Page 24 of Love, Lies, and Celtic Knots

The man steps closer, his sneer widening. “What I wanted was for you to mind your own damn business, but you Murphys just can’t do that, can you?”

Before I can react, his hand lashes out, grabbing my wrist and yanking me forward. I stumble, my breath catching in my throat as he slams me against the kitchen counter, the gun now pressed to my forehead.

“You think you can just ruin people’s lives and walk away?” he hisses, his breath hot against my face. “You file ethicscomplaints against that dumbass Frank and now he’s singing like a canary to the cops, dragging me down with him.” His lips are against my ear. “You think you’re untouchable, Emma? Your brothers are nothing, your father was nothing, and you’re nothing.”

The fear spikes deep in my gut, but something else ignites within me—anger. I can feel it building, pushing through the terror. The Murphy’s aren’t nothing and I’ve worked too hard to be reduced to this moment, to be a victim in my own home.

I glance around the kitchen, looking for anything I can use, but his grip on my wrist tightens painfully, and I wince.

“What are you looking for? Nothing can save you now.” he growls.

And then, as if by some miracle, the front door creaks open.

“Emma?” It’s Miles’s voice.

The man’s eyes widen in surprise, and I use the distraction to jerk my knee up, aiming for his groin. It’s a sloppy hit, but it’s enough. He grunts in pain, his grip loosening just enough for me to break free. I bolt for the living room, my heart pounding as I scream for Miles.

“Miles! Gun! He has a gun!”

Miles bursts through the house, his eyes locking onto the man in the kitchen. Without missing a beat, he charges forward, tackling him to the ground. The gun skitters across the floor, spinning out of reach as they struggle.

I watch, frozen in place, as Miles overpowers him, pinning him to the floor with a ferocity I’ve never seen before. His face is a mask of determination, his muscles flexing as he holds him down, breathing hard.

“Emma, call the police and pick up the gun!” Miles shouts, his voice commanding and steady.

I snap out of my daze, rushing to grab my phone from my purse. My fingers tremble as I dial 911, my breath coming in shallow gasps as I relay the situation to the operator.

Within minutes, the police arrive, and the judge is dragged out in handcuffs, still sneering at me as he’s shoved into the back of a squad car. I watch from the front porch, my hands still shaking, the adrenaline coursing through my veins like fire.

When it’s all over, Miles turns to me, his eyes filled with worry. He steps closer, pulling me into his arms without a word. I collapse against him, the weight of everything crashing down on me all at once. I bury my face in his chest, my body trembling as I cling to him.

“You’re safe now,” he whispers, his voice soft and soothing. “I’ve got you.”

I nod, my throat tight with emotion. I don’t know what I would have done if Miles hadn’t shown up when he did. The fear, the helplessness—it was overwhelming. But now, wrapped in his arms, I feel a sense of safety, a sense of strength that I never thought I’d find in the middle of all this chaos.

“Thank you for being there. You saved me. Again.”

He holds me tighter, his lips brushing against my forehead. “I’ll always protect you, Emma. Always.”

And as I stand there in his arms, the weight of what just happened pressing down on me, I know one thing for sure: I’m not alone anymore.

Chapter 11

Miles

I’m still tense as the police pull away, the flashing lights disappearing down the street, leaving the quiet of her neighborhood in their wake. Emma hasn’t moved from my arms, and I don’t plan on letting her go any time soon. I don’t think either of us have fully processed what just happened. My heart is still racing, the adrenaline from tackling that bastard coursing through my veins like wildfire.

But Emma is safe, and that’s all that matters.

I pull her tighter against me, breathing in the scent of her hair, the familiar lavender and something uniquely her that calms the storm brewing inside of me. She looks up at me with those big, tear-filled eyes, and I swear I’d burn the world down to keep her safe.

“Emma,” I murmur, my voice low and rough. “You okay?”

She takes a deep breath, exhaling slowly before nodding. “I think so. Just… still shaken. That was Frank’s doing. The judge came after me because of Frank.”

The name of that scumbag, Frank Morely, sends another wave of anger through me. I clench my fists, trying to control the surge of rage threatening to overtake me. Emma doesn’t need my anger right now—she needs reassurance.

“Yeah, sounds like it’s all tied to him,” I reply, brushing my thumb gently across her cheek. “But he’s not going to get away with it. This was the final straw. We’ll make sure that bastard pays for what he’s done.”

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