Page 16 of Theirs to Love

“She’s right, Jack. We need a safe place to think this through and then we can make plans in the morning,” Travis said.

Jack nodded knowing that they were both right. He was so hell-bent on rushing them out of town and that would solve nothing. They couldn’t just stop their lives and take off not knowing how long it would be, if ever, until they were able to return home.

“Fine, pack what you need, and we’ll leave in ten minutes. We can stop by Em’s place and then mine to pick up a few things on our way to her parent’s home.” He turned to Emily and was relieved to see that she had stopped crying. “Em, I need to know how much security detail will be on duty and the names of the staff to run background checks. I won’t take any chances with either of your safety.” Emily nodded and pulled out her phone, placing a call to the housekeeper to let her know that they were on their way. She got Jackson all the details that he asked for and he set to work researching the people that were going to be keeping the two people that were becoming his whole world safe. He wouldn’t take any more chances with either of them.

Emily

Emily texted Mercy and Regan to tell them that she was going to be away for a few days. Jackson had also demanded that she and Travis take off some time from work until they could get a handle on everything that had happened. She had to admit that spending a few uninterrupted days with Travis and Jack made her a little giddy. Emily rarely took a day off and she had a ton of vacation days stockpiled and the hospital couldn’t say anything about her using them.

As they pulled through the security gates of her parents’ estate, she wondered if she had made a mistake in asking Jack to take them there. One of the security guards knew her but the other was new, and she felt his scrutiny as he searched her vehicle and asked her a few questions about her stay. Her stomach sank when the guard informed her that they had to clear up her visit with her parents, she knew that she was going to receive a very unpleasant phone call about the whole matter. Once her father got wind of her being there with not just one but two men, he’d probably have them all thrown out.

“Wow Em, you didn’t tell us that you’re loaded,” Jack teased. She shot him a glare from the passenger seat and he smiled backat her. “Not something that you like to talk about, right?” Emily shook her head, not knowing how to explain that she hated everything to do with her parents’ money, and tried to distance herself from it for all these years.

“No,” she whispered. “And I’m not rich, my parents are.” Travis sat forward in the back seat and took in the huge house that they were pulling up to.

“Fuck, it’s massive,” he whispered. “Em, you grew up here?” Emily nodded and looked out her window at the house that held so many lonely memories for her.

“I did,” her voice sounded melancholy even to her ears.

“Let’s get into the house and get settled. Then you can ask questions, Trav,” Jack offered. Travis sat back again, taking Jack’s cue to not press her and she was grateful.

“I’ll introduce you to Connie. She’s in charge of running the place while my parents are away.” She barked out her laugh, “Like they are ever here. She lives here and uses the house while my parents are off doing whatever they please.” Emily sighed and opened her door jumping out to stand in the entranceway. Two security guards were there to greet them and help with their bags. They didn’t have much, so it didn’t take long to unpack the SUV. Connie was there to meet them, a smile on her face as always.

Growing up, Connie was like a mother to Emily. When her parents took off for parts unknown, leaving her behind to attend school, Connie was the person left in charge of her. She started working for the family when Emily was just eight years old. Even though Emily refused to stay at the house now, she saw Connie regularly. She was always popping by the hospital to make sure that Emily was taking care of herself and eating properly. Emily could tell that Connie worried about her and honestly, it was comforting to know that someone cared.

Her mother seemed more interested in running her life and her father usually showed up to lecture her on what he thought she was doing wrong. Between the two of them, she felt like one major fuck up. After she graduated from medical school and Connie was the only person to show up for her graduation, she knew that she needed to make a few changes. That was when she completely cut herself off from her parents’ money. If they didn’t fund her life then they would have less say in the way that she ran it. She saved her salary for the first year, living in a little rundown apartment that would have terrified her parents, and she bought her townhouse. It was hers and she was so proud of herself for doing it on her own. Her parents had never even stepped foot in her house, but they had plenty to say about it being the wrong place for her.

“Hi Emily,” Connie said, pulling her in for a tight hug. “Are you all right?” Emily nodded, not trusting that she wouldn’t burst into tears again at Connie’s kindness.

“We are so thankful that you are letting us stay the night. I promise, as soon as we can figure out our next move, we’ll be out of here.” Connie patted her back and smiled.

“You take as long as you need. This is your house too,” she soothed. “Security alerted your parents that you are here and that you brought company,” Connie grimaced. “I have orders to have you call your father as soon as you are settled in your room—alone.” Emily’s laughs sounded bitter. Of course, her father would be trying to control whom she slept with even from another continent.

“But what your father doesn’t know won’t hurt him,” Connie gave Emily an exaggerated wink and turned to introduce herself to both guys. After they exchanged pleasantries, Connie showed them all to the room that they would be staying in without questioning if they would all be sharing a room, just assuming that they would be. Emily felt her cheeks heat when she tookin the massive bed and thought about what she hoped the guys would do to her in it.

“If the three of you need anything, please let me know.” Connie pulled Emily in for a quick hug and turned to leave the room. She stopped in the door frame, “Call your father, Emily,” she shouted back over her shoulder and then disappeared down the hallway.

Emily sighed knowing that the guys would have a million questions, and her father probably had about the same. She decided to get the phone call over with first then she would find the courage to face Travis and Jackson.

She pulled out her cell and slumped onto the sofa that sat at the foot of the bed. Her father picked up after only one ring and she could almost feel his anger at the other end.

“Emily, tell me that you did not bring two strange men into my home while I was not there,” he barked. Emily cringed and turned the volume down on her cell phone. She had her father on speaker, deciding that it would be easier than recounting the conversation for the guys once she ended the call.

“Well, it’s good to hear your voice too, Dad.” She knew that her sarcastic tone was only going to set him off more, but she couldn’t help it. Emily needed to remember that she and the guys needed a safe place to stay for the night, so she didn’t want to piss her father off too much.

“This isn’t funny, young lady. I want to know what is going on,” he demanded.

“My—” Emily hesitated, not knowing what to call Travis or Jackson. They hadn’t been together long enough to discuss what they were exactly. Were they both her boyfriends or should she just call them her friends? She was pretty sure her father would flip out if she said that they were just two guys she was having wild, crazy sex with. Hell, Travis and Jackson would probably be pissed off by that description also because they were allbecoming so much more to each other. Emily looked up to find that both guys were standing in front of her smirking as if daring her to call them her boyfriends. She never backed down from a challenge.

“My boyfriends and I ran into a little trouble. We needed a safe place to stay, and I thought of the house. If it’s not all right, we can just find a hotel.” Her father’s laugh sounded mean, and she was afraid that she would push him too far.

“Boyfriends, as in more than one? Emily, what have you gone and done to yourself? It’s as if you have forgotten that you are a Jude. We don’t have multiple partners, and we certainly don’t parade them through town.” Her father’s words felt like a slap across her face. She gasped and suddenly felt the dam inside of her—the one that kept all her hurt emotions down—break.

“How dare you insinuate that I’ve done something wrong! I’ve found two wonderful men who treat me with respect and kindness, and you act as if I’ve done something dishonorable. You know what Daddy; I think the only thing that I’ve done wrong here was to hope to find some solace in your home. At least I’m brave enough to show the world who I am and not hide my mistress away on the side. You have only one partner, Daddy?”

Emily stood and started gathering her things, not wanting to stay in her parents’ house one more minute than she had to. “The three of us will find someplace else to stay. Don’t worry Dad, you won’t have to put up with me sullying your good name for much longer. You can just go ahead and fully disown me—that’s what you want, isn’t it?” Her father’s sigh was the only sound that told her that he was still on the line. She thought that he might have ended the call from the silence on the other end.

“Emily let’s both calm down and discuss this rationally. You have to understand my side of this and well, I’ll try to see yours.” Emily choked back tears not wanting her father to hear thathe broke her. She never cried in front of him, it would show weakness, and he wouldn’t have her weak.

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