Authors: Kate Kessler
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Fri 29th June
Billy set at the cave waiting on her, he couldn't believe the connection he had with Emily. It was unbelievable He had never felt anything like it before. It was like they could read each other’s, heart, mind and soul. He didn't care about the war that was brewing within the families. He loved her. His Dad hadn’t said much to him about it lately and she had told him hers hadn’t either, but they would and he would most likely die for her. He had decided that weeks ago anyway, but on the other hand maybe just maybe they could make their families see, make them see they were meant to be together. He and Emily could do anything when they were together. Anything at all, this is awesome, he laughed and laid back on the ground, staring at the sun.
* * *
Emily came through the cave, she could see Billy setting outside and stopped to watch him, her Billy, her lover. The man she loved, the man she had lost herself with, and became someone else. Someone who could live life without worry, she didn't care, what others thought or said, she loved him. He was handsome and she felt emotions through her body from just the sight or thought of him and wanted to fill his mouth on her
s
,
as her heartbeat quickens at the sight of him. A natural high, oh yes, she felt a natural high from being with him.
She stepped out of the shadows of the cave, the tattoo he had gotten the day before was visible on his arm. She walked up behind him and touched his shoulders and breathed in the smell of his hair as he moved his neck around for more. "Oh baby I love you" he said as she kissed along the nape of his neck.
"I love you to." She held him tight, as she watched a rabbit run across the grass in front of them, happy with him and the comfort they felt together. They both laughed.
"You ready to ride Baby, I brought my Harley." He pulled her arm around him further, and she felt his warm skin in her embrace and she kissed his shoulder.
"Were did you get the Harley Billy?" Emily smiled as she walked over to check it out. "Nice ride Billy, wow." She was amazed at the beauty of the bike. His eyes lit up at the expression on her face, she knew.
"Bought it so we could ride in style Baby," he kissed her, their bodies melting together. “Let’s ride." She felt his smile on her lips.
She jumped on behind him "Who-o-o" Emily shouted as Billy stared the Harley and turned the stereo up. She wrapped her arms around his waist, and leaned into him, nuzzling her nose in his hair. She felt a rush of adrenaline as she felt the lunge forward of the bike and laughed into his hair.
They rode through the woods, up the creek and down dirt paths, speed, she loved speed and the feel of the wind on her face, as it blew her hair through the air.
They went and checked Billy’s plants then headed down to the river and up the falls, the water splashing, wet and cold around her ankles. Emily had come to love the river, all the freedom it brought, with its rushing cool water and the acceptance they felt from the river crowd.
"Baby, you want to go play poker tonight?" Billy ask her while they set and smoked a joint while watching the falls, flow down the rocks.
"You talking about the game they hold every month or so in the Adam's barn?" The Adams had the farm next to the Johnson land on the same road, and the Turner farm was next to Emily’s. The four farms made up the dirt road they lived on and Emily knew her brothers would be there as well as Billy's brothers. This poker game was a major event. "You know our brothers will be there don't you Billy?" she felt tense but wanted to go anyway.
"Yeah Baby, but you know?" He ran his fingers through her hair and down her back, sending a moment of passion through her soul. "This peace we’ve seen for the past week ant going to last, much longer. We might as well go try to win some cash, while everyone is still being nice.” He stopped talking long enough to kiss her head as he breathed in the smell of her hair. “Besides they have a karaoke contest during the poker game. I think we could win it baby." Karaoke, with Billy of course they could win.
"Oh yeah Billy, hands down we are the winners already.” she laughed, and they slapped hands.
"Let’s show off our tattoos tonight baby." He ran his hand across her breath and kissed her.
"Now Billy, only you are allowed to see two of mine, I’m only showing off one tonight." She laughed and ran her fingers across the tattoo on his arm that bared her name, forever showing the world that he is hers. The look in his eyes told her he loved her he didn't have to say it.
"Smoke a joint, Miss Emily Canton," he laughed, as she smiled back at him.
"Sure thing handsome." She told him, then climbed on top of him, pushing him backwards, and leaned into him as she gave him a long passionate kiss.
"Umm, you make me feel so good baby." Billy looked up at her, love showing in his eyes, “I still can't believe this, believe that you are mine Emily, I will never let you go."
"You don't have to worry about that Billy, I can't live without you, and I won't."
"Baby you know. We still have to go through hell, if we are going to stay together don't you?"
"I sure do Billy, but we will win, because I don't see anything, tearing us apart." They kissed and made out for a while longer, the love was smooth and gentle.
"We gotta go babe." He kissed her again. "I don't want to but if we are going to win tonight, I have to go take a shower."
"Ok Billy," she pulled him to her kissing him again.
"Let’s ride baby." He smiled. He’s so handsome, his smiled could so melt her, and she didn’t want to get up. He extended his hand to her as he stood. They climbed back onto the Harley, and rode out of the river.
Billy spun into Emily’s driveway and kissed her bye.
“See you later” He told her. “Bye” she waved, and could see her Dad glaring at her as he walked toward the house from the fields, but she didn’t care as she ran to her room to get ready.
She stepped into the shower and imagined Billy was with her, kissing her, his hands roaming her body, smothering it with soap, as she showered. She stepped out of the shower and walked to her closet. What do I wear, she picked up several different outfits before settling on a light blue skirt and top, outfit.
The skirt was short, the top was backless and would show off her tattoo great she thought, as she held it to her naked body and turned looking at herself in front of the mirror. Emily still naked decided to do her toenails and fingernails before she dressed and laid down on the bed, as she painted on her fingernails, a light blue to match her outfit.
"Emily,” her Mom said as she opened the bedroom door.
"Yes Mom" she heard her Mom gasp a little.
"Were did you get that tattoo, on your butt Emily, and your back?” she alarmed.
"I don't know the man’s name." Emily answered her, and continued to paint her nails.
"Where are you going Emily? You need to tell me and your dad these thing?" she sounded upset Emily thought.
"I'm going to play poker and sing karaoke with Billy. We are going to win Mom." Emily told her as she moved from working on her fingernails to her toes. Now exposing the tattoo on her breast.
“You need to eat supper with the family tonight Emily” Judy left the room shutting the bedroom door a little harder than usual.
Emily finished dressing, put on a pair of heels, then applied some makeup and pulled her hair up in a bun. Leaving a few of the edges out around the top and sprayed on her cotton candy body spray.
Then stood in front of the mirror again, "I look good”, she said to herself. Then headed walked to the kitchen grabbed a piece of ham and out the door to wait on Billy. She seen her Mom look out the window, but Emily turned her head away, as saw Bill pulling and ran out to meet him.
* * *
They walked into the Barn at the Adam’s, looking sharp, both of them as if they owned the world and they felt as if they could as long as they were together. Billy was dressed in a pair of khakis with a blue sleeveless shirt, and wearing a fedora gangster type hat.
"Hot" Emily told him as they eyed each other "You to baby."
Rob Adams was passing out chips, “You’re not old enough to play Emily.” He told her, as they walked up to get their chips.
Emily leaned into him "Rob," and she touched his cheek, she knew he was could see her breast, in her low cut halter, as his eye’s glanced down. "This game is illegal anyway." He stared at her, then smiled, “Ok, here’s your chips."
Billy laughed, then reached and grabbed Rob’s shirt, standing him up from behind the table. “Don't ever look at my girl like that again, you hear me.” Then let him go, Rob looked as if he were about to fall, and Billy put his arm around Emily both laughing as they went to pick out their song for Karaoke.
Once at the table, Emily got a mixed drink and felt at ease, as she played. She had never really played the game except around the kitchen table with her brothers, but knew the basics of Texas Holden.
There were thirteen tables and all of them were full. With unlimited rebuys for the first hour if you got below 1000 in chips. The game was a 25 dollar buy-in for 10,000 chips, deep stack they called it. The rebuy was $10.00 for 2500 in chips.
Emily threw away the first hand without looking at it, having always been told by Joe, it’s bad luck to play the first hand. The second hand she looked down at a 5/6 the old lady next to her raised, Emily thought about it a minute. I can possibly hit a straight she said to herself. Josh always said don't enter a hand without raising, so Emily reraised, the first three cards came, who someone called the flop. Emily observed, 7/8/and/A, wow Emily thought, almost got it, two more cards to come. The lady next to her bet, Emily raised, 4th card was a 9. Got it Emily thought to herself. The lady bet, Emily just called it this time. The 5th card came Ace, the lady went all in. Hum Emily thought, almost laughing. I could be beat but hey I can rebuy, I call. Emily won the hand and it went like that for the rest of the game till break. It was like she couldn’t lose, winning every hand she played. She didn't play them all either though, she wasn't an idiot and actually turned out to be a good read of people, even drunk, having spilled a few drinks and standing and yelling every hand she won, sometimes dancing a little. All of hers brothers and Billy’s brothers were there and most were already out, standing behind her rooting her on at times.
By break both families were out except for Emily, and it was hers and Billy’s turn for Karaoke. They had chosen ("It’s Your Love" by Tim McGraw and Faith Hill.) The announcer said "Next up is Emily Canton and " he stopped and laughed "I don't know if I'm reading this right but Billy Johnson" and the music stared "Sing it Billy” Emily spoke softly into the microphone as they both stepped onto a table, "Whoo Hoo" she shouted as he sang, "Hit it baby" he said when it was her turn, "Wow, go girl" he stopped and said as they sang together.
Emily noticed Josh grab a guy and throw him to the ground as he said "Don't talk about my sister like that, punk." People came from outside just to hear them sing, and the crowd cheered, they were good, not only singing but they put on a show and Emily knew they would win, without a problem. Not because some of the others weren't good but because her and Billy belonged to gather and they had charisma. By the end of the song they were dancing together. “I love you.” Billy told her, when the song was over, and he kissed her as the crowd cheered.
Billy whispered to her "Babe you win this poker game and we are going to have a hell of a time getting out of here with the money."
"Why's that Billy?"
"Only a handful of people ever win this and you ant in that crowd, but don't you worry babe, my brother’s ant going anywhere and I don't think yours are either."
"So you think the Johnson's and the Cantons will come together on something?" Emily smiled.
"Oh baby probably the first and last time other than me and you. I’d say your family wants to beat these fuckers as much as mine." And he kissed her before she went back to her table. “Good luck Babe.”
Once down to two tables Billy and Emily were announced as winners of the Karaoke contest. “Go get our winnings Billy, I'm winning another hand, who-o-o Ho-o-o,” she shouted. Both sets of brothers were watching setting at different tables sometimes standing behind her, laughing with her at times but looking serious around the room.
Emily still hadn't lost a hand. Chris Turner setting across from her had made several sly remarks to her about her and Billy, about her being a traitor to Joe and a disgrace to his name. Emily was drunk and mad. Chris went all in, so did a couple of other people. Emily looked down at 2/3 of hearts, "Um, maybe I shouldn't, but I'm going to,” she laughed “because you’re in the hand Chris and I have enough chips” Billy, Josh, Ed and, Ricky was standing behind her. They all flipped over there cards. “Oh shit” Emily heard Josh and Ed say at the same time, as Billy laughed. Chris proudly flipped over pocket aces, flop came 2/2/3 with a K and a 6 to follow, the families cheered. "Whoo Hoo" Emily shouted “You bitch Chris shouted at her.” Billy grabbed him and threw him up against the wall. "Don't ever call my sister a bitch Chris" Josh yelled, then Billy tossed him out the door.