Emerald

by Rebekah Thompson

  Wolf steps toward Snake, sending a hard kick to Snake’s stomach. With a groan, Snake tries to double over to protect his stomach, but the chains hold him straight. Next, Wolf pulls a knife from his belt and makes several cuts in precise places on Snake’s chest and stomach, making sure they’re not too deep, though, by glancing back at me.

  The others deliver various punches and kicks, but the only person who doesn’t move is Reaper. He doesn’t flinch, just stands there like a statue. Glimpses of conversations I’ve had with Dominic flit through my memory. Reaper takes care of the dead, deals with cleanup, and does anything else that’s necessary or needed.

  In the end, Dominic steps forward, grabbing Snake by his throat. Beast passes him a knife, and my breath hitches. I watch as he drags the knife across Snake’s eyes, making him scream, while telling Snake that he’ll never lay his eyes on me again. Next, Dominic moves the knife to Snake’s fingers.

  “You’ll never touch her again.”

  Snake wiggles, thrashes, and cries. He pleads for them to stop. Says he’s sorry. Dominic just snarls and slices. One after the other, Snake’s fingers drop to the ground, blood pooling and oozing. One after the other, Sniper follows behind Dominic and cauterizes the fingers, so he doesn’t bleed out.

  Snake’s wails make me cringe and the metallic scent of blood fills the air, followed by burning flesh. I swallow the throw up that threatens to spill out, but I steel myself. I have to do this. I need to show him he doesn’t own me. He can’t control or hurt me anymore.

  When Sniper finishes cauterizing Snake’s fingers, I notice Snake passed out.

  “I got it, lass,” Wolf says, picking up a bucket. He fills it, with what I’m assuming is icy water, and tosses the water at Snake. It splashes him, soaking him and making him jerk awake.

  “P-p-please st-stop!” Snake sputters.

  Rage fills me, building in my blood like a balloon.

  “How dare you!” I scream, lunging forward. I take hold of his neck and squeeze. “You don’t get to beg. You deserve what you’re getting!”

  His eyes widen at my words and follow my outstretched hand. Beast hands me a knife with a nod, and Snake whimpers, stuttering out a few more pathetic pleas. I ignore them, like he, and his brother, ignored me.

  I grab at his cheeks, squeezing my fingers into them and making him open his mouth. “You will die today, but before you do, you’ll be in so much pain that you won’t be able to beg for death,” I tell him. He tries to jerk his head away. I look at the men.

  They seem to get what I’m saying, because Beast and Sniper come to Snake’s sides and grab his hair and head.

  When they have him secured, I open his mouth and grab his tongue. “Any last words?” He groans, and I let go of his tongue.

  “Please don’t,” he begs, “I’m sorry.” I narrow my eyes at him, catching his tongue in my grip again.

  “Did you stop when I begged you to?” I ask, lowering the knife to his tongue. “No, you didn’t,” I say, digging the knife into his tongue. He screams, blood spurting out of his mouth. He thrashes more as I throw the tongue aside and look at the men.

  “Legs.”

  They all look at me with wide and curious eyes. Dominic and Wolf move to his legs and grab him, making sure he doesn’t move. When I’m sure they have a tight hold on him, I squat down in front of Snake, grabbing the waistband of his pants. The guys all watch me with careful eyes as I bring the knife down and cut Snake’s pants off.

  “I’ve had enough of you and your brother using me as you wish. I was too weak three years ago and just the other day when you raped me, so here is my revenge,” I tell him, grabbing him by the balls. He shrieks as I settle the cold blade of the knife against him and start cutting. This time, his screams are louder than ever as I cut off the most sensitive part of his body. I hear all the men in the room gag.

  Once I’m done, I throw Snake’s sack on the floor and stand up, wiping my hands on a towel that Reaper offers me. “I’m done,” I tell them, walking to the door and waiting. In a last act, Dominic pulls his gun out, and a loud bang fills the room. Snake’s body falls forward, hitting the ground.

  “Take care of it,” he says, handing the gun off to Reaper, who just nods.

  With that, he scoops me up in his arms and walks out of the room. Dominic holds me tightly the entire way to our room, not letting anyone speak to me or touch me. Once we’re in the room, he marches into the bathroom.

  I struggle out of his arms, and as soon as he releases me, I fall over the toilet, retching up the contents of my stomach. I heave until there’s nothing left and then just lean on the cool porcelain.

  I just did that.

  I just killed him.

  Dominic tenderly lifts me, sits me on the sink counter, then flushes the toilet before turning back to me.

  “I’m proud of you, Em, but from now on, let me take care of them, okay,” he says, sliding my rain boots off. I nod in response and let him pull off my blood-soaked clothes. Leaning against him for strength, I finally let the tears fall. All the pain and resentment I felt runs away with the tears.

  Silently, Dominic moves us into the shower and turns the warm water on, letting it wash away all the terrible memories, the pain, and the fear. I also let the guilt of taking two lives wash away as I stand there. They were horrible, awful men, but they were still people.

  With him here, I feel at peace. His hands slowly move over my skin, freeing me of the blood and fear. I feel wanted and safe. He presses small, soft kisses along my neck. Because of him, I feel loved.

  With him, I feel at home.

  Epilogue

  “Are you ready?” Lacy asks, lifting my train and straightening it out. My heart thumps in my chest at a growing rate.

  Thump….. thump….. thump…..

  “I’ve always been ready. I just didn’t know it,” I murmur, studying my reflection. Three weeks have gone by since Dominic and the club saved me from Snake. Our lives have calmed down as I planned and prepped, played with the kids, and integrated into the club life.

  Thump… thump… thump… thump…

  Dominic has been key in helping me cope with my kidnapping. Some nights I still have nightmares, but with Dominic there, I don’t have to worry and stew all night. We talk through the dreams, and I let him hold me. Having him is like having the last lifeline when the ship is sinking. The feeling of his arms wrapped around me anchors me to reality. He calms me, understands, and knows exactly what I need. Sometimes, he silently holds me. Other times, he talks about anything and everything to get my mind to clear up.

  He just knows how to help, and I love him for that.

  “Honey, you look beautiful,” Ruby gushes, pulling me into a hug. Smiling, I run my fingers over the delicate lace of my dress. Lacy, Ruby, and I went shopping last week and as soon as I saw the sleeveless fit and flare lace dress, I fell in love. The back is open down to the small of my back, buttons securing it down the back, with a sweetheart neckline in the front.

  The dress is perfect, showing my best assets and letting me feel free enough to show my wings. Honestly, it helps me feel like my parents are with me, which makes me tear up. I wish they were here. They would’ve loved Dominic, especially Dad.

  Thump…. Thump… thump… thump… thump…

  A knock at the door steals my attention, making me turn around. Wolf whistles, and a smile pulls at his lips as he makes his way to me. When he stops in front of me, I smile. He’s wearing a white button-up shirt with a gray vest over it and a leather jacket on top. The top button of the shirt is open, giving off a semi-formal appearance. On the bottom, he’s wearing black jeans and his boots.

  True to biker fashion.

  I mentally chuckle. I’ve never seen him wear something this formal.

  When I told Dominic I wanted a small, personal wedding just with the club, he didn’t protest. I don’t have anyone besides my kids that I could invite anyway, and I don’t want a church wedding. Nothing fancy, was my motto
while planning. Dominic and the club guys helping set it up were completely okay with it too. One of them said it was less work they had to do, then Dominic smacked him on the back of the head and he apologized. They made the planning, which I guess is normally stressful, fun.

  “Mommy!”

  “Mama!”

  When Wolf turns at the sound of squeals, I notice the club logo on the back of the back of his jacket.

  Reece and Rosaleigh run into the room, both dressed. Rosaleigh wears a cute dress that has a white top and a light pink high low skirt. She has her hair pulled up into a bun with wisps falling around her face. Reece wears a pair of jeans, a white button-up shirt, light pink suspenders, and a pink bow tie. He and Rosaleigh match, like the cute twins they are.

  Leaning down, I hug them and kiss the top of their heads. “You look great, guys,” I smile. Reece beams, and Rosaleigh blushes.

  “It’s time,” Ruby says, handing me my bouquet. The flowers are a mix of greenery, light pink roses, and wine-red blooms. Ruby and Lacy’s dresses are thin strapped, wine-colored floor-length dresses that cross in the front. So, everyone follows the same color coordination.

  Thump…. Thump… thump… thump… thump… thump…

  Wolf moves to my side and hooks his arm through mine, a charming smile gracing his lips. Two weeks ago, as I was thinking, I realized I have no one to walk me down the aisle. I worried about it, tossed and turned, all night one night until Dominic pulled me into his arms and asked me what was wrong.

  After talking to him and crying, I thought of Wolf. Dominic encouraged me, knowing that Wolf is probably the closest thing, besides him, to family that I have. So, the next day, I went to Wolf and asked if he’d walk me down the aisle. I thought, as I stood there waiting for his answer, that he’d cry, but he didn’t. He just lifted me in a hug and told me he’d be honored.

  “Thank you,” I whisper, reaching up and kissing his cheek. He nods, and Ruby ushers the kids out of the room. Lacy winks at me before following to make sure everyone reaches their destination.

  “Let’s get you married,” Wolf teases. I pinch his side, making him laugh. I let him guide me down stairs, through hallways, and to the back door that leads to the backyard. My heart slams into my ribcage, and I take deep breaths to calm my nerves.

  Thump…. Thump… thump… thump… thump… thump… thump… thump…

  “Don’t be nervous,” Wolf whispers as Reece and Ruby go through the door, letting me glimpse the decorations. We agreed to have our ceremony outside, behind the clubhouse. The guys all put greenery and white chairs up, making the area look elegant, almost better than a church. There’s an altar at the entrance of the barn. Each row of chairs has a white pillar beside it, in the aisle, with flower arrangements on top of them.

  Looking up at Wolf, I smile, “I’m not nervous,” I say. Thump…. Thump… thump… “I’m excited.” He smiles and we watch as Lacy and Rosaleigh walk through the door. Before the door closes, I see Rosaleigh throw flower petals at the men in the audience instead of on the ground, and I laugh.

  The music outside quiets down and then the instrumental version of “A Thousand Years” by Christina Perri begins to play. My stomach jumps and rolls in excitement as Wolf reaches forward and pushes the doors open. Everyone in the audience stands, but my eyes fall to Dominic who is standing at the end of the homemade aisle.

  Thump…. Thump… thump… thump… thump… thump… thump… thump… thump… thump…

  Flowers with flowing greenery pave my path to the man I love. He’s wearing a tux, his hair styled perfectly, and wide eyes watching me. Neither of our gazes travel as I take deep breaths, and I don’t realize my feet are moving. I find myself wanting to run to him, just to feel him, to be with him, and at this moment, there’s nothing I want more than to be his.

  His love.

  His wife.

  His life.

  When I reach him and take his hand, I feel like my heart will pound out of my chest in excitement, and okay, maybe a little from nerves. Wolf nods to Dominic before moving to stand behind him. Dominic’s hand grips mine and we turn to Reaper who is, surprisingly, certified as a minister who can marry us.

  While Reaper speaks of love, life, and the bond of marriage, my eyes don’t leave Dominic’s, and his stay on mine. When the vows come around, we repeat Reaper word for word, and then Reaper asks for the rings.

  Dominic, smiling, turns to Reece and takes a ring from his small hand, ruffling Reece’s hair. Reece beams proudly as Dominic turns back to me.

  “With this ring, I vow to protect and love you, to comfort you, encourage you, and keep you until the day I die,” he says softly, sliding the gold ring on my finger. My vision blurs as he leans forward and kisses my hand before smiling up at me. I wipe at my eyes, briefly hoping my makeup doesn’t run and smile at Dominic.

  Reaper looks at me and asks if I have a ring. I nod and turn to Reece. He hands me the ring and I kiss his forehead. “Thanks, buddy,” I whisper, making him smile at me. I stand back up and take Dominic’s left hand in mine.

  “With this ring, I promise to love and support you through life, ride with you, back you, and keep you until the day I die,” I tell him, looking up into his beautiful brown eyes. I slide the gold ring onto his ring finger.

  “You may kiss y-”

  Before Reaper can finish the sentence, Dominic’s lips are on mine. His hands grip my waist, and my arms wrap around his neck, holding him to me. Everyone in the audience cheers, hooting and whistling.

  Slowly, we pull away from each other, and Dominic lays his forehead against mine. “My wife,” he whispers so softly.

  “Your wife. Your Old Lady. Yours.”

  ~*~

  “Oh, my god! When did you buy this?”

  The house is enormous, at least two stories, maybe three. Dominic just laughs, grabs my hand, and pulls me around the house. We make it to the backyard, and my mouth drops open. A gigantic rectangle pool, with tile ground around it, sits right off a back deck. There’s a large patch of grass on the far side of the pool, leaving room for the kids to play.

  “This was my parent’s house that burned down years ago. I fixed it up. Never really had a reason to live in it, but now I do,” he says, looking down at me. He transfers my small box of photos to his other arm and pulls me against his side.

  Again, I look at the house. The house has a cabin-like manner about it. The wood is a light brown, almost a cedar color, and the roof is a grayish brown. There’s a stone chimney on the right side of the roof and large windows all around the house, filling it with natural light.

  “It’s beautiful,” I tell him. He leans in for a quick kiss then takes my hand again, pulling me towards the door.

  When we enter, I find that the house is more modern than I thought it would be on the inside. Again, it’s huge. “It can house up to twenty people,” Dominic speaks up, seeing my face. My eyes widen. We’ll never have that many people in our house… or at least I don’t think we will.

  After staring at him for a second, I continue examining the house; well, it’s more of a mansion. The floor is a dark wood pattern, and the walls are neutral colors. There are decorations around, accenting some blue and black colors, along with browns and beiges.

  “Do you want to see our room?” He asks, and I nod my head. If the front of the house looks amazing, I can’t wait to see what he’s done with our new room. I like the neutrals in the parts I’ve seen, so I know he’s done an outstanding job. Whether he hired someone or decorated himself, I’m impressed.

  Dominic walks through the living room and into a hallway, stopping at the first door. I wait, my feet shuffling impatiently as he turns to me. Is he trying to kill me with the anticipation? I’m about to push past him when he smirks and opens the door slowly.

  I don’t wait another second. I push past him into the room. What I see makes my mouth drop open… again. The room is humongous, probably double the size of my room in my apartment. The walls are a light
brown, beige color with floor to ceiling windows on the backyard facing wall. Our bed is a king-size with off white covers and a navy blue throw over it, with matching pillows. The curtains on the window match the white covers on the bed.

  My heart flutters as I look over the room and out the window at the yard. This is his childhood home rebuilt. My heart skips a beat. Living in this house, filling it with new memories, will be exciting. I wish I could have met his parents and that he could’ve met mine. Our lives will be filled with plenty of family, but my heart aches as I realize our kids won’t have any grandparents.

  “I love the house, Dominic. You’ll have to tell me more about your parents,” I tell him, realizing I don’t know a whole lot about them. Then we can tell our kids.

  “Dominic?” Instead of looking up at me, he’s staring at one of the pictures from my box. “Dom, are you okay?” I walk over and lay my hand on his arm. When I touch him, he looks up with teary eyes. My heart jumps, but before I can ask anything else, he speaks.

  “That’s you?”

  Confusion churns deep in me as I look at the picture of me when I was little. “Yeah, my dad took this picture forever ago, but he never told me who was in the picture with me,” I answer, looking at the dark-haired boy. I study him, then the boy in the picture, and I find his eyes. They’re a warm brown chocolate color, just like Dominic.

  “You’re the girl. The one from when I was a kid. I can’t believe this!” He exclaims, picking me up and spinning me around. “I never thought I would find her- I mean you- and I can’t believe that you’re her!”

  He stills and leans in, smiling, and nuzzling my nose with his. I hug him back, a smile forming on my lips from his contagious excitement. He pecks the tip of my nose and beams at me.

  “You’re my world, Em. I loved you then, and I love you now,” he tells me, pulling me close and lowering his lips to mine. Our kiss completes the conversation, and he shows me how deep his love is.