Phoenix Burning (22 page)

“Emory Louise, come forward.”

The order sank into her consciousness, her feet jerking into action as she pulled away from Alex. Her legs carried her forward, through the congregation as they parted to allow her to go before her father. Tears stung her eyes as their collective venom scalded her with its derisiveness.

“Kneel, Emory. Pray for forgiveness, and I shall grant it.”

She sank to her knees in the wet grass. Tears burned hot trails down her cheeks. So many years, so much hurt and pain, and the darkness began to seethe and swirl like a living thing. She closed her eyes and squeezed them tight against the whisper of her mother’s song spinning so sweetly inside her mind.

Alex was stunned when Emory knelt before her father in utter humility. Chris tried to intervene but was rebuffed by several members of the church already in a huff over Maude’s forthright behavior. A few of the men in particular seemed more than happy to flex their considerable strength against Chris. Alex met Fox’s gaze, reaching an understanding. Fox nudged himself between Chris and the others, using his taller, muscular form to intimidate and giving Alex a chance to slip by.

Weaving through several layers of women dressed in prairie skirts with their hair pulled into tight buns covered with lacy caps, Alex didn’t hesitate to place himself right in the reverend’s line of fire. For the moment, Banks was too focused on his daughter to note Alex’s presence.

“Repent your sins, Emory Louise.” Her father took a step toward her tiny form kneeling in the grass. “We will welcome you back into our community. You will have a home and a husband here in the safety of the church family.”

Alex wavered, knowing he had to intervene but not quite knowing how to best approach the bizarre situation.

“You will be made clean again, a woman worth a man’s notice. You will gain a place here with a man, to be his helpmate, the mother of his children, as he will be your spiritual leader and disciplinarian.”

Anger snapped Alex from his indecisiveness. “You really think that’s what she wants?”

It was as if his words shattered some strange word spell. The congregation began to murmur, and he heard the men harassing the Chrises fall silent.

Reverend Banks focused away from Emory and pegged Alex with a hard stare. “Who do you think you are to come here and disrespect me?”

“I’m the man who is going to marry Emory.”

The murmurs grew louder, punctuated here and there by sounds of discord. The reverend held up a hand to quiet his followers. “And how do you propose to do that? According to church law she cannot marry unless I give my permission. Is that why you’re here? Do you think I would ever give my permission for you to marry my daughter?”

The undiluted arrogance of the man made Alex grit his teeth in irritation. Taking a deep breath, he remembered that the only important thing was Emory. “I realize that down here you think you’re the shit.”

Shocked whispers rippled through the gathering.

Alex wasn’t finished. “Truth is, you can’t stop her from marrying me. In fact, you can’t stop her from doing anything. She’s her own person. Emory can choose what she wants, do what she wants, be who she wants, and has been doing so ever since she stopped believing you could tell her no.”

The reverend waved a hand at Emory’s hunched form. “Look at her. She’s only a woman. How can someone so weak possibly make good choices for herself? She needs a good man, a righteous man, to see that she behaves.”

“She’s got a man.” Alex growled to keep himself from shouting. “But I sure as hell don’t need to tell her any of that shit.”

“Then what good are you?”

“I love her. And that’s
all
that’s required.”

The sound of Alex’s voice penetrated the black hole in Emory’s psyche and fanned sparks into flame. The inferno built, scorching away her doubts, burning her inhibitions to ashes, and sending a pillar of fire through her soul.

Alex loves me. Unconditionally, totally, without any strings attached.

The thought gave her courage far beyond anything she’d ever thought possible. Taking a deep, shaky breath, she said the one thing that had been on her mind for so long. “I only ever wanted your love.”

The reverend seemed surprised. “I didn’t give you permission to speak, Emory Louise.”

The grass was damp and springy beneath her fingers as she pushed herself up into a standing position. “I
said
that I only ever wanted you to love me.”

“I did love you.” Jonathan Banks seemed surprised by his own admission. “When you were obedient to me.”

“Love doesn’t work like that.” Emory gazed at her mother’s simple pine casket. “She only wanted your love too, you know.”

“Your mother was an obedient woman and I loved her well.” Her father looked aghast at his own admission.

“Love isn’t about obedience. Even God knew we humans would fail at that. You told me all my life that we should try to emulate God, to aspire to be like him. God accepts everyone, the way they are. I hope in the future you’ll try to do the same.” Emory reached out blindly, feeling suddenly complete when Alex caught her hand and held it. “Maybe if you get down off that pedestal, you’ll appreciate how much my mother gave to you. She even loved you, you know, though it’s too late for you to really understand that.”

Feeling the telltale burn of tears, Emory bent down and swiped up a handful of rich earth. She held her hand over her mother’s casket, letting the soil sift through her fingers until it made a tiny mound on the wood.

“I’ll be waiting for you, Momma, down by the Greenwood Side.”

Chapter Twenty

“Where are you going? The party is over here.”

Emory laughed as Morgan literally skipped her way down the street toward the festival set up in the grassy area before the courthouse. Her friend’s bustier, black leather skirt, fishnet stockings, and combat boots were totally at odds with her carefree movements.

“I’m going to run in and see what’s taking Alex so long,” Emory answered.

“You can’t miss this party!” Morgan let her voice slip into a cute singsong. “You’re the guest of honor.”

“No, the mayor is the guest of honor.”

Morgan snorted. “Whatever. We all know this festival is really a celebrate-because-MacIntyre-got-indicted-for-blackmail-and-the-mayor-is-coming-out party. And you’re the girl of the hour who made all that possible.”

Emory sighed. Morgan was right. Things could not have turned out better where the saga of Captain Downtown versus Mayor Strand was concerned. “I still need Alex if I’m going to have a good time.”

Morgan stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and made a little shooing motion with her hands. “Fine then! Go screw his brains out. Have fantastically awesome sex with your seriously hot fiancé. I’ll just go suppress my sexual frustration with funnel cakes and cotton candy.”

Emory pushed open the heavy doors of Phoenix Rising. “I’m not going in here for a quickie, Morgan. I’ll meet you there in just a minute. I promise.”

Morgan scoffed, “Whatever!”

Not that Emory had any intention of grabbing some afternoon delight before Mayor Strand’s big speech, but the idea did hold a certain appeal. She sighed and slid the latch on the unlocked cage door separating the front entrance from the main room. Alex had his back turned to her, dusting bottles of liquor, as he got ready to close early.

It was cool and soothing inside the empty bar. Emory always marveled that the bar itself could seem so seedy and yet be so very welcoming all at the same time. She supposed there was just a little bit of down and dirty in everyone, which was why having a place to let it all hang out was so important.

Alex spotted her over his shoulder. “I’ll be done in just a minute, love.”

Emory walked around the bar. She could remember a time in the not so distant past when another woman had done the same, right before kneeling in front of Alex and taking him in her mouth. Emory had wondered what it would be like to have that kind of confidence. There was only one way to find out.

Striding forward before she lost her nerve, Emory nudged her way between Alex and the back wall of shelves.

He turned, giving her the necessary access. “What’s wrong, love?”

Kneeling, Emory first unbuttoned and then unzipped his worn jeans. Already sitting on the tilt of his hips, the jeans parted to reveal that Alex wasn’t wearing underwear.

“Emory, love, what…”

His soft cock popped through the opening in his jeans. It was already growing when she took the entire length in her mouth. He tasted so wonderful, like a favorite treat you never got tired of. She made a little purring noise, letting it vibrate against his petal-soft skin as she pressed him against her palate.

“Fuck me.” Alex moaned as he relaxed back against the counter.

Glass shattered somewhere to her right, and a splash of something cold hit her bare calves. It took Emory a moment to realize that Alex had been holding a bottle in one hand when she started her impromptu seduction.

He was now fully hard and too big to hold inside her mouth all at once. Emory sucked hard, bobbing her head back and forth as she mimicked the rhythm of sex with her mouth. Saliva dampened her lips and she enjoyed the slick feel of it on his hard shaft.

“I heard a bottle crash. Are you…?” Jessa’s voice came from behind her, but Emory didn’t even pause. “Okay then, I’m guessing everything’s fine. Wow, nice technique, Emory. You guys have fun. I’ll just go finish these receipts or—or something.”

Alex wound his fingers into her hair. She gazed up, meeting his eyes as she continued to suck his cock. She tickled the flange, letting her tongue skate over the tiny hole at the tip until he shivered.

He hissed when she nipped the sensitive skin around the crown. “If you don’t stop, I’m going to come in your mouth.”

She pulled back far enough to speak. “Then come.”

“I’d rather fuck you first.”

Her lust roared its approval of that idea. Hot and achy, her pussy was slick and damp with creamy juices that coated the insides of her thighs. Her breathing grew ragged as she contemplated the idea of Alex spreading her legs and pushing deep into her body.

Alex took advantage of her momentary indecision by pulling her upright. His clever fingers made quick work of her belt and pants. The loose garment slipped down over her hips and made a puddle on the floor. He lifted her free of her clothing and set her on the countertop. Nudging her legs apart with his hips, he found her lips for a kiss.

Hot, drugging, and intimate, the kiss seemed to expand like a living thing. Their tongues clashed, teeth clicking as they struggled to meld their mouths together. Heat shimmered through her limbs, making her want more.

He broke away, his blue gaze enticing her to follow. “Watch me, Emory. I’m going to stroke your cunt.”

His fingers brushed her sensitive inner thigh and she convulsed with need. Sucking in a breath, she held it as he slid through the slippery juices coating her skin and gently touched her short pubic hair.

Delving deeper, he found her slit and spread it open. Holding her swollen labia open, he let her suffer the anticipation of what would come next. Squirming desperately, she made tiny noises in the back of her throat.

“What do you want?” he asked.

When he dragged his index finger from the tightly puckered star of her anus to the hood of her clit, she sighed in delight. Using just his fingertip, he began circling her engorged flesh until she closed her eyes and let her head loll backward.

Heat lanced through her body as the tension began to build. His fingers teased her opening before slipping inside. Two slender fingers stroked the thick pad of muscle just inside her opening. Emory rocked back, resting her elbows on the bar top.

Just when she thought she might be too close to hold back, Alex slid his thumb along the groove between her pussy lips until it rested against her clit. Working two fingers inside, and his thumb, he sent her spiraling into climax.

Alex was certain his dick was going to strangle to death. Every bit of his bedroom prowess seemed to be useless to him where Emory was concerned. His desire for her went beyond known limits and made him a desperate, raving lunatic bent on sinking his shaft into her hot little body.

As her channel convulsed on his hand, Alex inhaled deeply of her erotic scent. He loved the way it changed as she came. No perfume could ever compete. Finally drawing his fingers from her body, he licked them clean as she watched.

“Sweet,” he told her. “But I’m ready for more.”

“I want you, Alex.”

Her words set him on fire. His hands shook as he pushed his jeans farther out of the way. He slid her delectable ass a little farther off the edge of the counter, until she was suspended at the perfect height.

He grabbed his erection, letting the crown tease her slick opening. She shuddered and sighed as he continued the mutual torment. His balls were near to exploding. His hands were shaking, tremors rippling through every one of his muscles until he felt weak as a kitten.

Breathing deep and trying to keep steady, Alex steadied himself at her opening and began to push inside. She was hot, wet, tight, and so fucking sweet. He groaned, letting her welcome him in while he slid deep.

Perched on the edge of instant orgasm, Alex glanced up and realized that Gabriel was watching them from the shadows. His friend leaned against a pillar, his heavily muscled body tense. Gabriel’s shirt was hiked up, his washboard stomach muscles starkly outlined. Twin grooves created a V that ended in a nest of dark hair and the thick erection Gabriel was pumping in lazy strokes.

The sight of his friend masturbating gave Alex a much-needed grounding. Watching was a turn-on, participating was heaven, and being watched was the ultimate titillation.

“We have an audience, Emory,” Alex managed to whisper.

Her eyes popped open. “Who?”

“Gabriel.” Alex nodded his head in the direction of his friend.