Chapter Ten
Emmett
HE PACED the room, unsure what to do with himself as he waited. He tried not to let his thoughts spiral. He knew everyone was alright, but despite having that information, that pit in his stomach hadn’t receded one bit.
A quick rap of knuckles on the door made him jump, his heart lodging in his throat for a second.
He crossed the room with fast steps, barely keeping from running.
He pulled the door open to see Emma standing outside, his bag in one hand and his tablet in her other.
Her lips spread in a smile as she wiggled the tablet at him. “I figured you were missing this.”
“Oh, definitely.”
“I also need to talk to you,” Emma said, a cautious look in her brown eyes he wasn’t used to.
He waved her inside and sat down on his bed, patting the mattress next to him. Emma crossed the room and sat down, putting the bag on the floor and his tablet on the bed behind them.
“We’re having some trouble. Obviously,” she said, the flicker of a gleam crossing her eyes. “We’re going to put some protection on everyone working at the gym, but I―I’ve asked for extra protection for you.”
“What? Why?”
He knew in his gut he wouldn’t like where this was going.
Emma’s gaze hardened. “I want to make sure you’re safe. In general. Not just because of this threat. Wilder’s gonna look out for you while you work.”
He blinked at her.
“No. Absolutely not,” he snapped. How could she agree to this? “I’m not a fucking kid, Em. I don’t need supervision.”
Having Emma and Travis treat him like he couldn’t do a damned thing on his own for months had been more than enough.
“It’s not supervision. It’s protection.”
“No.”
Emma crossed her arms and said, “Do you want the commission or not?”
His teeth clenched hard as he silently cursed her.
Sometimes, knowing someone as well as they knew each other wasn’t always in his favor.
They both knew what this commission meant to him, and it had nothing to do with getting paid.
He needed this. Needed time away from everything that reminded him of Heath.
He needed time to just heal. To find himself again, without his family breathing down his neck or trying to coddle him.
“Fuck,” he muttered.
The last thing he needed was more of Wilder, so of course, that’s exactly what he got.
“Fine,” he said through gritted teeth and dropped his head into his hands, his breath warm against his skin as he groaned.
The door opened with a quiet snick, and Emmett looked up to see Ezra walk inside, his face set in annoyance, the reason most likely the man following him into the room.
Kian was muttering something under his breath, gaze snapping onto Emmett.
The smile spreading on his lips wasn’t the least bit convincing.
He wasn’t sure he wanted to know what that was about.
The door closed behind them, and Emmett glanced at Emma.
“Where’s Miles?”
Before Emma could respond, Ezra chirped out, “Christening the meeting room table with his man.”
“Ezra,” Emma groaned.
Emmett hid his smile behind his hand while Emma flipped Ezra off.
Ezra shrugged, turning to lean back against his desk, one brow raised at Emma. “He asked.”
“No one needs those details,” Emma muttered under her breath, and Emmett wasn’t the least bit surprised when Ezra said, “Speak for yourself.”
“You told him?” Kian asked Emma, who nodded.
Ah. Wilder.
“She did, and I think it’s ridiculous.”
Kian grunted and flopped down across the bed behind Emmett and Emma. They both turned to look at him, and something about the disgruntled look on his face made Emmett ask, “You don’t think so?”
Green eyes opened and stared at him for a long moment before Kian sighed and dropped his head back on the mattress.
“I think it’s ridiculous that it’s Wilder watching you, not that it’s ridiculous that someone’s watching you, especially if he’s still trying to find you.”
His shoulders shot up so fast it startled Emma. Her gaze snapped onto him, golden eyes filling with empathy.
“You know about―” he cut himself off, eyes shooting between Ezra and Kian.
“What? I’ve been good,” Kian said, long lashes fluttering as he blinked. “I haven’t killed him or anything.”
“Or anything?” Ezra drawled.
“Wait.” He snapped his attention to Ezra. “You know, too?”
Ezra pursed his lips and avoided his gaze, which was answer enough. He turned to glare at Emma. “Is there anyone you didn’t tell?”
Her expression changed in less than a heartbeat, her lips flattening and her brows scrunching.
“I didn’t tell anyone. Definitely not those dumbasses.”
“Hey,” Kian protested. “Emma starts to take off every other day. Doesn’t tell anyone where she’s going.
Looks like she’s been put through the emotional wringer every time she returns?
Yeah, I’mma follow her dumb ass and figure out what the hell’s going on,” Kian said, arms crossing as he arched a brow at Emma.
There wasn’t a speck of guilt in those golden eyes as she shrugged. “He didn’t want anyone to know.”
“No, I didn’t,” he drawled, dropping back on the bed with a weary sigh, head resting on Kian’s thigh.
He didn’t bother asking Ezra how he’d found out. He knew Ezra wasn’t likely to tell him. He’d probably hacked into everyone’s phones and discovered something was going on, then decided to dig deeper. Ezra was nothing if not nosy.
Fingers carded through his hair, and he let his eyes fall shut.
He knew he should be grateful that he had so many people who loved and cared about him, but it didn’t lessen that feeling trying to eat him up inside.
It didn’t stop that voice in his head telling him he was weak.
It wasn’t even Heath’s voice anymore. It was his own. Forever mocking him.