Page 117 of Only for Love

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

Grayson

As if those were the words I needed to hear, the weight of guilt recedes. Blood doesn’t make a family, and I’ve known that my whole life but never realized it. “Are we good?”

Ryan throws his hand out. “Yeah.”

That’s all that needs saying. We shake on it. “Alright then.”

He dips his head, nodding toward the open room where Jared and Brock are chatting with Emma. “You good to go back out?”

It’s my turn to nod. “Yeah, let’s do it.”

I take a deep breath and head down the hall. I’ve said it a dozen times—I hate strip clubs because they remind me of Pops—but right now, I want out of here for different reasons. I’m exhausted and more emotional than I’ll ever admit out loud. And I really fuckingneedEmma’s body against mine. She makes me sane. The simple fact is that I’m meant to survive with her by my side.

Across the room, Jared and Brock stand up, then Emma. She’s smiling. Both men look pleased, and whatever their questions were, they must’ve asked them the right way. They’re pros. It would’ve been nice to work with a new team. Throwing punches at potential new team members probably means I have no shot at that job, a fact that was confirmed when Delta went to search Emerald’s at Brock’s request, and the order pointedly did not include me. It sucks. But like the way it worked out with Ryan, a new team will happen when it’s meant to happen. I have to believe that my near-complete mental breakdown in this stupid-ass strip club happened so that Ryan and I could move forward. A new job will come when I hunt it down and find it.

I rub the back of my neck as Sarah comes back from the same hall we just came from. Ryan heads her way, and I miss most of what she says. My focus is intent on Emma.

Yeah, she’s sweet and gorgeous, but damn, the woman is strong—a survivor. It makes me love her all the more. As she walks over, her eye catches mine, and I get my arms around her as fast as I can. Sliding to the side of the room, she melts against me. Her soft curves press to me as if we’re pieces of a puzzle. “You good, pretty mama?”

“A lot better.”

“Good. I want as much distance as possible from here.”

She turns in my arms, gazing across the stage. “Don’t hate this place or what I did. Emerald’s isn’t who I am. But Iambetter for it. I’m stronger because I pushed myself.”

Holy. Shit.I love this woman. “Way to make my asshole mistakes sound like some shitty stepping stone in life.”

“Ha.”

Holding her to me, I wave bye to the men standing in the room. “Ready?”

Her smile curves as she leans back into me, but then she pops onto her toes and kisses my cheek. “I’m going to get my purse and keys, okay?”

I squeeze her before letting go. She runs off and grabs her things, saying her goodbyes, and then she’s back in my arms, and I’m dragging her out the door. Fresh near-dawn air hits us. I drink in the cool morning and turn to look at Emerald’s a last time, briefly thinking back to the moment I saw fear in her eyes. Never again can I let that happen. Once again, I’m consumed by a dizzying need to run my hands over her, to make sure she is fine.

We make it to her Jeep, and I manage to stow her safely in the passenger’s seat before my hands clasp her cheeks, and my mouth takes hers. I breathe her in as our lips brush against each other. Her tongue caresses mine, and I push away the sudden spring of fear. Life’s too unknown, with hidden enemies and unseen terrors. The idea that I could lose her again… it’s unbearable.

“I love you, baby,” I murmur against her lips. “I’m not the best guy out there.”

“You might be.”

“But Jesus fuck, I promise you, Emma. I will be the best one for you. No more working shit jobs, no more paycheck to paycheck. I’ll figure it out.”

Her eyelashes lower as if she’s lost in thought. But then her hands cover mine. I realize I’m clinging to her.

“We’ll figure it out. I didn’t work this hard here because it was my only option, but because I needed to control what I could of my future.” She studies me. “Does that make sense?”

Her words roll through my mind. She doesn’t need me to survive, but she wants me by her side, making it better. There’s a big difference between those two things. “Yeah, I think it does.”

“Sweet.” She settles against me, her legs hanging off the passenger’s seat as I block her in. She sighs against my chest and asks, “What’s next?”

“Guess we go home.”

She leans back. “Wego home?”

“Yeah, baby. We go home together.” My hands run down her shoulders, holding onto her biceps. “Us, under the same roof.”

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