Page 76 of The Gilded Cuff
There was something awful in the flash of pain on Cody’s face. It exploded through Emery’s chest, tearing a hole in his heart, hitting him with dark rage. Emery wanted to wrap his hands around the neck of the man who’d done this to his friend.
“Take it easy, kid.” Emery moved quickly to the hospital bed and pressed him back down into the thick stack of pillows. The body beneath his hand wracked with a sudden violent shiver and Cody sucked in a breath and clamped his eyes shut.
“Hey, you okay?” Emery was ready to hit the nurse call button, but Cody opened his eyes and blew out a slow breath.
“I’m good. Just dizzy for a sec.”
Emery stepped back, eyeing the room, and found the nearest chair. He fell back into it and put a hand on Cody’s knee.
“Breathe through your nose and lean back. It helps.” A man didn’t like to own up to being dizzy, but he’d had his share of nasty spells when he’d been held captive all those years ago. Whether it was from the beatings, or from starvation, he’d had to learn to find ways to overcome it.
After several exaggerated breaths, Cody’s nostrils flared. He seemed to get better.
“I know what you told the police, but was there anything you left out?” Guilt ate at his insides. He didn’t want to make Cody relive those moments, but he had to know if Cody had learned something useful, which could save them all in the future. He had to do it to protect the ones he loved.
Cody was silent for a long while, so long that Emery thought he wouldn’t say anything.
“It was him, Emery. That sick freak who took you and your brother.”
Emery stiffened, dread and anger sharpening their claws on his spine. No. It couldn’t be true. He didn’t want it to be true. The bogeyman that had haunted his nightmares since the day he’d escaped couldn’t still be alive, still waiting to get Emery and kill him once and for all…
“You’re sure?”
“Yeah. He said things…personal things. This wasn’t a copycat.” Cody’s eyes went from lively to glassy, as though he was lost in bleak memories.
“What did he say?” Against his mind’s wish to control, his body burned with anger and fear. Half of him wished Cody’s story was true. The man who stalked him was out there and could be found and dealt with. Emery would kill him with his bare hands.
Antonio D’Angelo. The things that man had done to him and Fenn…A shudder rattled through him with the jarring impact of a train clattering over ancient tracks.
“Look, Emery. I’m tired. We can talk about this later, right?” Cody settled back into his pillows and pressed the pain button on his little handheld pain pump. A couple of the machines connected to his IVs beeped loudly in response.
As much as Emery wanted answers, he didn’t want to push Cody too far. Emery had been there in that hospital bed, hurting and scared, too full of devastating memories. He knew better than anyone what needing a break was like. He could give Cody a day to regroup before he asked his questions. He got up from his chair and patted Cody’s shoulder.
“See you later. Call me if you need anything. Royce will be outside.”
“Thanks, bossman.” The reply was a whisper as Cody’s dark blond lashes fluttered and he surrendered to sleep.
Emery paused as he reached the door, looking over his shoulder at his friend. Something felt wrong. Something deep in his bones was stirring, churning like the hands of the dead clawing their way out of cold graves. It was only a matter of time before the ghosts resurrected themselves and the awful truth of the night he’d escaped from Antonio came out.
God help me. God help us all.
***
The costume lying on Emery’s bed was stunning. Sophie nibbled her bottom lip before succumbing to the urge to run her fingertips over the gown. It had a black underdress with a netting of golden lace sprinkled with tiny diamonds. A black satin sash tied loosely around the hips. She lifted it up and smiled. It was a retro style dress, like something a flapper would have worn in the 1920s. Sophie loved it. Any man with money could buy an expensive dress for a woman, but not just any man could find that one dress, so unique, so splendid that the woman was seduced merely by the touch of satin beneath her hands and excited to live the adventure wearing such a classic dress could bring. Emery knew just how to seduce her.
A pair of black closed-toed pumps sat next to the dress on the bed. The heels were high enough to make her legs look sexy, but not too high so as to be uncomfortable. She lifted one shoe, speculating on when he’d had time to shop for her yet again.
“You like it? Mother’s party theme this year isTheGreat Gatsby. You know the novel was set on Long Island, don’t you?” Emery was suddenly behind her, his hands spanning her waist. Soft lips rained kisses down on her cheek and neck. His natural tendency toward gentleness always surprised her. It was so at odds with the brooding man who’d threatened to bend her over, spank her, and bring out her dark side with wicked pleasure. Yet he was both the dominant master and the gentle lover. They were the same man and she was in love with all of him.
“So I’m Daisy Buchanan. Are you Gatsby?” She turned in his arms, tilting her head back to peer up at him. She loved that he was so tall. It made her feel safe and secure when she leaned into him. Yet at the same time, he could give her that look, the one so hot it made her melt. His lashes were long and dark like burnished gold, dropped to half-mast, softening the primal heat in his gaze.
“Yes, assuming you’ll be my Daisy and belong to no other man. Will you?” His palms slid up her back under the thin navy blue cotton sweater she wore. She ducked her head under his chin, releasing a breathless giggle as he struggled with the clasp of her bra.
“Having trouble there, Casanova?” She gave in to the desire to kiss his chin along the length of the faint scar. What she wouldn’t give to remove the hurt, take away the memory of what caused it.
“And you wonder why I insist on no undergarments? These things are impossible,” he growled in her ear.
Laughing, she reached back, her hands meeting his as she guided him to undo the clasp. Even though the bra still hung on her shoulders after he’d unclasped it, he spun her to face the bed and dragged her back against his body. His hips ground into hers and his hands moved under her sweater and loosened her bra to cup her breasts. Her nipples pearled beneath his teasing fingertips.
