Emma didn’t like being dressed down by this woman but there was a certain logic to everything she’d said. However, Emma wasn’t ready to let go of her indignation just yet. “He’s holding my sister hostage, too,” she threw out there, almost defiantly.
“He’s removed all obstacles for you to willingly stay put. Dillon told me that Laird is keeping watch over her?” At Emma’s nod, Penny laughed. “Laird is a pussycat. Your sister will have the man eating from her palm by the end of the week. Trust me.”
“I want to see her for myself. Lana is…fragile.”
“So ask Vince to take you to her. Stop fighting him and you’ll find him a different man. You know…everything happens for a reason. Have a little faith.”
“I don’t believe in that stuff. “
“Whether you believe or not doesn’t change the fact that you two have serious chemistry. I guess what you do with it, is your business but I’ll let you in on a little secret — and if you don’t believe me, ask Nolan’s wife Shannon — being loved by a Buchanan is unlike anything you’ve ever experienced nor will again.”
“Vince doesn’t love me,” Emma murmured, hating the ache in her heart at the admission. She didn’t doubt that being the owner of a Buchanan’s heart was akin to winning the lottery but Vince wasn’t offering her his heart. And, yeah, it hurt to admit that she felt something for him that she shouldn’t because it was ludicrous. On a normal day she wasn’t the kind of girl who dreamed of Prince Charming and his white horse. That dream had died a long time ago. Emma withheld a sigh and returned to Penny saying, “How could he? We’ve only known each other such a short time. Love at first sight only happens in the movies. It’s a great plot device but not realistic.”
“Goodness gracious, you’re a cynic. No wonder you and Vince are so perfectly matched.” When Emma opened her mouth to refute Penny’s observation, Penny shared, “I fell in love with Dillon the minute I saw him. I didn’t know it at the time, of course, but…I knew I couldn’t stay away. Not even when I knew I should. Sound familiar?”
Emma stared. Was she that transparent? Penny smiled and closed her eyes — guess so. Oh dear…what does this mean? Could she love Vince? The very thought made her eyes cross and her heart pound. Was that love? She thought of his kisses and the way he twisted her in knots with his talented tongue and she nearly burst into flame. Then she thought of how Vince looked at her — when he really saw her — and she knew. Holy hell…it was possible. But if that were true, she and Vince needed to have a chat. Like now. Her insides trembled but she wasn’t sure if it was because of fear or excitement. Maybe a little of both. Good or bad, she was about to find out if somehow fate had put Vince Buchanan in her life for a reason.
#
Vince didn’t want to leave Penny alone with Emma and tried several times to return to the room but they all made a concentrated effort to keep him in the cafeteria.
“She seems nice,” Shannon said, glancing at Nolan. “Very short but cute.”
Nolan’s wife, Shannon was tall and leggy, everything Emma wasn’t. At one time Vince had thought to prefer women with a little height but he rather liked the way Emma fit so snugly against him, rubbing up on all the right places. “Yeah, she’s all right,” he said, wanting to get back to the room and leave. “Why do you think Penny wanted to talk to Emma? That’s weird, don’t you think?”
“You know Penny…she’s got a mind of her own. No telling what she’s saying to the poor woman. But listen, I wanted to talk to you about what my guy found out about the potential club situation,” Dillon said, instantly snagging Vince’s attention. “I think we’ve figured out who it is.”
“Who?” Vince asked, his fists already clenching. “I’m ready to give the man a dose of his own medicine.” In his mind, he saw Emma’s bruises and his blood percolated.
“Do you remember kicking out that guy nicknamed Preacher?” Nolan asked. “We managed to do a little covert asking around and a few people remember seeing him at the club that night when he was specifically banned from Malvagio permanently. Apparently, he’s been mouthing off that he was going to make us sorry for kicking him out.”
“Let’s go get him,” Vince said, ready to go but Dillon stopped him.
“Hold on, it’s not that easy,” Dillon said. “We might have a pretty good idea of who did it, but we don’t have any evidence. That’s going to make it hard to prosecute.”
“Who said anything about prosecution? I could give a fuck if he gets a fair trial. I’m going to be judge, jury and executioner in this case.”
“Listen, I know you want to see him punished and he will be, but we need to move cautiously or else this Preacher fuck is going to end up doing exactly what he set out to do — ruin the Buchanan name.”
“How so?”
“Apparently, he’s been spreading rumors that we’re not seeing to our club members safety any longer, which is why is started beating unsuspecting women. He’s trying to ruin Malvagio and by proxy, us.”
“All because he got kicked out?” Vince asked. “What a pussy.”
“Yeah, well, he’s not very smart because he might’ve evaded the cameras but he didn’t think to wear a mask or anything to hide his face. All we have to do is find him and then your girl can identify him.”
“She’s not my girl,” Vince corrected Dillon but Dillon waved away his correction, which made him wonder what his brother saw that he didn’t. Was he giving off some sort of subconscious possessive vibe? He shrugged off the thought and focused. “So let’s go get the shit. I have a few words for him.”
“All right, I have a detective who’s friendly. If I give him the word, he’ll go pick him up for us, all legal and tidy. Then, you bring Emma to the station and she can do the rest. Sound good?”
Vince nodded, relieved to put an end to all this. He looked to his brothers and even Shannon, and said gruffly, not because the emotion wasn’t genuine but because he had a hard time saying shit like this, “I appreciate your help in all this. Means a lot.”
“When all this is done, you can let that poor girl go home,” Shannon said. “I can’t imagine how horrific this has been.”
He stiffened at the thought of letting Emma go but he wasn’t about to admit that. “Thank God. It’s been a fucking nightmare being her damn babysitter. She doesn’t listen worth a damn and she argues with everything I say. Good riddance.”
“Really? I kinda thought you and her had some serious chemistry,” Nolan said, fishing a little but Vince shut him down quickly, not liking where this was going.
“Well, you were wrong. And besides, you and I both know I’m not that kind of man. I don’t do long-term. No matter how hot she is.”
“Have you slept with her?” Nolan asked.
“None of your business,” he retorted, turning to leave but Nolan stopped him. “What?” he asked, irritated.
“Whatever it is that’s making you feel all prickly and scared…go for it. Don’t shut that feeling down. It’s worth the risk,” he said to Vince quietly as he shared a look with his wife. “Trust me.”
Vince suppressed an odd shudder at his twin’s words and shrugged off his brother’s hand on his shoulder. “Maybe for you…not for me.”
He couldn’t get away fast enough. It was true about that twin thing — they each shared an uncanny understanding into one another’s thoughts and feelings. When they’d both been wild and reckless, that sixth sense had been a fun bonus, particularly when they’d been on the prowl for a woman to share for the night. But now? It was just fucking annoying as hell. He didn’t want Nolan pushing his married bliss at him in the hopes that it was contagious. Vince wasn’t like Nolan or Dillon. He wouldn’t make an awesome husband or father. He drank to excess, fucked to excess, and he damn well liked it!
“Let’s go,” he commanded Emma and she scowled at his tone. “Now.”
Emma cast Penny a look that said, See? He’s such a jerk but he didn’t care. Once all this was done, he’d gladly go back to
life the way he liked it — completely debauched!
But as they reached the parking lot, Emma dug in her heels and said, “I want to talk to my sister,” she demanded.
He did a double take and kept walking. He didn’t need that particular headache. “Not now, Emma.”
“No. Now.”
“She’s fine.”
“I don’t know that. I need to talk to her.” Emma held her ground. Of all the blessed times for her to become even more difficult…Vince felt his temper rising until he saw the true concern reflecting in her eyes and he caved — albeit not very gracefully.
“Fine,” he snarled, grabbing his phone and dialing Laird. When Laird picked up on the third ring, he told him to put Lana on the phone. He was surprised when Laird hesitated. “What’s the problem?” he asked.
“She’s sleeping.”
“Well, wake her up. Her sister needs to know she’s all right.”
Laird didn’t sound happy about it but he did as Vince requested. As soon as a sleepy female voice came on the line, he thrust the phone at Emma but not before putting it on speaker.
Emma scowled but accepted the phone with a tremulous, “Lana? Are you okay?”