Page 43 of Shared By Her Brother's Best Friends

Chapter 23

Emma

The sound of motorcycles starting pulls me from my fitful sleep. The clock on my bedside table tells me it’s twenty minutes past two in the morning. I’ve not been sleeping well since Max was taken from me. What little sleep I do get is plagued with nightmares so for a moment, I wonder if the sound was simply a dream. But then the flash of lights and the sound of the engines rumbling quietly confirm I’m not imagining things.

I pad over to the window, wondering if it’s perhaps Jacob coming over late or the guys heading out, though why they would need to in the middle of the night I don’t know. I spot two figures on bikes riding away. Only Ty’s motorcycle remains in the driveway so it must be Jax and Mason. Immediately I feel sick with worry, surely something bad must have happened? What if it’s Max?

I try to remain calm and not panic, hoping there’s a reasonable explanation. Surely if Kane and his men had gotten to Max they would have woken and told me and Ty too?

It’s been three days since I’ve seen my little boy, but it feels like an eternity. I spend my days listlessly moping around the house waiting for the five-minute supervised phone call I’m allowed with Max. Hearing his voice is the only bright spot in my dark days. I’ve been trying to convince myself that he seems happy and with all of the attention on Max, Kane and his men are unlikely to be able to get near without being spotted. Butwhat if they’ve snuck into Jessica’s house and stolen him from his bed? You hear horrible stories of that happening to children. What if tonight is the night that Kane has finally come to take my little boy away from me?

I can’t quell the hysteria and panic that begins to rise inside of me and, not knowing what else to do, I head out of my room and toward Ty’s. I rap my knuckles on the door lightly at first then harder when there’s no response. I don’t even hesitate before turning the doorknob and heading inside. Ty is fast asleep on his front, the blankets thrown off him. He sleeps naked so his bare body is revealed in all its glory, strong yet vulnerable in sleep, like a sleeping lion. Normally I’d admire the sight of his firm ass but I’m too worried to even think about it.

“Ty,” I hiss, “Ty wake up!” he doesn’t respond, only stirring, turning over so I can see his semi-erect penis, clearly, he’s not having bad dreams. “Ty,” I say louder this time, going over to shake his shoulder gently so as not to startle him.

“Emma?” he says groggily as he blinks awake looking confused. “What are you doing in here?”

“Sorry to wake you but Mason and Jax just left and it’s the middle of the night. I’m worried that something’s happened to Max. Why else would they go out so late? Why wouldn’t they tell me?” I start to ramble.

“Shh, Emma, calm down, I’m sure it has nothing to do with Max. Did they text you?” he says soothingly.

“No, can you check your phone?” I ask hopefully.

He does as I ask, the glow from the phone illuminating his handsome face. He rubs a hand over the stubble on his jaw.

“Nothing,” he says shaking his head.

“Oh god! What does that mean?” I say starting to pace.

“Calm down Emma. It probably means that they didn’t want to wake us if our phones weren’t on silent. Chances are they’ve left a note downstairs for us to find in the morning,” he reasons.

Without saying anything I immediately run downstairs to check. Sure enough, there’s a note on the kitchen table. I race back upstairs to Ty’s room. He’s sat up in bed having turned on the bedside light and pulled the sheets up to cover him from the waist down.

“Told you,” he says with a nod toward the piece of paper I’m holding. “What does it say?”

“J-Bird called me and Jax out on a mission to intercept a Hell Rider deal and hit back hard. Ty, I will update you with more info when I know and keep you posted. Don’t come after us this time. Emma, do as you’re told and stay put for once,” I read the note aloud smirking slightly at Mason’s bossiness.

“Well, there you have it it’s an Iron Serpent Hell Riders matter. It’s nothing to do with Max. Max is fine. And we’re to stay put,” Ty says with a small smile back at me.

I can’t shake the concern I feel for Max, I was so certain something had gone wrong. Ty must sense my confusion and inner turmoil as he continues to reason with me.

“Surely if something had happened to Max, you’d be the one to hear about it first? Jess wouldn’t hide it from you, would she? And since she’s with him, and you’re his mom, no matterwhat she or the authorities would call you, not J-Bird or the guys.”

“You’re right,” I reply, letting out a deep breath. “Not that I like the sound of the guys going on a mission in the middle of the night against the Hell Riders either,” I add.

Ty shrugs, his lack of concern helping to ease my worries. “It’s not that uncommon, motorcycle clubs don’t exactly keep sociable hours.”

I hover there, uncertain of what to say or do. “I’m sorry I woke you up,” I land on, feeling a little embarrassed at how hysterical I got.

“Don’t be.”

“How are you always so calm and collected?” I ask scrutinizing his calm expression and relaxed body language which hasn’t changed the whole time we’ve been speaking.

“Years of practice at hiding how I feel on the inside,” he replies candidly, his eyes meeting mine and holding my gaze.

“Right well… I guess I’ll let you go back to sleep. Sorry again… for well… you know…” I mutter awkwardly.

Despite the fact we’ve had sex together and done all kinds of things, somehow, it’s only just dawning on me how vulnerable someone is naked and asleep. How intimate it is to share that with someone, to allow them into your bedroom.

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