Page 371 of The Black Trilogy

“Okay, bring him over. I’ll tell Emmy.”

Technically, Ryan would only be following her instructions so she couldn’t get too upset, right? Luke just hoped he’d still be alive when Tia got there. What if he ended up having a run-in with Emmy’s husband?

A commotion in the hallway indicated somebody had returned. Luke recognised Mack’s voice straight away, then Nate and Carmen’s.

“The baby’s so cute, isn’t he?” Mack said as she walked into the room. “Don’t you think he looks like Black?”

Luke slid an arm around her waist. “Hang on, is the baby Black’s?”

The man had only been away for eight and a bit months. To have a baby with another woman in that time would have been fast work.

“No, it’s his twin brother’s, but you know—genetics. And the baby has such tiny hands. Strong though. He gripped onto my finger and refused to let go.”

“Sounds fascinating. Are Emmy and Black back?” Luke had bigger worries than the baby.

“Not yet, Emmy insisted Dan get her leg checked out by a doctor here.”

Okay, that bought Luke a little more time. “Not a bad idea.”

“No, and also she’s going to get Dan to see her plastic surgeon to try and avoid scarring.”

“Emmy has a plastic surgeon?”

“Yes, he’s really good. You wouldn’t know she’d been shot twice, would you?”

“No, where?” Luke had explored every inch of her body but couldn’t recall seeing any evidence.

“Leg and shoulder. Both a few years back now.”

“I had no idea.”

Another small reprieve, but it was only putting off the inevitable. He took Mack aside.

“What do you think Black’s going to say when he meets me?”

“He’ll probably introduce himself and expect you to do the same?”

“I mean, what if he finds out about…you know. That I’m with you now, but I used to be with Emmy?”

“He might think it’s a little odd, but if I assure him you’re not messing me around, he’ll be fine with it. He’s always looked out for me and Dan as well as Emmy, so he might have some questions.”

“I meant what if someone lets slip that I slept with his wife?” Luke’s face flushed as he said the words. On the awkwardness scale, this conversation rated as an eleven.

Fortunately, Mack didn’t seem to feel the same. “Oh, that. I doubt you need to worry about him finding out by accident. Emmy’ll probably mention it herself. They tell each other everything.”

“I think we should stay in a hotel tonight.”

“Don’t be silly; it’ll be fine. He’ll understand. Trust me.”

Luke was still stewing over things when he got his first look at Black an hour later. Luke had been asleep when the others arrived back the day before, and he’d still been in bed when everyone left for the hospital. Now Dan limped in on crutches with a packet of painkillers in her hand, followed by Nick, with Emmy and Black bringing up the rear. Emmy gave Luke a shaky smile when she saw him leaning against the kitchen counter, and he returned one of his own.

Black was a big man. About six feet six, Luke guessed. His muscles stood out against his lean frame, and he moved with an easy grace belying his stature. Black hair reached almost to his shoulders, and his full beard gave him a menacing appearance.

But his eyes were the thing that worried Luke the most. So dark that the irises blended into the pupils, they scanned the scene in the kitchen, missing nothing. Black’s gaze tore through everything it touched, like taking a potato peeler to a person’s psyche.

His head swivelled towards Luke almost immediately, and Emmy stood on tiptoe to whisper something in his ear. He nodded, then walked over and stuck out his hand.

“Charles Black.”

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