Page 78 of The Gilded Cuff
Sophie raised one brow at him. “Oh? I bet that won’t last long.”
She took the dress and slipped it on, then slid her feet into her black pumps. Emery whirled a finger in the air to indicate she turn around. She spun. His hands were at her lower back, tugging the zipper up. A shiver tickled her spine.
The intimacy of this moment was wonderful. She and the man she loved were getting dressed for a party, helping and teasing each other the way serious couples might. She and Emery had known each other for such a short time, yet she knew him on some level better than she’d ever known her own family. And soon it would be over. He’d told her his story, but soon they’d find his brother and then there would be no other reason for her to stay. But she wanted to, God how she wanted to.
Sophie turned to face Emery and flung her arms around his neck. He stumbled back a step in surprise, wrapping his arms around her waist with a surprised laugh. She buried her face in his neck, breathing in his unique scent of man and musk with a hint of his cologne. He was strong, warm and playfully tender as he held her close. She shuddered, unable to contain the emotions flooding through her. He made her alive in a way she’d never been before. Weak with desire, but strong somehow, too, like she could conquer anything, do anything. She’d never felt that way before, as though she were capable of anything. Sophie had always believed in herself and had confidence in most of her abilities, but this ran deeper.
“Hey…hey, Sophie.” He tightened his arms and murmured soothingly in her ear. “What’s wrong? I was only joking.” His large palm cupped her cheek and she leaned into that touch, nuzzling his palm, feeling so safe and so cared for that it made knowing she was leaving soon even harder.
“It’s not you…I’m fine.” She relished his hold a moment longer before forcing herself to pull back. With her fingertips she wiped away the remnants of moisture from her eyes.
Emery looked doubtful, and his eyes focused on hers with a patient intensity that made her look away.
“We’ll talk about this later. I want to know what’s upset you, but we’re running late.” He pressed a soulful kiss to her trembling lips, threaded his fingers through hers and led her by the hand. He picked up her shiny gold purse and held it out to her as they headed down the hall.
Hans was waiting for them by the front door, dressed all in black, a serious expression on his face. A gun hung on his hip and Sophie had a feeling there were other weapons concealed in other places on his body.
“The car’s waiting outside,” Hans said as he handed Emery a small handgun.
“Wait a second. You think we need guns?” Sophie swallowed hard. The kidnapper was still out there, ready to kill Emery. It was easy to forget this when he overwhelmed her with passion in his bed.
“I need a weapon. Not you. Hans will keep you safe.” Emery pulled her close and kissed her right temple before slipping the small pistol in his coat pocket. Hans went to the coat closet, retrieving a black fur coat.
“You like it?” Emery held it out. “It was my grandmother’s.”
Sophie blushed as she slid her arms into the soft silk-lined sleeves of the luxurious fur coat. It was warm and snug. She felt like a million dollars. And it was all wrong. As they descended the stone steps outside to the car a haunting chill overtook her. For a second, she couldn’t breathe. It was as though someone had stepped over her grave. Pain tore through her and she cried out. Emery’s arms were around her, catching her, and just as quickly the pain was gone. The vision she’d glimpsed, the black world covered in a spray of ruby red was gone. Her Granny Bells’s voice echoed in her mind, a memory from long ago.
The devil comes for you. He comes for us all someday. Be ready, sense him and raise your fists, Sophie girl.
She could almost feel her Granny’s wrinkled hands grasping her child-sized fists, clenching her fingers and raising them up in front of her face like a seasoned boxer. No one had listened to Granny back then; she’d been an old woman with Alzheimer’s, but Sophie had listened. She had remembered.
“Sophie, what’s wrong?” Emery’s gruff tone made her speak up and say what all of her instincts were screaming for. She turned in his arms.
“Please, Emery, let’s forget about the party. I want to stay here, all of us. I have a bad feeling.”
Emery cupped her chin and raised her face. His hazel eyes were dark in the purple evening light that crept through the windows.
“You really are worried,” he observed, his face softening.
“Yes.” Relief coursed through her and her shoulders dropped as the tension eased. He would listen to her, and they’d stay, safe from whatever her instincts were screaming was going to happen.
“We have to go, just for a little while. I promised Mother. Hans will be with us. Everything will be fine. I promise you.”
“No! Emery please!” She tugged on the lapels of his black coat.
“You can stay here, if you’re too upset. Hans will be glad to stay behind and keep an eye on you.”
Her jaw dropped. “Are you crazy? With that assassin running loose? He doesn’t want me. He wants you. Hans has to stay with you.” She still held the edges of his coat and she rubbed her fingers absently on the expensive material as she hoped in vain he’d change his mind.
His sigh gave her just a flicker of hope before his words killed it. “Then come with me, Sophie. We’ll stay half an hour and come straight home. Scout’s honor.”
She managed a weak smile. “You were a boy scout?”
“Eagle scout.” He grinned.
“Of course,” she muttered, but she felt a little better. Even though her entire body still seized at the thought of heading into certain danger, she knew she wouldn’t talk him out of it and she had to trust him.
Her shoulders slumped and she dropped her hands from his chest. There would be no winning this argument. She let Emery escort her to the Mercedes and help her into the backseat. They both slid across the black leather. Hans got into the front passenger seat next to the driver and rattled off directions. Sophie tucked herself into Emery’s side and tried to banish the worry from her mind. She knew she would fail. The devil was out there. He was coming for them. She had to be ready.
