Her Wilde Marines (Wilde, Nevada 4)

Bane knew this had something to do with her reaction to the phone call the other day. “Honey, did you hear their voices through your cell?”

“Only once. It happened right before you picked me up at the hotel to go shopping for the present for Shelby’s baby.”

He remembered how engrossed Emma had been when they’d found her in the lobby. Staring at her cell’s screen, she hadn’t even realized they were right next to her. “That’s why you jumped when Autumn called that night.”

“Yes. I thought it was going to be one of my sisters on the other end.”

“Did you check the caller ID, baby?” Adam asked.

She nodded. “It was unknown.”

He kissed her forehead.

She smiled weakly. “Who knows who called me that day? Maybe it was a wrong number or a telemarketer, but I thought I heard my sisters’ voices. It’s all in my head. I’ve only heard their voices once on the phone, but I have heard them several times through the walls in my apartment back in North Dakota. And now I’m hearing them here in Wilde.” She pointed to the rental house. “I thought I could start a new life here. I didn’t expect the voices to follow me. But they did. I’m going crazy. I wanted to tell you before this, before now, before I fell in love with you, but I just couldn’t bring myself to. Can you ever forgive me?”

“Em, there is nothing to forgive. You weren’t the only one who fell in love. You’re the most wonderful, beautiful woman I’ve ever known. I love you.” Bane pressed his lips to hers, hoping to take away her fears, to make her feel safe. “Trust me, you are not going crazy.”

Adam turned her around and locked his eyes on hers. “I love you, Em. You have my heart in your hands. And Bane is definitely right about you—you are perfectly sane. You’ve been through so much the past several months and all on your own. Your sister murdered your mother in cold blood. Trauma like that can cause all kinds of things to happen to a person. No wonder you think you’re hearing voices. Trust me, it will pass. You just need a little time and you don’t need to be alone anymore.”

He stroked her hair, feeling her trembles. “Em, do you want to go back in the house, or do you want us to take you somewhere else?”

She took a deep breath, and he and Adam could see her strength returning. “It’s my house. Yes. I want to go back inside. I won’t be driven out by my own delusions. Besides, when I’m with you I never hear the voices.”

There’s something about this whole thing that just doesn’t add up.

“Adam was right. You don’t ever need to be alone.” He led her to the front door. “And we’re going to make sure you never are again.”

* * * *

Adam listened to Emma’s steady breathing. He and Bane had her between them on the bed.

They’d held and listened to her until she’d finally relaxed. Now that she was completely out, he leaned up on his elbow and said quietly to his brother, “None of this makes any sense to me.”

“You’re reading my mind, Adam.”

“We’ve been around many soldiers who have been traumatized and have PTSD. They’re all withdrawn. There’s nothing withdrawn about Emma. In fact, she’s just the opposite.”

“I know. And what about that call she told us about? Ghosts don’t use cell phones to contact the living. I want to get that checked out first thing with Caleb.”

“Agreed. Plus, we need to run a thorough sweep of this house.”

“After we escort her to the television station, we can bring Caleb

back here and go through every inch of this place.”

“Bane, she’s the one for us. The only one.”

“I know. She’s ours. It’s our job to get to the bottom of this.”

“She deserves our very best.” Adam looked down at the woman who had changed his world. He would go into the bowels of hell itself and fight every devil the place contained to make sure Emma was safe.

Chapter Fourteen

Emma got out of the vehicle and turned to the two wonderful men who’d rescued her from the voices once again.

What was it about Bane and Adam that made her feel so safe?

Everything.