Page 46 of Kodiak's Heart

Chapter Fifteen

Emersyn waited until the last possible minute to leave for the main lodge. She accepted it for the little act of defiance it was, and Laramie did too based on the look he gave her when she and Ruby walked in the door.

“Yawamie!” Ruby yelled and took off running toward him.

“How’s my favorite girl?” Laramie asked as he scooped her up, so she sat on his forearm, one arm wrapped around his neck. He seemed so natural with her, and Emersyn thought he’d be a good dad one day.

“Me and Mama took a nap. We all wested,” Ruby assured him.

Laramie glanced Emersyn’s way again and grinned. “I’m glad you’re both rested.”

She fought the heat that wanted to fill her face.

“And my daddy cawled,” Ruby told him.

Laramie’s stare held Emersyn prisoner. “Yes, he called me, too.”

She held her breath. Had Malachi taken the ball out of her hands again and told Laramie the truth before she could. Did he really think she wouldn’t? The thought of revealing the truth scared her, but no one should blame her. She’d been told her whole life that the knowledge of what she was could get people killed. Her father had even hidden it from their pack. Shit! Maybe, Malachi was wrong. Maybe, she shouldn’t say a word.

“You okay?”

Matheus stepped up beside her, pulling her out of the chaos in her head and back to the room. She forced a smile and nodded, but apparently, she wasn’t very convincing. Matheus glanced between her and Laramie as if testing to see what was going on.

“I’m fine,” she assured the youngest Holloway. “Tired.”

“I thought Ruby said you’d napped?” he asked politely.

She opened her mouth but had no idea what to say.

“Of course, they’re tired,” Koby said as he joined them. “That had to be a long drive by yourself with a four-year-old with as much energy as Ruby.”

They all watched Ruby run around the room, darting around tables, bumping into chairs. She hadn’t stopped moving since Laramie had set her back down. Emersyn noticed Laramie kept an eye on Ruby, as well.

Emersyn latched onto the excuse offered. “It might take me a week to recover,” she offered with a laugh.

“Em,” Laramie called and held out his hand to her while he continued talking to the man beside him as if he had no doubt she’d obey.

“Is he always so arrogant?” she asked, and both Matheus and Koby burst into laughter. “I thought so.”

“I dare you to try it with him just once tonight,” Matheus urged.

“Try what?” she asked.

“Call his name from across the room and simply hold out your hand as if you expect him to appear,” Matheus said.

She glanced at Laramie again, saw the frown tugging at his lips and the way his gaze kept wavering between the man talking and her.

“He’d come to me,” she murmured.

“You think so?” Koby shook his head as if he didn’t believe her.

“I know he will,” she admitted, and it was just the confession she needed to push away her earlier doubt. After giving Koby and Matheus a smile, she walked to Laramie. She didn’t take his hand. Instead, she placed her palm on his back, the way he often did with her.

“This is Em,” Laramie told the man he spoke to. “Em, this is one of my enforcers, Fletch Calderson. His brother, Milo, is around here somewhere. We’ve known each other since we were all boys. They’re family.”

“Pleasure to meet you,” Fletch said, nodding to her. “I’ll leave you two alone and go find where Milo’s gotten off to.”

“I see we’ll be staying at the cabin tonight,” he murmured by her ear as he lowered his head to brush a kiss along her temple. “It’s a good thing you’re well-rested since I plan to have my way with you all night.”

---