Chapter 11 - Emmett #2
It frustrated me how reckless she was. It always had. Did she not realize what could happen? Surely she knew the statistics, the risks, given her line of work. “How could you not be? Do you not realize how much stronger I am than you?”
“Trust me.” She ran her hand up my arm and squeezed my bicep.
“I’m very aware of these drool-worthy muscles.
” I fought the urge to flex; now wasn’t the time to show off.
But then she cradled my cheek, looking up at me with those hazel eyes.
“I’ve known you since I was three, Emmett.
The safest place I could be is with you. ”
My stupid, damaged heart skipped a fucking beat.
I didn’t even know how to respond to that, so I didn’t.
Instead, I kissed her until I couldn’t think straight.
Until she was gasping against my lips for more.
So I lowered my head between her legs and showed her just how grateful I was for her trust in me.
I’d kept my promise and stayed in bed until Delilah woke up, and I was hating myself for not sticking around the first time.
Seeing her all sleepy-eyed and groggy was like seeing another side of her, one I think I wanted to see more of.
And the first time hadn’t been a fluke—I slept better beside her.
And after we drank coffee, she slipped out before the ranch hands showed up, and I got started with my day, feeling lighter than usual.
I glanced around the police station, my hands in my pockets.
Everywhere I looked, there was movement—cops moving in and out, paperwork flying, the buzz of a dozen conversations at once.
My shoulders went tight, my spine straightening like I was back in uniform.
And for a second, it was like I was back in a tent overseas, waiting for orders.
My chest ached with a pull I hadn’t felt in years.
“Hey there,” a middle-aged woman said, smacking her gum at me.
I took a step towards the counter. “Morning. Is Colt McLeod in?” My shoulders jumped up a little when she screeched his name.
“I’ve told you a hundred times to stop doing that,” Colt laughed as he came out from behind the counter.
He was dressed in his brown and khaki uniform, his sheriff’s badge proudly pinned to his left chest. Another kick of nostalgia hit me, this one a little harder.
He belonged to something, just like I did once.
And while I didn’t regret retiring, I missed that feeling of being a part of something bigger than me.
He lifted his chin in greeting, resting his hands on his hips. “Hey, man, what’s up?”
“Hey. Can we talk?” I glanced around the busy station. “Somewhere private?”
His eyes narrowed slightly before he nodded. “Sure.”
Colt’s office was simple and organized, just like him.
Pictures were scattered around his desk, but the one of the twelve of us and the kids in front of the new Golden Circle logo at the end of the driveway caught my attention.
That picture was taken only two months ago, and yet it felt like a lifetime.
I instantly found Delilah, noticing the dazzling smile she wore, the cascade of fiery hair that fell almost to her waist, and the joy in her eyes.
I had to stop myself from reaching for my phone to text her just to see what she was doing.
“That was some crazy shit last night,” Colt said.
I cleared my throat, shifting in my seat. “Yeah.” I still couldn’t wrap my head around it. “I was actually coming here to talk to you about that.”
His brows furrowed, head cocking to the side. “What about it?”
“I think that all of this is connected: the tack room getting trashed and then a week later our biggest sponsor pulls out.” I felt a little stupid for saying it out loud, especially with the confused look on Colt’s face.
But I couldn’t be the only one who found it suspicious.
“Doesn’t that seem a little odd to you?”
He ran a hand over his mouth, staring down at his desk. “I mean, yeah, it’s strange timing, but I wouldn’t say that it’s connected.”
“And Delilah got a call from an old coworker saying that someone had called asking about her. Apparently, the dude wouldn’t leave his name.”
His eyes flicked to mine. “How do you know that?”
My stomach hollowed out at the suspicion in his tone. I schooled my voice and pretended like it wasn’t anything serious and that Delilah hadn’t sobbed in my lap, not once but twice, yesterday. “She told me.”
Colt’s head reared back like I’d sprouted a second head. “Since when do you two talk?”
Heat prickled at the back of my neck. I shrugged a shoulder. “Since always?”
He leaned forward, interlocking his hands in front of him with a glint in his eyes that made me fight the urge to fidget.
“Last I checked, you could barely stand her. And then last night, you lost it on Claire over her. What’s up with that?
” He seemed more interested in us than in the fact that something weird as fuck was going on.
Maybe that was because, to an outsider, the concept of Delilah and me was the weird as fuck thing.
“There’s nothing up with that. And I didn’t lose it over her. Claire was being an asshole, and you know it.”
“Right,” he scoffed, leaning back in his chair. “Just like you didn’t get all pissy when Calvin hit on her at Luke’s party.”
I couldn’t look at him. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” The only good thing that came out of that day was the sex. Before I could stop myself, I pulled my phone out of my pocket and sent Delilah a text, asking what she was doing later.
Colt just laughed, and it filled me with dread.
He had me by the balls, and I was screwed if he told Brittany.
I didn’t exactly care if he knew about us, but I had a feeling Delilah would; she’d want to tell my sisters first before anyone else.
And since this was supposed to be casual, that wouldn’t be happening anytime soon, if ever.
I slid my phone back in my pocket. “I didn’t come here for the interrogation,” I said, straightening in my chair.
“Then what did you come here for?”
I picked at the hem of my shirt. “Just wanted to know if you’d want to kind of…I don’t know…legally stalk Ethan Carmichael with me? See if he’s doing anything weird?”
I peered up at him without lifting my head.
Colt’s mouth was wide open. If my mother were alive, she’d say he was trying to catch flies.
“You did not just ask me that.” He glanced over my shoulder at the door before leaning in closer.
“There isn’t a way to legally stalk someone.
Are you insane?” he hissed under his breath.
“I know it’s connected,” I said. “I feel it in my gut. I’m gonna do it with or without you. Just figured it’d be better to have the sheriff on my side.”
He eyed me warily, thinking. “Fine. I’ll trail him with you.” He stopped me mid-smile. “One time.” He emphasized the words with a pointed finger and a stern look that wouldn’t even scare his five-month-old niece, Hattie. “If we don’t find anything, then you have to drop this.”
I arched a brow, unable to stop my smirk. “Well, that didn’t take much. Should I tell the Whispers our town’s sheriff is corrupt?” The last thing our ranch needed was another scandal with one of the owners, but the idea of threatening Colt with the local gossip column was too good to pass up.
“Fuck you,” he laughed. “Get out of here.”
I laughed along with him. “I’ll text you,” I said as I left the station. And when I checked my phone in the parking lot, my face flushed with heat.
Lilah: was planning to go for a ride later
Lilah: think your bed frame can handle it?
I braced a hand on the hood of my truck, grinning like a fool. Pretty sure the explosive, light feeling in my chest was giddiness.
God, that girl was gonna be the death of me.