Chapter 20
“Ineed your help with something, but I’m not sure I can say it out loud.” Emma threw her body down on the sofa next to Gage, who let out a groan as his coffee sloshed back and forth in the mug he was holding.
“Okay,” he elongated the word so it lasted several seconds, his eyes crinkling in the corners with concern.
“Gage, I mean it. I don’t know if it’s because we’ve gotten so close so fast with you protecting me, but I feel like all of you guys are the brothers I never had. This is…this is a lot. It’s too much. It’s the thing that threatens to swallow me up into darkness and never let go.”
“More than Marco?” His eyes grew wide when she nodded.
“More than Marco. I can’t breathe when I think of her. I can’t be strong, or contain my tears.”
Gage rubbed his free hand up and down her arm. “I want to know. I want to help you, no matter what it is. But I have to ask…does Sebastian know?”
She nodded. “Seb knows, and he’s been very vocal about his thoughts on me telling all of you guys, but I don’t think I can. I thought if I told you, maybe you could tell the others?” Emma pulled her bottom lip through her teeth. “But now I’m not sure I’m strong enough.”
He cleared his throat, rubbing a hand down his face as he sat back against the cushions, putting distance between them. “If it would help, I could tell you about the darkness that threatens to swallow me up whole.”
A painful tightness settled in Emma’s chest. “You? How is that possible? You’re so funny and carefree. A total hard-ass when it comes to safety, but a big squish otherwise.”
“A big squish? Jesus, don’t let the other guys hear you say that.” He looked into her eyes. “You’ve seen what I wanted you to see, Emma. Everyone has scars.”
“I want to know. Please. Will you tell me?”
Gage took in a sharp breath, his eyes shifting from the rugged strength Emma was so used to seeing to overwhelming grief.
“I was married. I had a son.” Emma’s eyes went wide, her heart frozen mid-beat waiting for Gage to explain why he’d said those things as past tense. “Five years ago, my wife, Melody, and my two-year-old son, Mikey, came to base to say goodbye to me before I was deployed. It was going to be a short trip overseas and back, but Mikey loved saying goodbye to the team. He had the brightest smile and waved his little American flag back and forth with such excitement. I kissed them both goodbye and sent them on their way home while we loaded onto the aircraft.” Gage closed his eyes, lifting his face towards the ceiling before continuing. “We lived thirty minutes from base, and about twenty minutes into their trip home, they were killed by a drunk driver.”
“Oh, Gage.” Her hand went to his arm and she held on tightly, pouring strength into him.
“I was on the plane when it happened, didn’t even know they were gone until I’d landed at a base in another country. The guys were all there, Gunner and Stone had to physically hold me up when my body stopped working from the shock.”
He sighed, running his hands through his hair. “I got out of the military as fast as I could. I blamed my career choice for their deaths. I blamed the drunk driver, too, of course. But if I hadn’t been deploying, they wouldn’t have been driving home that afternoon. They wouldn’t have been on the road. They’d still be here.”
“If you gave up your career, why come back to work for Seb? To be back on a team with the guys?”
“Just because I gave up on being a SEAL doesn’t mean my team gave up on me. They saved my ass more than a time or two on missions, and they saved my life when I didn’t want to keep living.”
“I’m so sorry, Gage. Sebastian should not have told me to come ask you for this. It’s too much after what you’ve lost.”
“It’s the worst thing in the world to lose your family. To lose your child.”
“I know it is,” she whispered.
His eyes widened at her admission. “How do you know, Emma?”
“I had a daughter.” Gage’s face was so still, Emma couldn’t figure out what he was thinking.
“Was Marco her…I mean, did he?”
“Yes.”
He took her shaking hands in his. “Tell me about her.”
“I don’t know anything about her, Gage. I was nineteen, she was born, and I didn’t even get to see her. The nurses kept her from me because he told them to. I don’t even know what ever happened to her, just that he came into my hospital room the day after she was born, sat down, and told me she was with a new mom. Someone who was worthy of her. I wanted to call her Luna, but he didn’t give her the name I picked out. I literally know nothing. Not the color of her eyes, or her hair. Not if she had chubby rosy cheeks or chunky little legs. I don’t know her name, or where she lives, or if she’s ever known how much I wanted her. How much I still love her.” Emma pulled her hands away from him and pressed a fist into her chest, trying to loosen the pain that was making it hard to breathe. “I can’t…I…” her emotions choked the words that were trying to come out and she gasped for breath.
Warm arms wrapped around her. “Shhh, Em. I’ve got you. I’m so sorry that happened, but I promise you, I’m going to find her. And when I do, you can tell her just how much you loved her before she was born, and how you never stopped, even after all these years. Melody and Mikey might only live in my memories, but there’s still hope for you and Luna.”
“What if he sold her, Gage? We’ll never be able to find her.”
“Do you think he would do that? Do you think his family would let him? She’s his flesh and blood.”
“I don’t know anymore. I didn’t know they were involved in selling women and children, but ever since you said it that day, I’ve had the worst feeling in my heart. If he did, we’d never be able to find her.”
“Let’s just take things one step at a time. When he’s captured, we’ll question him. And not just us, but he’s wanted by the FBI. This Marco thing goes so much deeper than just what he is doing to you. Although, between you and me, I want to see him die just for that.”
“If he dies, I want it to be at my hands.”
Maybe it was all the time she’d spent lately thinking about what Marco had done to their daughter, but she couldn’t help it. All that rage at not knowing, the fear eating away at her heart, she wanted him to suffer at her hand as much as she had suffered at his. It felt like sticky, black tar had coated her heart and she wouldn’t be able to wash it away until she knew he was gone from the world.
“No, Em. No, you don’t. There’s a beautiful light inside of you that would be extinguished if you ever did, and I can’t let that happen. But I promise, if he comes to hurt you again, Cap or myself, hell, any of the guys, would gladly take that shot for you.”
* * *
“What’s wrong? What’s going on?” Emma’s heart shot into her throat at the sight of the three men sitting like statues, their faces hard and emotionless as Sebastian talked on the phone. It wasn’t fair to disappear from the guys again, but after everything that happened that day, and telling Gage about her daughter, she just needed to be by herself for a while. Sitting on the porch reading for a few hours had been the perfect escape, but when she realized she couldn’t feel her toes, she came inside to warm up. Emma hadn’t expected to see such somber faces in Sebastian’s office as she tried to return her book.
Nash waved Emma into the room and moved closer to the edge of the sofa so she had a spot to sit. Her eyes darted from Nash to Gage, and then to Seb, who had yet to realize she was there.
Warm, rough hands settled over hers, stopping her nervous fidgeting.
“It’ll be okay,” Gage whispered. “Jesus, Em, you’re freezing. Here,” Gage let go of her hand, pulling his sweater over his head before he pulled it onto her body.
“There should be a clear shot of it from the cameras at Montgomery Equities, Hank. I will instruct Natalie to forward your deputies the files. I want to know the minute you have more information.” There were a few more words exchanged when suddenly Sebastian slammed his phone down onto the coffee table. “Fuck!”
She jumped. She’d never seen him this upset before.
“What happened? You guys are freaking me out.”
Sebastian ran his hands through his hair, and her mouth ran dry as she thought about her fingers pulling at his roots earlier that day. Shaking the image from her brain, Emma forced herself to stay focused. The energy in the room was suffocating, and she knew it had something to do with Marco.
“I know something bad happened, so please, just say it before I think the worst.”
“First, take off that sweatshirt,” he growled. His eyes flared as she just stared at him. The way his body stalked towards her had her breath caught in her chest. “The only man’s clothes you wear are mine, Sprinkles. Got it?”
“Yes.” He lifted the bottom up and over her in one swift motion. Fuck, that was so hot. If Nash and Gage weren’t in the room, she would have melted into a puddle. Emma couldn’t help but laugh as Seb tossed Gage’s sweatshirt back into his face, and before she could think how sad the loss of heat was, Sebastian’s own sweatshirt was off his body and onto hers. “Thanks,” she mumbled, sinking into the warmth that lingered.
The men sat silent, all looking back and forth at each other. The worry started to gnaw through the calm she had with Sebastian’s scent all around her.
“Please, tell me what’s going on.”
Seb shook his head, pain filling his eyes as he looked at her. “The night after we flew out here, there was another attack.”
“No,” she gasped, pulling her legs into her chest and wrapping her arms tightly around them. “I don’t understand. I’m the person Marco wants. And he knows I’ve seen him. So why is he still hurting other women? Did she look like me? Where was she from?”
The men sat silent.
“Tell me. Please.”
“Bell Ridge, Sprinkles. And yes, she’s someone who has the same physical features as you.”
“Who was it?”
“A nursery school teacher,” Gage said. “But Em, she didn’t die. John Boone apparently interrupted her abduction. She ended up with a cut across her neck, but with his quick attention to the wound, they think she’s going to make a full recovery.”
Emma’s heart thundered in her chest.
“Tell me who it was?”
The room was silent for far too many heartbeats. Nash finally broke the silence.
“Abby Cooper.”
“No!” she jumped up from the couch. “I need to talk to Sam. God, she’s going to be okay? You’re sure? That’s his baby sister. Fuck, this is all my fault.”
“Em.” A warm hand landed on her arm a second before Sebastian pulled her into his chest. “None of this is your fault. And of course you can call the Coopers and see how she is doing for yourself.”
“Is she under protection now? He’ll never let her live. He’ll try to tie up any loose ends. And Sam will never forgive me if something else happens to her. Not that he should.”
“I’m sure the sheriff’s department has that all covered.” Nash gave her a reassuring nod.
“Was the attack outside of your building?” She raised her face, so that she was looking into Sebastian’s eyes.
“No. It was a few blocks away. Why?”
“When I walked in here, you said Nat would send over the security tapes.”
“I’m so sorry, Em. Last night, there was a fire at the bakery.” His eyes held an ocean of empathy.
A fire? How?
“What! Is Mae okay? Was Melissa there with her when it happened? Were they hurt?”
“Mae is fine. So is Melissa. They were closing up for the night in the back when they heard glass shatter and saw a fire in the sitting area.”
“What happened?”
“Hank mentioned that the fire chief was pretty confident a Molotov cocktail went through the front window. Mae said they ran down the alleyway and around front, but by the time she got there and called to report the fire, the flames had already engulfed the entire front of the store,” Nash said. “I’m sorry, Emma. The bakery and your apartment were severely damaged.”
She sat back against the sofa, the words flying around her but not completely penetrating her mind. Everything she’d worked so hard for, gone. She squared her shoulders and smiled at Nash.
“It’s okay. I’m so glad Mae and Melissa weren’t hurt,” she sighed. “I guess this is why I’ve always been so on top of my insurance. I’m sure it will take time, but I’ll rebuild it. Maybe make it even better than it was before.”
“Hank suggested we stay here for the time being. He seems to think it’s likely that Marco was the one to set the fire, and it’s best if you stay away until they can catch him.”
“Seb, I really think we need to go back. I need to see Sam. Mae and Melissa, too. I need to apologize to Abby, offer my support to her. And I’ll need to contact my insurance company first thing tomorrow. I don’t have all the information I’ll need right now, but I’m sure I can talk to the guys at the firehouse. Jackson will be able to get me what I need.”
“I can have Natalie handle everything with your insurance.”
“No,” she was certain that going back was the right choice. “We need to go back. If he’s determined to keep hurting people, to burn down my business and my home, I need to go back and face him myself.”
“Fuck no.”
“Absolutely not, Em…”
“Are you out of your mind, Sprinkles?”
Well, apparently this was going to be more difficult than she thought. Nash, Gage, and Sebastian all seemed to be on the same page, and that page did not match hers.
“I’m not a princess. You can’t keep me locked away in this castle, guys. I want to go back and help catch him. I’m aware of the dangers, but I think we can figure out a way to keep me safe.” She turned to Sebastian. “Do you think he’ll be on the security footage? Is that why you were telling Hank you’d have Nat send over the files?”
Sebastian nodded. “Although, he always seems to be one step ahead of us. So even if we see someone on the footage, I doubt there would be any identifying factors that would implicate him.”
Emma stood. “We have no choice then. I’m going to pack and we’ll need to head back.”
Seb, Gage and Nash spent the next few seconds looking back and forth at each other.
“You guys know I’m right. So figure out the plan and let’s get going. I want Marco out of my life. I’m willing to do whatever that takes.”
Emma walked out of the office, but that didn’t stop her from hearing the heated voices of all three men carrying throughout the house.
* * *
Emma was busy getting everything ready for the trip back to Bell Ridge when a sullen voice in her doorway startled her.
“You’ll stay with me when we get back.”
“Absolutely not.”
“What?”
“I said, absolutely not.”
“Your apartment isn’t safe to live in right now from the fire damage, and even if it wasn’t damaged, with Marco out there, clearly after you, I’m not taking any chances with your safety.”
“I don’t want to take any chances with my safety either. That’s why I’ll be staying at a hotel.”
“You think a hotel has enough safety? No. You’ll stay with me.”
“Sebastian, listen to what I am saying. There is no way I’m moving in with you right now. What we have is new, and I’m enjoying exploring that, but it’s too much, too soon. I’d like to keep a little bit of my independence and just a little bit of mystery right now, okay? I’ll stay at the same hotel as the guys. I can make sure it has an adjoining room. If you are really concerned about it, the guys can take turns staying in the room next to mine. They’ll be able to keep me safe.”
“No, I can keep you safe at my place. And if you need to go out, for whatever reason, then Gage or Hawk or even Gunner could go with you if I’m not available.”
“Seb, I know you are used to controlling the situation. I’m sure it’s not only ingrained in you from all your corporate stuff but from when you lead your team. But you cannot control all of this. I’ll be safe in a hotel with one of the guys staying next door. It’s enough. Now, use that incredible brain of yours to figure out how we are going to lure Marco out and take care of this monster once and for all. I won’t let him hold power over me anymore. Okay?”
“I’m not happy about this, Em. I’ll need to install some temporary security measures, like cameras in the hallway and room, and sensors on the windows. And I want you to promise me that one of the guys will always be with you.”
“I can agree to that, I think.”
“Good.”