Emily's Protectors (The Protectors 2)

Her life. Her chance at finding her own happily ever after.

It was all gone.

Having not seen her mom in the nearly two years she had been gone, Emily tried to keep tabs on her through the website the firm had that her mom worked at. She at least knew that her mom was now a Legal Secretary. It made her happy to know that even though she wasn’t there, her mom was doing well.

Pulled from her thoughts when Dane shut the truck off, she saw that they were at the police station. Getting out and looking around Emily blurted out, “Oh, I don’t fucking think so.” before trying to make a run for it.

“Fuck sakes, this girl’s going over my knee the first damn chance I get, Dane!” Coop yelled as he took off after Emily. Dane stood and watched her trying to evade his partner. For such a tiny thing, she was quick, and with a sprained ankle, she sure didn’t let it slow her down. She would fake left and go right, duck under Coop’s hands when he’d make a grab for her.

Chuckling when he caught onto Coop’s plan of having her turned around and corralling her towards Dane, he started walking in her direction. Stopping a few feet from Emily and bracing his feet apart, he prepared to catch her as she collided with him when she turned to see where Coop was. Grabbing her arms, she finally looked at him. She was breath-taking; tan, creamy skin with a slight blush made her look youthful. Seeing Coop charging full-speed for them out of the corner of his eye, Dane braced for impact. When he slammed into her from behind, she yelped as he grabbed her hair and tilted her head back before growling in her ear. “Your ass has a date with my hand real soon, baby girl.”

She opened her mouth to probably blast him, but nothing came out. Dane watched her eyes process Coop’s words. She let everything show there without even knowing it. Shock, outrage, but most importantly desire was reflected in her gorgeous green eyes. Fuck, she’s gonna be the death of me, Dane thought, feeling his cock harden at seeing her desire.

“Let’s get this shit over with,” Dane said walking away.

“No! I told you I didn’t want to do this, you overbearing ape!” Emily yelled at him as he reached the stairs leading to the station.

Turning around ready to give her shit, he saw the vulnerability in her eyes and knew she was more scared that the police wouldn’t help than trying to be difficult. Walking up to her he cupped her face softly, bent down so they were eye to eye, and told her, “Baby girl, it’s gotta be done. All of it. The police need to know that some prick thinks he can put his hands on what’s ours. We can’t… no, we won’t let that happen.” Not letting her say anything he grabbed her hand and started pulling her, knowing it wouldn’t be long before she started fighting again.

“Ours?” Coop questioned quietly. At Dane’s nod, he smirked and opened the door for them.

Stupid men and their gorgeous blue, blue eyes. Damn manipulating bastard, Emily thought walking through the police station doors. More like hauled, her little voice needled away at her. And what was with that “ours” bullshit? I don’t belong to anyone, let alone two overbearing assholes, she thought walking up to the desk sergeant, crossing her arms, and putting on her best ‘I don’t want to be here’ face.

“Can I help you?” the older, balding, pot-bellied officer asked them. Ok, Emily, you’re just being bitchy now. He looks friendly enough, she chastised herself.

With a tap on her ass, Dane pushed her forward. Shooting a dirty look at his handsome, smirking face, she put on a sweet smile and told the officer, “I’m here against my will because these two overgrown baboons can’t take no for an answer.” Shooting Dane and Coop a triumphant look at her shot, she continued with a sigh. “I was nearly run off the road last night, well, more like the sidewalk actually, by what I believe was my super crazy stalker.” Hey, getting that off my chest feels pretty good, she thought.

“Is that so?” the officer asked her. At her nod he picked up the phone, presumably to call someone to either arrest her or help her. Hopefully, the latter. Hanging up he smiled at her. “There will be an officer right down to take your statement and some more information from you.”

Nodding and walking over to the bench along the cold and sterile gray walls, Emily sat down, avoiding looking at either Dane or Coop. When they sat on either side of her, her entire body froze and she became rigid. Trying to ignore their combined scents was no easy fête. They smelled like a mixture of earth and sun. Is that even a smell? she thought. When Dane put his hand on her thigh, so far up it ought to be indecent and squeezed, she looked at him not realizing she had tears in her eyes until he kissed each one and whispered, “Don’t cry, baby girl.” Hearing a throat clearing broke the spell they seemed to be in.

Looking up Emily saw a middle-aged, kind-looking officer dressed in the usual uniform. “Hello, ma’am, I’m Officer Danielle Rivera. The desk sergeant tells me you need to make a statement about a car accident?” she asks a lot more politely than any officer Emily had encountered before

Standing up, she wiped her clammy hands down the front of her jeans before answering. “Yes, I was hit by a car last night. They took off afterwards.” Emily told her with a bit of a wobbly voice. “There were officers there and they took a statement.” She tried to explain.

“Follow me, please.” was all she said before turning and walking away through a set of double doors, leading to what Emily presumed was a squad room. Following diligently behind, she took a peek over her shoulder to see that Dane and Coop were talking in hushed tones but not following her. Feeling oddly disappointed that they weren’t coming with her, she pushed the hurt aside and continued on behind the officer waiting for her.

Walking into the squad room, she sat where Officer Rivera indicated and waited for her to sit as well. “Alright, honey, please call me Danielle. I’m going to be handling your case for now. What’s your full name?” she asked in a gravelly, smoke-roughened voice.

“Emily James Baxter,” she said to her.

“Your birthday and age, please.”

“January 3rd, 1993. I’m 22.”

“Home address, and can you tell me about what happened last night, please?” she asked Emily kindly.

After giving the officer her address, she started to retell the happenings of the previous night’s events. “I have a stalker and he found me again. I finally decided to hire protection or maybe someone to look into it, so I went to Maxwell Secures and after my meeting with them, I took the bus home. Getting off at the last stop closest to my street, I was walking on the sidewalk and things felt weird.”

“Weird, how?” Officer Rivera interrupted.

“I don’t know, just off. Like the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end and I knew I was being watched. I just wanted to get home so I started to walk faster, when out of nowhere I heard an engine rev and I was blind-sided by this car hitting me from behind. Or rather side swiping me, I guess you’d say.” Taking a breath, Emily continued to tell her about getting slammed into the fence and cataloging her injuries, as minor as they were, thankfully, to what happened when the paramedics and the police showed up. Explaining that she was only difficult because of past experience and fear.

Grabbing her hand Danielle told her, “Alright dear. First off, I’m sorry you’ve dealt with shitty cops before; unfortunately, it happens all too often. But I’m telling you now, I will help you. Do you remember any details about this car? Did you see who was driving? Markings, damage, anything at all. Even the smallest things could be helpful.” She questioned.

Closing her eyes to get a clear picture of the car in her head, Emily focused her mind on the previous night. “It was a dark color, blue or black maybe? I only saw two doors, but as it was pulling away, I saw a taillight was out and there was no license plate. I’m sorry that’s not very helpful but it happened so quickly, and I never saw the driver,” Emily told her, resigned to the fact that her stalker was still out there and probably coming for her.

“That’s great dear.” She reassured her while writing furiously on her notepad. “Ok, now let’s move on to your stalker. What can you tell me about him? From the time you found out about him until the events of yesterday.”