All I can do is smile and nod my head. I don’t even know how to respond when he says stuff like that. Opening the box, I see a brand new phone sitting there. It's pink. I look up at him, "this is…" I can't even finish my sentence.
"It's what you deserve, and I'm not done yet, babe. I want you to have this so that when I get sent on the road, I can hear your gorgeous voice. Not only that but it's part of the world you live in now, and I want you to be able to embrace it in every way."
“Thank you.” I kiss him.
"Today is about you, babe. I want you to know how loved you are and I want you to feel at home. This is where you belong. We are all your family now."
“You have no idea how much that means to me.” I pull him against me enjoying being able to be in his arms. I swear I’ve never felt better than when I’m in them.
“So there's gonna be a party tonight, for a couple reasons. One the obvious one is your birthday, and also to celebrate you being mine." He kisses me, and I swear I could listen to him call me his all day every day. "I'm excited, for both reasons." I wink at him, and we both laugh.
A knock sounds and we look at the doorway to see Lucy and Tracy standing there.
"Well, that didn't take long Tank." Tracy says, "Happy birthday MJ." She waves and then walks away.
"Happy birthday girl," Lucy says, and I hop off the dresser so I can walk over and give her a hug. "Hope today is the best for you. I know my first birthday here was definitely memorable."
"Mikey got me a phone." I flash it to her, and she looks back at him.
“Good job on that one.” She hugs me again. “I’m so happy that you’re here Emma.”
"Me too." She walks away, and I turn back to Mikey. "So what do you want to do?”
"Me? It's your birthday. Pretty sure it's your day to do whatever you want." He walks over and pulls me to him. I lay my head on his chest and listen to his heartbeat.
“Honestly, I could stay like this all day and be perfectly content.” I squeeze him tighter.
"Well then, why don't we get a little more comfortable?" he leans backwards, and I yelp as both of us fall onto the bed.
"You know you could warn a girl first." I shove him, and he laughs.
"Where's the fun in that? Besides you may as well enjoy this bed right now because from now on I plan to have you in my room with me." I look over at him surprised by his statement. "Oh you heard me, I fully plan to spend every night falling asleep with you in my arms and waking up the same way.”
A hum of content sounds from my lips, “That sounds kind of amazing.”
“Kind of?” he arches an eyebrow at me.
I laugh at the expression on his face. “Fine, it sounds completely amazing.”
“That’s more like it.” He pulls me to him kissing me again.
We spend the next few hours talking and even end up falling asleep together. I wake up to the feeling of my stomach rumbling. Mikey laughs next to me, “that was loud enough to wake me up.”
"Guess I need to eat something, or it's going to get angry." I move to get up, but I'm pulled back down.
“Just so you know waking up with you in my arms was even better than I thought it would be.”
I lean down kissing him. “Love you handsome.”
“Love you more gorgeous.”
I roll my eyes. “Nope.”
He nods his head. We go back and forth a few times each of us unwilling to accept the others affirmation.
“You know you two are already annoying.” Whip is standing in the doorway leaning against one side. “Happy birthday Emma. You hungry? Dinner is just about ready.”
“You read my mind!” I climb off the bed feeling like I haven’t eaten in a week.
“God, let’s get out there then.” He turns around walking away.
Mikey gets up and walks with me toward the main room. “Hope you’re ready for the craziness.”
“Definitely.” I walk into the room and freeze. There are balloons, and streamers all over. People crowd the room shouting a loud ‘Happy birthday’ once I am in the doorway.
Tears fill my eyes at how they have all gathered here for my birthday. When Lucy told me that this was my family now, I honestly thought she was just saying that to give me peace of mind, but I feel it. I walk over to her giving her a huge hug and then saying hi and thank you to everyone else.
I spend the night laughing and getting to know everyone. It's nice to be able to sit with Mikey and have him kiss me. We had a few stolen kisses before today, but because of what they told him we had to try and hide our feelings toward each other, which I'm told we did a pretty crap job of.
A yawn escapes my mouth, and until then I didn't realize how tired I actually was. A hand rubs my back, and I know that it's Mikey. "You want to head to bed?"
I nod my head. Giving Lucy one more hug and waving goodbye to everyone else I follow Mikey. I haven't been to his room yet and honestly I'm just excited to spend the night together. He stops at a door, and I see that he's at the complete opposite end of the hallway from where I was.
“I forgot to grab something to sleep in. I’ll just—“
"I'm sure I have something for you, babe." He takes my hand and leads me inside. It's almost identical to my room, and I see that he really hasn't put anything of his up. Mikey walks over to his dresser pulling out a t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants. I'm sure they'll be big on you, but I'll get your stuff moved in here tomorrow.
Taking the clothes from him, I head across the hall to the bathroom so I could get changed. The clothes are huge but they're also really comfortable, plus there is just something about wearing his stuff that makes me happy.
Walking back into the room Mikey is already in bed and under the covers. Climbing in a part of me feels uneasy because I don’t know exactly what he wants or expects right now. He had told me earlier that he would wait until I was ready but I also know that he isn’t used to that.
“Stop.”
I look up at him confused.
"I see the wheels turning in your head. I don't expect anything from you except for you to come here and lay with me." He holds out his arm, and I lay my head on his chest.
We talk for a little, and I tell him some more about my family, and also how I want to try and talk to Lucy, some more about my mom.
Today has been so nice.
Being able to be together and finally starting to feel like I found a place.
Like I belong.
Chapter Sixteen
Mikey
Waking with Emma in my arms feels so good. Her face is buried in my chest, and her legs are entangled with mine.
I need to get through because Whip wanted me to come and meet him before everything got going today. I slip out of bed without waking her up, pull on my shirt and leave as quietly as I can.
I find Whip in the main room. “Hey, have a seat.”
I grab a chair and flip it around to his table. “What’s up?”
“Listen with you getting involved with Emma I need to let you in on some club business you weren’t around for.” He starts to tell me the detailed story about how Lucy came to the club. How she had coincidentally reconnected with one of her sisters. Amy, Emma’s mother, had said she was scared and that she wanted to get away. Lucy had snuck out to help Amy and was caught in a trap.
She was tortured and had gone through hell at the hands of her uncle. She tried to kill herself and had spent months not talking to anyone at all. Then when she was out one day, she saw Amy, and it all came rushing back to her. She remembered what happened and that Amy helped to orchestrate it. The club took her back here, and Lucy insisted on facing her and being the one to do it.
“I can’t believe Lucy was the one who pulled the trigger.” Looking at her I’d never guess she had it in her.
The sound of something hitting the ground catches my attention, and I see Emma running away.
Shit.
Chapter Seventeen
Emma
; I wake up and realize that Mikey isn't in bed anymore.
Getting dressed I head toward the kitchen to grab something to drink and then see where he went to.
I see him sitting with Whip at a table in the main room. I’m about to say hi when I hear my mother’s name.
I can’t believe Lucy was the one who pulled the trigger.
That phrase repeats on a constant loop in my head as I lean against the wall for support.
It can’t be true.
Why would she do that?
My heart pounds and I feel like I can’t breathe.
I need to get out of here.
I turn and run toward the door but end up knocking over the small table next to me. I hear Mikey calling my name, but I can't stop. They all knew what happened to my mom. They knew, and no one said anything to me.
I run outside and to the gate. “Let me out!” My voice cracks and I try to force back the tears.
“Can’t do that, the club is on lockdown.”
"Let me out!" I yell even louder this time. A hand lands on my arm, but I jerk away. Turning I see Mikey standing there, but I don't even want to look at him right now. "Don't touch me."
“Emma, you need to come in and let us—“
“No! I don’t want to hear a word you all have to say. I should have known.” I turn back to the guy guarding the gate. “Open it.”
He looks back at Mikey.
I turn around once more. “You tell him to open the gate now, or I will call the cops and tell them I’m being held against my will.”
His eyes widen at my statement. “Babe, please.”
"Don't call me that. Someone should have told me." I turn back to the guy, taking my phone out. "Gate open or I call." I'm trying to remain strong, but my emotions are about to boil over.
He looks behind me again and after what feels like forever he starts to push the gate open.
A hand lays on my arm again, and I know it's Mikey. "Please, just wait." I turn to face him. "I love you."
My fight against my emotions is losing power as a tear falls down my cheek. “I love you, but right now, I can’t trust you. Looking behind him I see Lucy standing with Jordan. “Any of you.”
I turn and walk away from them. I thought I had found a place where I could be safe and a family that I could trust. I don’t think I’ve ever been more wrong about anything in my life.
I walk out of the club and start down the road. I don’t know where I plan to go or what I’m going to do. All that matters right now is that I need to get far away from everyone behind me.
I need to think.
I tried to talk to Lucy about my mom and she never once said that was what had happened. She had so many chances to tell me, they all did. Why would she kill her? What could my mom have done that was so bad to warrant that treatment?
I can't believe that Mikey had known too. I think that hurts more than anything. I trusted him so easily, and I had believed him when he said that he would never hurt me.
The phone in my back pocket buzzes and I don’t take it out to look. I know it will be someone I just walked away from. I don’t want to talk, to anyone.
I should turn it off, but I don't care enough to. Let them keep trying. I told them I needed space, and that's what I meant.
I have walked the few populated streets of downtown at least twice at this point, and I don't feel any better.
A car slows beside me, and I hope it isn't Mikey because I'm still not ready to talk to him.
“Emma?” a familiar voice says and I look up to see Lizzie in the passenger seat of a van. “Are you okay?”
“I—“ for a minute I consider spilling my guts to her, but I don't know how she will react to everything. "Yea, just trying to clear my head. What are you doing out here?"
She steps out of the van, “John and I were married three days ago. We had rented a cabin for a small honeymoon.”
“Lizzie that’s great, I’m happy for you.” I start to turn away not really ready for meaningless conversation.
"Hey," Lizzie steps up next to me. "Want to grab lunch maybe?"
I look back down the street that I've already walked twice. It couldn't hurt, and maybe it will help me clear my head enough to brave going back to the club. "Sure."
I smile at John in the driver's seat as I climb into the back. Taking out my phone I see a ton of missed calls and texts from Mikey and Lucy. I open the messages from Mikey not wanting to read them all. I do see the last one though.
Mikey: I'm sorry that you're hurt, but it's not what you think. Please come back or let me come to get you. I love you more than anything.
Me: Having lunch with a friend. I’m not ready.
I slip it back into my pocket. The sharp pain in my chest intensifies, I hate this feeling.
When the van makes a sharp turn I look up seeing the entrance to the highway. “I thought we were going to lunch. What’s going on?”
Lizzie turns around, "we are saving you, Emma."
“Saving me? What are you talking about? Pull over I want to get out.” I turn to John my voice raising.
“Calm down, the Lord will make this right. He led you to us.” His voice is almost robotic.
“Pull over!” I hit the back of his seat. He turns around his expression angry. Before I can react, he swings his fist hitting me in the cheek.
I'm thrown back from the force of the blow and slam my head against the window. Everything starts to spin as a blinding pain strikes my head. I reach for my phone I need to call Mikey. I squint trying to navigate the buttons. I click his name, but I slip away before I have the chance to say anything.
Chapter Eighteen
Mikey
Letting Emma walk away is one of the hardest things I have ever done. I wanted to go after her and force her to listen to us, to listen to me. I knew if I tried that though I might only push her farther away. It didn't stop me from calling and texting her though. I want her to know I haven't given up on her. I let her walk away to collect her thoughts, but she is taking up every single one I have.
She finally sent me a message saying she was grabbing lunch with a friend. This only put me on higher alert. Who the hell could it be? Where is she?
When my phone starts to ring, and I see her name it's like a small weight gets lifted off of me. "Emma? Tell me where you are and I'll come get you." The room quiets when they hear that. There isn't an answer though. "Emma? Are you there?"
I can hear two others voices, but the chatter in the room is drowning them out. I look over at Whip, "something is up." I stand up and run toward the hallway stepping into an empty room. That's when the voices become a little clearer, but I can't pick up every word.
“Is she okay?”
“She’ll…fine.”
“You didn’t…hit her.”
“Prophet said get…there and I wasn’t going…her jumping’ out…van.”
“Her…bleeding.”
My heart starts to pound. Something’s happened. I look toward the doorway to see Whip. “Get Wrench to track her phone now, we need to get a team of us ready to move and follow the signal. I’m gonna take the truck instead of my bike so I can keep listening.”
I run out the front door and jump into the truck, connecting my phone to the Bluetooth and turning the volume all the way up. Whip jumps in the passenger side, “he’s gonna call me with directions. Boys will follow us.”
I nod. The voices are clearer now, and I can tell one is female, and one is male. The female seems concerned, but the male voice is hard.
“What is going…her?”
“Not our business. Sinner’s…repent for actions.”
Jesus Christ.
I look over at Whip knowing how bad this could all turn out. His phone rings, and he gives me a nod to get going. We follow the road down to the main highway. This is actually the way Emma had tried to lead me when we tried to find the community.
I have to get to her. I’ve heard what happened to Lucy and there is no way
I am letting these people get their hands on Emma.
“Look on the floor…phone?”
I look over at Whip. “Shit.”
The line goes dead, and he barks into the phone to let Wrench know we lose the call. He should still be able to track it unless they're smart enough to turn it off. Hopefully, they were close to their destination so that we can still get to her. If not we will branch off in however many directions, we need to until we find her.
"Fuckin' assholes." Whip slams his hand on the dashboard. "Wrench said the phone is off now. He's got the last spot, but that's it. We are gonna have to hope they were close at this point."
I don’t respond because I can’t.
I can’t even think about a possibility that doesn’t end with us finding her safe and sound.
She has to be okay.
We pull to a stop and when I get out my hope plummets.
There is nothing around.
I turn to face Whip. “We going to have to split up. Everyone goes in different directions. Anyone we come across we question. Someone will know something.”
He nods and pulls out his phone. “I’m gonna have some reinforcements sent up here.”
I walk back to the truck, and once he climbs in, I take off North.
“We will find her Tank.” Whip tries to reassure me, but we both know that even if we do, at this point we don’t know what shape she’ll be in.
Chapter Nineteen
Emma
When I wake up body aches all over.
I move to lift my arm but I can't it's stuck, and I'm not sure on what.
I open my eyes, and I can barely see. The room is dimly lit with candles.
I look toward my hand and see that it's tied to a beam of wood. My other is the same, and once I get my bearings, I know that I'm not laying down like I thought I was. I am hanging from a large wooden cross. As I wake up more the pain throughout my body starts to intensify. My arms are on fire, and my shoulders feel like they could buckle from my weight any second. There is something over my mouth so I can't even call for help if I tried.
Anarchy (Deathstalkers Book 10) Page 6