Rise and Shine (Shine On Series, Book 2)

by Jewell, Allison J.

  Silas closed the space between them quickly and pulled her from her chair. Ugh. There was no way she could dance again.

  “Silas I told you. There is no way I can dance again unless you’ve got some better shoes hidden around here somewhere,” she said.

  “We aren’t going to dance, sweetheart,” he said.

  “Oh, where are we going?” she asked as they moved past the dance floor.

  He gave her one of his crooked smiles. “To take care of your feathers.”

  And just like that, she couldn’t breathe again.

  Chapter Six

  Emmie couldn’t say how they made it back to his room.

  Or where her feathered headpiece was…

  Or her shoes…

  Or why there was a trail of blue peacock feathers leading from the door to the bed.

  But she did know Silas was everywhere.

  His hands were everywhere.

  His kisses were everywhere.

  He was different. Rough even. Hands squeezing and pulling every inch of fabric they came in contact with. His kisses were forceful. Hard. Biting. She could taste the apple pie moonshine on his lips. She breathed him in and then playfully tossed his hat on the floor. He grinned. He approved. His eyes darkened.

  He reached forward, grabbed the fabric on her hemline, wrapped his hand tightly in the fabric and gave a hard pull. The skirt came off like it was sewn of nothing but air. A pile of feathers from her once beautiful dress lay at her feet. Had she been in her right mind she may have told him that was a horrible waste of money. But he was taking off his jacket and laying his holster on the nightstand. Unbuttoning his shirt. The ripped dress and wasted money became no more than a passing thought.

  Drinking in the sight of her, Silas stood there, taking in her beauty. He had never been with a more beautiful girl. Her garter belt hung low on her hips with long straps leading down her thighs. He decided he would never again fault her for walking everywhere rather than letting him drive. The miles she had traveled paid off in those stockings. He had to touch them.

  Dropping his shirt on the ground he took a step forward and pushed her down to the bed. The crimson flush he was so fond of traveled up her chest and neck. She reached for a blanket, a little self-conscious from his gaze. Silas shook his head and pushed it away. He leaned down and put a soft kiss on her knees, traveled up her thigh, reaching the top of her stocking and kissing her bare flesh. It was softest skin he’d ever touched. Making easy work of the little buttons that attached the stocking to the garter belt he slowly rolled one of the stockings down her leg.

  Emmie had never felt anything like this… his hands, his kissing, the air as it hit each inch of her skin. She bit her lower lip and dug her hands into the sheets. This felt like a dream. Surely she was about to wake. Silas lay the stocking next to his gun on the nightstand. He looked so beautiful. His body was hard. She sat up and put a hand on his chest. Kneeling up on the bed her mouth met his. She ran her hands through his blue-black hair, pulling it between her fingers.

  The sound he made startled her. She pulled back to check that he was okay… Maybe she had pulled too hard. His mouth came down on her with such force it pushed her across the bed. He was okay. Better than okay.

  Emmie paused. She thought she heard something.

  “Silas,” she whispered. He ignored her. She listened but didn’t hear anything. It was hard to focus. Love and liquor had put her brain in a fog. He trailed kisses up her neck and behind her ear, supporting his weight with his arms. She liked how they rippled as he adjusted his body over hers.

  She heard it again. But if Silas did, he didn’t show it. “Silas, honestly.”

  “What?” he growled.

  “I hear something,” she whispered.

  “Babe, come on. It’s probably cars on the street. We’re in the city, remember?” He grinned and went back to her neck.

  The sound of the door hitting the wall was their only warning. Before Emmie could blink Silas was off the bed reaching for his holster. Her eyes went on the tall figure standing in the doorway. She leaned in for a closer look.

  “Good God, Gabe. Are you trying to get yourself shot? What hell are you doing?” Trick asked, running in the door after him.

  “Somebody better be dying, boys,” Silas said still holding the pistol.

  Trick flipped on the light. Gabe took a step closer to him. His mouth frozen open. He looked startled. Like he wasn’t sure what to say.

  “What the hell is going on? You two better start talking. Now,” Silas shouted.

  “It’s just that I think you need to get your hands off her,” Gabe said then shook his head like he was trying to find the right words. “I mean… Emmie’s not this kind of girl. You’re drunk Silas. She deserves better than…” He waved his arms around the hotel room. “She’s better than this.”

  Emmie watched as large veins began to pop out on Silas’s neck. He stood there frozen clenching his jaw. She had only ever seen him this angry one other time. That day he wasn’t drinking and he had beaten the man until his knuckles cracked open. She still hadn’t seen or heard from Mr. Thomas.

  “Silas, put the gun down.” Emmie stood behind him and rested her hand lightly on his. He had forgotten it was still in his hand.

  He glanced back at Emmie. “Emmie put some damn clothes on.”

  He was not yelling at her over this. This was not her fault. “Well, I haven’t any clothes,” she shouted and pointed to the feathers on the floor.

  Gabe shrugged out of his jacket and tossed it to her. “Put that on. This is done.”

  “The hell it is,” Silas said, dropping the gun but closing the distance between he and Gabe.

  Emmie pulled Gabe’s blazer around her shoulders. “Gabe, I make my own choices. Thanks for trying to help me but…”

  Gabe ignored her and spread his arms wide. “She’s like family and got no one to stop her from this mistake. What if she was Jemma?”

  “You came up here tonight to tell me I’m not good enough for her?” Silas shouted.

  “Guys, let’s just sleep this off. We’ve all been drinking. Let’s pick this up tomorrow.” Trick put himself in the middle of the two.

  Gabe ignored him and repeated. “Not tonight, Silas. This isn’t good enough. She’s been drinking, you’re drunk.”

  Emmie was so confused. Had Ava sent him in here? That didn’t sound like her. Heck, Ava would have wanted her to take notes to share later. Was he right? Was the ’shine and whiskey clouding their judgment? She did know she didn’t like these two arguing over a decision she was perfectly capable of making. Gabe grabbed her by the arm and started pulling her through the door.

  She tried to shrug him away. “What’s gotten into you? Stop.”

  But that was all she had the opportunity to say. Gabe was caught off guard when Silas’s knuckles met his cheek. Gabe turned and gave him a lick of his own. Trick swore and tried again to get his body between the two. Emmie pulled herself up on Silas’s back.

  “Stop this. Now,” she shouted in his ear tearing his arms away from the fight.

  Trick finally pushed Gabe against the wall. All four were panting. Silas shrugged and pulled her off his shoulders. She fell to the floor and sat there for a second before gathering composure. She moved around the room and made quick work of gathering her feathered skirt, and stocking. She slipped on her shoes and buttoned the coat around her with as much dignity as she could manage.

  “Get out before I decide to give you another hole,” Silas growled, pointing at the door.

  “Silas,” Emmie said in horror. He should not talk to his friend like that regardless of what he had done. “Don’t threaten him. He’s our friend.”

  “Not tonight, he’s not. Is that how this is going to be, Emmie?” Silas asked, reaching for his cigarette pack.

  Emmie saw Trick whisper to Gabe and point to the door. Clearly he was pleading a peaceful exit.

  “How what’s going to be?” she asked.

 
“You’re gonna take his side? Do you agree with him?” he yelled.

  “What? I’m not taking anyone’s side. I’m taking my own side.” She frowned. She was confused and didn’t even know why she was so angry.

  Silas rubbed his jaw and then fumbled with a cigarette in his hand. “Well, I’m not letting you leave looking like that… like some floozy traveling from room to room with no clothes on,” he whispered.

  “Oh Ye Knight of Virtue, Gabe. How about you head up to her room and grab some clothes? She’s not walking through the hall in your jacket,” Silas barked.

  Gabe opened his mouth to say something back but Trick just pulled him out the door. Silas fell back into a chair next to the bed. He lit a cigarette and pushed his hair behind his ears. His arm snaked out and pulled Emmie into his lap. They sat there in silence for a moment before either spoke.

  “Well, that was odd. And humiliating. And confusing. What do you think has gotten in to Gabe?” Emmie asked, resting her head on his shoulder.

  “I don’t know sweetheart but I’m sure as hell gonna find out,” Silas said. Emmie had no doubt… this conversation was not over.

  Chapter Seven

  Trick emerged a few minutes later with a small bag. Emmie recognized it as Ava’s toiletries case. Great, for him to have that means she is the one who packed it. Which meant there would be many questions tonight from her friend. She sighed as she stood and walked to collect her belongings. Trick laughed as she spun on her heel to make way for the bathroom.

  “What?” she asked, wondering what he could find funny in this situation.

  “I’m just thinking… this is the second time in less than a year I’ve seen you in nothing but a man’s jacket. Better be careful or you’re gonna lose that good girl image.” He poked at her arm.

  “Shut your mouth, Trick.” She rolled her eyes and smacked his arm as she moved past him.

  “You gonna let her sass me like that, Silas?” Trick asked just loud enough for her to hear through the bathroom door.

  “It’s nicer than what I would’ve said,” Silas laughed, buttoning his shirt. After he finished dressing he turned to Trick and asked, “Where’s the asshole?”

  “Silas,” Trick shook his head. “Not tonight brother. We’ll have a good laugh and a good night’s sleep.” He recited the old Irish proverb.

  “That’s not for you to decide,” he said, slipping on his jacket.

  “Silas, he had his reasons, as crazy as they were. I think he meant well,” Trick said seriously.

  “What?” Silas spit. He couldn’t believe his own brother was taking Gabe’s side.

  “Look it’s too deep for right now, okay. Trust me,” Trick whispered.

  “Too deep?” Silas repeated. If that asshole had run up here tonight because of some misguided crush on his girl… He couldn’t even think about what he would do to him.

  “Not now, Brother,” Trick whispered.

  Emmie hastily braided her hair to pull it away from her face. The worn cotton of her mother’s old dress felt good on her skin. She was sort of surprised Ava had packed it for her. She had expected some fancy dress; worn cotton was usually not Ava’s thing. Trick must have intervened in the choice. When she opened the door she was surprised to see the deep frown set in on both brother’s faces. She had only been gone a few minutes.

  It was on the tip of her tongue to ask if something else had happened but she didn’t have the chance. Silas grabbed the bag and threaded his hand in hers, pulling her out the door.

  “Goodnight Trick,” she called from the doorway.

  If he replied, she didn’t hear it. Emmie didn’t have a chance to wait around for his farewell. Silas was already four steps ahead of her. The heels of his boots beat out an angry rhythm on the hall’s hardwood floors. She was practically skipping to keep up. When they reached her door he grabbed her bag and fished out the key. He opened the door and stepped through without waiting for her to enter first. That was unlike him.

  “What in the world is going on with you two?” Ava asked.

  She was positioned for a fight with a hand on her hip. Ava was standing across from Gabe, who was planted on the couch with a washcloth on his eye. He pulled it down and looked up at Silas. Emmie sucked in a long breath as she saw the swollen angry-red flesh on Gabe’s cheek. It must have been from that first hit.

  Silas moved right past her like she wasn’t even there. Gabe tossed the towel on the table and stood to meet him.

  “Not tonight,” Gabe said, putting his arms in the air in a position of surrender.

  “So now you’re turning my own brother against me too? What you did earlier wasn’t enough… you had to try and piss me off further,” Silas said.

  Ava turned to Emmie. “Emmie what is going on? All I know is he came in here needing your clothes with this horrible red mark on his face. I think it is going to bruise. We are supposed to have our photo made tomorrow for the papers, for goodness sake.”

  Emmie ignored her friend. She was much more interested in the conversation about to take place.

  “Not tonight, Silas. I swear we are not getting into this tonight,” Gabe said.

  “I guess you should have thought about that before you stormed in my room tonight and,” he rubbed his jaw cutting off the rest of the sentence then picked back up after a second’s hesitation, shouting, “you had the balls to send my brother back to tell me you were right to do what you did.”

  Gabe ran his hands through his hair and paced the length of the room. Finally he turned around and through gritted teeth said, “This isn’t about you.”

  Silas frowned. A look of complete arrogance took over his features. “The hell it’s not. You come in my room and tell me I’m not good enough to put my hands on her. Gabe that sounds like it’s got a lot to do with me.”

  “Gabe, did you do that? Why would you do that?” Ava asked then she snapped her head around to Emmie. “Why would he do that? Is there something you need to tell me?”

  Emmie took in her friend’s expression. Hurt. Confusion. Anger. It was all there. Oh dear. No. Ava thought…

  “No. I have no idea why he did it. I mean he said it was because we had been drinking and I had no family to stick up for me,” Emmie said quickly. She did not like the way this conversation was turning.

  Ava shook her head and took a step away from her friend. Silas looked from Emmie to Gabe and a deep frown settled in his brow.

  “No,” Emmie shouted. “No. Tell them Gabe. It’s not like that. You came in there tonight just because of some misguided attempt to protect me. You were just trying to act like family because I don’t have anyone. That’s what you said. Tell them.” Her heart was pounding. Surely to goodness Gabe didn’t have feelings for her. He had just proposed to her best friend.

  Gabe turned and opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. Her words struck a chord with him. Act like family. He had to tell her about the picture… about the conversation he’d had with his father after dinner… why his mother had left the party. He needed to tell her all of it but he couldn’t find the words. Again he tried to start but he felt his throat start to burn. Oh hell. He was not going to lose control of his emotions… not here… not now. He stormed toward the door.

  “I can’t do this right now.” That was all he said before the door slammed behind him.

  Silas immediately took off after him. Emmie reached out her hand and grabbed his arm. He paused, his back still to her.

  Emmie said, “No. Do not go after him in anger. He’s been your friend for years.”

  He stood there for a moment slowly breathing in and out. She could see the rise and fall of his shoulders but other than that he was still. Too still. Unmoving. “Take your hands off me.”

  The coldness of his tone tore through her heart. She moved around to face him, never moving her hand from his arm. “Silas, look at me.”

  He didn’t move. He was like a snake ready to strike.

  “Look at me,” she pleaded. “It’
s not what you’re thinking. I don’t know what’s going on with him. We never had those kind of feelings for each other.”

  “I will not ask you again. Take your hands off me. Now, Emma.” Silas never called her by her given name. She let go. He moved around her. The echo of the door closing left her feeling hollow.

  “I didn’t want to believe it but I saw you together once,” Ava said, her voice barely more than a whisper. “I never asked either of you because I thought it was just a coincidence.”

  Emmie’s head pounded. “What?”

  “Once back home. I saw him meet you at lunch at the shop. You walked around the square together. You were both smiling. You looked so happy. Emmie you don’t smile that much for everyone,” Ava said.

  “I don’t know what you are talking about.” She tried to remember when he had met her for lunch. But her brain was tired and confused with the events of the evening.

  “You always told me not to trust him, that you didn’t trust him. Was that your way of trying to tell me the truth?” Ava asked.

  Emmie wanted to put her hands over her mouth and scream. “No. I just meant that I didn’t like him. I didn’t think he was good enough for you because he ran out on you last spring. My God Ava, do you really think I would do that to you? You’re like my sister. How can you believe this? How can Silas believe this? I don’t know what’s going on with Gabe but it’s not me.”

  And that was it. She’d hit her breaking point. She left the small living room and walked into the bedroom, curling into bed fully clothed. Tears flooded her eyes. She mopped them up with the worn cotton sleeves of her mother’s old dress. She breathed in the little piece of home and longed to leave this God-forsaken hotel room.

  Chapter Eight