Page 196 of Sin With Me

Chapter24

Eric

Emma huffed and puffed like a frickin’wolf trying to blow down a concrete house. She avoided eye contact and removed my hand from her knee when I drove my parents to their house. I wanted to believe that she was in her investigative mode and upset over seeing Huntz, but I knew better. Something else was wrong, and this wasn’t the time to ask her about it. And what did Missy have to do with all this? Why was shehere?

“Are you sure, Emma?” my mother asked, her voice barely audible. Keeping her cover as my girlfriend, Emma quickly told my parents how she’d seen Huntz’s photograph at the Sheriff’s, who had told her about the story of our kidnapping.

“Yes, I’m sure,” She replied in a stern voice.

“We should call the sheriff,” my fathersaid.

“Huntz won’t be back tonight,” Emma responded. “He wanted to make a point, but it would be better if Missy stayed with you for now, please.”

“How do you know this, Emma? What exactly happened back there?” I asked.

She went over her encounter in full detail. I felt my hands fist into tight balls, wishing I’d seen the fucker so that I could have ripped him apart. And Missy, poor girl, had been living in fear all these years. She was the one who helped us escape. I owed her my and Annabelle’s lives – the least I could do was keep her safe from the bastard right now. God only knew the horrid childhood she had. I turned in my seat and held her gaze. There was something different about her eyes tonight. They reminded me of my own when I’d been held captive, and I couldn’t help but reach back to capture her hand. I’d imagined this moment countless times, meeting the brave little girl who’d helped us, lifting her into my arms and spinning, showing my gratitude in any way I could. But Missy wasn’t a girl anymore. She was a grown woman. How could I have been oblivious as to who she really was all these years?

“I know this isn’t the right time, and it will never be enough, but thank you,” I whispered.

For a split second, the fear disappeared from her face and was replaced by happiness. It was a moment I would never forget, and little did I know, one I wouldn’t see on Missy’s face again for a longtime.

“The best thing you can do now is stick together,” Emma informed us in a formal tone. What was going on here? And why did I get the feeling that sticking together didn’t include her? Why was she being socold?

I pulled up to my parents’ house, and once inside, checked all the locks and bolts. “Have this by your side, Dad.” I passed him his rifle. “We’ll figure it all out. Emma’s family owns a private investigations company, and I’m sure they’ll help, but I trust Emma. If she says he won’t show here for a few days, then he won’t.”

“You take care of that girl, Eric. She seems upset withyou.”

You got that too, eh?But I simply said, “Iwill.”

When I got back to the car, Emma was furiously texting with someone, her brows scrunching and lips tightening with each passing minute.

I turned on the ignition, asking, “Are youokay?”

“I just got a loaded gun pointed at me, Eric. No, I’m notokay.”

She was lying. I doubted a cannon would scare Emma off. Her tone of voice gave me the impression she was more upset with me than with Huntz. She jumped out of the car and, slamming its door, headed for the house.

“What the heck is the matter, Em?”

She whipped her body around and came back toward me. Her petite frame now seemed larger and more powerful than a giant’s.

“Why don’t you ask Hunter? I’m sure he’ll fill you in. Or does it work the other way around? Do you report back to him and my brothers?”

Fuck!

“Emma, I’m sorry. I’mso…”

“Don’t even fucking say it, Eric. I trusted you! I thought what we had was real, and you betray me likethat?”

“Emma, I wanted to tell you, but…”

“There shouldn’t be any buts, Eric. All it takes is one lie to destroy a relationship, and you accomplished that the first day wemet.”

“That’s a lie and you knowit.”

“Really? Do I? Because I’ve been living in a lie for the past three weeks, being made a fool of.” She pushed the front door open as soon as the key clicked in thelock.

“Then every time I touched you and kissed you and had you in mybed…”

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