Page 20 of Splintered Memories (Ember Hollow Romance #2)

August

I stepped between the two men and Emersyn before she hurled herself across those tables and tore out their eyeballs.

“I think that’s enough.” I kept my tone light, but firm. “It would probably be best if you both moved on.”

The hair on the back of my neck rose at the proximity of Alex Cohen. He was so close, I could’ve easily punched him in the face. I restrained myself.

Barely.

Tristan stared at me, his jaw clenching. “I only came to see Emersyn’s work,” he said softly, as if he hadn’t expected his daughter to react this way.

I wondered whether he knew her at all.

I glared at Alex. “Then you should’ve probably thought better of whose company you keep.”

We all stared at one another. I felt Emersyn’s searing stare like hot daggers in my back. I was doing them a favor, truly. Her fury was a scorching wave they would not withstand if she got hold of them .

Jake Hawthorn broke the boggy silence. “Come on, Dad.” He put a hand on Tristan’s shoulder, steering him away from his sister. “Let’s go.”

Tristan hesitated, taking one last glance at Emersyn before relenting to his son.

“Just as well,” he said, smoothing over invisible wrinkles in his shirt.

“The bonfires are going to be lit soon anyway. I was going to offer to help break down your sister’s booth, but she obviously doesn’t need my help. ”

Tristan turned to leave, Alex Cohen following.

“I’ve never needed your help,” Emersyn spat.

Tristan paused, his spine stiffening, but he didn’t turn and continued to walk away.

I kept my eyes on them until they were far enough away that I was satisfied they weren’t going to circle back. When I turned around, Emersyn had her arms around Lark, holding her tight.

My jaw clenched at the look in Lark’s eyes. She was strong; there was no doubt about that. She had come such a long way, but she’d been through a lot and was still healing herself in many ways.

“You okay?” I asked Lark.

Her lips wobbled, and she pressed them tightly together.

“Of course she’s not all right,” Emersyn snapped. “Alex Cohen is an abusive asshole and he has no right walking around free like that to taunt victims of his son’s crimes.”

I couldn’t argue with that. I took out my phone and sent my brother Reid a text explaining what happened and where we were. He was part of my security team today, but Lark needed him more right now. I would have addressed him over the earpiece, but the whole team didn’t need to know the details .

A few seconds later, he replied to my text. On my way. Keep an eye on her.

Always, I texted back.

I looked back at the two still holding on to each other inside the tent. “Reid’s on his way,” I said.

Emersyn nodded, and hope flared in Lark’s eyes.

I shoved my phone back in my pocket, letting out a hard breath. “Well, this day almost went off without a hitch.”

A n hour later, twilight settled around Center Street and we had Emersyn’s booth all packed up into her SUV.

I grabbed hold of her elbow as she made her way toward the driver’s door. She paused, glancing at my hand before her eyes shot back up to mine.

“Leaving already?” I asked.

She arched a brow. “I wasn’t sure whether I was allowed to stay.”

I hardened my stare. “You are allowed to do whatever you want, Emersyn. I just would appreciate it if you kept your safety in mind.”

Center Street had been cleared of the merchant booths, and the crowd had shifted toward the public park that bordered the river. The lanterns had already been lit, and soon so would the bonfires.

Emersyn looked up at me, a curious glint in her eye. “And is it safe to stay after the sun goes down? Isn’t it more dangerous at night?” She said it more as a challenge than a question .

My lips tucked up into a smile. I leaned toward her. Her warm scent was slightly musky after working outside all day. “Not as long as I’m with you. You’re safe with me.”

She blinked once, and I could’ve sworn there was a dusting of pink on her cheekbones.

“Well,” she said, “what do you want to do?”

“Have you eaten anything today?” I already knew the answer. She opened her mouth like she was going to defend herself, but I raised a hand. “Coffee does not count.”

She frowned, her bottom lip pulling out in a pout.

I laughed at the expression on her face, and tugged on her elbow. “Come on.” I led her toward the park. “The food trucks will be here for a little while longer.”

The town was bustling with life and laughter and people as Emersyn and I walked toward the park.

I didn’t enjoy crowds, not after everything I’d been through, but this was my town.

This was an event that I’d attended for most of my life.

It was nostalgic and comforting and part of me, in a way.

As if this town and these people and Emberlight were tattooed on my bones.

I glanced at Emersyn as we stepped into the park, and my heart stopped.

The park itself was beautiful as always.

Lanterns were strung above in the trees from limb to limb and lamppost to lamppost. Fairy lights were wrapped around the trunks of trees and hung down in streams from the tree branches.

The bonfires were lit at the back of the park, flickering against the darkening water of the river. All of that I had seen before.

The most beautiful thing in this park, by far, was her .

Emersyn’s green eyes were wide and sparkling in the twinkling lights as she gazed around us.

Her lips parted, her mouth open in awe as she took in everything.

For the first time since I met her, true happiness sparked in her expression.

There was no mask of indifference or anger; it was only her true self.

Those joy-filled eyes flicked to me, and her full lips pulled up into a broad smile. My breath caught in my chest, and I forgot how to speak.

After a few beats, that smile dimmed as she studied me. I realized that I had stopped right in my tracks.

I shook myself out of the unexpected stupor she’d put me in. I forced a smile and ran a hand through my hair.

I gestured forward and started to walk again. “The food trucks are over by the carnival games.”

She gave me a strange look, but didn’t say anything as she followed.

She was unusually quiet as we ordered food from several different food trucks and sat at an empty picnic table. Darkness came on fast, but the park was adequately illuminated with all the different lights.

I did a once-over of our surroundings, noting the exits and the people closest to us.

I made sure to pick the picnic table that butted up against the back of a food truck.

No one could sneak attack from behind us.

I had sent my team home earlier, but I wasn’t too worried.

The town had some officers surrounding the park, and I doubted anyone was going to try to snipe her in the darkness.

Still, I was vigilant. Anything could happen at any moment.

The food was delicious. One more of my favorite things about town events.

The food trucks never disappointed. The two of us ate in mostly silence.

Emersyn seemed to be taking everything in and watching the festival unfold around us.

Children and teenagers and plenty of adults walked around, playing the carnival games.

A live band played music on the other side of the park at the pavilion.

Of course, crowds of people milled around the bonfires, roasting marshmallows and sipping hot chocolate from the stands set up around the fires.

Some kids were running around with sparklers in their hands.

“Emberlight used to be one of Thea’s favorite town events,” I said randomly.

Maybe it wasn’t quite out of the blue, considering everything around us made me think of my sister, made me feel her.

A heaviness settled on my chest, a familiar aching sadness that I knew well.

But there was also something else, something alongside the grief that I’d learned to cherish—gratefulness.

I was thankful for the memories I had of my sister. I was privileged to have known her.

Emersyn’s arm brushed mine as she reached for her bottle of water and took a drink. She swallowed, her eyes focused on something far away.

“Delainey really liked Thea,” she said softly.

I stiffened. I had never heard her say the name of her sister. She’d never mentioned her in passing or acknowledged that she’d had a sister. Of course, I’d known Delainey. She and Thea had lived together in college. They’d died together there.

My chin dipped in a nod. “I only met Delainey a couple times, but she was always very kind. A bit sassy, but maybe all college girls are.”

The corner of Emersyn’s lip twitched. “Oh, she was definitely sassy.” Her eyes finally flicked to mine. “Who do you think I learned it from?”

My grin widened. “I just assumed you were born with it.”

Emersyn huffed, picking at her mostly eaten food .

So many questions flitted through my mind.

We had spent over two weeks living in the same house, and yet I barely knew anything about her.

She never spoke about her past. I never asked her, because she had never given any indication she was comfortable talking about it. But something felt different now.

“Do you want to sit by the fire?” I asked tentatively. “When you’re done eating, of course.”

“I’m done.” She stood without another word and gathered her trash to throw in the bin.

I followed suit, and then we meandered toward the bonfire. Three of them were set up along the perimeter of the river. It was so dark that the water was nothing but the sparkling reflection of the flames and the park lights.

We found an empty bench near the middle bonfire. Our backs faced the river, a strategic choice on my part, but Emersyn didn’t complain.

The flames were near scalding against my skin as we settled on the bench, but the icy wind coming off the river calmed the heat.