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“It was inside the delivery from your brother.”
“Oh.” She stares down at it, the pink in her cheeks fading to pale. “I should—” She glances at me. “I should open it.” She gives a shaky laugh. “I’m so uncomfortable with my brother right now. It’s rather disconcerting. I ah—I think I’ll go in the other room and open it.”
I catch her hand and kiss it. “I’ll be right here if you need me.”
Her eyes fill with tenderness, and she lifts my hand this time and kisses it, her eyes warm with emotion before she stands and walks away.
I suck in a sharp-edged breath and look skyward, the need to protect her so damn intense that it skirts around inside me like a live charged wire. I lost my mother. I lost my father. I lost Hunter. Brody is in rehab. To lose those we love is devasting, which is why I cannot allow Emma to lose her own brother if it can be avoided. But she’s been through hell, and I will not let him put her through more. If Chance hurts her, I will hurt him.
Chapter one hundred twenty
Emma
Hope, fear, anger, frustration.
I feel all of these things as I sit down on the hotel couch with the envelope in my hand, my brother’s script, so like my father’s, on the front. I reach for the flap, and my God, my hand is trembling. Why is my hand trembling and why won’t it cooperate and just do what I intend? I grab my wrist and draw in a calming breath. This is silly. I’m letting way too many things control me when I, long ago, learned how to compartmentalize and just get on with life. I need to do that now.
Jaw set, I release my hand and open the envelope to find a simple rose on the front of the card. Inside the card is a folded letter. I pull it out and start to read:
Bird Dog;
Yes, I know you hate that name, but I won’t ever stop teasing you. It’s just too fun. I also won’t stop loving you. I know I made mistakes. I should have done what dad never did and included you more. I should have given you the chance to help.
Obviously, you would have had influence over Jax. The two of you could have come up with a solution when I couldn’t, thatworked for us all. Dad trapped me. I believe that he believed that if he gave me a good reason to do a bad thing, I’d do it. And he truly thought that meant I’d be successful in the future. I’m pleased to say he failed to make me him, but he almost didn’t.
You saved me.
I know you don’t understand that, but you did, little sis. Finding out you were kidnapped and left naked in your bed destroys me. I would never let someone hurt you like that.Never. I want you to feel like I protect you. Iwillprotect you, but I guess considering all that I have confessed, it’s important to add that I won’t disappoint you in the process. I made mistakes. I know this. I’m writing to beg for your forgiveness. I’m writing because I miss my sister. Because we’re family like mom and dad never understood family. I need you. I fear who I’ll become without you.
Love your big brother,
Chance
Tears are streaming down my face as I set the card down and dig my borrowed phone from my pocket. There is no hesitation in me as I dial Chance’s number, only hope. “Chance Knight,” he answers. Thank God, he answers.
“It’s me. I never found my phone and MacBook, which I guess I should be worried about for work reasons, but—”
“Work is not important right now,” he says. “You got the card?”
“Yes,” I whisper, the thrum of emotions playing on my heart. “It made me cry.”
“See, the last thing I want is to make you cry, sis.”
“Good cry. Don’t make me bad cry. I’m still mad at you. In fact, I’m furious.”
“I know. I deserve that. I handled all of this like a prick.”
“Yeah,” I agree. “You really did.”
“I’m sorry,” he says, his voice a low, rough timbre. “I’m sorry.”
“I know. That matters. Do I accept your apology? Yes. Can I deal with needing another one like this ever again? No, Chance. I can’t.”
“You won’t have to. Can we have dinner? Tonight? Or tomorrow night? Whatever you feel up to. I can come to the hotel. Or we can have coffee and then dinner with Jax. You love him. I need to work this out with him.”
“I’ll talk to Jax. Let me call you back.”
“Okay. Yeah. Call me back.”
