We shared a moment that a week ago I’d have believed I didn’t deserve, but four days of feds and lawyers laying out the shittier parts of my life had shown me that perhaps I did.
“Where are you at with the legal stuff?”
The question threw me. Until now, with Folk, Alexei,andRubi away, I’d only been asked it by brothers who expected simpler answers than Embry. “Lauren was charged last night. She won’t get bail before the trial.”
“Attempted murder?”
“Yeah.”
Embry narrowed his gaze. “And?”
Fuck, I still found it hard to admit this shit out loud. “Harassment and coercive control. I had an old phone from a few years ago. The feds took it and found a bunch of stuff I’d tried to forget about. She can go down for that even if the murder shit doesn’t stick.”
“It’ll stick. And you have a restraining order, right? So she can’t contact you from prison? Or ask you to bring Ivy to visit her?”
“Still waiting on the last part. I have to prove she hurt Ivy too, and that means putting my kid through something I’m not sure I can let her go through just yet.”
“You’d rather take her to Eastwood Park? Prisons aren’t nice places, man. Trust me.”
“What if she wants to see her mum, though? I can’t take that choice away from her.”
“It’s not cruel to protect her from a monster.”
“I know.”
Embry eyed me a moment longer, then switched to another subject that made me squirm. “So... you and Folk. How’s that masterplan working out?”
Out of spoons, I spat the truth. “He’s not here and I’m fucking lonely.”
Embry grinned, though he did me the courtesy of trying to hide it with a hand still bruised and scabbed from multiple IVs. “Worked out then?”
“It’s, uh, working. Don’t know where it’s gonna land till he gets back, though, so don’t ask me to define it.”
“But you’re together?”
“We’re something.”
Embry set his smile free and leaned back on the couch, one arm braced around his stitched-up belly. “Bout time you noticed someone’s hot for you.”
“Eh?”
“Man, the women go crazy for you, and you never see it. And I’m gonna saythis, because I can now it’s happened, but I knew Folk was sweet on you ages ago. You see stuff when people think you’re asleep in the corner.”
“You saw nothing.”
“Try me, brother.”
No, thanks. Some things were best left unsaid, but talking about Folk felt good. So I threw Embry the bone he deserved and told him about Cyprus five years ago.
By the time I was done, Embry looked more alive than he had in months. “I knew there was something.”
“No, you didn’t.”
“Maybe not,” he admitted. “But I’m glad there was. As secrets go, this one is awesome.”
I took his words to heart. For so long, that night with Folk had been something that scared me, but now I saw it for what it was, and the only thing that truly scared me was losing him.
Four days.Wasn’t sure I’d make a week without my heart splitting in two.
