Page 101 of Rockstar's Accidental Marriage

Her gaze softens, and she reaches for my hand, her fingers threading through mine. “Sam... thank you. For getting me out of there.”

I look at her, my chest tightening. “I’d do it a thousand times over,” I say honestly.

For a moment, I just hold her close, cherishing the sound of her breathing and heartbeat. The chaos around us fading into the background. I want to tell her how I feel. Turning her face up to mine, I begin.

“Emily–”

But before I can, Cass joins us on the porch. His expression is grim, his shoulders tense.

“They’ve got him,” he says, nodding toward the police car where Jeb is being loaded. “He’ll be charged, and Derrick’s involvement will be investigated.”

Emily stiffens beside me. “Do you think it’ll be enough to stop him?”

Cass hesitates, his gaze flicking to me before landing on Emily. “It’s hard to say. But one thing’s for sure—he will regret underestimating us.”

There’s a fierceness in Cass’s voice that sends a chill down my spine. But I don’t feel sorry for Derrick. He’ll finally get what he deserves.

I glance at Emily, her expression a mix of determination and exhaustion. “Let’s get you home,” I say gently.

She nods, leaning into me as I help her into my truck.

Thirty-Three

Emily

Sam’s hands grip the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles white under the dim light of the dashboard. The sound of the truck’s engine rumbles softly beneath us. But the tension still lingers in the air.

I lean my head back against the seat, exhaustion weighing down my limbs. The events of the last hour swirling in my mind—Jeb’s confession, the fire, the police. But more than anything, I can’t stop thinking about Sam. The way he ran into that burning bus without hesitation. The way he held me after, as if letting go wasn’t an option.

He saved me and our baby. The thought sends a wave of emotion flowing through me, and I sniffle, wiping tears from my eyes.

“You okay?” Sam’s voice breaks through my thoughts, soft and cautious.

I glance over at him. “Yeah,” I whisper. “I think so.”

His lips press into a thin line, and for a moment, he doesn’t say anything. Then, his grip on the wheel loosens, and he exhales heavily.

“I was scared today, Em,” he admits, his voice low. “When I heard you were on that bus... I’ve never felt fear like that before. It was like the world just stopped.”

His confession catches me off guard, and my chest tightens. “Sam—”

He shakes his head, cutting me off. “I know I don’t always say the right things. I know I’ve screwed up, made you doubt my feelings.”

Fresh tears trickle down my cheeks, and I silently wipe them away.

“But Emily,” he continues, his voice cracking slightly, “I love you. I’ve loved you for longer than I want to admit. And I’m sorry if I’m terrible at showing it sometimes—I just need you to know.”

The truck slows as he pulls into our gravel drive. He shifts into park but doesn’t move, his hands still resting on the wheel.

I stare at him, my heart thundering in my chest. “Sam...”

He finally turns to look at me, his green eyes raw and unguarded. “I love you, Em,” he repeats, the words firm and unwavering.

Emotion wells up inside me, and I reach out, cupping his face with both hands. “I love you too,” I whisper, my voice thick with tears. “I—I wanted to believe that you felt the same. Oh, Sam. These past few weeks—I thought—I thought I was losing you.”

His eyes soften, and he leans into my touch, his forehead pressing against mine. “You’ll never lose me,” he murmurs. “Never.”

We sit there, holding onto each other. Neither of us wants to admit just how bad things could have ended today. If Sam hadn’t run into that bus–

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