AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“To apologize,” she replied softly.
“Is that so?”
She nodded, nibbling her lip.
He took a moment to examine her. She had a hard time looking him in the eye, and she was wringing her hands in front of her. That confirmed all Shep needed to know. Jake was back, and Emma was unsure of her next steps. He’d been raised by his father to be a leader, but right now, there was no logic, no calmness, only rage that Jake had come to her.
Her eyes searched his. She sighed heavily. “I need to deal with this and him. Please let me do that.”
Deep down, Shep wanted to shake her, demand she tell Jake to go fuck himself. That guy in her house didn’t deserve her time. But that was the man in him talking, the one desperate to protect her. He’d been at a crossroads in his life before, when he moved to LA with Sara. She had tried to force change on him. He refused to do that to Emma.
For that reason alone, he stepped forward, getting as close as he could, not giving two shits that Jake was likely watching. “Deal with this, then come to me,” he told her gently, before he let all of what he felt bleed into his expression. “But whatever you do, don’t think for a second that I don’t want you.” He slid his hand along the small of her back, drawing her in even closer, and relished her soft gasp, the way she melted against him. That sweetness would always belong to him. “I want all of you,” he murmured, dropping his head, bringing his mouth close to hers. “I want you to stay here with me. I want there to be an us.” His lips found hers then, and this kiss was like nothing he’d shown her yet. Full of possession and heat, he laid it all out on the line. He had this one chance to prove to her that she belonged there with him. That a year with Jake couldn’t compare to the days they’d been together. Because this between them was magic and rare, and if only she saw it too, he’d spend his days making her happy.
Beneath his gentle kiss, she went soft under his touch, even more so than ever before. He slid his hand into her hair to deepen the kiss, claiming her further, igniting a sweet moan from her mouth, when suddenly she was ripped from his arms. He had one second to steady himself after being slammed into Nash’s truck before Jake lunged forward, throwing a punch that landed across his jaw.
Shep slowly glanced up, discovering Emma standing off to the side, rubbing her arm where Jake had obviously grabbed her, tossing her aside. “Are you all right?” Shep asked her.
She nodded, her eyes wide with shock.
His gaze then went to Jake, as Jake snarled, “She’s not fucking yours to kiss.”
Behind Shep, the passenger side window rolled down again, and Nash was laughing. “While that was maybe the best sucker punch I’ve seen in a while, buddy, I suggest you start running.”
Shep had no idea what was crossing his face, but it must have been bad since Emma suddenly blinked and ran forward, holding onto Shep’s arm. “Shep, don’t hurt him,” she gasped. “Let me talk to him.”
“Nash,” Shep said, his glare fixated on Jake, who stood with his fists up, likely ready to unleash some training he’d received in the gym.
The driver’s side door opened, then shut.
“Don’t you two gang up on him,” Emma yelled, her eyes panicked as she reached for Shep’s shirt, holding onto him tight.
Sadly, for her, this was between him and Jake.
Shep gently took hold of her hands, removing them from his shirt and delivering her to Nash. His brother scooped Emma up, tossing her over his shoulder then hastily placing a kicking Emma into the cab of his truck.
“Nash,” Emma screamed. “Stop blocking my way.”
“Come down and you’re going right back in there,” Nash stated.
Shep didn’t take his eyes off his target. Especially considering that in that very second, Jake charged forward. Shep met him halfway, ducking the jab Jake offered, and plowed into him, holding onto his waist, taking him down to the ground. The second Shep’s knees hit the dirt, pinning Jake beneath him, he used his full force to slam a punch across Jake’s jaw. “You think she’s fucking yours?” he growled, grabbing Jake’s shirt, getting in his face, releasing all his rage. “You hurt her.”
“Nash,” Emma screamed. “Stop them.”
Shep vaguely heard Nash reply, “Stay put, Emma.” But instead of looking back, he delivered three more punches across Jake’s smug face. The last split Jake’s lip, sending blood pooling down his face, and that blood was evidence enough for Shep that he’d made the point he intended to make. With a final shove in the shoulder, Shep rose, then glared down at Jake, who was wiping the blood off his mouth. “Do not tell me again that she’s not mine.” He narrowed his eyes, pointing at him. “If you fucking touch her like that again to make her flinch in pain, you’ll live to regret it, believe me.”
With adrenaline pumping through his veins, he turned, discovering Emma climbing out of the truck. She glared at Shep, arms folded over her chest. “Was that really necessary? He’s bleeding.”
“You’re damn right it was necessary.” He grabbed her hard and kissed her mouth like it was the very last time he would. His affection was raw, dirty, and goddamn perfect, and he hoped this kiss burned into Jake’s mind, being a memory he would never forget.
When he broke away, Emma was breathless and pink-cheeked, staring at him with enlarged pupils. He cupped her face and told her fiercely, “He does not deserve you, Emma. Do not forget that.” He gestured to Nash, who trotted around to the driver’s side of his truck and got inside. Shep followed, quickly shutting the door.
While Nash drove off, Shep took one last look at Emma, seeing tears in her eyes. She wasn’t tending to Jake; she was watching Shep leave. He h
oped that meant he’d done enough to keep her.
* * *
With Jake inside cleaning the blood off his face—and likely bandaging up his pride—Emma took a seat on her porch steps, staring out at Bentley and Tadgh in the sand ring. She needed time, and she took it, right where everything had always been calm and peaceful for her at Grams’s. Inside, she felt raw.
