Harley’s gasp startles me, making me look at her. She stares at my body, eyes wide and water, and covers her mouth with her hand. “What happened to you? You look like you’ve been beaten near to death,” she whispers. I stand still as she circles me, touching spots that make me moan, gasp, and cry out from various degrees of pain. She mumbles apologies as she does, otherwise she stays silent, presumably waiting for my answer.
Cringing from the memories of Snake kicking me where Harley’s fingers prod, I nod. “The man who took me tossed me down several times, kicked me, hit me, and…” I choke, my voice cracking. Harley’s eyes widen even more, horror flashing through them as they fall to my thighs where the worst of the bruises grip me with purple and black handprints.
Shifting on my feet, I break her gaze and make her look up at me. She waves her hands around, her mouth opening and closing before she finally stutters, “I- I’m sorry. I’m being… um…”
She rushes to her closet and pulls out a light blue robe, telling me I can wear it. With her help, I pull it on and loosely tie it around my waist.
“C-can you get Dominic?” I ask when she steps back. Nodding, she runs out of the room and leaves me on my own. He won’t think of you differently, Angel. He won’t, I tell myself while lowering myself to Harley’s bed to rest my legs. The pain in them has lessened, but they still hurt.
The worst part about all of this is I’ve been used. Snake used me just like his brother did. He hurt me, and as I think about it, I hope and pray that I’m not pregnant again. Even though I love Reece and Rosaleigh, I don’t think I could go through the weight and pain of having my attacker’s child again.
I struggled with it once, and even if Dominic is here and I’m not alone, I don’t think I could do it. I like to think everything I’ve been through has strengthened me as a person and as a mother, but…
“Emerald,” Dominic calls out, knocking at the door. I tell him to come in, and he does. Alone. Harley doesn’t come back in. Wolf doesn’t follow either. I pull my legs up, trying to hide them under the robe as much as I can.
It’s embarrassing. Plain and simple. I couldn’t defend myself against one man, and I have the marks to prove it.
Dominic walks to me slowly and sits beside me on the bed. Before he can say anything, I take a deep breath and stand up. I need to do this before I lose my nerve. He needs to know, and honestly, I need to tell him… or show him.
“What are you-”
I hold my hand up, and Dominic stops talking. His back straightens, and he grips his knees. I send up another prayer before pulling the knot on the robe and letting it slip to the floor, baring my bruised and battered body to the man I love.
Dominic’s eyes immediately roam my body. I can practically feel his touch ghosting over the bruises mottling my arms, the handprints marring my chest, the welts and bruises trailing from shoulders to hips, and when he goes lower, he drops to his knees, tears filling his eyes.
Biting back my pleas, I watch as he wraps one hand around the back of my right knee, then the other around the back of my left knee. Painstakingly slow, he pulls me closer, his eyes roving over the multiple handprints and bruises staining my thighs.
My eyes sting, and I try to blink the tears away, but they spill over as a guttural cry fills the room. The cry of a wounded animal. The cry of someone who lost everything.
“No,” he whispers, laying his forehead on my right thigh as tears roll down his cheeks and disappear into his beard. Dominic weeps. His fingers brush over the bruises as his body shakes, his lips following his fingertips in their trail.
“I’m sorry, Angel,” he cries as I close my eyes. His touch is soft, not wanting to hurt me. His touch lingers, fanning over the marks.
“Please forgive me,” he breathes, burying his face in my legs. I stop breathing as I look down at my man. He’s lowered himself to his most vulnerable position in hopes I’d forgive him for something he didn’t do. I wipe at my tears and slowly move him back. He looks up at me with fearful eyes.
Kneeling, I cup his cheeks. He leans into my touch and closes his eyes. “Please forgive me. I’m so sorry,” he whispers again, pleading with me. My heart shatters at the sound of his voice cracking.
Slowly, I pull the robe on, covering my bruised body. He stays on his knees, his head bowed as I move around. When I’m covered, I sit on the edge of the bed so I can look into his eyes.
“Shh, shhh,” I hum, pulling him close again. He lays his head on my chest, so I lay my hand on the back of his head and cling to him as we cry. We let everything out, our fear, pain, worry, anger, relief, and love. Every emotion washes over us, coating us like a blanket. Having someone there to hold you, care for you, and cry with you is cathartic and more helpful than any kind of therapy I went through before.
At some point, Dominic pulls me into his chest and lets me cry on him. All my problems and demons flow from me. I cry about losing my family, my nightmares, being taken from my kids, and being hurt again. My life feels like it’s been one disaster after another. Until now. Dominic is here, and he saved me. Dominic and my kids are my lifeline.
After a bit, I wipe my tears and lift his face, making him look at me. When he’s looking in my eyes, and I know he’s paying attention to me alone, I begin.
“I told you, Dominic Knight, that you did nothing wrong. Without you, I’d be married to that monster, or I’d be hurt and alone,” I murmur, kissing his forehead. “I love you and nothing will change that,” I tell him. Dominic straightens up as if my words gave him strength.
“I’ll kill him for it, Emerald. I swear it,” he vows. The intensity in his eyes makes me love him even more. His want- need to keep me safe and avenge me makes me love him more than I can ever say, or more than I could ever love anyone else.
His lips fall to mine, and I let him take control. He moves gently and carefully, holding me like I’m a glass doll. When his lips carefully pull off mine, he rests his forehead to mine and whispers, “I love you too.”
Chapter 23
“I know two people who’ll be very excited to see you,” Dominic says, lifting me off the bike. I wince from the pain and stretch my legs. After last night, we went to bed and woke up to start our lengthy ride. We spent all day, except for lunch and dinner, on the bike and now, we’re home.
“Where are they?” I ask, looking up at the compound as I stretch my arms. Dominic smiles as the front doors to the compound fly open, and my kids come running out.
“Mommy!” They yell. I lower myself to my knees and catch them in my arms, holding them securely. I curl them into my chest and bury my face into their tiny shoulders, tears welling in my eyes as I hold them to me.
Two sets of lips smack my cheeks, making me laugh. “I missed you two,” I whisper, kissing each of them. They giggle, and I look down at them. Rosaleigh smiles brightly and Reece plays with the strands of my hair that have fallen loose from my braid.
“We missed you too, Mommy,” Reece tells me, hugging me again. Rosaleigh nods and asks, “Did you have funs on your trip?” I glance at Dominic, and he nods. They must have told the kids I was on a special trip so they wouldn’t worry. This realization gives me a sense of calm. They don’t need to know the danger since it’ll never touch them. I’ll make sure of that.
Looking back at the kids, I smile. “Yes, I had fun, but I’m home now, and I’m not going anywhere,” I tell them. They both laugh, smile, and yell in excitement. Because their smiles are contagious, I can’t keep the smile from my face. I hold them in my arms and forcefully push myself into a standing position, wincing as I do. Dominic lays a hand on my back, because of the wince, and gives me a questioning look.
With a shake of my head, I let him know I’m fine. I tighten my grip on my kids, making my way inside. Despite my telling Dominic I’m okay, he hovers close behind me, walking close enough to feel his body head, as we move through the building.
When we finally make it to his room, Rosaleigh looks up at me. “Can we go play?
” They both give me pleading, wide-eyed looks, making me smile.
“Sure, but only for a bit, then it’s time for bed,” I tell them, my eyes finding the clock. They have about an hour until their bedtime, I note. They run out of the room, probably going to the playroom, while I lay back on Dominic’s bed.
Dominic’s slightly spicy scent surrounds me as I sink into the pillows, sending a comforting tingle across my body. Just yesterday, I thought I would never see this place again- never see my kids, or Dominic either- but, because of his love for me, Dominic came. He didn’t know I was alive, but he still came to avenge me- to avenge the death of his love.
“You came, even when you thought I was dead,” I mumble, looking up through my eyelashes. “Thank you.” He stands there, studying me, for a minute. His eyes move from the top of my head to my feet. I didn’t notice it before, but there’s something reassuring about the way he watches me.
Slowly, he lies beside me, pulls me into his chest, and speaks deliberately. “I would never leave you with him… even if-” he pauses, and I lean closer to hear what he’ll say, “Even if you were dead.” His eyes cloud as he speaks, and tears form in my eyes.
“That’s not happening anytime soon, thanks to you,” I murmur, running my fingers up his cheek and burying them in his hair. As I look at him, really look at him, I notice the bags under his eyes, the scruffiness of his beard, the longer length of his hair. All proof of how tired he is. Of how hard he looked for me.
Dominic releases a breath and leans into my touch. He rolls onto his side, and I do the same, facing him. As I continue to run my hands through his hair, his eyes fall closed, and he breathes, “I missed you.” He finds my eyes. I give him a smile, and he lifts his hand, brushing his fingers over my bruised cheek.
“I never want to be without you, Emerald. You’re all that I want in this life, and I’ll be damned if I let someone take you away again,” he speaks. “I want to spend the rest of my life with you, love.” My eyes widen at his words, and I watch, stunned, as he reaches over to his nightstand and pulls out a small black box out of a drawer.
Involuntarily, I gasp and sit up. Dominic climbs off the bed, kneeling in front of me. “Angel Emira, would you give me the honor of being, not only my Old Lady, but my wife?” He asks, flicking the box open. When I look down, my eyes fall on the most beautiful ring I’ve ever seen. The ring is an oval-shaped emerald gem with tiny diamonds around it in a halo.
“Of course! Yes! Yes!” I exclaim. Dominic smiles and jumps to his feet, taking the ring out of the box and sliding it onto my left ring finger. Before I can say anything, Dominic’s lips descend on mine.
Our lips move in perfect sync as I let him take control. He gently lowers me to my back without breaking the kiss. I feel his hands wander around my body, so I run my hands up his arms, around his neck, and into his hair. I massage my hands into his hair, making him moan.
“I’ll erase his touch,” Dominic growls, sealing his lips to mine in a heated kiss.
~*~
As I wake, I rub my fists against my eyes, clearing my blurry vision. Immediately, my eyes fall on my love. He’s sleeping peacefully, one of his arms under my head and one across my waist, our legs entwined. I remember him getting up last night when he thought I was asleep, probably to put the kids to bed or make sure they were okay.
Sighing, I slip out of bed and tiptoe to the bathroom. I turn on the shower water and make sure it’s warm, but not burning hot, before stepping in. The water slides over me, running from my head down over my bruises. My sore muscles slowly relax.
The heat helps with the soreness, and, as I let the water fall on me, I realize the soreness is a good soreness. When Dominic said he’d erase Snake’s touch, he meant it. I no longer feel dirty. I feel cherished, loved, and, above all, safe.
Looking down, I blink the tears away, and light glints off the ring on my finger. He can do it. He can heal me. I’d done most of my own healing but could never quite finish it myself. Now I don’t have to. Dominic can, though. His love and support will push me past that line that my past drew in front of me, pushing and pulling me back from my full self.
He’s the other half of me I didn’t know I could find.
“Morning,” Dominic rasps, his arm curling around my stomach as his face nuzzles my neck. My back finds his chest, water sluicing over us, as he peppers little kisses across my skin. I sigh.
“Good morning,” I reply, turning my face to kiss him. He gladly accepts the kiss by leaning forward.
Pulling back, I peck his lips again before turning around and grabbing my shampoo. I’m about to squirt it in my hand when Dominic stops me, takes the bottle, and squirts it in his hand. A second later, the bottle is back on its perch and Dominic’s hands are moving through my hair, massaging my scalp. I hold in the sigh as he turns me and lets the water help him clean my hair.
Dominic’s hands massage the shampoo out of my hair, making me moan. I’ve always liked how someone playing with my hair feels and let me tell you, this is amazing. I lean back against his chest and let him do what he wants.
Once his hands are free from my hair, they continue down my body, cleaning me. Turning around, I grab the Axe soap from beside where mine was and I apply some to my hand. I set the bottle back down and start running my hands through his hair, doing for him what he did for me.
“I need to deal with him today,” Dominic speaks up, breaking the silence. I freeze. Our newly engaged bliss shatters as I survey up at him.
“What are you going to do?” Dominic peers down at me and cups my face in his hands, pressing a kiss to my forehead, then my nose, and finally, my lips.
“I’m gonna kill him… slowly,” he says, his voice soft, almost hesitant, like he doesn’t want to upset me with talking about Snake. He knows, or at least I hope he knows, Snake’s death won’t upset me. I’ll be glad when he’s gone and can’t hurt anyone else. I only wish that…
Shaking my head, I blink a few times. “I need something first,” I tell Dominic. A minor crease forms between Dominic’s eyebrows, and I reach up, smoothing it out. I don’t doubt he thought I’d never want to see Snake again.
“What’s that love?”
“I want to take the first shot at him,” I answer.
Dominic’s eyes widen and his mouth falls open. He stares for a second before turning and shutting the water off, grabbing two towels, and wrapping one around his waist. He then lifts me out of the shower and wraps the second towel around my body.
“You want-”
“Yes,” I cut him off. I’d sooner never see Snake again, but I owe him some pain. A lot of pain, actually.
We jump into a staring contest. I stare right into his eyes, not letting myself waver as he narrows his eyes to try to silently talk me out of this. I need this, though. I need to stand up to Snake. I need to take back my strength. He can’t win. He didn’t win, and I need to show him that.
Finally, Dominic gives in.
“Okay, but there’s no way you’re going in there alone,” he tells me. Nodding, I wrap my arms around him and squeeze.
We move quickly from there, drying off and getting dressed. I pull on something that is loose but not revealing so my injuries don’t get aggravated. Dominic pulls on the full force of his presidency; he wears all black with his shirt seemingly two sizes too small and his vest sitting on top of it.
On our way out, I pass the mirror. I look much better. The bags that were under my eyes are gone. My bruises aren’t as prominent against my skin, and even with them still there, I seem to have what some people call a glow. It’s probably because of Dominic… what am I saying? I know it’s from Dominic.
“You coming, Em?” Dominic calls from the hallway. Turning away from the mirror, I grab some rain boots and pull them on, because for what I have planned, there will be a lot of blood. Being prepared is always good.
“I’m coming,” I tell him, grabbing his hand when I reach him. We walk through the compound and to the bott
om floor, finding Wolf, Beast, Sniper, and Reaper standing around. They all look to us and then to me specifically.
“What’s the lass doin’ here?” Wolf speaks first. I narrow my eyes at him, and his response is a smile.
“I’m getting in on this,” I tell him, looking at all of them, “He beat and raped me, so I get a go at him.” One after the other, the men’s eyes widen at my words. I push down the disgust and fear that rolls in my stomach and lift my head. “What I’ll do will kill Snake, so if you’re planning something, go first. However, I want him alive and conscious enough to feel the hell I’m going to unleash on him,” I say.
Several men cringe, and I smirk. I’m not just a pretty face, and Snake will learn that the hard way.
Beast smiles, but the others look to Dominic for confirmation and he nods. I bite my lip and squeeze Dominic’s hand, hoping he won’t change his mind. I’m not too happy about seeing Snake again, but I need to get my closure and I will.
“Let’s go,” Dominic announces, letting the men know this is his wish as well.
On our way out to the barn, we pass several men who nod before turning away. It only takes a minute to get to the barn, then down into the room where Snake is. I swallow the bile that crawls up my throat. I push away my memories and stand beside Dominic.
“Oh, the little whore is here to play again,” Snake chuckles, his voice weak from the beating he took. Dominic is the first to react, moving so fast I almost don’t see him slamming his fist into Snake’s face. Snake’s head jerks back, a crack resounding through the room, and the chains holding him up rattle.
There are red marks around his wrists from the chains digging into his skin, like the red marks on me. Unconsciously, I rub at the marks on my wrists as I watch him hang there.
Crack. Pop. Crack.
I look back to see Wolf glaring at the piece of slime as he cracks his knuckles. He nods to me then looks to Snake. “This is gonna be fun,” he growls. It’s only fair that Wolf beat on Snake since Snake nearly killed him.
Emerald Page 20
