Monsters' Gift (Crude Hill High 2)

“You didn’t know he was there.” She sighed. “Thank you for not being completely knocked out for longer.”

I didn’t care about Drake or his feelings right now. The only person I cared about was this woman right here, in this bed.

“Will you go and let the others know she’s awake?” I asked.

Drake left seconds later.

“He feels guilty,” she said.

“Good, he should.”

“He didn’t know.”

“Em, you nearly died. He told us what happened. Marshall nearly killed you.”

“But, and this is a big but, he didn’t. I’m still here.”

“In pain.”

“I’m used to the pain.”

I got up and kissed her head again. I was about to sit down, but she grabbed my shirt and pulled me to the bed. “Don’t leave. Sit with me. I love you, and I don’t want you to leave me.”

I smiled. I couldn’t help it. I still had my shoes on, but I didn’t bother to remove them. Instead, I held her close, wrapping my arms around her.

“I don’t want anything to ever happen to you,” I said.

“Nothing is. I think I’m proving to be a little invincible.”

“Em, you came close to being strangled.”

She sighed. “I know. Marshall had it in for me. I guess that means two down, right?”

“Yes, and we have a feeling the other two are not going to be far behind.”

“What do you mean?”

I didn’t get a chance to answer her question as Vadik, Caleb, and Gael spilled into the room, all of them looking relieved to see her awake. She’d been awake when we’d gotten to her, but since the doctor looked her over, she’d been out for the count. I understood their worry. I was terrified when Drake called us. We could have lost her today.

“Are you okay?” Gael asked, coming to the bed.

“I’m fine.”

“You don’t sound fine,” Vadik said.

“Well, I had a man trying to kill me. Forgive me if I don’t look my best.”

We all chuckled, but we all didn’t see the humor. Our dads were the worst kind of men. Well, not the worst, but they knew our weakness. Emily. We didn’t want to live without her.

Stroking her hair, I pressed my face against her head and breathed her in.

“Are you going to tell me why you think the others are suddenly going to come out of the woodwork? Marshall and Ace are now dead.”

“Yes, which leaves Dean and Daniel,” Gael said.

“Your dad and yours,” Emily said, looking toward Caleb.

“Yep.”

Emily sighed. “You’re making me work for answers here, and I’m the victim. Can’t you at least, I don’t know, help me out?”

“Earl put out a call, a reward if you will,” Caleb said, perching on the edge of the bed. “Anyone working for your fathers will be given a reward to come clean and for information. We’ve had five people within two hours of him putting out the reward.”

“I thought you were hunting them down?” Emily asked.

I held her a little tighter.

“Earl wants to leave. He wants to take Ashley and have this business over with. He’s not going with stealth, but speed.”

Emily tensed in my arms. “But?”

“Emily,” Caleb said. “If this works, then it means Earl kept his part of the bargain.”

“What about Ashley?”

“She’s happy,” Caleb said. “I’ve checked. Drake has been gathering information and Ashley is being treated like a queen. She isn’t in any danger.”

Tears filled her eyes and I wanted to do whatever was necessary to take them away.

“I want to talk to Ashley. Do you think you can arrange that?” Emily asked.

Caleb nodded. “Of course. We still have two problems, and he promised he wouldn’t go anywhere else until the matter is resolved.”

“I can’t believe you guys are working together over this,” Emily said.

“Neither can we. Don’t forget, we’re still in shock as well. He wanted your virginity.”

Emily laughed. “I know. His obsession for a virgin is scary. It makes me wonder if he’s even any good in bed.”

We all tensed up and Emily shook her head. “I don’t mean I’m going to try him out. Wow, what kind of woman do you think I am? I’ve already got four men. I worry about Ashley.” She dropped her gaze, wiping beneath her eyes before lifting up to look at me. “And today, when Marshall was strangling me, all I wanted was to get back to all of you. I don’t want to live my life without you guys in it. I love you more than anything else in the world.” She sniffled.

She sat up, pulling away from me. Then she turned toward me, cupping my cheek and kissing me. I sank my fingers into her hair, holding her close, wanting her and only her. She pulled away, kissing Gael with the exact same passion, before going to Vadik, finally, Caleb. She showed us her feelings with a single kiss.

I smiled.

“I love you all so much. I don’t want to ever be anywhere than where I am right now.”