25. EMMA
Chapter twenty-five
EMMA
I ride in the passenger seat of Bear’s car, looking out the window and my mind stirs. Ace still has not responded to me, and it makes me sick.
I am becoming furious that he can’t respond to me; all I want is to know he is okay. But what can I do, really, I do not know where to even start and I am hoping that Bear at least does, and I must trust him.
When I realize what part of town we are, I look over at Bear with my questioning gaze. “What are you doing here?” He meets my gaze before he answers. “I want to check this tattoo shop out.”
“Crazy Jay’s tattoo shop?”
His eyes widen. “How do you know Crazy Jay?”
I snort a laugh, before my gaze drops, trailing my eyes down my own body that is covered with tattoos. “He has done all my work.”
“Does he know who you are?”
I shake my head as worry starts to set in. “No, why?”
“How well do you know him, Emma?”
“Like I said he’s done all my work; I met him at the races. It’s not like I hang out with him on a regular basis, but I spent hours in his shop.”
“So, you know the kind of talk that goes through there?”
“Yeah, more or less.” I shrug .
“He is on the in with a lot of the bosses and a lot of the gangs that run around here, Emma. He knows just about everything. And I think we need to pay him a visit and see what he knows.”
“He knows Zee really well, I’m sure if he heard anything about me having a brother, he would have said something.”
Bear's shoulders rise with his deep breath, still avoiding telling me what he thinks. “Let’s see what Crazy Jay has to say, Emma.”
Bear pulls into the parking lot and we both get out. “You loaded, Emma?” He asks softly, leaning down closer to my ear as we walk to the door. And I nod, answering him, knowing yes, I am. I am always carrying my gun.
His large hand falls to the small of my back, ushering me into the tattoo shop, standing close, feeling the heat radiate off his large frame. Finding a small ounce of comfort in his touch, desperately wanting Ace’s touch.
The girl standing in the front, putting supplies on the shelves looks over at me and gives me a small smile, but when her gaze falls on Bear, it falls, and you can see the pure terror in her eyes.
She turns and beelines down the hallway, darting into Crazy Jay’s room; I know, I’ve been here at least forty-five times.
I look up at him huffing a laugh. “Jeez Bear, what did you do to that poor girl?”
He lifts a brow and his lips go into a straight line, until he can’t hold back the grin that creeps to his lips. “Ah, the last time I was here, she saw some shit.”
“Like what kind of shit?” I ask.
“One of Luca’s men was in here, and I took care of him; let’s just say that. I didn’t know she saw it until later when Jay said something.”
I huff a giggle and feel Bear’s hand move on the small of my back, slowly sliding to the right, sending a spark of warmth up my spine. Sucking a breath of air into my lungs, my attention gets pulled hearing Jay’s voice. “Ace shares his wife too?”
I lift a brow. “Excuse me?” Bear chokes on his laugh as I stare daggers at Jay. “Ace was here?” I look up at Bear holding my questioning gaze on him. “I had a feeling he had come here, that’s why I did.” Bear says softly and my brows furrow before I look back to Jay. “When did he leave?”
“I am not telling you; let him work, Emma.” Jay states and my lip curls to a snarl. I feel my body move forward, until Bear's hand hooks around my hip, pulling me back. “Emma, relax.” He whispers.
“I have to say, you hide your little secret well, doll.” Jay smirks.
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“It means that I know who you are. I’ve been waiting to finally meet the Queen of this city.
” He drops to a knee, waving his hand in front of him, and my brow goes up before I laugh.
Never in my life have I seen anything like this, and my emotions are shot.
Bear and Jay break into laughter with me as Jay stands and I say. “I don’t think it’s all that.”
“Oh, it is, doll.”
“You know why I’m here, Jay. What do you know?” Bear asks with his deepened low tone.
Jay nods his head to the door of his room and turns, leading us to his room. Bear's hand finally drops from the small of my back as we walk down the hallway and into Jay’s room.
As weird as this may sound, I can smell Ace’s cologne in the air and my eyes continue to scan the room, seeing bloody gauze in the trash and my heart aches. “Jay?” His name whispers from my lips and he meets my gaze. “Tell me if he is okay?”
He laughs; he fucking laughs. Hence the name Crazy Jay. “He’s fine, doll, that was just a scratch for him; he’s all fixed up and on his way.”
Bear huffs a laugh and a sigh of relief escapes my lips; at least I know he is okay. But he really can’t text me, call me? It is extremely irritating.
“Have a seat on my chair, doll.”
I go to the chair; I’ve sat in many times while he inked my skin for hours. Bear sits beside me on the stool and Jay sits in his swivel chair. “Ace was here asking about a couple of the Heathens guys, one in particular.”
“Which one?” I bark out.
“Zeke.” My brows furrow. “He thinks he’s working with your brother.
” Jay nods towards me when he says brother and my heart races uncontrollably.
“I agree with him. Zeke comes and goes. He’s here and one minute he’s not.
But so is that Zee.” My eyes widen. “What do you know about Zee, Jay?” I snap out.
Maybe I don’t know my friend as well as I thought I did.
“He works with the Heathens; I never see him drive, or even hear of him driving, but he’s a sneaky little fuck. I’d watch him, doll.”
I glance over at Bear and watch a dangerous grin curve on his lips, and that jaw ticks, and ticks, like he has something brewing in his head and I am ready to jump out of my skin.
“How do you know who I am, other than what I told you?” I ask with a lifted brow and he chuckles. “I didn’t until Ace came in.”
“Oh?”
“We got talking, you came up, and I told him about when I did your piercing. Actually, I said I remember you by that sweet little pussy and your race car games and Ace almost shot me.”
I snort a laugh. Bear's head snaps over, looking at me with parted lips. “Wait. What? That’s fucked up, Ace never told me about that.” Bear jokes.
“Yes, I have a VCH piercing; no big deal, moving on.”
“That is when he told me you were his wife and the details. Had I known you were Charles Beckett’s daughter, things would have been different Emma, I am sorry.” Jay frowns and I shoot him a tight smile, before I say. “Yeah well, life’s a bitch.”
“Ain’t that the truth.” He barks with a laugh. But then he gets serious. “ Just know I stand behind you and Ace. Ace has given me some great opportunities and saved my ass a fuck load of times.”
“Thank you.” I say with my nod, but deep down, I still trust no one. To gain my trust you must earn it now, it is not given until earned, to no one.
“I think we better get going Emma.” Bear says before he stands then I stand beside him. “Thanks for your time, Jay. I’ll be seeing you soon anyways, I’m in desperate need of some ink therapy.”
“ I have the perfect idea too.” He shoots me a wink and I giggle. All of my work has been bits and pieces of what I wanted, and he created it, throwing in his amazing artistic mind.
I turn and walk out of his room. Bear trailing behind me, we exit the shop and walk towards the car.
Bears hand again on the small of my back, that touch warming the chill that has frozen my spine with the information about Zeke and Zee. He opens the door for me and I turn and look up at him with a smile. “Well aren’t you a gentleman?”
He chuckles before he says. “I’m not a bad guy, Emma. I'm just a fuck around and find out kinda of guy.”
“I know. I’m not used to men like you.” And what I mean by that, is their hulky builds that tower over me and intimidate the fuck out of me when they do nice things.
And a simple thing of opening a fucking door for me, sets me on fire inside.
My bottom lip rolls between my teeth, biting down, feeling that intimidation crowding me.
He lifts a brow and I hold my gaze on him.
“Ace said I would see we are similar.” I blurt out.
He nods to the car. “Get in, we’ll talk while we drive.
” I nod and slide down into the car before he closes the door behind me.
I watch him walk around the car and get in himself.
Starting his car, he pulls away and looks over and I meet his gaze as he swallows hard.
“My parents stabbed me in the back, like yours. Used me and in the end, they both got what was coming before I got the chance.” He blurts it out so quickly I’m not even sure if I heard him clearly, but I catch his drift as his hand tightens around the steering wheel turning his knuckles white.
“Parents fucking suck.” I sigh.
“Yeah, they do.” It goes quiet and I don’t pry, I leave it at that. I understand.
I pull my gaze out the window and watch the city street lights go by in a blur as Bear drives us back to the estate, when an idea pops in my head. “Go to the West Casino.” Bear looks over at me with widened eyes. “I don’t think so.”
“Why?”
“You know why?”
“He’s there isn’t he?” I spit. My lip curls to a snarl; why is Ace hiding from me? I’m getting sick of this fucking game.
“I don’t know where he is, Emma, but I am not taking you to the Casino.”
“I’ll go myself when I get home.”
“No you won’t.”
“YES I WILL!” I snap. I’m done with people telling me what to do and I am done with Ace giving me the cold shoulder.
Bear looks away from me as he shakes his head, focusing on the road in front of us as he shifts his car aggressively, knowing I’ve pissed him off. I look out the window and begin my plan of sneaking out and going to the casino.
Bear pulls his car into the garage and shuts the door behind us. I get out and immediately walk away, heading for my room.
BEAR
She is getting antsy now knowing she was on Ace’s trail tonight at Crazy Jays.
And she’s right for wanting to go to the casino; it would be where he is if he’s trying to put shit together.
I know she’s going to crack real soon, she’s got that dare Devil look in her eye, and I know she’s planning something.
I watch her storm from the garage and I pull my phone from my pocket, and send a text to Ace.
I know you need to do this your own way, but she’s getting ready to blow. You can’t leave her hanging like this, Ace. I think she’s figured out who her brother is. She needs you man, I can’t stand those glistening sad eyes and watching her hurt so you better get your ass home or call her.
I hover over the text, knowing this is going to light a fire under his ass; but I mean it, I can’t stand seeing any women in pain and hurting. I will wrap her in my arms and hold her while she falls apart, and he’s made it clear hands off. So, he better make his mind up what he wants .
He’s done the same for me. I shut Sadie out, unable to handle being around her when my rage washed over me and crazed me. I didn’t want to hurt her. But Ace made me realize I was hurting her worse by leaving her alone. He needs to hear it from me like I heard it from him.
I hit the send button and slide my phone back into my pocket before I walk into the house. I slide her key to her car from the hook and shove down into my pocket; little hussy ain’t running off on me.
I stop in the kitchen and take a swig out of the vodka bottle I left sitting there before I walk down the hallway and take my post outside her bedroom door.
EMMA
I get into my room and take a shower. And as the water rains down my skin, I finally find peace to puzzle the pieces together. Desperately wishing Ace was here to catch me when I let this roll of my tongue, knowing if I don’t say it out loud, I will not believe it.
But I don’t want to say it. I don’t want to believe it. I don’t want to feel it.
I think Zee is my brother.
My hands come to my face and cover my eyes as they burn with tears, and the sobs roll. The one person I thought was out of this life, the one person I could see differently, but he is just like them; backstabbing, secrets, power hungry, and it makes me sick.
I am engulfed with a burning rage, that even with everything I’ve been through, this rage is powerful and it consumes me.
AGHHH!
My fist swings out and connects with the glass shower door before it goes through it.
Shattering the glass around me as the tears pour down my face mixing with the water now spraying all over the floor.
And I stand here and look at the glass shattered around my feet, panting with rage, feeling my heart rip in half.
The door flies open, and I look up with hooded eyes. “Don’t move, Emma.” I close my eyes; standing bare in front of Bear as my hand burns with the fresh glass cuts through my skin and blood drips to the floor as he walks towards me holding a towel up. “Here, wrap this around you.”
I wrap the towel around myself and he picks me up before he carries me to the bedroom and sets me down on the edge of the bed.
He walks to the bathroom again and turns the shower off before he comes back with another towel and wraps it around my bloodied hand, and I look up with my swollen eyes and whisper out. “Zee’s my brother, isn’t he?”
My phone vibrates on the nightstand pulling my attention, and Bear picks it up and hands it to me. I drag in a deep breath through my nose before I let it out, unlocking my phone and noticing a text from Ace.
Baby Girl, please be good for Bear, I need to focus and end this.
I can’t watch another bullet fly over your head today, tomorrow, or ever.
Emma, the love I have for you plays no mercy on my heart, you are it, and I can’t lose you.
Stay home, let me work, let me end this so we can have a future, away from this.
Zee is not who you think he is, he is your brother.