Page 79 of Sebastian

“Listen—”

“I know, I’m overprotective.” He raised his hands up by his head. “You’re just going to have to deal with it. Now get in there before my beautiful wife explodes and her anger turns to tears.”

Emma nodded, smiling at Hank as she closed the door. She walked towards the far side of the bed and crawled under the covers, bringing them up over her chin before she looked into Daisy’s eyes.

“What’s going on, Em?”

“It’s just been a tough week.”

“This isn’t just a tough week. I’ve seen you have tough weeks before. Normally, they end in the two of us out drinking and dancing, although I haven’t done the drinking part in a while. So don’t try to tough week me. Let me in. Please.”

Emma squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, before turning her gaze towards the ceiling. “I had to speak with a forensic artist yesterday. Apparently, Marco has only ever shown up in chatter by some sick nickname his family uses. He doesn’t exist in any legal record of identification and no one has seen him to identify him. Or, I guess, the people who have seen him always end up dead. I’m the only one who could help. So, that’s what I did. And now they’re working on running what I gave them through some fancy programs they have to try and find the identity he’s living under.”

“Wow, that’s…just wow.”

“Yeah. The FBI agent the team is working with seems to think I’m the way they get to Marco. I want to help, but Sebastian isn’t on board. I know he thinks I’m being too stubborn.”

“What? You?” Daisy mocked.

“I just want to do everything I can to help catch Marco, and he is totally against me being involved. I can’t just sit by and know someone else might be hurt because Marco is angry that he can’t get to me. Seb called me a little while ago saying the FBI Agent was flying in tonight to get concrete plans in place. He wants me to be at his apartment while the guys all go to Sal’s to talk, but I want to be there to plead my case.”

“Would he bring you?”

“No. He wants to hear the plan and said after he has a minute to sit with it, then we could talk. What if by needing to be involved, I push him away, Daisy?”

“I don’t think that’s possible for one single second. I’ve seen how the man looks at you. It’s the same way Hank looks at me any time I’m busy whipping up a batch of brownies in the kitchen. That man wants to devour every inch of you.”

“Daisy,” Emma rolled her eyes. “It’s more than that. There is this insane chemistry between us, but we had this disagreement because he thinks I’m not capable of keeping it together when I see Marco. He’s worried I’m going to fall apart and not be able to protect myself. But I know I can. I need to be the one who puts a stop to everything. I need it, and he just can’t understand why.”

“You know, Hank hasn’t really told me anything that’s been going on. I’ve obviously seen the news talking about the man who is wanted for the murders, but Hank keeps insisting for the integrity of the case that he can’t share the details. I even tried to use my pregnant wife powers of persuasion and it didn’t work. I haven’t wanted to push you, but I also want you to know that I’m here, and you can talk to me about anything.” Daisy gave a reassuring smile to Emma. “Are you ready to tell me what’s going on?”

“There’s so much, Daisy, I don’t know where to begin.”

“Who is this Marco Santoro guy and why is he after you?” she whispered.

“He’s the man my step-father sold me to in order to pay off the debts he had with the Santoro family.”

Daisy’s gasp was loud, and she moved closer to Emma on the bed. “Em, what?”

“Marco is my husband.” Daisy grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze. “My real name isn’t Emma Sullivan. I’ve only been Emma since I ran away from him.”

“Oh god. I don’t even know…I don’t know what to say. He wants you back? Is that why he’s here? Why he’s hurting other women who look like you?”

“I don’t think he wants me back. I think this time, he’s here to kill me. He’s already taken everything else from me, this is the last thing.”

“What do you mean?”

The two women sat in silence for a moment, Emma trying to gather the courage to tell her best friend her heartbreaking secret.

“Sebastian told me I should tell you when we were in Colorado, but I didn’t want to upset you near your shower, and I don’t want things to change between us. I love you so much Daisy, just like a sister, and nothing in my past, none of the pain, nothing I went through, changes that, or taints how much I want you and that sweet baby in my life, okay?”

“Em, you’re scaring me. I love you so much, too. Please, tell me.”

Emma took a deep breath in and felt her heart crack open all over again. “I have a daughter.”

“You do?” The shakiness of Daisy’s voice made the tears she’d been working so hard to hold back come pouring out.

“He took her from me the day she was born. He took her before I ever even got to hold her.”

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