After drying her arms, I applied ointment and band-aids to the parts of her arms that were still bleeding. I then led her to the closet and pulled my shirt off of her, placing one of her long-sleeved shirts on her instead. I quickly pulled on a clean black button-down shirt and fastened it.
Reaching up, I cupped her face in my hands, leaning down to press a soft, gentle kiss to her lips. “I’m going to take you back to the office. Jaxon will come, and he will walk with you wherever you decide to go,” I told her. “I need to take care of my father.”
She nodded at me. I brushed my lips with hers again. “Smile for me, little one.”
A small, broken smile tilted her lips, but it was still one of the most beautiful sights in the world. “There she is,” I breathed, that tightness in my chest loosening. That smile could undo even the most dangerous of men. “Come on.”
Holding her hand in mine, I led her back down the stairs to the second level where my office was located. Dr. Williams was working on digging the bullet out of Adrian’s shoulder. Adrian was knocked out on the floor.
“Anesthesia,” Dr. Williams explained. “He wouldn’t sit still, so I knocked him out.”
I nodded once. I steered Emmaline over to the couch before I pulled my phone out and texted Jaxon, ordering him to come to my office. Emmaline looked up at me. “Please shower before you come back,” she quietly pleaded.
I nodded once and leaned down to press my lips to the top of her head. “I will; I promise.” I knew she couldn’t handle the sight of blood right now. I wouldn’t put her through that. I’d never put this woman of mine through anything that made her uncomfortable.
“Do I still get punished?” she asked quietly.
I shook my head at her. “No, little one. You denied the punishment.” I sighed. “Besides, even if you didn’t, I wouldn’t give it. You were trying to help him. I was being a dick,” I admitted. I let my eyes meet hers, easily getting sucked into their depths. “I’m sorry,” I apologized.
A small smile tilted her lips as she reached up and grabbed my hand in hers, her fingers playing with mine. “All is forgiven,” she said quietly.
My lips quirked at the corners with a smile. “You’re too forgiving, little one,” I teased.
She shrugged. “We all make mistakes, James. It’s how we learn from those mistakes that matters.”
I brought her hand up to my lips and pressed a kiss to the back of her hand. Jaxon stepped into my office. He took one look at Adrian and shook his head before he looked back up at me. “Got your text, Boss,” he told me.
I nodded once. “I need you on Emmaline’s protection detail until I come back,” I informed him. He inclined his head to me. “Not a fucking thing will happen to her, Jaxon. If it does, I will slit your fucking throat, are we clear?”
“Crystal, Boss,” he told me with a single nod.
I knelt down in front of Emmaline. “Are you going to be okay, little one?”
She nodded as she drew in a deep breath. “Yes,” she shrugged. “For now, anyway.”
I reached up and cupped the side of her neck. “Make sure you eat dinner when it’s time,” I ordered. “Then, I want you to take some time to yourself and soak in a hot bath and get some rest. You’ve had a long day,” I reminded her. “And you’ve barely gotten a nap in.”
She nodded. “I will,” she promised, always my obedient, good girl.
I leaned forward and kissed her, taking her lips in a kiss so slow and sensual that it took a fuck ton of restraint not to bend her over my couch and fuck her senseless in front of everyone in the room. Honestly, the only thing that stopped me was that I didn’t want anyone else seeing how fucking amazing my woman was.
“Be a good girl for me, and I’ll reward you later,” I promised with a wicked smirk tilting my lips.
Her cheeks burned, but her eyes brightened. Fuck, I loved it when she looked at me like I lit up her entire world. “Promise?” she asked.
I grinned. “Promise, little one.” I kissed her again, this time a lot shorter and sweeter. “I’ll see you tonight. Call me or text me whenever. You are my number one priority,” I reminded her.
“I will,” she assured me. “James,” she called as I turned away from her. I looked at her over my shoulder. “Please be safe,” she begged me as she stood from the couch.
I flashed her a smile. “Always, baby.”