by K. C. Crowne
When I got accepted into my first choice of colleges, I expected congratulations. Instead, he tried to talk me out of it. He told me I would make someone a good wife one day and didn’t need a college degree for that.
I opened my eyes and stared at Graham, sniffling.
“I know my dad isn’t a good man. I lied to myself for years, but this, well, it’s hard to deny it anymore,” I said. “It opened my eyes to a lot of things. I don’t want to see him hurt, but I won’t be a slave to his business dealings.”
I don’t know why I told him that or why I felt so comfortable sharing it with him. I had never talked to anyone about my father before. Not Liv. Not my cousin Miranda. No one knew the struggles I’d dealt with in regard to my father. No one knew how I truly felt.
Until I told Graham.
He squeezed my shoulder, and the look on his face filled my heart with such warmth. He looked at me the way I had always wanted someone to look at me - with care and concern in his eyes. His face softened and his eyes were gentle, even though his face itself was rugged.
I felt safe with him.
Too soon for that, I reminded myself. I hardly knew him. I hadn’t been with any men before, so how could I be sure I was the best judge of character? Graham seemed almost too good to be true.
But I instinctively believed it to be true, even as I told myself not to.
“You don’t deserve the way he treated you, Emmy. Your father made his bed, and he needs to lie in it. You shouldn’t have to pay for his shortcomings with your life.”
I nodded. “I know, you’re right. But it’s more than that, Graham. It’s not just a concern over my life—”
I stopped short of telling him. The real reason I couldn’t go back wasn’t because of my fear of marrying a man I didn’t love and spending my life in misery. I might have done that to save my father, no matter how horrible he’d been to me, because the idea of anyone dying because of me was horrible. But I had to make a choice in that moment - my dad’s life or the life of the innocent child growing inside me. I knew Antonio wouldn’t let me keep another man’s baby, and the baby hadn’t done anything wrong. He or she didn’t deserve to die because my father made a deal with the devil.
I decided Graham deserved to know the truth, but before I could find the words, I heard footsteps in the hallway. Mason walked in from outside, soaking wet.
“Still raining?” Graham asked dryly, chuckling to himself over his terrible joke.
“What do you think?” Mason said with a cheeky grin.
“Not letting up at all, eh?”
“Nope. Not one little bit.” Mason looked between Graham and me. “Did I interrupt something?”
Graham glanced at me and I nodded, letting him know it was okay to tell Mason. After all, we were working together, right? They needed to know.
“She got a call from her dad. Lombardo has him and is threatening to kill him if she doesn’t return to Vegas.”
Mason cocked an eyebrow. “And?”
“And Emmy told him she’s not going back.”
“Damn,” Mason said, running a hand over his beard. He shot me a grin. “Good for you. Not many people would stand up for themselves like that.”
“Well, he dug his own grave,” I said, holding my chin up high. I tried to appear strong, but a lingering doubt in my head and heart cried out to me. He’s your father, Emmy, a voice spoke to me inside my head. He’s family.
Blood alone doesn’t make someone family, another voice argued. He had proven to me that I was worth nothing to him long ago, and he got us into this mess.
My child was my family. And I was the only person who could protect it.
“Any news on the roads?” Graham asked.
“The bridge leading to the property is still holding up, but barely,” Mason said. “Samuel’s working on alternate plans. We may end up having to leave this place and head for higher ground.”
“And go where? There’s nowhere as secure as our house.”
Mason shrugged. “We’ll have to figure it out. Everything’s fine for now, but we’ll keep checking. The rain should let up in a day or two.”
“Is that what they’re saying?” Graham asked.
“Yeah, and it needs to happen or the whole damn town might be in some serious trouble. The Liberty Dam can only do so much,” he commented, shaking his head. “This amount of rain is unprecedented for Utah.” He cleared his throat. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to change and relieve Eli on surveillance duty.”
Mason walked past us toward his room, and Graham turned back to me. “What were you saying before?”
“I—”
It wasn’t the place or time to tell him he was going to be a father. At any moment, one of his other brothers could walk in and interrupt us again. No, this was a conversation that needed to happen when we were completely alone.
“I just wanted to say that it’s not just my life at stake here, but all of yours as well. And I appreciate all that you’re doing for me.”
A crooked smile spread slowly across his face, and it made my knees weak. I had to wonder if our child would take after him. Would it have his same crooked grin, or those kind, keen eyes? If it was a boy, would he have his rugged, chiseled features? Or would our child take after my side of the family?
A chill ran through my spine as I thought about that possibility. What if our child took after my father instead? I pushed the idea out of my head. It’s nurture, Emilia. Not nature. Just because he or she shared DNA with my father didn’t mean much.
My hand rested protectively on my belly without even thinking about.
“Are you feeling okay?” he asked, noticing the gesture.
“Yeah, I think…” I dropped my hand. “I think I might just need to lie down a bit.”
“Of course. You’ve been through a lot.”
I nodded and bit my lip, staring at the ground as I asked my next question. “Do you think you could join me?”
“I wouldn’t dream of leaving you alone. Not right now.”
“Thank you, Graham,” I said gratefully, turning my eyes up to meet his gaze. Without even thinking, I stood on my tiptoes and pressed my lips against his. His beard scratched my face, but instead of it being uncomfortable, I felt soothed.
I was calmer with Graham around, and right now, I needed calm.
“Right this way,” he said, leading me to his room.
Even in the midst of the chaos, all I could think about was the way his hands felt on my body.
I followed Graham to his bedroom. I hesitated for only a second before stripping out of my pants, leaving just my panties and my shirt, and fell into the bed. He joined me, and I curled into him. I pulled my knees upward in a fetal position, nestled tightly against him. His strong arms were wrapped around me as he kissed the top of my head and stroked my hair.
“I’m not going to let anything happen to you, Emmy,” he whispered softly, his warm breath comforting. “No one is ever going to hurt you, darlin’. I can promise you that.”
My eyes felt heavy, and before long, I fell asleep against him - safe, warm, and knowing he would protect us both.
Ooo000ooo
My eyes fluttered awake. My arm was numb, and my leg was hurting from laying in one position too long. “How long have I been asleep?” I muttered.
Graham looked at the clock near his bed. “A couple hours.”
“A couple hours?” I said as I yawned. “I must have been exhausted.”
“Well, considering everything you’re dealing with—”
“I know, I know, it’s justified,” I said softly.
I stretched my legs out and rolled over on my back. Graham wrapped himself around me, and I rolled fully over, little spoon to his big one. I was so tiny against him; his entire body wrapped around me. It might have felt stifling had it been anyone other than Graham, but with him, it was just what I needed.
I adjusted myself, my ass pressing against him, and I felt his member poking me. I c
ouldn’t help but let out a girlish giggle. “Seems like someone is happy to see me.”
Graham quickly adjusted, pulling away from me slightly. “I’m sorry. I can’t help it, but I know it’s not the right time.”
I backed my ass back up against him again, rubbing against his erection. “It’s okay, Graham. I could use a little distraction right now.”
He didn’t respond with words; he pushed my hair aside, and his lips met the flesh of my neck. A warmth coursed through my body, and I wiggled against him, pressing myself firmly against his hard on.
“Take off your pants,” I whispered.
I could feel his hands fumbling with the buttons, then the familiar sound of the zipper. My body ached with anticipation.
I didn’t have to worry about my panties - Graham took control of that as well. His strong hands pulled them down just enough for my bare ass to press against his hard cock. I closed my eyes and let out a little sigh as I rubbed against him.
Graham placed his hands on my hips, holding me in place as he thrust into me from behind. I cried out as he filled me, his hard body pressed into my back, wrapping around me was perfect.
He moved slowly at first, sliding inside me and letting me savor the feeling of being completely filled to the brim. Then he’d withdraw completely before slipping back into me again. He kissed the back of my neck as he fucked me. His soft groans filled my ear, turning me on even more. The first orgasm hit me out of nowhere, and I whimpered his name, “Graham… yes, Graham….”
“Does that feel good, beautiful?” His voice was low and gruff.
“Yes. Oh God, yes.”
“Good,” he growled, picking up the speed, still holding me against him.
Even though I couldn’t see his face, it felt so intimate. I felt closer to him than I did before, and this time felt less like fucking and perhaps something more.
Stop it, Emmy, I told myself. Don’t think like that. It’s too soon.
Graham’s hands moved over my body until they found my breasts. His fingers circled my nipples through my shirt, just a soft tease, but it sent waves of pleasure throughout my body. No one had ever touched me the way he had. No one had ever made me feel the way he did.
I was falling fast – too fast.
“I can’t control it any longer,” he growled, stopping my thoughts.
“Then don’t,” I whispered. “Come inside me, Graham. Please.”
I begged him for it. I yearned for it. I was already having his baby, there was no more harm in it, and the idea of being filled with his seed brought me to the brink. The sound of his breathing growing heavier and the animalistic groan as he exploded inside me pushed me over the edge one more time.
We came together, my body shaking against his as he held onto me, buried balls deep inside me. And once the pleasure subsided, he continued holding me.
I had to admit to myself that I never wanted it to end. I never wanted him to let me go. I wanted this to last forever.
The thought scared me as much as it pleased me.
I couldn’t control how I felt about him, and there was no denying that he felt the same way about me.
Graham slipped his cock out of me and helped me roll over to face him. He stroked my cheek and stared deep into my eyes. He kissed the tip of my nose, followed by my forehead, and finally my lips.
And in that moment, nothing else mattered. None of my fears about us being together or not being together. Thoughts of my dad were long gone. Graham had succeeded in that regard - he was the ultimate distraction.
I prayed it wouldn’t end up being a mistake because I had more than just myself to worry about now.
Graham
Her tiny body shuddered against me. At first, I thought I’d imagined it or that she was just moving in her sleep. Her sniffling nose confirmed what I feared.
“Are you okay?” I questioned softly, nudging her to look at me.
“I’m fine,” she said, clearly lying.
“Come here, darlin’.”
She rolled over, and even in the darkness it was clear she’d been crying. She nestled against my chest while I stroked her hair back from her face.
“What’s wrong, baby?”
Her breath rattled as if she was trying not to let loose with sobs, but she managed to compose herself. “It’s just— I know I did the right thing, but I feel so guilty.” She sniffled before continuing. “He’s my father, Graham. Even if he’s terrible, he’s still my dad and it’s not easy leaving him to— to—”
She couldn’t bring herself to say the words, but I understood her point. “Shh, of course, honey. What you did was brave and incredibly difficult,” I told her. “It’s normal for you to feel torn about it.”
“Really?” she said, turning her head to look me in the eye. “After everything he did to me, it feels stupid to feel so bad about it. It’s not like he was father of the year or anything.”
“But he’s still your family. I get it.” I stroked her cheek and wiped away her tears with my fingers. “And cutting ties from toxic people is never easy. You’re a good person, and I would be surprised if you didn’t feel a little sad after everything that’s happened.”
“Thank you, Graham. I’m not so sure about being good person, though.” She looked away.
I lifted her chin and stared her in the eyes. “I have no doubt in my mind that you’re a good person, Emmy.”
“You hardly know me.”
“You’re right. But I can tell you’re a beautiful, intelligent, and strong woman. My gut tells me so, and my gut is never wrong.”
Emmy laid her head back down on my chest, but there was a stiffness to her body. Something else was on her mind, and I wished she would open up to me. I couldn’t force it - I would have to wait for her to decide to come to me about whatever was bothering her.
“Tell me about you,” she said, obviously determined to keep her secret for the moment.
“I’m a simple man. Not much to me,” I said with a chuckle. “What you see is what you get. You already know everything worth knowing, in my opinion.”
Her breathing evened out, and before long, she was asleep again. I stayed up, staring at the ceiling. The creaking of the old cabin put me on edge. I knew Mason was staying up and keeping an eye on the cameras, but I was still alert. I would always be alert. It was part of my DNA. Nearly twenty years in the Marines and four tours of duty would do that to a man.
I closed my eyes and focused on the rain pouring outside. It had become such a common occurrence, it almost blended into the background like ambient noise. Every once in a while, there would be some thunder in the distance, but for the most part, it was a quiet, rainy evening. It was almost relaxing and peaceful, but I couldn’t let my guard down.
“Graham?” Emmy muttered, taking me by surprise since I thought she was sleeping.
“Yes?”
“I have something to tell you.” She turned her head up and looked at me, and I wondered if she had fallen asleep at all. She seemed wide awake.
“I’m all ears.”
“I’m just afraid if I say something, that—”
There was a knock at the door.
“One minute,” I called out. I turned my attention back to Emmy. “What is it, darlin’? What’s on your mind?”
“Nothing,” she sighed, sitting up in the bed. She wiped her eyes and took a deep breath.
“I’m sorry, there’s always someone knocking or moving around here. That’s what happens when you have three brothers,” I joked, trying to lighten the mood. “But I promise you, he can wait.”
The knock sounded again. “Sorry, Graham, but it’s important,” Mason’s voice called from the other side of the door.
Dammit.
“I said give us a minute,” I growled.
“We don’t have a minute.”
“Just let him in,” Emmy said, pulling the blanket up over her body. “We can talk later.”
I pursed my lips, cursing my brother under my breat
h, but it sounded urgent. “Alright, come in, Mason.”
The door opened, and light filtered in from the hallway. “Sorry to bother you, but Teddy’s on the phone,” Mason said. “He needs all the men he can get to help with the sandbagging in town, and since you have experience with that sort of thing, he asked for you by name.”
I lowered my head in defeat. When I’d first retired from the military, I’d volunteered in some disaster-prone areas, and Teddy knew my history. I told him to call on me if he ever needed anything, but now certainly wasn’t the time.
“Talk to him, Graham,” Emmy said softly from beside me. “I’ll be here when you get back.”
I slipped from the bed as Mason walked toward me with his phone. “He tried to call you on yours, but—”
“Mine’s on silent,” I interrupted. I took Mason’s phone and stepped into the hallway. “Hey, Teddy. What’s up?”
“Hey, Graham. Sorry to wake you up so early, but we could really use your help. There’s some flooding downtown, and we want to set up some sandbags and other barriers, and I remember you saying you have experience with stuff like this.”
“I do, yes,” I said, rubbing my brow. “But listen, I don’t know if I can leave right now.”
“It’s fine, Graham,” Emmy’s voice spoke up from behind me. “Go. Help out. Your brothers are here.”
I turned around and found her in the doorway wearing nothing but my sweatshirt, which fell to her knees and nearly devoured her. While it hid her delicious curves, the sight of her in my shirt was sexy as hell.
Mason was right behind her. “She’s right,” he said. “I’ll be up for a while. Sam was just making some breakfast, so he’s up too. Eli could go with you if you needed the help. This place is pretty damned secure.”
I knew Emmy would be safe here, and the people of Liberty needed me. Teddy wasn’t the type to ask for help if he didn’t need it.
“I’ll meet you at the station in an hour,” I said.