Deadly Addition (Hardy Brothers Security Book 9) (16 page)

“He’s not like … him.”

“He is,” Sheila said. “Just in a different way. He’s manufactured a bunch of crap to try and drive a wedge between us.”

“He would never do that.”

“Do you want me out of your life?”

“No,” Emma said, desperate.

“Well, he does,” Sheila said. “I’m not going to sit here and take his abuse. I’ve been abused enough for one lifetime.”

Emma swallowed hard. Finn could see her mind working. Finally, she turned to him. “Finn, you can’t accuse my mother without proof.”

“I have proof.”

“Manufactured proof,” Sheila corrected.

“She’s my mother,” Emma said. “I believe her when she says she loves me. She wouldn’t do anything to hurt me. She wouldn’t do anything to hurt you either.”

“Emma,” Finn said, his voice low. “You know I don’t make things up.”

“I know that my mother would never purposely hurt me,” Emma said, her eyes glistening with tears. “You need to realize that, too.” She held out her hand. “Give me the keys to the Expedition.”

Finn was floored. “What?”

“I’m taking my mother back to her hotel.”

Sheila smiled triumphantly.

“How am I supposed to get home?” Finn asked, fighting to keep his composure.

“Call a cab.”

After a long – and expensive – cab ride home, Finn’s slow temper was at a hot boil. He couldn’t believe Emma would doubt him this way. He’d never betrayed her. He’d always been there for her. Sure, he’d been thrown for a loop when he first found out that her father raped her – but he’d never let that still his love, or his devotion.

Now? Now she was letting a woman who had abandoned her, a woman who had slept in the same house – in the same bed – with the monster who raped her, get the upper hand. He felt … blindsided.

Finn paced the short distance between the living room and kitchen. The woman he loved didn’t believe him. The woman he loved had turned her back on him. The woman he loved … was walking through the apartment door.

Finn fixed his eyes on her when she entered. Her face was pale, and she looked worn out.

Finn’s anger was still there, but he refused to engage. “Did you get anything to eat?”

Emma dropped her purse on the table next to the door. “We ate in the hotel dining room.”

Finn ran his tongue over his teeth. “Well, that’s something.”

“I had shrimp,” Emma offered hopefully.

“Great.”

“Finn … .”

He cut her off. “Why don’t you take a bath? You need to relax. You’ve had a rough night.”

Emma’s shoulders slumped. “I want to talk to you.”

Finn turned, focusing on the wall. He couldn’t look at her. It hurt too much. “I’m not sure I can talk to you right now.”

“Finn, you have to let me explain.”

Finn exploded. “You believed your mother over me,” he said, swiveling to face her, his brown eyes accusing. “You just … you believed her and you called me a liar.”

“I didn’t call you a liar.”

“Yes, you did,” Finn said. “We have proof, Emma. Your mother tried to access James’ computer at the house the day of the barbecue. She tried to access the computer in the office the day we showed her the apartment.”

“I … .”

“She’s married to a loan shark in Vegas named Nathan Davenport,” Finn charged on. “Did she tell you that? Of course not. He’s suspected of killing at least three people. They haven’t found the bodies, so they’re trying to get him on racketeering. He’s still a murderer.”

“Finn, calm down,” Emma pleaded.

“She’s dangerous, Emma,” Finn said. “She’s lying to you. I have no idea what she wants, but it’s not something good. She’s going to hurt you.”

“Oh, Finn, I know that,” Emma said, sinking down on the couch and dropping her head into her hands.

Finn was taken aback. “What?”

“I know she’s up to something,” Emma said. “I know every word that comes out of her mouth is a lie – or just plain ugly. I’m not stupid.”

“I never said you were stupid,” Finn said, confused. He sank down on the couch next to her, being careful to keep a little distance. “How do you know she’s lying?”

“I was bred to spot a liar,” Emma said, raising her head. “She’s a liar.”

Finn exhaled heavily. “If you knew that, why did you go with her?”

“She needs to think I believe her,” Emma said. “We won’t find out what she’s up to if she thinks I don’t. She wants to use me for something. She has to believe I have faith in her before she’ll confide in me.”

“What?”

“I know she’s evil, Finn,” Emma said, gripping her hands between her knees. “I’m not going to lie. I wanted to believe her when she first showed up. I wanted … a mother.”

Finn reached over and rubbed her knee. “When did you decide you didn’t believe her?”

“The moment she opened her mouth.”

“When did you really decide?”

“I don’t know,” Emma admitted. “I just … she says things. She acts like she’s trying to bolster me, but I know she’s really undermining me. She gets little digs in at you … and Mandy … and James. She’s my mother, but you’re my family.”

Finn moved closer to her. “I am your family,” he said, brushing her hair out of her face so he could see her profile clearly. “I love you so much.”

“I love you, too.”

“The man she’s married to is … not good,” Finn said. “Your father was bad, but his targets were specific. Davenport doesn’t care about targets. He’s all about money. He’s about using people for money.”

“I don’t care about him,” Emma said. “I care about her. What does she want?”

“She tried to access our financials,” Finn said. “She must be looking for money.”

“Even if she could access the information, that doesn’t mean she could steal from your accounts, does it?”

“No,” Finn replied. “Maverick’s firewalls are topnotch. Sheila didn’t know that, though.”

“So, what is her goal?”

“We don’t know,” Finn said. “We’re trying to figure it out.”

“You mean I need to get her to tell me,” Emma corrected.

“No,” Finn said hurriedly. “That’s too risky.”

“I’m the only one, Finn,” Emma said. “She’s never going to trust anyone else.”

“Sweetheart, you’re … .”

“Pregnant?”

“The love of my life,” Finn countered. “You’re the only woman I’ve ever loved, and you’re the only woman I will ever love. I will not let you put yourself in danger.”

“And you’re the only man I’ve ever loved,” Emma said. “I can’t even imagine loving someone else. That doesn’t mean I can just let her get away with this.”

“She won’t get away with it.”

“The only way we can ensure that is to let her think I believe her.”

“I won’t use you as bait.”

“I love you, Finn,” Emma said. “You’re not the boss of me, though. I … owe her.”

Finn stilled. “What do you owe her?”

“She knew,” Emma said, her eyes filling with tears. “The house was tiny, and I screamed. I screamed a lot.”

Finn tried to swallow the lump in his throat.

“I screamed for help, and I screamed for him to stop, and I screamed for my … mommy.”

Finn reached for her, pulling her into his arms as he rested his face against the side of her head.

“That woman is not a mother,” Emma said. “She’s a user, and she’s an abuser.”

“She’s evil,” Finn said, kissing her temple.

“I was scared,” Emma said. “When I first thought I was pregnant, it wasn’t that I was scared that you would leave me. I knew you wouldn’t.”

Finn waited.

“You’re the best man I’ve ever known,” Emma said, her voice thick with tears. “You’re the only man who I could ever love. You’re my whole heart.”

“Emma, I love you,” Finn said, refusing to brush away his own tears.

“I was scared that I would turn out to be her,” Emma said. “I was scared that I would never love my own child. I was scared that their genes would make me hurt … the baby.”

Finn grabbed her head on each side and pressed her forehead to his lips. “That could never be you, sweetie. It’s not in you.”

“I know,” Emma said. “I know because of how much I love you. I know that because, if I could love you this much, I could love a baby, too.”

“Of course you can,” Finn said, dragging her limp body onto his lap. “You have more love to give than anyone I know.”

“I was scared I would be them,” Emma said. “I know I’m not. You’ve made me see that I’m not.”

“You’re not.”

“She knew,” Emma said, tears cascading down her face. “She knew what he was doing. She sacrificed us because it was easy for her.”

“Oh, Emma.” He tried to kiss her tears away.

“I want her to pay,” Emma said. “And that scares me just as much as the thought that I will end up like them.”

“She’s going to pay,” Finn vowed. “I won’t let what she did to you be forgotten.”

“You need me to find out what she’s doing,” Emma said. “If I convince her we’re fighting, if I convince her I’m unsure, she’ll take me into her confidence.”

Finn smoothed Emma’s wild waves down with his hand, pressing her face into his chest. “I don’t want you alone with her.”

“I promise I won’t put myself in danger,” Emma said. “If she asks me to meet someone, I’ll find a reason to get out of it. I just want her to admit to me what she’s doing. If I lie, she’ll believe me.”

“I won’t be away from you,” Finn said. “We’re not spending a night apart … ever.”

“It won’t come to that,” Emma said. “I’ve already told her that you have to move in with me because you’re letting your apartment go. I’ll tell her that I’m trying to get money from you.”

Finn rubbed the back of her head. “What do you think that will do?”

“This is obviously about money,” Emma said. “You need to come up with an idea for me to float to her.”

“An idea?”

“You’re better at it than I am,” Emma said. “Come up with something with your brothers. Something that I could do with my limited skill set. Come up with a reason for me to be able to steal money. She’ll tell me what she’s planning then. I just need something that’s … feasible.”

Finn considered the offer. “I’m not crazy about you being in danger.”

“What danger?” Emma asked, pulling away so Finn could wipe the dark streaks of mascara from her cheeks. “I’m her confidante. I’m her daughter. I’m going to give her access to your money. Why would she hurt me?”

What she was saying made sense. When the heart wars with the brain, though, you can always find a reason to argue. “I want to lock you away so she can never see you again.”

“I want to see her behind bars,” Emma said. “I want to look at her and tell her that I know the truth.”

Finn sighed, pressing his lips to Emma’s quivering mouth. “Okay.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure I love you more than anything in this world,” Finn said. “I’m sure you know what you need. I do not want you to be upset. If we fake a fight, then you have to promise you won’t take it to heart. Promise me.”

“I promise.”

“I also need you to promise me that you know that I love you,” Finn said, choking on his words as the tears threatened to overtake him.

“I know,” Emma said. “I never knew what love was until I had you. I never want to be away from that love again. Never.”

“You never will, sweetie,” Finn said, pressing his lips to hers. “Never. Ever.”

Emma shifted her body so she was facing him, pressing a thigh on either side of his hips. “I love you, Finn.”

“I love you, Emma,” Finn said. “Forever.”

Emma rubbed her ready mound against Finn’s pelvis. “Show me,” she said.

Finn smirked. “Are you feeling hormonal?”

“I’m feeling … needy.”

“Needy?”

“I
need
you inside of me,” Emma said. “I need … you to love me.”

Finn pulled her to him as he raised himself from the couch. Emma couldn’t see what he was doing, but when he settled her back on his lap, his thighs – and erection – were naked.

“How long do you think this horny streak is going to last?” Finn asked.

“Until we’re old and gray.”

“Good answer,” Finn said, slipping his tongue into her mouth.

Emma pulled away. “Finn?”

“Hmm.”

“Love me.”

“I’ll love you forever, sweetheart.” Finn reached under her skirt and pushed her thong to the side so she could settle over his ready erection. Her warmth fit him like a glove. “I’ll always love you.”

Emma pressed her forehead to Finn’s as she started to climb his length. “I love you.”

Finn dug his hands into her naked rear end under her skirt. “You’ll never know how much I love you.”

Emma plunged back down, causing them both to gasp.

“I … oh … .” Emma’s head lolled back.

Finn rubbed her clitoris. She was so sensitive, she was orgasming almost the second he touched her. He gave her a second to regroup, and then he started rubbing her again.

“Oh, Finn.” She grabbed his head and pressed it against her chest as she started pummeling herself on him.

Finn didn’t cease his finger ministrations. When he felt her convulse a second time, he unleashed his own orgasm inside of her. When they both regained their senses, he carried her into the bedroom and stripped her bare, relishing her boundless love.

They shared their love a few more times that night – and neither one of them thought about anything else but the family they were building. Her mother could wait – for now.