“I have, and she said yes,” Emory states in an excited voice.
All the talk about the baby and their wedding revalidates that I need to do this now. It is now or never. Things are only going to get more complicated. I must take her now and leave before it is too late.
“Of course she did,” Shawn states in an amused voice” I love you, Angel. I will see you soon.”
I can still hear the desire and longing in his tone.
“I love you too, be careful,” Emory states softly, acting asif this life with him is normal, acting as if everything is going to be okay. Man, she is in for a big fucking surprise.
“I will, I promise,” Shawn states.
I can hear his footsteps leave the room. One good thing about this house is I can hear everything. I can hear him making his way to the front door. The door opens and closes.
“Ethan, stay put,” Shawn states in a stern tone.
I smile and shake my head. It doesn’t matter if he stays put. Shawn is going to learn just how little power and control he really has over this. He was stupid to ever think he could take her from me. He was stupid to ever think he could keep her from me.
“I will,” Shawn states as he gets into his car.
I make my way over to the window and see him pull out and onto the main road, heading in the direction of the center. I take a deep breath as I hear Em starting to hum a song. She starts to move around, putting things where she wants them. It is one of the things I have always loved about her—the way she can turn a room into a home. She has always been able to do that, and she will be able to do it in the locked room. I am sure of it.
****
Thirty Minutes Later
I slowly make my way into Emory and Shawn’s room. I know she is about to take a shower and get ready for the day—a day she thinks is going to be simple and easy. Today is going to be anything but simple and easy.
I slowly look around the room and see all the baby stuff on the bed and the floor. She really is going all out with this stuff, but I am not surprised. When Emory puts her mind to something, there is no stopping her, and this is one of those things.
I take a deep breath as I pull out the cloth from the back pocket of my jeans. I lean down, putting the dead roses, ring box, and letter onto the bed on top of the baby’s clothes. I want to make fucking sure Shawn finds these items he tried to throw away.
I slowly make my way to the bathroom. She left the door open. Her guard is more down than I thought. She is going to regret that.
I stop in the doorway. She is brushing her hair, the shower is on, and the steam is starting to spread across the room. She locks eyes with me and drops the brush. I run up behind her, wrapping my arm around her stomach, and lifting my hand with the cloth I put over her nose and mouth. She lifts her hands, grabbing my arm, and trying to pull me off her, but it won’t work.
I lean down, placing my lips against her ear. “If I can’t have you, no one will,” I whisper as her eyes start to close. A second later, her entire body goes limp. I throw the cloth onto the floor, gently lean down, and lift her into my arms. Her head lays against my chest, making my heart race. It has been so fucking long since I have touched her like this, feeling her warmth against my skin.
I take a deep breath, quickly turn around, and head out of the bathroom, making my way through the bedroom and into the hallway.
I take a deep breath as I quickly make my way toward the open front doors. I can see all the men standing out front. None of them know just how much they have already fucked up.
I hold tighter onto Emory as I reach behind me and pull out the gun from the back of my pants. I lift the gun as I tighten my grip around her body, keeping her pinned against me. Her head is still lying against my chest as I make my way to the open door.
Ethan and the others quickly turn around and draw their guns as I gently place the end of my gun to Emory’s head. I slowly shake my head and my eyes are on Ethan as he takes a deep breath. He doesn’t need to speak. I can see the defeat in his eyes. Ethan slowly lowers his gun, and the other men follow his lead and lower their guns. I slowly make my way through the doorway and stop when I am beside him.
“He will fucking kill you,” Ethan states through gritted teeth.
“Tell him I will be waiting for him,” I state softly as I walk down the steps and pass the other men. The door is already open. I quickly walk through it, making my way across the street and into the forest. I can hear Ethan screaming at the men.
Shawn is about to find out that he was searching in all the wrong places because I was always right under his nose.
I quickly put the gun in the back of my pants and hold tighter to Emory as I make my way through the forest. We will soon be heading back home—the home she was never meant to leave. The home she will never leave again.
As we make our way through the forest, I look down at Emory. Her head is still resting against my chest. The only thing she is wearing is a bathrobe, thank fucking God. It will make things easier once we get back home.
I feel my heart racing as I quickly make my way through the forest toward the spot where I left my car. They have all been searching in the wrong places, but now that doesn’t matter. None of this matters because I finally have what I need—Emory.
Chapter Eighteen