“Doesn’t Emerald and Slate look smashing together all glammed up?” Melody changes the subject and gives us a reprieve from her inquisition.
“They make a stunning couple.” Phoebe smiles and wistfully looks at Emerald.
“We need to congratulate them both.” Stepping forward, Phoebe has no choice but to follow but Melody joins us.
Bro hugging Slate, the girls kiss Emerald. “Congrats, man. You’re one lucky man.”
“I know it.” Slate kisses Phoebe then Melody.
“Yes, he is.” Emerald kisses my cheek, her face beaming and she hugs me tightly.
I lean into her ear and quietly speak. “I won’t forget what you’ve done for me and for Phoebe. Thank you for including her in all of this. It means everything to me.”
Nodding her head, she pats my back. “You deserve happiness, Ocean. We all have ours, now you do too.”
She couldn’t be more correct.
“Would you stop monopolizing my wife.” Slate steps forward, his earlier relaxed self gone already. Taking Emerald’s hand, he pulls her into him, she wraps herself around him, kissing his lips.
“You two need to get a room.” Tanner and Crystal walk toward us, Lace and Caden walking with Emerald’s mom and Kyle.
They ignore us.
“Come on, let’s get this party started. I haven’t had a night without Jayce since he was born,” Crystal hollers, breaking the night silence.
Slate had given in to Emerald. Again.
He wanted to take her back to their apartment as soon as the vows were over, but Emerald negotiated a few hours with everyone back at The Gem, in the private room. How she manipulates Slate is priceless. No one else could do what she does and get away with her demands.
“We’ll meet you there. I want to show Phoebe where we race.”
“Don’t get lost in the dark. Or do.” Caden chuckles.
Leading Phoebe down the side of the cars, there’s enough light to see beyond this hill where the quiet road goes on for a while until there is a left turn. “Slate told us once, this was where Emerald claimed his ass.”
“They really do love each other, don’t they.” Her eyes are cast down the hill into the dark. “I was looking at her tattoo today on her neck. I guess you don’t get a name there unless you’re committed.”
My heart thumps in my chest, held against her back. “They’ve had some rough times apart and together. Slate wouldn’t let her go and if we’re being honest, Emerald would never let Slate leave her either. They belong together.”
“I can see that.” Phoebe’s arms are crossed around mine, comfortably held at the front of her dress, her boobs squish together.
Fuck, how I want to feel her skin naked against mine. Running my fingers up her waist, I lightly dance them over her bare shoulders, up her neck. My mouth waters and my cock aches. If I didn’t think it would scare her, I would rip her dress off and sink myself into her pussy now.
“I wonder how people give themselves over completely to another? Trusting they will cherish them and not let them down? Treating another as they want to be treated or even better.”
My heart breaks listening to her uncertainty. She’s never had someone love her.
“They do it because they have trust. Built up in times of struggles when they won’t let the other person down. When they put their needs in front of their own and by communicating and connecting. They may not agree on everything, but a discussion is powerful and as vital as connecting physically.”
“I guess. I get scared because I don’t want to be let down again. There’s only so much my heart can shatter before it’s irreparable. And I haven’t even had a guy before to break my heart. This is purely a by-product from my dysfunctional family.”
“Baby.” I turn her around so I can see her eyes. Worry is written all over her face. “You got in my car and trusted me to take you away from the danger that fateful day. You have allowed me to keep you warm and with each day we have taken small steps to build our relationship. Communicating about our past and then you giving me your virginity was a leap of faith. I can’t promise that the road ahead won’t be bumpy and dangerous, but I can promise I will do everything I can, so I don’t shatter your heart any further. Instead I hope to mend it back piece by piece. If it takes a lifetime, then I’m there.”
“I don’t want to let you down. I have nothing to give you.”
“You making me smile every day is all you need to do. I’m sure the girls have told you what I’m like. Broody and dark, sarcastic but deadly. A smile isn’t something I’m used to doing daily.”
“They may have said a few things.” Batting her longer than usual eyelashes, she grins and I take her lips.
Bang… Bang…
Her body jolts and mine straightens.
Gunfire erupts.
“Stay close to me.” Grabbing my gun from my waistband, I run in the direction of where our cars are. I haven’t heard any of them go.
Bang…
“Get the women out of here, Lace,” Caden yells in the distance.
Bang…
Phoebe keeps up, even though her ankle must be a little sore. I hear her gasping for breath.
“Stay here, baby, behind the rock. I’ll be back in a minute.”
“No. I’m going with you.”
Unsure if she’s scared to be by herself, I nod and keep focused. Slowly moving over the hill, watching around for any sign of a shooter, the bushes to the side are rustling. Hearing the security on their radio, I advance forward slowly. Under the dull lights, I scan the area, Slate’s voice is booming.
“Call an ambulance now.”
What the fuck has happened?
My eyes cast over the people, fixing on the dark yellow color spread on the ground.
My legs stop.
But everything else goes warp speed.
Where’s the shooter?
Why’s everyone standing around doing nothing?
Where the fuck is security?
Is that Kyle holding his shoulder?
Why is there so much orange on the ground?
“Melody?”
Control.
I thrive on it.
I’m bound to it.
It lives in me.
Learning fast and early on to embrace what I can control instead of relying on others became my creed. No more disappointments, risks were minimized, and my head and heart were free from any aches.
Planning enables me to keep control of everything. Bad and good, although I know life can’t be planned minute by minute, I give it a damn good try.
But this…
I couldn’t predict if I tried.
One leg lifts and then the next, propelling forward into chaos.
My voice rips from deep below, looking at my sister laying on the ground, redness seeping through her delicate dress.
Blood pumps through me, my ears ready to explode but my legs crumple to the ground beside my sister.
Taking her hand, Tanner gives me space. Touching her face, her eyes are closed and she looks peaceful.
Too goddamn peaceful.
“Fuck…”
Trying to concentrate on her limp body, my fingers run over her neck where I plead there is some kind of pulse. “Come on, Mel, you’re strong, fight this. Open your eyes. The ambulance is on their way.”