Chapter Thirty
Wilder
WAKING UP without Emmett next to him was downright weird. He didn’t know how he’d gotten used to it so fast, but he did know that it was something he wanted. He wanted Emmett close. He wanted to be able to look into those eyes, to kiss those lips. He wanted to cause that laugh, that blushing smile.
Emmett was his first thought when he opened his eyes, his last thought before he closed them.
He didn’t know how that had happened, and yet, as he thought about it, he knew.
Knew that the second Emmett had walked into his life, had gone from staring at his tattoo to snarking at him, to making him want to drop to his damned knees if he asked him to, that Emmett had consumed his every thought.
He was taking up space in his chest, he hadn’t even known was empty.
Or, perhaps he had known, because hadn’t he been trying to fill it with meaningless things for years?
Emmett made him feel alive, and he wanted to hold onto that feeling, hold onto Emmett.
He wanted to hear that laugh. To sit in the silence and just feel Emmett there with him.
He wanted to hear those uninhibited sounds, feel that soft skin under his fingertips, fill his nose with that creamy vanilla scent he couldn’t get enough of, he wanted to sink inside him and see his skin flush at his touch.
His heart was beating so fast he felt faint whenever he thought about what all that might mean―what that feeling was―because it scared the shit out of him.
Letting Emmett in was the easiest thing in the world. He trusted him. Trusted every single word out of his mouth. Trusted that every action, every move, was made with nothing but utter sincerity. Emmett was a beacon of light in the murky darkness he’d been suffocating in for so long.
A door slamming jerked him out of his thoughts, his gaze snapping toward the hallway.
Heavy footsteps sounded, followed by the appearance of a few of his brothers.
He tried not to pull a face when he spotted Solo, but from the man’s flat stare, he knew he wasn’t successful.
Kaz stepped up behind Solo, leaning in to speak with him shortly before he wandered over to the dining table, where he took a seat, pulling out his phone.
Solo’s gaze returned to Wilder, the flash of pain in those deep browns spearing his heart. He missed him. He missed who they used to be. Missed the guy who’d had his back through everything. He missed his brother’s quiet company. Hell, he missed arguing about nonsensical things.
He swallowed down the painful emotions and headed across the room, watching only for a second as Solo turned on his heels and walked back outside.
He pulled out the chair across from Kaz and sat down with a loud sigh. Kaz looked up at him, a brow creased in question as he put his phone down on the table.
“Let me guess: nothing new?”
Kaz’s lips twitched before he shook his head. “Whatever is going on, it’s… I fear it’s bigger than we know.”
He felt his jaw pop at how tight he clenched his teeth. Fuck.
“Why Emmett, though? He’s never hurt anyone in his life. He’s not an active part of the club. He’s not a part of the club, period.”
Even if he wanted him to be, which he couldn’t deny anymore that he did. He wanted Emmett to stay. He couldn’t imagine his life without Emmett in it anymore.
Kaz shrugged. “We’ll keep looking for answers.
Killian’s working every source he’s got, and Ezra’s doing a deep dive into the companies we know they use as fronts, but he told me not to expect it to lead to much aside from untraceable shell companies.
Whoever these fuckers are, they don’t want anyone to know. ”
His chest tightened, shortening his breath.
These were the people coming after Emmett. They knew nothing about them. Nothing usable, at least. There wasn’t a clear motive. There wasn’t anything tangible.
“Have Serrano responded to any of your messages?”
Kaz’s lips pressed into a firm line, anger shining from those gray eyes.
“No.”
“And Kian? Has he talked―”
“No, and I’m not asking him to.” Kaz leaned back in his chair, hands running down his face as he sighed. “Something’s fucking bugging me about this whole Serrano and Kian thing.”
When they’d gone to free Kian after the gang kidnapped him, Kaz had overheard part of a conversation between Serrano and one of the gang members right before Serrano executed him.
It was barely a snippet of conversation, but from what Kaz had shared with him, it had left him questioning Serrano’s true motives.
“I don’t trust Serrano well enough to trust that he’s not using Kian. It’s clear he wants him safe and out of this whole shitshow, but I can’t help but think he’s bait somehow.”
“For Serrano’s sake, I hope not.”
The mafioso would find himself in a shallow grave if that were the case.
Kaz leveled him with a stern glare. “No starting a war with the mob.”
He shrugged. “That’s up to Serrano.”
He got up, a smile teasing his lips at Kaz’s deep sigh. He patted his brother’s shoulder before walking away.
He made a pit stop in the kitchen, downing a glass of water, before he headed back into the living room. He nearly collided with Ezra in the doorway, sidling sideways to avoid squishing the smaller man.
“You can have him back,” Ezra grumbled.
“What?”
Ezra turned to face him, his usually bright expression dimmed just the slightest. “Emmett. He’s been grumpy all day.”
He’d barely seen Emmett today, Miles letting him know before he left that morning that Emmett would be working in the office above the garage with Ezra, so he could take the day off.
He didn’t get to reply before Ezra was heading for the fridge.
He shook his head. Emmett was grumpy? Well, he knew just the thing to cheer him up.
Stepping into the living room, he caught a glimpse of messy blond hair, and a smile was already blooming on his face as he steered toward Emmett, who was walking toward the stairs.
Emmett’s head was down, so he couldn’t see his expression as he followed him up the stairs, but he figured he wouldn’t be grumpy for long.
He caught up with Emmett just past the first bedroom door, smiling as he wrapped his arms around Emmett from behind and pulled him to a stop.
“Are you hiding from me?” he asked, tongue-in-cheek, as he tugged Emmett back against him.
Emmett went rigid. Not the reaction he was expecting.
“You alright?”
He pulled back, turning Emmett in his arms.
Emmett avoided his gaze, and it made something turn sour in his stomach.
“What’s going on? Em?”
“I uh…” Emmett shook his head, mumbling under his breath.
“Emmett.”
His heart tripped at Emmett’s shaky exhale.
“I just maybe… feel more for you than I should,” Emmett said, still keeping his eyes anywhere but at him.
Wilder frowned and opened his mouth, but he wasn’t sure what to say because wasn’t that exactly what he wanted?
He wasn’t sure what he felt for Emmett, but he sure as hell knew he needed Emmett to feel the same.
“I know it’s temporary. I…” Emmett shook his head and finally looked up at Wilder, a sheen to those blue eyes. “I think maybe we should stop before it ends up hurting too much.”
“Have I said it was temporary?”
He hadn’t. He knew he hadn’t.
He might’ve thought it at first, but… he couldn’t imagine letting Emmett go. Letting someone else take his place in Emmett’s life. The thought of―No. It made something burn hot inside him. Jealousy. Possessiveness. He didn’t care what it was. He just knew that Emmett… Emmett was supposed to be his.
“I know it’s what you do,” Emmett muttered, fingers fiddling with the hem of his shirt.
Wilder shook his head and reached for Emmett, hands cupping the man’s face and bringing his gaze up to meet his.
“Who told you that?”
Emmett squeezed his eyes shut, fingers wrapping around Wilder’s wrists, tugging to make him let go. He didn’t. He held the fuck on.
“Solo told me.”
The words were low, almost inaudible, but fuck if they weren’t loud in his head. Like the roar of an engine.