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“Don’t know, but my guess is that she was talking when she shouldn’t have been, or she refused to talk and they wanted to make it seem like she did.”
“Talk about what?” I didn’t know if Emmett knew about my visit from Brendan Rhymer, but it didn’t seem like he did, which only made his observations more incredible.
“I have no fucking clue, Vanessa. That’s why they wanted me to keep it from you.”
Because they weren’t sure it had anything to do with the card games or the Ashby family. I’d gathered that much during my stay at Ashby Manor, along with hours of convincing from Kat and Maisie.
“Well they know who it was now,” I grumbled and told him all about Brendan Rhymer’s visit to my home and my weeklong stay at Ashby Manor. After seven days and no news about the Rhymers, I put my foot down and insisted I return to my own home.
“You didn’t call me.” The words came out emotionless, almost resigned to whatever importance he’d assigned to that action. “I guess I deserved that.”
“I didn’t do it to punish you, Emmett.” Did I?
His hands tightened on the steering wheel. “Then why didn’t you call me to tell me what happened?”
“I don’t know. No, that’s not true. I didn’t call because this wasn’t a problem for you to solve. Jasper needed to know, and he needed to handle it.”
Based on the way his jaws clenched, Emmett didn’t like that answer.
“Sorry but it’s true.”
“You’re right. I’ve made it clear that I don’t want to be involved with the dark side of the business, and you did the right thing.”
“So, you’re not mad?”
“Hell, yes, I’m mad, Nessa. I’ve missed you, dammit, and I knew not telling you was wrong, but I did it anyway. And now,” he blew out a long breath and turned the car into my driveway, killing the engine before he turned to me. “Now I’m afraid it’s cost me you. Us.”
I didn’t know how to respond to that. It was exactly the kind of openness and honesty I wanted from a man and a relationship. Yet when faced with it, I was speechless.
“I think I’m going to quit being a card girl,” I said instead.
Disappointment flashed in his eyes but one side of his mouth tugged up into a wry grin. “Why? You said you liked the job.”
“I do. I like that it’s different all the time yet familiar. I love joking around with these men and women who rarely get to joke around and have people make fun of them. I like dressing up and having somewhere to go, and I like making my own money. It’s nice.”
For the first time in my life, I actually felt like the independent woman I always wanted to become. I felt confident and sexy, and I felt grown up.
“Then you shouldn’t let Brendan Rhymer or anyone else take that from you.” He reached out to touch me, his hand hesitated before cupping my face gently. “You deserve to be happy, Nessa. I wish you could see that.”
“I want that too, but for my entire adult life, Lance’s jobs were always filled with danger, and I had to find a way to accept that. The Navy. The SEALs and then private security. There were always things he couldn’t tell me, and after he died, I told myself I was done with that.”
The car suddenly felt stifling, or maybe it was the conversation. Either way, I escaped from the car and scanned the area before making my way to the door. Emmett jumped from his seat and came up beside me.
“If you plan to stay friends with Kat and Maisie, or even me, then you will never be out of harm’s way. I’m not saying that to scare you, it’s just how it is.”
I turned to face him and smiled. “Then why don’t you leave?”
“They’re my family.” For him it was just that simple, and I liked that about Emmett. “They’re all I’ve got.”
“You want to come inside?”
He took a step back. “You know I do. The question is do you want me to come inside?”
“I’m not sure,” I told him honestly. “But I don’t want to sleep alone, and I miss the feel of your arms around me.”
“That’s honest.”
I nodded, hoping that would count for something. “I’m still upset that you took my choice out of my hand, Emmett, but I’m not ready for us to be done.” That much I was sure of, at least. “I’m sure that I want you to come inside.”
“Okay,” he said and took my hand, waiting until I tugged him into the house before he followed.
As soon as the door locked behind me, things felt right.
Good.
Perfect.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Emmett
“Even though I needed the fuel, I think my eyes were bigger than my stomach.” Vanessa sat back in the green diner booth with a satisfied smile on her face and one hand on her flat stomach. “It was so damn good, though.”
