by Brook Wilder
“So?”
“I didn’t look closely last time I saw him, but I’m pretty sure Emmett’s arms are bare. Unless he put on a fake tattoo, which I can’t image a reason for him doing so, we might have solid evidence that Emmett didn’t murder Wildcard.”
Jon just stood there and stared at me. I wondered what he would say next. Sure, my methods of information gathering were less than desirable, but how else was I supposed to move forward in this case?
“That’s some solid info, Olivia. I’ll give you that much. Just do me a favor, and stop the Columbo routine. You’re a lawyer, not a detective. Speaking of which, I’m going to take this to the police right now and see if they can dig anything up on this brother.”
“Fine, but can I at least go to Emmett with this information? He deserves to know what we know and he might have a quicker way of finding his twin.”
“You can do that, just be careful,” Jon said. “If you do learn anything, tell the police and let them deal with it. I don’t want you going out on a man hunt on your own.”
“I’ll do that,” I said as I grabbed my purse.
I walked around Jon and started for the exit with a determined spring in my step. Sure, I was going to pretend to follow Jon’s directions, but I was also planning on doing exactly what I needed to win this case.
“Olivia,” he called after me. “You’ve done good work so far, but you need to make some definitive, and legal, strides in moving this case forward. If this case isn’t solid by the end of the week, or if I get any hint that you’ve gone rogue, I’m going to pull you off of it.”
I didn’t respond, and, instead, continued out the door. I hopped in my truck and started her up. Before I pulled out of my parking spot, I took out my phone and punched in the phone number from Emmett’s file. It took a couple of rings, but Emmett finally picked up.
“Who’s this?” he said grumpily.
“It’s Olivia. We need to talk. It’s about what I learned last night,” I replied.
“Ok, shoot”
“Not on the phone, it’s too much to explain. Can I come over instead?”
He didn’t respond immediately, and the silence seemed to drag on forever. I was just about to concede and tell him I’d call him back later when he finally spoke.
“Yeah, sure. Come on by,” he said before he hung up.
I pulled out onto the street and started driving. My nerves were going haywire, and I just couldn’t calm down, no matter how many deep breaths I took. I was going to have to be very careful over the next few days. This case was my ticket out of this dusty old town, and I couldn’t afford to screw anything up.
Chapter 11
When I knocked on the door this time, Emmett opened it immediately and gestured for me to come. As he guided me into the living room in silence, something caught my eye. I noticed a door standing ajar in the hallway. I froze, confused, as I was almost positive there hadn’t been a door there last time I’d visited his house. To the right of the door frame stood a tall bookcase, which I recognized, and I realized that Emmett had used it to hide the secret door. I walked over to it and saw that the bookcase had small wheels concealed in its base. Curiosity overwhelmed me. What was Emmett hiding? He had kept walking, not noticing that I had stopped, so I decided to take a quick peek.
As I pushed the door open, I was astounded to see a room full of enough weaponry to furnish a small army. Locked cabinets covered all of the available wall space and held everything from small shotguns to what looked like a sniper rifle. There was one cabinet that had row after row of drawers with labels like ‘brass knuckles’ ‘tazers’ and ‘knives’. There was only one empty space in the entire room, and I was willing to bet that the missing gun was the one that had killed Wildcard. It was a truly frightening display, and this room definitely reminded me that the Devil’s Martyrs, Emmett included, were dangerous men.
I heard a sigh behind me and almost jumped out of my skin. I turned to see Emmett leaning in the doorway, looking at me with eyes full of regret. I looked him over, wondering if my initial suspicions were wrong. Maybe he did kill Wildcard. He certainly had enough firepower. It wasn’t unlikely that Craig and Ginger mistook his blue eyes for green ones. Was there an eagle tattoo lurking under that leather jacket? I suddenly felt cornered and very scared.
“You got here a lot faster than I expected, otherwise I would’ve closed this room up,” he said.
“Why in the world do you have this many guns?” I asked anxiously, trying to keep the fear out of my voice.
“Come into the living room, and I’ll explain. There’s a good reason for all of this. Well, maybe not good, but there is a reason.”
He turned, walking away and I followed him warily. I couldn’t help but scan the rest of the trailer for signs of other hidden stashes. I found nothing, but that didn’t make me feel any better. I sat in the same spot on his leather couch while Emmett poured us both glasses of water in the kitchen. He returned to the living room and handed me my glass, which I sipped while he explained himself.
“You know already that the Devil’s Martyrs is a motorcycle club. Like most other clubs out there, we have a handful of leadership positions that give the club structure. Wendell, for example, is the president. He, obviously, is in charge and most of the decisions we make have to meet his approval. We also have a vice president, a secretary, and a treasurer. All of their jobs are exactly what they sound like. My role is Sergeant at Arms, which means I’m the sheriff of the club. It’s my duty to enforce the rules and keep the other members in line.”
“Is that why you have a secret armory in your house?” I asked.
“Basically, yeah. I keep all the weaponry for the club under lock and key. There’s only one gun in there that I actually own, the rest belong to other members or the club in general. If I ever stepped down or the club didn't re-elect me, everything in that room would go to the new sergeant at arms.”
I sat there and stared at him while he took a sip of water. My fear was almost completely gone and replaced by curiosity. Emmett's world was a foreign one to me, and I wanted to know everything.
“What’s it like trying to police bikers? I thought you all were rule breaking outlaws.”
“It’s definitely tough,” Emmett said with a laugh. I realized with a start that this was the first time I’d seen an honest smile on his face. It definitely suited him. “You’d be surprised how strict we are about our club rules. Most of the guys understand that it’s for the greater good. If we let everyone do whatever the hell they wanted, the club would fall apart.”
“What kind of rules are there? From an outside perspective, it really does look like you all do whatever you want.”
“Most of them are pretty straightforward. No stealing from fellow club members, no trashing the club property, pay your dues on time, etc. I spend most of my time making sure everyone shows up to club meetings sober.”
“What are some of the crazier things you’ve had to do?” I asked. He gave me a long, hard glance, and I remembered that he only knew me as his lawyer. “I swear on my life that nothing leaves this room. I’m just genuinely curious.”
“Well, there was one time I had to confront one of our guys about dealing drugs. We generally turn a blind eye to that sort of thing, but the rule is you can’t be wearing any patches or anything that would identify you as a club member. This dude was apparently selling while wearing a t-shirt with our logo on it, and I took a couple of guys with me to his house to sort him out. We got there and the guy was running a full on crack den with half a dozen junkies strung out in his living room. We dragged the guy out into the yard to talk when a couple of the junkies rushed out and started beating the shit out of all of us. Half of us ended up in the E.R. that night, and I had a woman tear a chunk out of my arm with her teeth! I think the guy’s still dealing, but we kicked him out of the club as fast as we could.”
“Ugh, that sounds awful.”
“It’s almost as bad as the time I had t
o break up a fight between two brothers. I would’ve left them to duke it out with their fists, but these two guys decided to use baseball bats covered in barbed wire. I didn’t end up hurt, thank God, but the two guys were both bloody messes by the time I pulled them apart. It wasn’t until later, after both of them had gotten run out of town, that I found out they’d been fighting over who got to choose the T.V. station.”
Emmett chuckled and looked out of the nearby window with a faraway look in his eyes.
“Something the matter?”
“Oh, nothing. It just feels good to vent like this. I haven’t had anyone I could talk to about this shit since my brother skipped town a month or so ago.”
“You have a brother?” I asked, hoping the surprise in my voice didn’t sound too forced.
“Yeah, a twin brother, actually. I know I should’ve told you that before, but I was afraid you all might go after him. I don’t think I could live with myself if he got arrested on my account.”
“Are you two close?”
“We used to be very close, back when we were kids. My mom died when we were young and left both of us with our father. It was good having Knox there. Without him, I don’t think I could have handled growing up in that house. My father had a very short fuse. Not as bad as Wendell's, but almost. He’d go from calm to beating the living shit out of us in two seconds flat. Without Knox there to talk to, I probably would’ve run away ages ago.”
“What made you two drift apart?”
“As we got older, I started to realize that Knox was becoming more like my father every day. There was one time he thought I’d stolen some of his baseball cards and kicked a couple of my teeth in. He later found them under his bed and apologized, but I’ll never forget that moment. Knox was also way more into the MC lifestyle than I was. Our father and Wendell had grown up together and were so close that Wendell was practically our uncle. Ever since Knox was old enough to get his license, Wendell's been grooming him to be his second in command. Knox was all set to become the vice president before he bailed. I haven't seen him since then, and I wish I could at least find out why he suddenly disappeared.
I could tell by the hurt look on his face that he cared more for his brother than he was letting on.
“For someone who isn’t too into the lifestyle, you sure are devoted to the Martyrs,” I said.
“I know, but I was raised in this world. It’s about the only life I know how to lead, and that makes it really hard. I thought I was ready to leave, at least until my daughter was born. My ex had been so worried about the dangerous life I lead, that she told me she’d keep Lizzy from me if I didn’t change. What she didn’t know was that my own father threatened to hurt both her and my daughter if I left the club. So I stayed, and now Lizzy lives thirty miles away with her mom who does everything she can to keep my daughter from me.”
Emmett turned away from me in an attempt to conceal the tears that were starting to well in his eyes. I stood and moved to sit on the arm of his chair, placing my hand on his back. I knew it probably wasn’t professional to be this close to him, but the man looked like he needed some comforting.
“How long has it been since you’ve seen her?” I asked quietly.
“Almost a year,” he replied with a small hitch in his voice. “I was supposed to see her last week, before all this shit with Wildcard went down, but my ex pulled my visitation rights the second she heard I’d been arrested.”
He then turned to me, and I knew I was seeing Emmett, the real Emmett, for the first time. All the machismo and pre-tense was gone, and what was left was a man who cared so deeply about the ones he loved that he would do absolutely anything to protect them. I reached out and used my thumb to brush away a tear that had escaped down his cheek. I don’t know if it was because he was so vulnerable right now or if I had finally stopped denying my feelings, but I felt intensely connected to him right now. He grabbed my hand before I had the chance to pull it away, and it felt like a crackle of electricity went up my arm with his touch.
My eyes widened and I saw that his did too. We sat there, staring at each other for ages until he reached out and pulled me into a kiss. His lips were just as soft and warm as they had been last night, but this was different. He pulled me onto his lap and I knew that this was my only chance to pull away. I didn’t want to, though. I wanted nothing more than to keep kissing this beautiful man, and I did just that, losing myself inch by inch into his luscious lips.
Chapter 12
After a minute of just basking in the kiss and the rough feel of stubble against my face, I felt Emmett’s tongue pushing at my lips. I let him in almost immediately and marvelled at his sweet taste. We began to work in tandem, exploring each other with our hands and tongues, and we both began to let out gentle moans of pleasure. I squeaked in surprise when Emmett grabbed me roughly by the hips and repositioned me so that I was straddling him. A rush of heat bloomed in me as I felt him, already rock hard against me. Almost subconsciously I began to work my hips in slow circles on his lap. The way he rubbed against me felt absolutely amazing as my motions began to slowly increase in speed. Emmett suddenly pulled away from the kiss and began to focus his attention on my neck. His small, sucking motions made me moan, but I pulled back suddenly when I felt him nip at my skin. It felt so good, but a hickey would be hard to explain.
“No marks,” I said sternly.
“Yes, ma’am,” he growled back.
He then stood, with me clinging to him, and carried me out of the living room, kissing me the entire way. With one, large hand supporting my rear, he used the other to fumble blindly for the door handle. Once we were in his bedroom, he laid me down gently on the bed. I looked up to see him standing over me, his blond hair hanging down over a lust filled face. One look at his pants told me he was growing impatient, but I had another idea in mind.
I stood up, keeping his gaze locked on mine, and began to pull up my t-shirt. I worked slowly, teasing him inch by inch, and then threw it to the ground next to me. He reached out a hand to grab at my breasts, but I pushed him away. He’d have plenty of time to touch later. I turned him around and pushed him onto the bed into a seated position. He let out a grunt, but didn’t move, watching me with greedy eyes. I wiggled out of my jeans before reaching back to unclasp my bra. I stopped before revealing my breasts, and it looked like Emmett was about to reach out and rip the garment out of my hands. I let my bra drop and then turned around. Hooking my thumbs into the elastic, I guided my panties down my legs, thrusting my rear out. I heard Emmett stand, and the rustle of clothing told me he was undressing as well. I turned back just as he was removing his boxers. I found his gaze again and pulled my hair out of my high ponytail, letting it cascade to my shoulders. We stood there, both fully nude now, admiring each other openly. I grazed my eyes slowly down his tanned body, enjoying each dip and curve of muscle. His chest was covered in a light blond fuzz that made me want to reach out and twine my fingers around it. The strong lines of his lower stomach guided my eyes ever downward and when I reached his groin, I wondered excitedly how it would feel inside of me.
With a growl, Emmett reached out pulled me into him. I could feel the thrum of his body as he pressed himself into me, and I felt my patience slipping away from me. Without a word, Emmet turned me around and tossed me onto the bed, belly down. I listened as he ripped open a condom and slid it on. I knew what was coming next, and the mere thought of it made me wetter than I had ever been in my life. I arched my back, hoping that Emmett was enjoying the view. His growl told me he did, and I felt two powerful hands grab my hips and guide me back onto him. He slid into me slowly, groaning as he savored every inch. I moaned too as he kept hitting new and deeper pleasure spots within me. When he finally stopped, it felt as if he was reaching into the very core of me. He paused there for a moment, and I savored the way he filled me completely.
As he began to thrust, slowly at first but gradually starting to build speed, I tilted my hips back until I was in a perfect p
osition. I cried out as he rammed harder and harder into me, hitting that sweet spot each time. The bed creaked beneath us and I felt as if my breasts were about to fly off of me from his force. Normally, I preferred gentle and sensual sex, but Emmett’s roughness had awoken an animal in me. I started thrusting back hard against him, revelling in the way our hips slammed together. He reached out around me, rolling my nipples between his fingers, and I screamed from the pleasure. I was so very close and with one, long, final thrust Emmett sent me careening over as my whole body shook and throbbed in orgasm. He cried out as well with a primal scream that told me he had also lost himself in bliss. Stars swirled around me and it felt like my mind was floating, disconnected from my body.
Just as I thought I was going to black out from the ecstasy, the stars faded and my mind slowly sank back into me. Emmett was still inside of me, and I felt him quiver slightly as his own orgasm dwindled. We stayed frozen for a moment while we both caught our breath before Emmett slowly pulled out. I felt empty without him, and a small sadness tinged the post-sex glow. As he went to the bathroom to clean up, I flopped over onto my back and stared up at the ceiling. Every care or worry I’d had prior to this afternoon was gone, replaced by a warm contentedness. Emmett returned to the bed and laid down next to me on his side, letting one hand rest gently on my bare stomach.