Page 65 of Dare You to Catch Me
He chuckles before he says. “I’m not a bad guy, Emma. I'm just a fuck around and find out kinda of guy.”
“I know. I’m not used to men like you.” And what I mean by that, is their hulky builds that tower over me and intimidate the fuck out of me when they do nice things. And a simple thing of opening a fucking door for me, sets me on fire inside. My bottom lip rolls between my teeth, biting down, feeling that intimidation crowding me. He lifts a brow and I hold my gaze on him. “Ace said I would see we are similar.” I blurt out. He nods to the car. “Get in, we’ll talk while we drive.” I nod and slide down into the car before he closes the door behind me. I watch him walk around the car and get inhimself.
Starting his car, he pulls away and looks over and I meet his gaze as he swallows hard. “My parents stabbed me in the back, like yours. Used me and in the end, they both got what was coming before I got the chance.” He blurts it out so quickly I’m not even sure if I heard him clearly, but I catch his drift as his hand tightens around the steering wheel turning his knuckles white.
“Parents fucking suck.” I sigh.
“Yeah, they do.” It goes quiet and I don’t pry, I leave it at that. I understand.
I pull my gaze out the window and watch the city street lights go by in a blur as Bear drives us back to the estate, when an idea pops in my head. “Go to the West Casino.” Bear looks over at me with widened eyes. “I don’t think so.”
“Why?”
“You know why?”
“He’s there isn’t he?” I spit. My lip curls to a snarl; why is Ace hiding from me? I’m getting sick of this fucking game.
“I don’t know where he is, Emma, but I am not taking you to the Casino.”
“I’ll go myself when I get home.”
“No you won’t.”
“YES I WILL!” I snap. I’m done with people telling me what to do and I am done with Ace giving me the cold shoulder.
Bear looks away from me as he shakes his head, focusing on the road in front of us as he shifts his car aggressively, knowing I’ve pissed him off. I look out the window and begin my plan of sneaking out and going to the casino.
Bear pulls his car into the garage and shuts the door behind us. I get out and immediately walk away, heading for myroom.
BEAR
She is getting antsy now knowing she was on Ace’s trail tonight at Crazy Jays. And she’s right for wanting to go to the casino; it would be where he is if he’s trying to put shit together. I know she’s going to crack real soon, she’s got that dare Devil look in her eye, and I know she’s planning something.
I watch her storm from the garage and I pull my phone from my pocket, and send a text to Ace.
I know you need to do this your own way, but she’s getting ready to blow. You can’t leave her hanging like this, Ace. I think she’s figured out who her brother is. She needs you man, I can’t stand those glistening sad eyes and watching her hurt so you better get your ass home or call her.
I hover over the text, knowing this is going to light a fire under his ass; but I mean it, I can’t stand seeing any women in pain and hurting. I will wrap her in my arms and hold her while she falls apart, and he’s made it clear hands off. So, he better make his mind up what he wants.
He’s done the same for me. I shut Sadie out, unable to handle being around her when my rage washed over me and crazed me. I didn’t want to hurt her. But Ace made me realize I was hurting her worse by leaving her alone. He needs to hear it from me like I heard it from him.
I hit the send button and slide my phone back into my pocket before I walk into the house. I slide her key to her car from the hook and shove down into my pocket; little hussy ain’t running off on me.
I stop in the kitchen and take a swig out of the vodka bottle I left sitting there before I walk down the hallway and take my post outside her bedroom door.
EMMA
I get into my room and take a shower. And as the water rains down my skin, I finally find peace to puzzle the pieces together. Desperately wishing Ace was here to catch me when I let this roll of my tongue, knowing if I don’t say it out loud, I will not believe it.
But I don’t want to say it. I don’t want to believe it. I don’t wantto feel it.
I think Zee is my brother.
My hands come to my face and cover my eyes as they burn with tears, and the sobs roll. The one person I thought was out of this life, the one person I could see differently, but he is just like them; backstabbing, secrets, power hungry, and it makes me sick.
I am engulfed with a burning rage, that even with everything I’ve been through, this rage is powerful and it consumes me.
AGHHH!
My fist swings out and connects with the glass shower door before it goes through it. Shattering the glass around me as the tears pour down my face mixing with the water now spraying all over the floor. And I stand here and look at the glass shattered around my feet, panting with rage, feeling my heart rip in half.
The door flies open, and I look up with hooded eyes. “Don’t move, Emma.” I close my eyes; standing bare in front of Bear as my hand burns with the fresh glass cuts through my skin and blood drips to the floor as he walks towards me holding a towel up. “Here, wrap this around you.”
I wrap the towel around myself and he picks me up before he carries me to the bedroom and sets me down on the edge of the bed. He walks to the bathroom again and turns the shower off before he comes back with another towel and wraps it around my bloodied hand, and I look up with my swollen eyes and whisper out. “Zee’s my brother, isn’t he?”
My phone vibrates on the nightstand pulling my attention, and Bear picks it up and hands it to me. I drag in a deep breath through my nose before I let it out, unlocking my phone and noticing a text from Ace.
Baby Girl, please be good for Bear, I need to focus and end this. I can’t watch another bullet fly over your head today, tomorrow, or ever.Emma, the love I have for you plays no mercy on my heart, you are it, and I can’t lose you. Stay home, let me work, let me end this so we can have a future, away from this. Zee is not who you think he is, he is your brother.