Page 69 of Emma's Element

“Oh, Honey, there is no flaw,” Colleen placated, her tone sardonic.

“Well,Honey,” Emma mocked. “That’s where you are wrong. I’m sure you’ve realized by now that your accounts have been locked. Colleen, I don’t know how you’ve been living since the arrest warrant was put out for you months ago.”

“That’s none of your business.”

“Aww, you poor dear. Having to live hand to mouth. Oh, but wait . . . you have considerable assets,” Emma raked her gaze up and down Colleen’s body. “I bet you’ve lived quite comfortably off those. Harrison must pay well for your services since you don’t look any worse for wear.”

Colleen roared, raising her hand as she stomped over to Emma. Harrison caught her arm before she could strike Emma. Shorty sniggered as Colleen fought against his hold. “You’ll pay, you little bitch,” Colleen snarled. “I can’t wait to watch the guys knock you down a peg or two.”

Emma’s body shuddered, and he hoped to hell that would never happen.

“I wanna hear the rest of what she has to say,” Charlie stated. “What does Colleen’s accounts have to do with anything?”

Emma sighed dramatically, as if she was growing exasperated conversing with a toddler. “Remember when I said all the evidence my buddy and I have collected will soon be in the Feds’ hands? What do you think will happen to your accounts?”

“Shit,” grumbled Charlie, shoving a shaky hand through his hair.

“Now, we all know your plan entails killing Marcus as soon as he signs. And me, of course.”

“Of course,” Harrison confirmed. And wasn’t that just the demented cherry on the top of this whole fucked up sundae? Hearing his father talk nonchalantly about murdering his son chilled his blood.

“Right, so Marcus signs the will. You kill us. Then what?”

“Collect our inheritance, of course,” Charlie asserted.

“Um . . . no. It doesn’t quite work that way. Seeing as how you intend to murder Marcus combined with the investigation into all those nasty business practices of yours, his death will be marked suspicious. Therefore, his assets will be held until . . . well, I’m not exactly sure when they will be able to release everything to the beneficiaries.”

“Beneficiary,” Marcus corrected. “According to this, Harry here is the sole beneficiary. Charlie and Colleen get nothing.”

“What?” Colleen screeched.

Emma chuckled. “Well, isn’t that interesting.”

Marcus looked over at Charlie, who was as white as a sheet, while Emma shot holes in their plan. It was clear his brother was coming to realize everything was falling apart.

“You promised me a portion of his estate,” Colleen wailed. “How could you?”

“Don’t worry, babe. I’ll take care of you.”

“Don’t youbabeme, you . . . you . . .”

Marcus tuned out the shrieking woman and watched as Charlie ducked out the door while everyone was glued to the argument between Colleen and Harrison. Marcus nudged Emma and jutted his chin towards Charlie. She gaped at him.What now?She mouthed.

Keep stalling,he mouthed back.Emma’s eyes widened, then she nodded. He hoped she remembered the Nighthawks were on their way.

“You and Charlie will be well compensated.”

“But if they lock everything up, how will we get our hands on it?”

“We’ll just adjust our plan a bit. Relax, babe. I have everything under control.”

“So, tell us the new plan, Harry. I wanna see my brilliant girl shoot more holes in it.” Shorty snickered once more. The rest of the room shot him angry glares until he shrugged.

Harrison pointed the gun at Emma again, causing his heart to stop momentarily before violently thumping against his rib cage. “If Marcus wants this bitch to live past the next five minutes, he needs to give me complete access to his bank accounts. Logins, passwords, account numbers. Everything.”

Fuck.Time’s up. He had no choice but to give Harrison everything. He glanced over at the woman he loved; he’d do whatever it took to save her. He tried to convey to her in his eyes how grateful he was to have had her love and friendship. The corners of her lips tilted up in a small smile. The hollow loneliness, the pain of numerous betrayals, the loss; her smile eradicated it all. She was his miracle, and in that moment, he didn’t care what he had to give them; he would accept defeat if it meant a life with her by his side.

The sting of tears hit the back of his eyes. Swallowing several times to squelch them, he couldn’t pull his gaze away from hers. She reached over with her bound hands and grasped his. He interlocked his fingers with hers and squeezed. With their eyes locked on each other’s, he brought her hands to his mouth, placing a quick soft kiss on her knuckles. Closing his eyes, he savored the feel of her supple skin under his lips. His pulse throbbed, choppy and erratic, as his feelings filled his heart to bursting.

---