Page 33 of Owning Emma

One of these men who I’d supported, fed, treated like family had betrayed my trust. He had hurt my business and my family. Threatened Emma’s security. He had gone undetected for too damn long and I would find him, even if it took my last living breath to do so.

Without even trying, my eyes found Emma on the other side of the room. She tucked a piece of hair behind her ears as she talked with Shaw, and I wanted to scream at the way she looked at him like he mattered to her. Then I wanted to tie him up with a fucking bow and offer him to her because he did matter. Even if that girl made my cock so hard I could hardly move, he still deserved to be worshipped by someone. The thought made my chest ache and without thinking, I rubbed the spot just over my heart.

“Rough day?” Jack sat his beer next to mine on the table and took a seat.

“Rough life, I’d say.” I picked up my beer, taking another swig.

“I think I can agree with that. You’ll get past it.” He followed my lead and took a gulp. “Need help? Just say the word.”

I was tempted. So damn tempted to just take half my load and hand it over. Be done with it, but Jack already had enough of his work to deal with. I’d already given him enough responsibility, and I knew just from that he was equally as tired to his bones most days. “I think I’ve got it handled.”

“Alright, let me know.” He followed my gaze. “She sure is a pretty little thing. Every time I see her I want to keep her for myself.”

I felt a growl rising, but I pushed it down. She wasn’t a thing you could just keep. She was sassy and smart, she had good work ethics and yeah . . . she was so fucking beautiful that every time I looked at her I had to remember to breathe. “Do. Not. Touch. Her.”

He held his hands up defensively. “I said I wanted to, not that I would ever try it.”

“I would prefer you didn’t even think it, honestly. We are better people than that.” I gripped the bottle hard, saving the fact that the glass had no give under my fingers.

“I won’t make the move, however, if she hits on me all bets are off.” I wanted to stand up, pick him up by his damn head and smash it into the table. The thought of Emma looking at him with stars in her eyes made my stomach roll with nausea.

“That won’t happen,” I declared as I flexed my fingers.

“I mean, it might,” he said cockily. “I’ve been known to be a good fuck.”

I slammed my bottle down. “Jesus, do you want to die tonight? Is that what you’re asking for?”

He leaned away from me, fear genuinely shinning in his eyes. “I was just fucking around.”

“Well, obviously I’m not in the mood for it,” I pushed out. “Have respect.”

“I’ve got it.” He got up slowly as if he was terrified of spooking me. “I will keep my distance.”

I turned back to my beer, ignoring the looks from everyone around me. Jack put me in a sour mood, more so than I already had been. Despite what had been going on around us, I had written today off as good, successful, fucking memorable every time I thought of Emma’s face smudged with frosting and the taste of her skin mixed with sugar as I ran my tongue over her cheek.

I wasn’t thinking in the moment, that was for sure. I hadn’t thought of the consequences or professional relationship we should have. All I thought about was her sparkling eyes dancing with mischief, and the feel of her warm body so close to mine. The frosting on her cheek? Well, that was a fucking taunt and considering I was already too far gone in the moment, I had no logic left to force me to stop my descent to her cheek.

I felt a warm body take Jack’s spot on the bench, and I didn’t have to turn to see who it was. “Want to tell me what the hell just happened?”

“Not particularly.” I reached for the center of the table and grabbed another slice of pizza. I wasn’t hungry, but it was keeping me occupied so I wouldn’t look directly into Shaw’s eyes. I didn’t want to explain why the thought of Jack touching Emma made me so angry.

“Is it about work?” he probed.

“Not his work, no.” Another bit of pizza.

“Pizza?”

I gave him a get real look as I slowly chewed. “No one objects or complains about free pizza.”

“This is true.” He tapped his chin like he was thinking and in truth, the fucker already knew what he wanted to say next. The action was a waste of time and only added to my annoyance. “Emma?”

“The bastard was eying her like she was his dessert tonight. No disregard for the hands-off rule I set from day one.”

“Well, to be fair, Emma is gorgeous. Even with those shapeless clothes she wears, you had to have noticed.” His gaze wandered to her where she sat across the room with my mother. As if she knew he was talking about her, her eyes found his.

I noticed. I noticed from day one but admitting it was useless. “She’s a good woman, we don’t see much of those lately.” Neither a confirmation or a denial of what he had said.

There was a pause between us, like he knew exactly where my thoughts were and who they were about, before he let out a long sigh. “Any interest in going out tonight?”

---