Page 198 of Sin With Me

Chapter25

Emma

I satat the bar patiently waiting for Grace and her betrayer boyfriend Hunter to join me. Honestly, Hunter was the last person I wanted to see. Part of me wanted to kill him for going behind my back, and another part wanted to hug him and kiss him for helping fate unite me with Eric – at least for the little time I got to spend with him. Except it wasn’t fate. It was Hunter, conspiring with my brothers, whom I’d refused to speak to for the past week. I shouldn’t have let my guard down so quickly, either. I should have made the connection that Reeve was not a first name, but last. I swear the way Eric swept me off my feet in Ogden, my brain lost half its functioning ability. At home I’d thrown myself back into work, trying to forget about Eric (which of course was impossible), skimming over his case for hours a day to see whether I’d missed anything. The trail on John Huntz had gone cold, and waiting for the next ping was like waiting for a Christmas that only came every ten years.

My last night with Eric seemed so long ago. It was fading too quickly and beginning to seem like a dream. I shook off my memory. I couldn’t do this now. I didn’t want to remember what I’d had and lost – not in public.

The crowd was already lining up in front of Kissed, Kendra’s nightclub. My brother’s wife had run this successful venue for the past ten years. Feeling all sorry for myself, I sat here on my own, listening to Matt doing last sound checks and watching Sandra stack the bottles of liquor on the shelves. I downed my third shot of tequila to drown my sorrows. There was no other way out of my misery. I couldn’t go back to Ogden. Eric had lied to me. He’d only walked into my office because my brothers had hired him to do so. Had he lied about other things as well? How was I supposed to trust him now? And Hunter of all people, my best friend’s boyfriend whom I introduced to ‘the love of his life,’ as he stated, had orchestrated the entire operation.

“Need someone to talk to?” Kendra’s voice came from theside.

Slouched, I swiveled on the stool toward her. “Yes and no. You know, this should not be allowed in a club.” I pointed to Kendra’s growing belly.

“Why?”

“It ruins the vibe for those who come to get lucky.” Seeing my sister-in-law wobbling around had to be the best contraceptive ever. I took another shot between my fingers and threw my headback.

She laughed. “I’m only here for a few minutes. Besides, I really hope no one here is having sex in public. Wanna chat? Julian’s worried aboutyou.”

“I don’t really care what Julian feels.”

“He loves you, Emma. We all do. At least tell me what your brothers have done this time. I promise to be impartial.”

“Oh, K.” I lowered my head onto the bar. “I’m so confused.”

“I haven’t seen you show so much emotion since David passed.”

“That’s because I haven’t met anyone worthy of it, untilEric.”

“Yourcase?”

“Yes. Everything is such a mess, K. They fucking meddled in my business again. They set everything up. Me meeting Eric, him taking me away to his ranch. It was their idea. They asked Hunter if he knew anyone out of town, and of course he pointed them toward Eric. But I think my brothers didn’t plan on us having such a connection.”

She laughed.

“What’s so funny?”

“I bet Julian and Tristan are both slapping themselves silly.”

“Why?”

“Because they didn’t realize they’d hired a man you’d fall in love with. I heard them talk about cowboys being not your type and all, so I’m sure they didn’t expect to be the cupids they ended up being.”

“It serves them right. I should tell them that cowboys who ride horses develop a stamina and a rhythm I’d never seen before.”

“Yes, that should really force them to ease up. Em, you gotta talk to them. Tell them how you feel. Make your own decisions not because of what you think they’ll say or do, but because what you feel is right foryou.”

“But it’s all over now. There’s no way this can work. How can I trust him again?”

“Well, let me give you one piece of advice I hope you’ll take. People make mistakes, Emma. Every single person, including me and you. I once believed I attracted trouble like a bleeding seal in the harbor of Cape Town. Don’t let a good thing pass you by when you’re lucky enough to have it in your life. It doesn’t matter what the circumstances are or if you met under a pretense you didn’t expect. Grasp it and hold onto it. And give your brothers a break. They’ve been worried sick about you since the accident. I think they’re worried nowtoo.”

“I just want todie.”

She passed me another shot. “I’ll make sure you get home safely. Think about what I said, Emma. Not all is lost. Eric’s still on this Earth. What would you do if you found out something had happened tohim?”

“I don’t even want to think aboutit.”

“Can you really go on not seeing him again?”

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