The past few weeks with Emmett had shown me the difference between a childish love and a mature love.
It was freeing to be with someone so completely, to be able to share any stupid thought that popped into my head. To fail. To cry and be vulnerable in and out of the bedroom. It made a girl carry herself differently, walk with a little extra oomph in her step.
“I’m sorry, more than you will ever know, that we didn’t get our happy ever after. I think it would have been pretty fucking great. Losing you gutted me, Lance. It nearly tore me apart and put me in the ground with you, but you taught me to be strong and I have been. Stronger than I even knew. But you did,” I smiled and shook my head.
“You always knew the woman fighting inside of me, and I’m so fucking angry at God and the men who killed you that you’ll never get to meet her. Never get to see her in action.”
Tears hit me again as they always did when I thought of the future without Lance. It was just so fucking unfair that he made it out of a warzone to die in Glitz. “I will never, ever forget you, Lance Decker. Hell, I couldn’t even if I wanted to. Every event and every moment that brought me here, you were there. I will always carry a piece of you with me, the piece that taught me how to love and how to accept love because that was the greatest gift you ever gave to me.”
More tears came but they weren’t just sadness, there was a relief there too, that I could finally cry for him without grief consuming me.
“I’ll love you forever, Lance.”
It’s time. I pulled my hair up into a ponytail and let out a long sigh. “I mean it. Look. I took my engagement ring and wedding band and turned them into earrings. You’ll be with me wherever I go.”
“Aww, isn’t that just the sweetest fucking thing.” The voice startled me but only for a second, because I was always alert now. Because I was also, more importantly, safe.
“It’s too bad I’ll make you a widow for a second time.”
I turned slowly and stood, remembering Emmett’s lesson on never letting the enemy get me at a disadvantage.
“You know Brendan, it’s really too bad you’ll die before you ever find someone blind enough to love or marry you.”
Brendan Rhymer barked out a laugh and took a step forward. “Yeah, you and what Army?”
“You can pick because it seems you’re good at pissing people off.”
In the spirit of correcting past mistakes, Emmett had told me all about Brendan and what he was doing to his sister, his plans for war with Maisie’s Vegas family.
“Enjoy it while you can.”
Heat and anger flared in his eyes, and he took another step forward.
“I could gut you right now bitch, and no one would ever know.”
That was where he was wrong because Emmett, my love and my protector, was there. Right behind him. My man advanced slowly, like a lion or tiger, stalking his completely oblivious prey. Before Brendan knew what happened one beefy arm had wrapped around his neck.
“You love to pick on women, don’t you? The type of fucker who loves sucker punches and the weak. No offense, babe.”
Emmett was hot when he got all dangerous and protective, but that sexy little wink he sent my way? Irresistible.
“None taken,” I told him with a proud smile.
“Let me go, you dumb fuck!” Brendan struggled, the side of his face that wasn’t burnt to hell twisted in fear and anxiety. “Everybody knows you’re not a real Ashby, just a fucking employee.”
“Yeah?” Emmett’s lips pulled into a twisted grin at Brendan’s words but a closer look at the strain around his eyes told the truth. Brendan had hit his mark.
“I guess you don’t know everything then,” Emmett said, his voice low and gravelly and lethal as his grip tightened around Brendan’s neck.
“Whatever it takes, that’s what I’m about these days.”
“Stop,” he gasped out, legs flailing six inches in the air, his face an alarming shade of red.
“See, Brendan, the thing is when you attack who a man loves, it changes him.” He squeezed a little tighter, forcing Brendan’s eyes to bug out. “I’m right here, Brendan. Gut me if you can.”
He loosened his grip, giving Brendan a chance to catch his breath.
“Fuck you.” Brendan’s courage had returned, I could see it in his eyes as he dropped his head forward and sent it rearing back right into Emmett’s chin. Brendan fell to the ground, his cockiness vanished, replaced by pure hate.
“Laugh it up all you want because I’m building an army and the Ashby’s will fall first.”
Emmett grabbed him by the shirt with one hand and grinned maniacally as he punched him twice, dead center of his half melted face.