Page 49 of Dare You to Catch Me
I look over at her as she stands over top of her father, landing punch after punch to his face, his eyes starting to roll. He's right and this will teach her the control she needs.
EMMA
Bear rips me from my father, pulling me back against his chest out of the room. He whispers in my ear. “That's enough for now, you have more to do tomorrow, the hardest day.” I swallow hard, staringat my father's unconscious body through the doorway as Ace steps in front of me, curling his finger, hooking it under my chin, lifting my gaze to him. “Listen to Bear, Baby Girl.”
I furrow my brows, why the fuck do I have to listen to Bear all of a sudden. Ace reads my question through my gaze, his words low and deep. “You need to learn how to control this inside you and I can't teach you, I have to be the person for when you need to feel safe and a place to break.” I hear what he is saying, I know I need to control it, but I really don't need to be coddled either. “I need to drive Ace.” My words are nothing but a whisper before Ace snaps his gaze up to Bear, before returning his gaze on me. “Can I trust you?” My heart slams against my chest, my breath catching in my throat. “Please don't play with me.” My words are nothing but a hopeful whisper. “Promise me, if I give you your car back, you won't go anywhere unless I know about it. Do you understand me, Emma? I am trusting you, please don't break that again, Baby Girl. You need this to help snap you out of this crazed shock, I think you are in with everything going on.”
In a way he is right, I'm on edge, shocked that my mother is alive, unsure if I'm going to fall to the floor in a puddle of tears or if I'm going to rip someone's face off, I need to drive. My car has been separated from me for too long and I am ready to get behind the wheel and feel her purr. “I promise. Please let me drive.”
“Oh, you're not just driving; you're racing.”
ACE
I need her to smile again, I need her to find herself before she loses herself completely. There hasn't been any sign of Luca or his Heathens since the night of the engagement party. It's been Charles causing all the ruckus around here burning the South Hotel and Casino down.
We managed to get that cleaned up and the Feds off our ass. Fortunately, Caz was able to delete the footage, telling the Feds it was destroyed in the fire. But I have it, the video of Charles setting it on fire, in Emma's office.Fucking bastard.
The Charles situation is handled. That no good piece of shit isn't going anywhere but to hell when Emma sends his ass there with a smile on her face. The same smile I miss seeing on her lips.
As much as she turns me the fuck on with her bad girl shit, especially after seeing what she had at her safe house. I miss hercatch megames, and that smile that can light theroom up.
EMMA
As we make our way to our room, Ace and I look over at each other when we hear a woman's voice, I do not recognize, giving Ace a question look and his brows furrow. “Who is that Ace?” His shoulders rise with the deep breath he inhales into his lungs. “That's April's voice.” My mouth falls open. “WHAT? She's here? Fuck Ace, I can't.” Panic washes over me as I shake my head, my breathing coming in quick gasps. I clench my chest with my hand.I can't do this.
Tears burn my eyes, a full blown panic attack rips me apart. I can't face her, I hate her, I want to kill her like my father. She abandoned me, she left me with a Monster. The tension in my jaw burns, trying to fight the tears from falling but they do.
“Baby Girl, breathe. You don't have to see her, I will take care of it.” Ace takes my face in his hands, making me look at him, his words calm, but firm. “Breathe, I'll take care of it.”
My eyelids flutter closed as tears fall down my cheeks, the words painfully whispering out. “Why are they doing this to me?” Ace's hands drop my face, quickly wrapping his arms around me, pullingme firmly against him, my head burrowing into his chest. “I'll get rid of them Emma, just breathe, remember what I told you.”
I look up and Bear holds his gaze on me before his lips go into a straight line with a nod, he turns and walks towards my mother. “I promise, Emma, when we get Luca, this will all be over for you.” My head snaps back. “What do you mean for me? What about you?”
I look up and meet his gaze and I see this big merciless man shed a tear, his words deeply rolling off his tongue. “I can never leave, Emma. I took a vow, but you did not, and I will not let you live this life.”
“Do I get a say in that?”
“Of course you do.”
“Then I'm not going anywhere. Ace you are my home, my safe place; unless the contract is still at play here?” I ask with a questioning look.
“Not a chance in hell Baby Girl, but I want you to do what you want, and don't think about anyone else's feelings and if it will hurt them.” My finger flies over his lips, hushing him as I smile up at him. “Shut up! I'm not going anywhere, but one thing is for sure, Ryan and April are getting out of this house.”
My ears are burning with the yelling in the other room, and it has been since Bear went out there, I've tried to block it out, but Ryan is just getting louder.
“It's time to tell our parents goodbye.”
Chapter twenty-one
EMMA
Listening to the woman's voice in the foyer of our home sickens me. That is the voice of my mother. I should be happy, but the more I hear it, the more I grow angrier at her.
With Ace at my side, we rounded the corner. I've been holding my breath since we started walking this way, but when my eyes land on her, I stop in my tracks. Holy Fuck, I look just like her. That's my mother, I remember her face now.
The memories of my mothers face flashes in my vision. The memories of what we had, only little memories, I was young when she passed, but I remember some. But everything we shared good, is most certainly erased.
“ENOUGH!” The word rockets through my throat with pure venom. Bear turns, noticing Ace and I as he looks between us. Ryan and April watch me closely, with shock spread across their faces. “Why are you here, April?” I ask.
