Page 13 of For Emery

Emery’s stepdad sat slumped over at the small kitchen table surrounded by empty beer bottles.

Was he dead?

I pounded on the door, praying the guy moved. He may have been a son of a bitch, but he was the only one who’d know where Emery was. I pounded some more.

He stirred, slowly lifting his head and squinting toward the door. “What?” he growled.

“Is Emery home?” I called.

“She’s gone,” he slurred.

“Gone?”

“Left a note saying they ain’t coming back.”

My heart rattled off the wall of my chest. After years of abuse, Emery’s mother finally did it. She’d left the monster. I wanted to be happy for them. But in leaving him, she took my best friend. How could I be happy about that?

I staggered off the steps and dragged myself home, dropping down onto our porch as I pulled out my phone. I needed to find her. I needed to know she was okay. I pulled up her favorite site. The one she posted pictures of the two of us with crazy faces. Only, her name didn’t pop up. I tried another site. But still nothing.

My confusion quickly converted to anger.

How could she disappear without a heads up? How could she leave without saying goodbye? Is that why she felt bold enough to ask for a kiss? She knew she was leaving.

I scrubbed my face with my palms, pushing back the angry tears glazing them. Is this what I got for years of protecting her? Years of being razzed by the guys?

Emery Pruitt had walked out of my life forever. And she didn’t even see fit to tell me.

CHAPTER FOUR

Grady - 18

“Hey, Mercy!” I slurred across the table where I played flip cup with a bunch of hot chicks from my high school. “Drink up, girl. You and me have some plans later.”

The sexy redhead did as told and downed her beer as the other girls on her side of the table laughed and downed their own cups.

We played another round. My team lost and once I’d filled everyone’s cups with the pitcher of beer, I chugged the rest of the pitcher, slamming it down and howling.

Everyone in the room cheered.

Yup. I was that guy.

I moved to the living room and dropped onto the leather sofa. I needed a breather if I was gonna make it past eleven. We’d won our championship game and the celebration had been going on since three in the afternoon. I was on the verge of passing out when Mercy dropped onto my lap and wrapped her arms around my neck. “Hi, Jordan.”

“Grady,” I snapped.

“Fine, Grady,” she teased, obviously not understanding how serious I was. No one but my mama and ex-best friend called me Jordan.

My anger dissipated as she shifted purposely on my crotch. “You’re lookin’ hot…sitting on my lap,” I slurred, knowing drunk Grady could say whatever the fuck he wanted. Hell, sober Grady could do the same. And he did.

She laughed. “Is that the only place I look hot?”

I shook my head, my eyes drifting over her tight little body. “You look hot everywhere.”

She smiled, batting her eyelashes. “Can I tell you something?”

I could barely see her through my heavy eyelids. “What’s that?”

“I’ve liked you since seventh grade.”

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