Chapter 30
EMRIS
“We can head out first thing in the morning. Ray and Troy are staying there with Ash, so they’ll make sure everything is held down until we get back,” I tell Carson as the elevator dings open. We enter and click the floor number.
“That’s fine with me. This place has the best fucking chicken tenders, and I’m starving.” He sends me a devilish smile, and I shake my head. My whole body freezes the second the doors open, and a scream erupts from down the hall leading to the penthouse.
I don’t say anything as I take off running, my gun already out and waiting.
Fuck. I knew I shouldn’t have left her alone. I’m ready to blow the head off of whoever dared break in and hurt my girl, but the second I rush through the cracked door, I see Brielle standing on the couch with a lamp in her hand.
Archer stands by the kitchen counter with his arms crossed as he listens to Brielle and Killian argue over why she’s here.
“I don’t have to tell you a damn thing! I don’t know you, and I’m fucking done with answering to stupid men who demand answers from me!” she yells, still not noticing me standing by the door.
Brielle has the lamp pointed out, ready to swing anytime she needs. Killian’s only a few feet away, his hands on his hips as he tries to get answers from her, but my girl is stubborn.
Archer raises an eyebrow in question as I lower my gun and put it away, knowing Brielle isn’t in any real danger. Although if she drank all the Sunny D in the mini fridge, Killian might lose his shit.
Carson sits down in a chair, bringing a leg over his knee as he watches the entertainment in front of us.
“Little girl, if you don’t tell me who the hell you are right now—” He stops talking when I grip his shoulder. Killian’s head swings to me, annoyance turning to happiness as a smile breaks out over his face.
“Emris!” He brings me in for a hug before releasing me, and that’s when I get the chance to glance over at Brielle, who looks so fucking perfect. She’s so mad right now, I’m surprised there isn’t steam coming out of her ears.
I close the distance between us and gently take the lamp from her and set it back where it goes. Holding my hand out, she takes it willingly and hops down from the couch.
“Guys, this is Brielle. I guess I should’ve told you we were staying here tonight, but I’ve been a tad busy.
I had some business to attend to in town and knew this was the safest place I could leave her.
” My eyes meet Archer’s across the room, and he nods, knowing the ‘business’ was taking care of Susie.
“The safest,” Archer reassures, closing the distance between us and holding his hand out to Brielle. She looks from me to the giant hand in front of her before she takes it and gives it a shake and a small smile.
Killian, on the other hand, isn’t so gentle. Instead, he wraps his arms around Brielle in a bear hug and lifts her feet off the floor. But unlike with Troy, she doesn’t look tense or uncomfortable with my cousin.
“The famous Brielle! I’ve heard great things,” he says once she’s safe back on her feet.
“Oh yeah, I’m sure all great things.” Sarcasm leaks through her voice as she runs her hands down her arm as if cleaning off the invisible dirt on her sleeve, all while glaring at me.
“Something triggered an alarm from this room, and I’m assuming it’s from the bullet hole in my window.”
A knock comes to the door, saving that conversation for a later time. Archer pulls the door open and a staff member from the kitchen has a rolling cart with a single tray of food on it, which, if I’m guessing correctly, is for Brielle.
The man nods his thanks when Archer hands over a tip, and he leaves after rolling the cart into the living room.
“I’m assuming this is yours?” Archer asks, rolling it closer to Brielle.
“I got hungry.” She shrugs as if she needed some excuse to order food. That concerns me all on its own. She needs to know she can have anything she wants, whenever.
Archer lifts the lid and laughs. “French fries and chicken tenders? You do realize the restaurant here is a five-star restaurant, right?” He directs his question to Brielle.
Her eyebrows lower before she raises her head, walking over to the rolling cart and grabbing her food.
“Yeah, I tend not to eat food I can’t pronounce, so…” she plops down on the couch as if this is just a normal day. Not like two men who murder people daily are questioning her food choices. “Plus, you can’t go wrong with this. So, it’s a win in my book.” she shrugs before eating a fry.
“I love this girl,” Killian says, his goofy ass smile still plastered to his face.
“You know what goes best with fries and tenders?” He asks Brielle while walking to the mini fridge. “Yes! Still some left,” he shouts, rounding the counter with two small bottles of Sunny D in hand.
He’s such a child.
“Here.” He holds one out to Brielle, and her face lights up with a smile.
“I love Sunny D!” she exclaims. Both of them sit down on the couch, sharing food and juice.
I can’t lie and say I hate seeing her a little relaxed and happy.
Killian’s the kind of person who makes you feel safe around him, and it’s clear he’s having the same effect on her.
I need to talk with Archer while he’s here, so I walk over to Brielle and bend down. My lips meet hers in a soft kiss before I stand to my full height. She looks taken aback for a second before her cheeks turn pink.
A perfect color for her.
“I’ll be back in a few. I need to talk to Archer. Killian and Carson will stay,” I tell her, and she nods without saying anything else. I’m thankful she’s comfortable for the time being. I just hope it stays this way.
“So, tell me what you found out,” Archer says once we sit down in his office a few floors above us, beer in hand from his mini fridge.
“We found her with some guy at a strip club about halfway between here and Hollowbrook. A real weird guy. Older. Odd-fitting suit. Brown hair. Something about him rubbed me the wrong way,” I explain to Archer.
He seems to think it over, but I continue.
“Susie’s back at my place handcuffed to the wall in my basement.
Ray and Ash are there to look over everything until we get back and begin our questioning,” I tell him, bringing the beer to my mouth and chugging half of it.
“And Brielle?” Archer raises his eyebrow. I sigh, knowing this was coming.
“She’s a fucking nut job. Stabbed me once. You saw the bullet hole in the window. But fuck if she doesn’t speak to my soul.” And that’s the truth. I’ve never met someone like Brielle. She’s a sassy one when she wants to be, but she pushes me more than anyone else has before.
“Keep a close eye on her. She seems like a sweet girl, but the crazy ones you need to watch the most.”
“While we are on the subject, are you seeing anyone yet?” I ask him, already knowing the answer. He and his crew are working hard to make this place safer. He knows if he lets himself get close to anyone, there’s a chance they could disappear, and he can’t handle that again.
“Nah, I don’t have time for dating right now,” he mumbles before bringing the bottle to his mouth.
“You’ve been saying that for years, Archer.”
“Yeah, yeah, whatever. No woman could handle what I do. Nor could I put her in harm’s way until things are dealt with.” He runs a hand down his face before finishing off his drink.
“And how do your parents feel about that?” I ask, raising an eyebrow at him.
“We’d better get back before Killian has your girl asking for nothing but Sunny D and chicken tenders.” We both laugh as he ignores my question as we leave his office and head back upstairs, but before we get far enough, a security guard is running in our direction.