Never Say Never, Part Four (Second Chance Contemporary Romance, Book 4) (4 page)

Chastity leaned forward and nibbled his ear lobe, gently. “She doesn’t know you like I do. She’ll never want you like I do.”
 

Joseph turned then and wrapped his arms around her waist. “You do want me.”
 

“Of course,”
she lied, shifting against him. There was no man she wanted less. She didn’t even like men that much, but he didn’t have to know that.
 

“Then kiss me,”
he whispered, puckering up. “Show me that you mean it.”
 

Chastity grimaced. This was not ideal. Yet, she needed him malleable and on her side –
if he turned against her and went to Emily with the truth…
 

She pressed her lips to his briefly, then shimmied out of his grip before he could get any tongue in. This was definitely not ideal.
 

“Why don’t you kiss me back?”
Joseph growled, displaying a first hint of strength, that simply wouldn’t do, and dropping his arms to his sides.
 

“There’s too much at stake for us to get romantic now, dearest. What if Chase walks in and sees you here? What if Emily came over to see him, instead?”
 

“She’d never come here, she’s heartbroken over him,”
he replied, the bitterness painted over his façade. Très triste, mon petit.
 

“Of course she would, dear, she’s head over heels for my brother,”
Chastity spat out the last word.
 

“She’s not, she’s seen him for what he is.”
 

“You’re a fool if you truly believe that. She’s using you to get what she wants and as soon as she’s done with you, she’ll toss you aside.”
Just as Chastity planned on doing, as well.
 

“Emily isn’t like that.”
Joseph’s fists clenched and released, but his anger didn’t boil hotter than that.
 

“Then why are you here?”
 

He went silent, then turned away, strolling to the window to stare out over the city, the skyscrapers soaring in his view. “Why am I here,”
he stated it.
 

“You already have the answer to that, Joseph.”
 

He spun on the spot. “Prove it. Prove you love me. Make love to me,”
he said, and hopped over the couch, rushing to her side. He kissed her fingers, her hand, then up her arm and to her shoulder. “Make me your man.”
 

Chastity shuddered at the thought. He was not unattractive, but he was weak, a tool, not worthy of her attention.
 

“My brother will be home soon,”
she replied, shrugging him off and gliding to the door. She opened it and gestured towards it. “Remember to get the copies of those files to me on Monday.”

Joseph left with his tail between his legs.

CHAPTER SEVEN

If he didn’t let her in, she’d threaten him properly this time.
 

Emily hadn’t taken the evidence to the police yet, she hadn’t done anything at all with confessions, but making those copies. There was a way to bring him down and discredit him, she just wasn’t one hundred percent on the method yet.
 

She raised a hand and knocked once, curt as she could make it.
 

There were footsteps on the other side of the door, and she examined the new brass knocker which matched the locks.
 

“Who’s there?”
A timid voice rang out and Emily’s eyebrows climbed her forehead.
 

“Amanda?”
She checked the camera under the eaves, but it had been removed. That was strange. She scanned the entire porch, the nooks and crannies, but it was clear.
 

Her blonde friend peered around the door, and beckoned for her to enter.
 

“What’s going on?”
 

Amanda shook her head, mute and she entered the mansion of doom, shrugging and rolling her shoulders. This was definitely not her favorite place to be.
 

“He’s out of town on business,”
she said. Her hair was pulled back tight, but strands feathered out of the bun at her crown. She wore baggy, torn jeans and an oversized sweater, with old coffee stains down the front.
 

“Amanda, what are you still doing here? You’re supposed to be out of this hellhole by now, girl.”
Emily grabbed her arm and spun her around. Amanda’s eyes were unfocussed, covered in the glaze stress.
 

“I just can’t keep hanging on to this,”
she whispered, gesturing to the carpeted halls, “but I’m afraid. What if he hurts me? What if he hurts the kids?”
 

“Where are they?”
 

“Upstairs, they’re fine, shaken up these days.”
Amanda walked a few steps and rested her palms on the entrance hall table. She pressed down hard and sighed. “I don’t know what he’ll do if I tell him I’m leaving.”
 

“Don’t tell him. I’ll take care of Becci and Jared, you take care of yourself.”
She’d have to get them out before Amanda left, or he might do something to them out of spite. He’d surely suspect Emily’s involvement if his wife abandoned him.
 

“I can’t leave right now, there’s too much pressure to stay. If I leave, he’ll find me and bring me back, I just know it.”
 

“Then I’ll distract him.”
Emily set her jaw and gave that wicked grin which had no mirth. She used it a lot lately, but what the hell? She’d spent long enough holding in the anger and pain, she was allowed revenge.
 

“What will you do?”
Amanda’s sentences were clipped off short. She was obviously on autopilot.
 

“I’m going to bring him down. I’m going to rid us of that man for good.”
 

“It won’t be that easy.”
 

“I have the confession and the words he’s spoken himself. It will be enough to make sure he never bothers any of us again.”
 

“I can’t see it happening,”
Amanda replied, choking up. Tears spilled over her lids, but her expression didn’t change an iota. She was trapped by her agony and it broke bits of Emily, because she’d been there, she’d felt that before.
 

She’d seen Brian in action and been through his manipulation.
 

“I won’t stop until he’s out of our lives.”
 

Amanda took three steps from the table and grabbed Emily by the upper arms. “He’ll never let us go,”
she whispered, fierce and torn to pieces, “he’ll never let us go.”
 

“He won’t have a choice.”
 

“Mommy?”
Becci appeared at the top of the stairs, closely followed by Jared. “Mommy!”
She sprinted down the stairs, carrying her ratty teddy bear. “We thought you weren’t coming back again.”
 

Emily swept her up and hugged her tight then brushed the loose strands of hair back from her daughter’s reddened cheeks and frowned. “Why would you think that?”
 

“Daddy said you weren’t coming back again because you were bad.”
 

“Don’t you listen to what your father says.”
She tucked Becci’s head onto her shoulder and snuggled her for a moment longer, taking in a deep breath. Having her child in her arms felt right.
 

Becci had been born in the middle of the night. She’d been in labor for five hours before they’d told her the baby was breech and they’d have to cut her out or risk losing her.
 

Brian was away on business. He hadn’t come to see them in the hospital.
 

“He’s getting angrier,”
Jared said, shattering the memory into pieces. “He won’t let us see our friends anymore and he keeps muttering under his breath.”
 

Maybe she’d pushed too hard on her last visit.
 

“I see. Well, you guys stay out of his way no matter what. Be good, do exactly as he says and stay out of trouble. I will have you out of here in no time, okay?”
Emily had faith in herself, hell, she had faith in this gut-wrenching anger.
 

So many lives and relationships ruined because of Brian Ross.

“What if he gets angry and hurts us?”
Jared asked, and Emily’s heart thrummed a tune of sorrow. No son should have to speak about their father like this. Ross had so god damn much to answer for.
 

“You call me right away. Or have Amanda call me, and I’ll come get you out, all right?”
Emily placed Becci on the ground beside her and stroked the top of her head, then reached into her bag and brought out a small cell phone. It was a cheap one that could dial and text, and that was about it.
 

“Take this and keep it secret. If you ever have any trouble, you call me on this phone.”
She gave it to Jared and he ran into her arms and hugged her.
 

A car door slammed outside, and Amanda flinched. “He’s home.”
 

“I’ll go out the back. Kids, you get upstairs, and Amanda,”
she paused then reached out to squeeze her friend’s hand, “stay strong.”
 

“I’ll try.”

CHAPTER EIGHT

“That’s it for today, guys,”
Emily called out to the class, pushing the button on the CD player and cutting off the salsa music.
 

There was a collective groan of disdain from the dancers. They were partnered up and doing fantastically for a beginner group, flowing with the rhythm and enjoying themselves. It had been a good class and a damn good day.
 

But Brian Ross trudged through Emily’s brain, leaving tracks of burning hatred in his wake.
 

There was a lot to do and she had to bury her pride and contact Joseph about it. She couldn’t do this on her own, and she did genuinely like him as a person. Kinda.
 

The dancers traipsed off, chatting to one another, shoes clicking on the hardwood floor. Emily smiled at the resonance of it in the hall –
it was her favorite noise after a long day at ‘the office’.
 

“You need a lift home, Emily?”
A particularly hunky guy with a moustache and bulging muscles stopped in front of her, on hand on the backpack he’d slung over his shoulder, the other in the pocket of his pants.
 

“I’m fine, thanks, I think I’ll walk.”
 

“Walk?! You’ve got to be crazy. You can’t walk at this time of night, what if something happens to you?”
 

Emily chuckled, if only he knew, then shook her head. “Trust me, I’ll be fine. I know how to handle myself on the streets.”
 

He gave her a quizzical look, it was probably a strange sentiment for a square, and trundled off, casting glances back at her every few moments. That was his way of asking her out, no doubt. Too bad he didn’t come close to Chase in any way.
 

Chase was in a league of his own. He was the other man wandering the labyrinth of her mind, leaving sorrow instead of rage.
 

Emily sighed and packed the CD player in the closet against the back wall. The students milled around chatting, but she ushered them out with a few sharp calls and they moved off into the corridor adjacent.
 

The day was over, and the sun had set on the horizon, casting a warm orange hue over the city street outside. She stared out of the window for a moment, then locked the door behind her and went to hang the key in the office.
 

She was done for the day, at least.
 

Emily strolled out into the road with a sigh, and stretched her neck. There was no question about bringing Brian down, but doing in a way that wouldn’t hurt Chase would be tricky.
 

If only she knew more about their business relationship. It was surely innocent, but she couldn’t risk bringing Chase down in her vengeance.
 

Her steps were sure and she lost herself in the concrete jungle. Home wasn’t far, a place she’d never dreamed of having after the arrest. Her life, god she could barely breathe thinking about it, had changed completely.
 

Brian had taught her that loving him was never enough, and he’d punished her for it.
 

Chase was unable to accept her love. Why was he this weak? How could he let Janet back into his life when he could resolve things with her?