Emmitt's Treasure: Judgement of the Six Companion Series, book 2 (29 page)

She picked at her food in silence, barely managing a few bites before I finished my meal and part of the extra one.  When she pushed her plate away, I scraped the leftovers onto one plate and put it into the refrigerator.

With her head propped in her hand, she tiredly watched me.  I didn’t realize just how exhausted she was until she yawned.  I had her up in my arms before it stopped.

“I’m not tired,” she said, ducking her head to avoid my gaze.

She nervously played with the bloody fabric of my shirt.

“Frank didn’t hurt you, did he?” she asked, finally looking up at me.  Concern filled her eyes.

She couldn’t walk without cringing, had a gash on the back of her head, and she was worried because I had a little blood on my shirt?  I groaned and lightly pressed my lips to hers before pulling away.  I didn’t deserve her.

The look she gave me was bittersweet.

“Don’t be sad.”  She slid a hand around the back of my neck and pulled me down for another kiss.

I kissed her gently, and she sighed.  Her hand moved over my chest in an absent way.  Part petting, part exploring.  Even though I knew she had no idea what she was doing to me, I couldn’t stop myself from responding.  I ran my tongue along the seam of her lips, begging for more.  She willingly gave it.  Her taste was heaven, her touch bliss.  Without meaning to, I started walking again.

Her fingers feathered through my hair and held my mouth to hers as I gently set her on the bed.  Carefully, I moved over her, using my arms while keeping my weight off of her.  She took the space between us as an invitation to explore under my shirt.  The feel of her fingers on my skin sent a tingle of pleasure through me.

I smoothed her damp hair back and trailed my fingers down to the Claiming spot on her neck.  She shivered and turned her head to break the kiss.

As she gasped for air, I trailed kisses from her brow down to her throat.  She groaned and arched into my mouth.  I swirled my tongue over her skin then moved to the side of her neck.  She turned and kissed me just below my jaw.

I froze.  Tonight.  Tremors shook me as I struggled for control.  Not tonight.  She needed rest.

She gently ran the tip of her tongue over my skin.  I closed my eyes and struggled to remember why this wasn’t a good idea.  It was the best idea.  I wanted her.  Forever.  She needed to make it happen.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” she whispered, nipping my neck.

I groaned at the feel of her teeth toying with my skin.

“It hurts to wait,” I said honestly.

Yet, she didn’t give me what I wanted.  She continued to kiss and nip me, slowly torturing me.  I shook with need and wouldn’t have been able to move off her if she begged.  I kissed her collarbone and shoulder in return, giving her plenty of room to mark me and make me hers.  Her scent was driving me crazy.

When she bit down firmly enough to break the skin, I nearly came undone.  She placed a tender kiss over the bite and offered me her lips.  I claimed them, devouring her as new emotions swamped me.  Love, sweet and sure.  Passion, shy and perfect.  Michelle was finally in my head, and I was in hers.  I didn’t want to let her go, but caught sight of a little pink on the pillow and forced myself to pull back.

She gazed up at me in awe.  Satisfaction coursed through me.  I would have been content to look at her all night.  But she was tired.  And, she needed rest.

“Go to sleep, now,” I whispered, moving to her side and pulling her close.

I could feel she wanted to argue, but she had no energy left.  Her blinks were slow, and her gaze unfocused.  I smiled and kissed her forehead.

“I love you,” I said.

She was asleep soon afterward.  I waited an hour before moving her under the covers, trying to be as careful as possible.  Tugging the blanket over her, I considered her midsection then studied her sleep-relaxed face.  If I looked, I risked another kneeing or worse.  If I didn’t look and there was something seriously wrong, I’d never forgive myself.

Decided, I went to the bathroom and returned with two clean hand towels.  Praying she’d stay sleeping, I peeled back the comforter.  The first hand towel I placed over the robe on her chest.  The second one went over her hips.  It wasn’t just to preserve her modesty.  It was to avoid temptation.  I desperately wanted to see her and explore every curve and hollow.  But I wanted her awake when I did that, exploring me in return.

Steeling myself, I loosened the belt at her waist and slowly parted the robe.  I worked it open a few inches at a time, stopping to readjust towels as needed so everything stayed covered.  As I worked, I became angry.

A huge bruise covered her stomach.  Two areas were darker, as if she’d been hit twice.  What had he done to her?

I slid into bed and covered her with the quilt.  Ever so gently, I pulled her close and listened to her even breathing.

Thoughts of all the things that could have gone even more wrong kept me awake.  I touched Michelle often as she slept, reassuring myself that she was still with me.  And, I kept reminding myself that the day hadn’t gone as wrong as it could have.

Around dawn, I left the bed.  Restless, I went to the kitchen and ate the leftovers, hoping a full stomach might help me sleep.  It didn’t.  So, I went to the bathroom, thinking a hot bath would do the trick.  However, seeing her clothes hanging over the glass shower door filled me with regret and anger all over again.  Knowing sleep wouldn’t happen, I stripped, put on the suite’s other guest robe, and called down to the desk to arrange for our clothes to be laundered.  After someone came for the dirty clothes, I took a quick shower.  Then, I paced for a bit.  Finally, I sat down beside the phone.

I dialed Jim’s number and waited.  He picked up in the middle of the second ring.

“Hello?”

“Hey.  It’s me.”

“You’re alive.”  I could hear the genuine humor and relief in his voice.  “How are things there?”

“Good.  Really good.  She Claimed me.”

“Mom’s going to—”

“I know,” I said with a half-laugh.

“You don’t sound as happy as I would have thought.”

I sighed and leaned back into the cushions.

“I am happy about that.  But, Michelle got hurt.”

“Yeah, Dad told me.  She’ll be okay though, right?”

Frustrated, I hesitated.

“Is she awake?” Jim asked.

“No.  She’s still sleeping.  She’s been out pretty much since we got here.  And, yeah, she’ll be okay.  I’m not sure I will be, though.”  Jim remained quiet, letting me talk.  “I left her alone.  That’s how they got her.  Even after hearing she’d been locked away for four years, even after hearing what they’d done to her brothers, even after Blake sent men to our home to try to take her back, I left her alone.  What kind of dumbass am I?”

“A big one, apparently.  You’re sitting on the phone with your brother instead of snuggling with your Mate.”

I almost laughed before I caught myself. “She was bleeding, Jim.  The mutt who took her hit her head so hard she was bleeding.  And her stomach is one huge bruise.  I think he hit her there, too.  And, do you know what she does when I ask?  She tells me everything is okay and not to worry.  She comforts me.  I don’t want comfort...”

“You want revenge.”

“I do.  I want Blake to bleed.”

“He will.  Give it time.  You should have that patience thing down by now.”

“Yep.  I should.  Did you hear about the meeting with the lawyer?”

“In a few hours, right?”

“Yeah.  What do you think?”

“I think she’ll want to go.  And, I think you won’t be a dumbass again.  Don’t forget Grey and Carlos have your back.  Your front, too, if you need the protection.”

I grinned.

“Thanks, Jim.”

“Anytime.  Now, let me go back to sleep.”

I hung up the phone and went to lay by Michelle again.  Talking to Jim had eased some of the guilt I carried.  It wasn’t gone, just not a priority.  Michelle was.

Relaxed, I dozed until someone knocked on our door.  The woman with our laundry also had a pair of shoes for Michelle, a set of toothbrushes, and a small tube of paste.  I thanked her and closed the door.  I took everything into the bathroom.

After brushing and changing into clean clothes, I went back to Michelle.  She hadn’t moved much in her sleep.  The few times she did, she frowned.  Her stomach was definitely hurting her.  Gently, I trailed my fingers over the bruise.

It took an hour before her breathing changed.  I stopped trailing my fingers along her skin and waited.  Her pulse increased, but she didn’t open her eyes.  Instead, she tried to ease my hand off her stomach but cringed at the effort.

“Might as well open them,” I said softly.

Her eyes popped open, and she turned her head to look at me.  I ran my fingers over her skin again.  Her eyes widened, and a jolt of panic came over our link as she let out a squeak.  She lifted her head to look down at herself, winced, and dropped her head back down to the pillow.

I waited for her reaction to what I’d done.  She didn’t yell.  No anger came over the link.  Love washed over me.  Her love.  Every moment I spent with her humbled me.  I might not deserve her now.  Maybe not ever.  But, I would take every day as another chance to try to be the man worthy of her.

She turned her head and gave me a shy smile, her heart skipping a beat.

“You lied to me,” I said, trailing my fingers over the worst bruise.  “You’re not fine.  How much pain are you in?”

She glanced down at her stomach and slightly shook her head. “Emmitt, I’ll live.  Don’t make a big deal out of this.”

A thread of embarrassment reached me.  I didn’t understand how my concern would embarrass her.  She pulled the robe around her, rolled to her side, and boosted herself up on one arm.  Although I felt the pain through our link, she was careful to keep her expression bland, a clear sign she didn’t want my help.  After a moment, she slid her legs off the bed and eased herself into a full sitting position.

She glanced at the alarm clock beside the bed.

“We need to get to the lawyer’s office.  How long will it take from here?  I don’t even know where we are,” she said.

Jim would love knowing he was right.  Grey, too.

“About thirty minutes,” I said, answering her original question as I got out of bed and moved to help her stand.

“Really, Emmitt, I’m fine,” she said.

Determination hit me, and I knew what she was going to do as soon as she leaned forward.  I quickly offered my hand, unwilling to watch her hurt herself more.  Even with my help, she winced and leaned into me.

As I held her in my arms and waited for the pain to fade, she lightly bit my neck.  The sensation of her teeth on my skin sent a jolt of need through me.  Humor pushed pain aside as she tried to hide her grin.

To say I loved and needed this woman was an understatement.  I existed because of her, for her.  She was, and would remain, everything to me.

I helped her to the bathroom where she quietly retreated for the next five minutes.  When she emerged, her hair was smoothed down, she wore her clean clothes, and she smelled slightly minty.  She looked ready to meet the reporter.

She eyed my clean yet ripped shirt, and I knew I wasn’t.

“We’re going to need to get our things,” I said.

She wrinkled her nose at the idea.

“They dropped these off this morning,” I said, showing her the shoes before bending down to help her step into them.  She lightly rested a hand on my shoulder as she lifted one foot then the next.  It reminded me of the night I’d taken her to dinner, and my fingers itched to caress her calf.

“Ready?” I asked when both flats were on.

“Just a second.”

She walked back into the bedroom and stood there, looking around for a moment.  A sense of awe washed over me, and I knew she was remembering last night.  She was mine.  Finally.

She glanced back at me and reached for my hand.

“I’m ready,” she said.

Love washed over me, and I kissed the back of her hand before we left the suite.  She was silent as she walked beside me.  I studied her, watching for any sign of discomfort.  There was no hitch in her step today and no pain in our link.  I knew better than to think it meant she was fine.

At the front desk, I asked for a cab.  It didn’t take long for one to arrive.  Michelle winced getting into the back seat and leaned her head on my shoulder once I slid in beside her.  I held her hand, trying to comfort her.

When we pulled up before our hotel, I sent a message to Grey.

We’re here.  I don’t want to leave her alone again, and I don’t want to take her inside.

Carlos will be right there.

Michelle nervously eyed the hotel.

“Stay here.  I’ll be right back.”

She nodded, and I closed the door.  Carlos was already in the lobby with a bag.

“Grey’s waiting in your room.  We tried putting it back the way it was.”

I nodded and went to the room.  The beds were separate again, but the bedding on Michelle’s bed was ripped.  So were her clothes.

My bag was on a chair.  I went to it and pulled out a clean shirt.  The mutt had left my things alone.

“Why just her things?” I asked Grey, who was watching me.

“Not sure.  Maybe to send her a message that Blake is angry?”

“I think the bloody head and bruised stomach conveyed that well enough.”  I left the damaged clothes where they were and picked up what still looked okay.  There wasn’t much.  A bit of pink material caught my eye.  I picked up what was left of her bikini.

“I think this is about things,” I said.  “She took away Blake’s things.  Her brothers.  Her money.  He’s trying to take away hers.”  I tossed the material aside.  “Let’s go finish taking away his things.”

After listening to Michelle on the phone two nights ago, I knew Blake was still trying to get at the money Richard had left her.  Since I couldn’t get to Blake yet, I’d settle for making him hurt some other way.

The worry I’d been feeling from Michelle since I’d entered the hotel vanished when I left it.  She didn’t comment as we climbed in.  Carlos was careful not to press against her this time.

I gave the lawyer’s address to the driver and handed Michelle her nearly empty bag.

“There was nothing else worth taking,” I said.

The news crew was waiting outside the lawyer’s office when we pulled up.  Carlos and Grey hung back while I stood near Michelle as she talked to the reporter.  I paid less attention to the questions the woman asked and more attention to our surroundings.  We were in a nicer part of town.  People were walking by on the sidewalks.  I kept scenting the air but didn’t catch anything that hinted Blake or his men were nearby.

When the reporter left, we filed inside the lawyer’s office.  The receptionist sat behind a long, glossy counter and looked up at us with a welcoming expression.

“Can I help you?”

“I’m here to see Mr. Nolan,” Michelle said.

“Michelle?”

“Yes.”

The woman glanced at all of us.  “Please have a seat.”

She picked up the phone and dialed.  As she spoke, Grey winked at her.  The woman paused mid-sentence, obviously having lost her train of thought.  Michelle hid a smile behind her hand as the woman struggled to maintain her end of the conversation.

You’re going to get us kicked out,
I sent Grey.

Nah, I’m just making a lasting impression.

A moment later, the woman led Michelle into Mr. Nolan’s office.  I followed while Grey and Carlos stayed behind in the sitting area.

Overall, the lengthy meeting enlightened me on a few topics.  Richard had been fighting Blake’s hold on his family by filtering money into hidden accounts without Blake’s awareness.  If I were to guess, I would say it was even the reason behind Richard’s death.

Instead of naming his sons equal beneficiaries, he clearly stated he wanted them to receive nothing and left everything to Michelle, including guardianship of the boys.  It had been the only protection he could give his children.

And, because Michelle stepped forward to claim Richard’s estate, Blake was completely cut off from any chance of touching the money he’d lost.  It was a stunning amount.

Michelle and the lawyer talked about what to do with the money.  She decided to set up two trusts.  Creating one for her brothers didn’t surprise me.  Creating one for the pack did.  Yet, as I thought about it, I understood what she was doing.  She was giving herself a layer of protection.  Even if Blake was to take her again, he would never be able to reach all of the money.

When they finished, the lawyer stood and walked us to the lobby.

“If you have any questions, big or small, call me.  I’ll be happy to help.”

“Thank you, Mr. Nolan,” Michelle said.

He nodded and went back to his office as the receptionist called us another cab.

While we waited outside, Michelle’s stomach growled.

“Hungry?” I asked.

“More homesick than hungry.  Can we just go straight to the airport and see if we can get an earlier flight?”

“Of course.”

There was no reason for us to linger.  Blake had played his hand.  And, Michelle had played hers.

The cab pulled up, and I opened the door for her.  She took her time sliding in, but her care didn’t help. I still felt her pain and was glad she was ready to go home.  She’d been through enough.  Since the beginning I’d had the need to keep her safe, but the events of the last twenty-four hours were skyrocketing that need.

“What’s wrong?” she asked as we drove toward the airport.

Grey turned to look at me, a knowing glint in his eyes.  I glanced at Michelle and shrugged, not wanting to lie to her or make her feel smothered.

She slipped her hand into mine and leaned against me.