I have a lot to say and a huge amount of groveling to do.
It’s been two and a half weeks since we first arrived in Rydeville, and a lot has happened in a short space of time. After the management company sent us an eviction notice for our apartment, I used Hunt’s contacts to pack up all our shit and got it shipped here along with my bike and Ro’s truck.
Hamilton is a pain in my butt, messaging me daily. I’m holding him at bay, sharing pics of the inside of the Rydeville family mansion, where Harley and J live, and feeding him random harmless facts about my brothers’ lives. I’ve told himthey mentioned the information he seeks, but it doesn’t appear to be here. Even though Kaiden told me it wasn’t at his house, I have still searched every square inch of the place and found nothing.
I’m spending lots of time with J. He’s cool and the only one of my older brothers I get along with. It also gives me an opportunity to snoop around the family home. The place is fucking huge, and it’s going to take forever to go through every room and every drawer.
While J is at work and we’re not hanging out, I drag Ro to the gym. Kaiden got us gym memberships, but I try to avoid going when he’s there. It’s not too hard to avoid him as he’s locked in his studio most days, working on pieces for his first artist’s showcase. He won’t let anyone look at his paintings while they’re a work in progress, but I picked the lock to his studio and sneaked a peek. I hate to admit it, ’cause I don’t like giving Kaiden Anderson credit for anything, but he’s very talented. I bet his show will be a sellout.
Most of my spare time is spent digging for intel on Hamilton, Atticus, and the accident or putting safeguards in place to protect Emery. So far, I haven’t seen anyone following or watching her, but I know Hamilton has someone out there keeping tabs on her somehow. Whoever he is, he’s not getting near my girl. My main priority in Rydeville is keeping Ro and Emery safe, and I’ll pull out all the stops to ensure it.
I put a tracker on her car one day while she was at work, and I broke into their apartment a different day, when I knew both girls were out, to place trackers in her shoes. I wanted to install some cameras or audio devices, just so I’d know if Hamilton made any move to snatch her, but I couldn’t do it. It would be a massive invasion of her privacy and she would never forgive me for it. I have an uphill battle to climb as it is without tying my feet together.
I was so fucking tempted to bug Kaiden’s car and phone, but the guys are too smart to risk it. I’m sure the Bright One and his drill sergeant have given all their buddies access to the Techxet technology toy chest, and it would be too easy to get caught. Right now, I’m continuing to act like a prize asshole around Kaiden to deflect his attention from my activities.
The USB drive Xavier gave me is burning a hole in my pocket, but I can’t make myself go through it yet. It’s a copy of all the files they found on Mathers’s home computer, and he put the files Dad supposedly left for me into a separate file. I know if I look at them I will have to confront the truth that is becoming glaringly obvious. Honestly, I’m not sure I’m strong enough to do it.
Pain slices across my chest, and I swallow back bile as I contemplate how I can find absolutely nothing about my family’s car accident. Mathers told me he wiped all traces from the internet to protect us from those elite elements that would harm us. I accepted that, and I never went looking because I didn’t want details or gruesome pictures. I wanted to remember how our parents and Pen looked the last time we saw them.
But there is no paperwork or documentation behind the net, and I mean nothing. Everything has been completely buried, including the police reports from the scene of the accident and the autopsy report.
It’s suspicious as fuck, and it’s all pointing to… Nope, I can’t go there.
Muscles cord in my shoulders and back as Emery appears in my line of sight, walking toward her car with a pretty smile on her gorgeous face. She’s lost in her own little bubble and hasn’t noticed me yet. Even clad in that hideous uniform, she still steals all the breath from my lungs. Emery Copeland is the most beautiful woman on the planet with the most beautiful soul. Her effect on me is otherworldly. I could stare at her for eternity,happy to bathe in the glow that always seems to surround her and the warmth of her presence.
Everything about her draws me in, and I’m not even pretending to myself I don’t love her anymore.
I love her.
She’s it for me.
Winning back her heart is everything because she’s the one.
I’ve got to convince her I’m sorry and I have changed my ways. I move a foot forward when a young girl darts into the parking lot, calling for Emery. I duck down behind a car in case she spots me.
“Wait up!” The dark-haired teen races toward Emery, shoving a massive bunch of red roses and lilies into her arm. They are too far away for me to listen to what they’re saying, but I doubt I’d hear it anyway with the blood pounding in my ears and rage flooding my veins.
Who the fuck is giving Emery flowers?
I’ve watched her on more than a few occasions and didn’t see any dirtbag sleazing around. If someone has his eye on her, they can fuck right off.
She might not know it yet, but she’smine. She has always been mine, and no asswipe is stealing her out from under me. I’ll kill the fucker with my bare hands if I have to.
Emery wears a frown as she waves the girl off and walks toward her car. The smile is long gone. While I don’t like to think of her being unhappy, I’m glad she seems wary of the gift. Doesn’t stop her from burying her nose in the flowers and inhaling deeply.
Fighting off a bout of jealousy, I straighten up and thrust my shoulders back, clutching my much smaller bouquet in my hands. For a fleeting second, I consider ditching it, but I stand my ground. I know Emery, and flashy gestures won’twin that prick any favors. She prefers meaningful gestures, and everything I have done so far should work in my favor.
I hope.
I suck in a long breath, giving myself a silent pep talk before I stride toward her.
Here goes nothing.
She doesn’t notice me at first. She’s too busy staring at the bouquet in her arms with a puckered brow. My foot crunches on gravel, and her head whips up. Our eyes lock, and it’s like returning home after a year away. Heady warmth seeps through my bones, healing everything that was lost and broken. Sparks whizz through the air, racing from her to me and from me to her. It’s like a swirling electrical charge thrusts from my chest connecting with a sparking line emanating from hers. Both currents meet somewhere in the middle, and boom! I’m almost knocked back by the surge of powerful chemistry igniting the space between us.
Shock splays across her face as she stands still and stares at me. My chest heaves as I close the distance between us. My heart is both heavy and light, expectation hopeful and desperate. Her face never wavers from mine as I approach, stopping right in front of her, my boot touching the tip of her shoes.
“Emery.” My voice cracks a little as I struggle to hold on to my emotions. I’m generally not an emotional guy, but things have always been different with her.
