Lady Luck - Ashby Crime Family

“Don’t. Ever. Fucking. Touch. Her.” Each word accompanied by another fist. As violent as it was, I couldn’t look away from the intensity of the moment. Emmett was like a man possessed, in total protective mode. I was transfixed. By him. By the display of power and anger. And violence.

“You fucking hear me motherfucker?”

The man was bloody and coughing, beaten to an actual pulp as Emmett raised another fist, releasing another round of pain.

At that moment, out of nowhere, Mace rushed forward and used his size to stop Emmett from beating that guy to death.

“Em, bro, that’s enough.”

“It’s not enough,” he growled. “It’s fucking not.”

“It is.” Mace didn’t give him a choice, grabbing Emmett’s bicep so he couldn’t land another blow.

Provo arrived next and Jasper was two steps behind him. “What the fuck happened?”

Emmett growled at him. “This fuck attacked Vanessa, that’s what the fuck just happened.”

Mace restrained my attacker he struggled to get loose. “Where the fuck were you guys?”

Provo opened his mouth, but my voice came out.

“He called out to me, and before I knew what was happening, the other one grabbed me from behind. I didn’t get a good look at him.”

I shook my head as tears belatedly fell down my cheeks. My hands trembled and my voice was shaky when I spoke.

“My car ran out of gas again, and I was running late. That’s why I didn’t call when I got here.” Not only did someone have to walk me to my car at the end of my shift, but for some reason the guys wouldn’t let me walk in the parking lot alone at any time. I had to have an escort as soon as I arrived for work.

I looked up at Mace who flashed a sympathetic smile. “Sorry.”

Emmett wiped his hands down the front of his shirt and wrapped me in his arms. “It’s all right, Vanessa. It’s all right,” he cooed in my ear.

Jasper stepped forward and placed a hand on my shoulder, frowning when I winced at his touch.

“Nothing to be sorry about, Nessa. It seems they were waiting for you.” His green gaze met Emmett’s. “Take her home and keep an eye on her.”

“That’s not necessary,” I insisted. “I’m perfectly capable of working my shift. As soon as I freshen up.”

It was a ridiculous thing to say but I didn’t want to let Jasper down.

“I said go home.” Jasper demanded. “By the time Emmett gets you home, that eye will be swollen shut, and you’ll have the motherfucker of all headaches. Take care of yourself. That’s what matters now.”

“What about the game?”

“Taken care of.” Jasper’s words made me smile because he was such an odd man. So gruff and controlling on the outside, but he had a big heart beneath the strength. Still, business always came first.

“I’ll be the card girl tonight,” he said with an amused grin.

“You’ll do great, I’m sure,” I said between sniffles and tears. “Thank you, Jasper. And you too, Emmett. He would have killed me if you hadn’t shown up.”

I felt like a fool, causing all this trouble for nothing.

“Take it easy,” Provo growled and stalked off.

“See you soon,” Mace said and gave my shoulder a sympathetic squeeze. “That’s a promise.”

I laughed. “I guess that means there’s no getting out of hearing about your date.”

“Not a chance,” he called out as he walked alongside Jasper back towards the short, nondescript building, his laughter echoing in the night.

“This wasn’t your fault,” Emmett told me as he guided me to his car and handed me into the passenger seat and fastened the belt across my chest.

Emmett slid in behind the wheel and I said, “I can’t help but feel like it is. I wasn’t paying attention, and I didn’t call the guys to tell them I was outside.”

His grip tightened on the steering wheel and Emmett shook his head. “Those guys had to have been waiting for you. Or someone to victimize.”

Maybe he had a point, but it didn’t change how I felt. I was happy to see that he got that, leaving me to my thoughts on the drive back to my place.

“You don’t have to come inside,” I said when he drove up to my front door.

“I’m coming inside,” he grunted and got out quickly and came around to help me out of the car. He took my hand and walked me to my door.

“I don’t need a babysitter, Emmett.”

“Yeah well, maybe I need a nurse Vanessa.” He held up his bloody, raw fists and for the first time I noticed the strange look on his face.

“Right. Of course.” Even though Emmett was a solider and a fighter, this had been hard for him for some reason. “Are you okay?”

He said nothing as I pushed open the door and guided him down the hall on the right to the guest bathroom where I carefully rinsed all the blood from his knuckles. I gave Emmett exactly what he’d given me earlier, silence to come to grips with everything that had happened. Then I heard it, a sniffle.