but I can tell you that if I had seen that woman in the state that she is in, I would have done the same thing. I can’t be mad at you for trying to do the same thing any of one of us would do, but we have to be vigilant. She could still be a plant. Those fuckers know us and I wouldn’t put it past them to force our hands by putting a woman that seems vulnerable in our path. She is your responsibility for as long as she is here. Got me? I want you fucking glued to her ass. She needs 24/7 surveillance, no exceptions. I don’t want Ryleigh alone with her, but she is going to insist on examining her alone. I want you to gear up. The room is already wired for sight and sound. We will only use sound to give Emma some privacy, but we cannot go completely dark because she is still an unknown, regardless of the shape she is in. Got me?”
Dalton should have been surprised that being ordered to babysit Emma didn’t have the same effect on him, compared to being ordered to watch Ryleigh. He didn’t want Emma out of his sight, so he was more than happy to do as Cash directed; he just wasn’t going to tell him that.
Dalton: NAC & The Holly Group (Alpha Team Book 2) Page 7
