Chapter Ten
Kade
As we”re staring one another down, there”s a sharp, urgent knock at the door.
Her gaze ticks past me to the door, then comes back to mine again. I can see the mix of alarm and worry in her wide eyes.
“Are you expecting someone?” I ask.
She shakes her head.
“Are you going to answer it?” At my question, she lifts both shoulders and makes her way to the front door, which gives me my answer. She strides toward the door, casting a quick glance back at me. “It”s okay,” she mouths silently before pulling it open.
As she faces her guest, I hear her surprised voice as she says, “Alex!”
Knowing that her brother is here, I feel my spine stiffen as I try to think of a quick, convincing story I can give him.
She steps back and he crosses the threshold, talking to her as he does. “I got a call from Ryan.” His words cut short as he scans the room and notices me. Surprise widens his eyes, and for a moment, I”m sure he”s going to call me out.
Instead, Emma steps forward. “I”m not surprised. He and I kind of got into it tonight, but I called Kade because I knew you were busy, and I needed some moral support.”
“From him?” Alex doesn”t sound convinced and Emma laughs.
“I know - he’s a bad choice.”
“Hey!” I say, playing along.
But the two of them are very quickly back to business. “Are you okay?” he asks his sister, his gaze searching her face.
“Oh, sure.” She rolls her eyes and lets us know she’s not trying to be convincing but is hiding hurt behind humor. It makes me want to step in close and hold her.
Alex stiffens, and I can see the protective older brother in every line of his posture.
“At least I was until this clumsy oaf dumped water on both of us.” She gestures at me with a dismissive flip of her hand.Then she wraps her arms around herself as if suddenly conscious of the damp fabric sticking to her skin. “This one”s a klutz.” She nods at me.
“Guilty,” I say, forcing a sheepish grin as I shift my weight. Alex”s eyes lock onto mine, and the look he gives me warns he isn’t buying the act. It’s not hostile, just... knowing.
“Right,” he says, drawing the word out, a hint of disbelief lingering in his tone. But he doesn”t comment further.
“Thanks for checking on me,” she says into the sudden silence.
“Of course,” he replies, and gestures at me with a jerk of his shoulder. “Can we talk? Outside?”
I nod, keeping my expression neutral, even though my gut tightens with apprehension. I doubt he wants to talk. As I follow him out the door, I cast a last look at Emma, who offers me a small, reassuring smile. I step into the cool night air, ready for the fists to start flying.
The door clicks shut behind us, leaving us alone under the dim porch light. The tension is thick; I”m standing rigid, ready for a blow or harsh words.
“Ryan”s bad news,” Alex says, his voice low and serious.
I nod, agreeing. “What makes you think so?” I ask, curious what gave him that impression as my fists unclench slightly. This isn”t what I was expecting, but I’m grateful.
“Yeah, he’s dangerous.” His gaze is steady on mine. “I got a call from him earlier, and it wasn”t good.”
“Is Emma safe?” The question bursts from me, and I know he can hear the concern in my voice.
“That”s why I”m here.” He exhales heavily. “I”m setting up a security system for her tomorrow.”
I nod. That”s a smart idea. Not just because of Ryan, but for anything that might happen. “How can I help?” I don”t expect him to ask me for anything.
“Keep her out of the house,” he says, surprising me. “For the whole day. Can you do that?”
“Of course,” I say without hesitation. “But where would I take her? What does she like?” It occurs to me that I only know very superficial things about her.
“Emma mentioned an old lighthouse by the coast once,” he says, stroking his chin with one hand and I nod my head. “She said she wanted to climb to the top or something.”
That makes sense. Someone who claims to be afraid of heights wanting to climb to the top of a tall building... that sounds like Emma. “Perfect,” I say, internally making plans.
“Just... distract her.” Alex says.
It”s all I can do not to grin. I”m pretty sure I can keep her distracted, but I”m not about to say that to her brother.
“Got it,” I say. There”s a flicker of excitement growing within me at the thought of spending a day with Emma, just us, far from the troubles that seem to flit around us at all times.
“Thanks,” Alex says, clapping me on the shoulder to reinforce his gratefulness. “She needs someone right now.”
“I can be that someone for a day, I guess.” I don”t want to sound too eager. But I also can”t deny the protective urge rising within me.
The next morning, I ring Emma”s doorbell, hoping that this plan will work. After making calls last night, I found out that the lighthouse is closed to visitors for the season. Instead, I have two tickets in hand.
She opens the door with a yawn, her tired eyes cautious. “I guess I need to expect you to come and visit more often?” she asks, humor filling her voice.
I lift the tickets and her brows furrow, until she reads them.
“Are you serious?” Her gaze searches my face and I nod.
“Dead serious. Get ready to be amazed by all things green and flowering,” I say, hoping my casual tone masks the nervous energy bubbling inside me and that I made the right choice by opting for the botanical gardens.
“Let me get ready,” she says, swinging the door wide and scurrying off in her adorable sheep pajamas.
Ten minutes later, we’re on the road, my car filled with easy chatter. When we arrive, the expanse of vibrant flowers stretching before us steals our breath away. The sweet perfume of roses and lilies mingles with the fresh scent of damp earth, creating an intoxicating aroma that seems to seep into our very pores.
“Wow,” she whispers, gripping the map of the gardens with childlike excitement. “It”s beautiful.”
“Nothing compared to—” I catch myself, and press my lips closed before I can cross a line I”d made this morning before making my way to her place.
But now she’s staring at me. “Compared to what?” She arches an eyebrow, her curiosity shining in her features.
“Compared to... the orchids we’re about to see.” I know it’s a lame comment, but when her attention returns to the map, I breathe a silent sigh of relief.
She’s out of my car like a bullet, looking over her shoulder at me before turning her body my direction and waving me close with both hands. I chuckle and hurry to catch up.
As we wander through the curated chaos of nature, Emma”s awe is infectious. She flits from one flower to another, each one seemingly more fascinating than the last. It’s a side of her I”ve never seen – carefree, unguarded. And damn if it isn”t captivating.
I’d gambled that she’d like this place, and I’m glad I was right.
“Thanks for bringing me here,” she says, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear as we find a secluded bench by a pond.
“Anything to see you smile like that.”
Her smile freezes in place, then she looks down at her hands in her lap. “You don’t have to do that,” she says. “I’m worried that guys like Ryan - and you - are what I can expect to find in life.”
Her words sting. “Emma, I swear, not all guys are like that. You deserve someone who knows how amazing you are.” The words pop out before I can stop them, sounding as sincere and raw as I feel. For a second, I imagine myself being that someone to her.
“Look at you, being supportive. I thought I told you to keep annoying me?” She teases, nudging my shoulder with hers as if trying to lighten the mood.
“Hey, I can be a complete jerk when I want to be.” She should know this already.
“Prove it,” she says, laughter dancing in her eyes.
“Sometimes your laugh sounds like a choking hyena.”
She stares at me for a second, then throws her head back and laughs.
Relief floods me. “See? I’m a total jerk.”
“I guess. Mission accomplished.”
As the shadows grow longer and the air cools, we make our way to the exit. She pauses, turning to me with a softness in her eyes that worries me.
“Today was perfect. Exactly what I needed to take my mind off Ryan. Thank you.”
“Anytime, Em.” I tuck my hands in my pockets, fighting the surge of protectiveness that swells in my chest.
The car ride home is quieter, the sort of silence that wraps around us like a comfortable blanket. I sense she’s processing her day, reliving memories, and thinking about how much fun she had. I’m hoping she’s not wasting a single second on Ryan.
The last streaks of sunlight paint Emma”s face in shades of gold and rose, and it takes everything in me not to reach out and place my hand on her thigh.
“Thank you,” she whispers again, breaking the stillness as we pull up to her place. “Today was... it was exactly what I needed.”
“You don’t have to keep thanking me. Besides, I was doing Alex a favor, too.” I don’t want her to get the wrong impression.
“What?” She seems confused.
“Alex asked me to get you out of the house.”
Her eyebrows knit together, a small crease forming on her forehead. “Why would he want to do that?”
“So he could set up a security system for you.”
She pulls back, and I can see the hurt flash through her eyes before she shields it with anger. “And you just went along with it? Without telling me?”
I can feel her pulling away, and it”s like watching the last piece of something precious slip through my fingers. “I didn”t think—”
“Right. You didn”t think.” The sharp edge in her voice cuts deeper than I”d like to admit.
The car stops, and we sit there, the engine idling, tension growing between us. I don”t want to apologize. I didn’t do anything wrong, and this was to protect her, so what now?
“Emma, listen—”
But she”s already unbuckling her seatbelt, pushing the door open. “Don”t bother coming up.”
“Em, come on—” I say, but it”s too late. She”s out of the car, slamming the door behind her with a finality that feels like a kick to the dick.
I watch her storm up the path to her front door, her shoulders tight with barely contained fury. And then Alex pops out of her doorway, his face etched with concern as they talk.
I can’t hear their words, but I see her anger in her stance and know she’s not listening to him, either.
She brushes past him into the safety of her apartment. Alex turns to look at me, his expression a mix of confusion and helplessness. He shrugs, and it”s a silent admission that neither of us expected her to react this way.
“Damn,” I mutter under my breath, gripping the steering wheel until my knuckles turn white. Somehow I’ve managed to screw things up without even trying.
Alex strides toward my car and yanks open the passenger door. As he slides into Emma”s still-warm seat, I catch the scent of her that lingers.
“Thanks,” he says, his voice rough around the edges.
The word hangs between us.
I nod, keeping my eyes on her front door, wondering if she’s peeking at us from behind the curtains. “Anytime,” I say, unsure if I mean it.
We sit in silence, the hum of the car”s engine a steady, comforting sound. Emma”s anger, hot and unexpected, leaves my chest tight and aching.
“Did everything go okay with the security setup?” I ask, breaking the quiet.
“Smooth as Siembra Valles,” he says.
I curl my lip. I hate Tequila, but I’ll take his word for it.“Good to hear.”
“Hey,” he says, and I brace myself. But he claps a hand on my shoulder. “I hope you guys had a good day.”
His words are genuine. And it reminds me that beneath his tough exterior, Alex cares. About Emma, about what happens next.
“I think we did, right up until that last part.”
He chuckles. “Sometimes the endings are rough. She’ll come around, I’m sure of it.”
I can only hope he’s right.
With that, he opens the door and steps back into the night, leaving me alone with the memories of a day that had been perfect... until it wasn”t.