Page 60 of Mine to Hold
And then there was her wandering soul, as he put it.
This is your safe harbor.
God, she so desperately needed one. She needed him. Wanted him and everything he represented.
In that moment, she made the decision she would stay until he decided it was over and someday it would be over. Someday he would walk away because Emmerson couldn’t give his heart.
13
Emmerson bolted upright and reached for his phone.
“What is that noise?” Rumor sat up and rubbed her eyes.
“It’s the alarm to the pool house.” Emmerson jumped from the bed, found a pair of jeans, and hiked them up over his hips. He retrieved his weapon and clip, slamming it into position. His heart thumped in his chest.
“What does that mean?”
“It means someone just broke in,” he said. “Hey Siri, call The Boss.” He raced to the sliders and peered out the window, but none of the lights were on. Fuck. Someone must have shut them off. But how? The breaker was in the garage. That alarm should have gone off first and he knew he engaged it.
Or had he.
Shit. He hadn’t. Not after his father left.
Damn it.
“Emmerson. It’s fucking four in the morning. This better be?—”
“Ma, I’ve got an intruder. I forgot to turn on the house alarm last night after Dad left. The only one that was on was the pool house and it just went off.”
“Shit. All right. Chris is on patrol tonight. I’ll call Emmett. He’s the closest and can be there in ten. I’ll be there shortly after.”
“Tell Chris not to come in with lights on. I’ll see you soon.” He ended the call, tucking his cell in his back pocket, and turned.
Rumor clutched the sheets to her chin and stared at him with wide, fearful eyes. He didn’t have time to comfort her, even though all he wanted to do was take her in his arms, hold her, and tell her how much he cared.
And that it would be okay.
“Put some clothes on and stay right here until I get back,” he said in a stern voice.
“You can’t leave me here. Besides, my clothes are in the kitchen. I’ve got nothing to change into.”
He raced to his dresser and pulled out a pair of boxers and a T-shirt. “Put these on.” He tossed them at her.
Crash!
He jerked as the sound of breaking glass filled the air.
“Fuck.”
“What was that?” Rumor tumbled out of the bed, crash-landing on the floor.
He raced to her side, helping her to her feet and tugging the shirt over her head.
She hobbled into the boxers.
“Stay right behind me, got it?”
“What the hell is going on?” She gripped his arms.
