Page 86 of Perdition
“I did have fun—but it would have been more fun if I could have bought you that drink.”
Em blushed, tensing slightly.
Instantly Frost knew there was a story there, but now wasn’t the time to explore that. He needed to get Emily home, and they needed to have that conversation.
Yes, they were both tired, a little keyed up, but he was tired of going to bed without her.
It stopped tonight.
“Have a good evening, officer,” Frost said, prodding the golden boy along.
The man smirked, knowing exactly what Frost was doing, then he dipped his chin to Emily, looked at each of them, as though cataloging their faces for future mug shots, then left the room.
They all let out a collective sigh.
“Well that was a shit show, but it was one I didn’t have to pay money for,” Cluster remarked, making Stephie laugh.
“Alright, let’s get the hell out of here,” Patriot declared, pulling Cilla into his side to press a kiss to the top of her head. “I need to get my woman home.”
“Same,” Locust chimed in.
“Yeah, this one is chomping at the bit to get to her computer and stir up some felonious trouble,” Redtube added, making Val snort and roll her eyes.
“Only alittlefelonious trouble,” she replied, shrugging.
Nadia came to place a gentle hand on Em’s shoulder, her eyes warm, her smile soft.
“You ready to go? I can drop you at home on my way,” she offered.
Before Em could even think of escaping, Frost grunted, then cut in, “I’m taking her.” His words and tone brooked no argument, but that didn’t stop Nadia from glaring at him and opening her mouth to argue anyway.
“Come on, babe, let her him take her,” Locust interjected, “it looks like they have things to discuss.” Locust was astute, being more insightful and thoughtful than most gave him credit for.
Including Frost, who’d asked him to do something that, ultimately, hurt him and the woman he loved. Frost had apologized months ago, and Locust and Nadia had grudgingly given their forgiveness, but there was still that tension between them, that wariness—and it was warranted.
Since then, Frost, too, worked to be less of a demanding asshole to his brothers, especially when it came to forcing them to do things that didn’t sit right with anyone.
Emily patted his chest, then pushed away, making him drop his arm.
His arms were suddenly too empty.
“It’s okay, Nadia, I’ll go home with Frost,” Emily said, throwing her arms around Nadia in a tight hug. “Thank you, girls, for forcing me out of the house. This party was definitely more interesting than I thought it would be.”
The girls grinned, snickering.
“Well, we do try,” Stephie replied, her smile big but tired. She was expecting the first of the second generation of Unchained, so she wasn’t as energetic as she used to be.
Frost remembered with Em was like that, back when she was first pregnant with the twins.
Back when they were so secure in their love for one another, they were willing to throw every caution to the wind just to be together. Emily, especially, had given so much—marrying him knowing he was enlisting and would be gone for long stints, away from home where she was raising their two babies on her own.
But she never complained, only ever supported him in his dream to be an American warrior.
And when the time came to support her in her dream to be a full-time florist with a successful business, had he done the same for her?
No. He pushed her away and let a viper slip in between them.
Patriot jarred him from his thoughts with a slap on the back.
