The Billionaire's Secret Kink Box Set: Knox: Secret Alpha Billionaire Romance Bundle (Rosesson Brothers Book 1) (57 page)

He refreshed Emma's wine and brought Dennis some water. He wondered how Emma would feel about him staying the night. He could sleep on the couch. He would feel better if he did.

Dennis stood up. "That's it Miss Hill, thank you so much for letting me take this case. I will forward it to my boss in the morning and she will send it up to the prosecutor's office."

"Ok, thank you very much, I really appreciate it," Emma replied. "Would you like any water?"

Dennis declined and motioned towards the door.

"How about some wine Agent uh, Rollins."

"No thank you, I have to get back to the office."

"Oh, ok, can I, uh, get your card?"

Craig watched Emma, confused again. She seemed flustered.

"Dennis patted his pockets and looked at Craig for help. "I don't think I have any on me."

Craig wasn't sure what to say either. Dennis didn't really work at the local FBI office, but he did have ties there and the lead agent would accept reports from any of them. Damn, he didn't think of this. He'd give her Hawk's number.

"I will write down his number for you Emma."

She looked to Dennis again for confirmation and he smiled and headed towards the door. She followed.

They said their goodbyes and Dennis made his way to his car. Emma seemed on the verge of following him. He took her hand and pulled her into the room. "Come relax, it's all done now."

She came with him a short way and then pulled out of his grip. "I need to ask him one more thing. You stay here, I'll be right back."

And with that she left, leaving Craig feeling very confused. Oh that's right. He wasn't the hero in this story. Sometimes he forgot he was "just" a firefighter right now.

He watched her run out to Dennis' car and talk to him through the open window. She kept crossing and uncrossing her arms and pulling on a crease on her skirt. Nervous? Craig hoped she wasn't telling him not to make the report after all. Dennis shook his head. Emma pasted on a smile and said a few more words, then came inside.

Craig went into the kitchen to see if he could get her any food. She needed some normalcy. He pulled some meat and salad out of the refrigerator and made her a plate. His phone buzzed. He would check the text after he got her settled in.

He took the plate to her on the couch. Her eyes tracked his movements, her face crestfallen.

"How are you feeling?"

"Craig thank you so much for coming to get me. I really appreciate it. I don't know what I would have done without you."

She sounded on the verge of tears.

Craig went to her, setting the plate down on the coffee table.

"Ah, Emma, it's OK. I would do it again a thousand times. I'm just glad you're OK."

"I don't - " she broke off, crying.

"Shhh, don't speak. It's fine. Just get it all out."

He tried to pull her close. She resisted, body rigid.

"I don't deserve you. I practically threw you out of here the other night," she finished.

"That doesn't matter Emma. That has nothing to do with this. You didn't want to get close, or you got scared or something, but you're still my friend and I am glad to help you."

She relaxed a little at this, but her body was still tense, her eyes still wet.

"Are you hungry?"

She glanced at the food and seemed to consider it. She nodded slightly, and Craig got her the plate. As she took a few bites he checked his messages - Dennis' name filled the screen.

Dude - she asked me out on a date. I told her no.

Craig's mind reeled. Anger and disbelief battled to get the upper hand.
She asked him out? What in the Hell? Why would she do that? With my friend? Is she that kind of person?
He looked up from his phone to Emma. Horror at what he was probably reading showed plainly on her face.

"Craig, I, uh." There she went stammering again. This night was just filled with Emma tripping over her words, wasn't it? She didn't seem to have any problem finding words with Dennis though.

Craig leapt to his feet. She was safe. His job was done. He was out of here.

"So Emma, like I said, I'm glad you're safe. I'm gonna go now."

And he went.

Emma couldn't believe her stupidity. She had to be the dumbest, most thoughtless, foolish, senseless loser on the damn block.

Why, oh why did she ask Dennis out?

Well, she knew why. Because he was dark skinned and had dark hair and could have been the man in her vision. But still! Craig had been here! Craig was friends with him. Craig brought him into her life! And she didn't even have the good sense to wait a week or two if she absolutely
had
to ask him out!

What was worse, she didn't even feel attracted to the man. He was OK looking, but definitely not her type. What was going on with her? This vision was making her crazy!

Emma got up and locked the door, then rounded the house to make sure all the other doors and windows were locked. Then she sat on the couch cross-legged, arms over her head, and rocked herself, calling herself a new name with every sway.

Loser. Jerk. Idiot. Horrible person. Mean. Simpleminded. Unthinking. Blockhead. Fool. Senseless.

The list went on until she could think of nothing else. Her heart was sick. Her stomach was sick.

She wanted to hurt herself. She wanted to pull her hair out by the roots or bang her head on the table. She felt like she deserved it. That was all she deserved.

And Craig hadn't said a word to her. He hadn't yelled. He hadn't blamed. He had just left. And now he was gone. What had she done? She pushed away the love of her life, the living, breathing, sweetest, sexiest man she had ever met for a dream. A maybe. A could-happen.

Understanding crept into her brain slowly. Craig was the man in the vision. Sure, he couldn't be the
actual
man she saw, because his hair wasn't the right color and his skin wasn't the right color and she didn't think his voice was the same, but like she told Jerry, she knew the heart of the man in the vision, and it was Craig's heart. He was strong and sweet and selfless and would have taken care of her if she only had given him the chance.

And now she'd driven him away. He'd never forgive her, would he? Of course not, she didn't deserve forgiving.

Emma's head hurt. She squeezed her eyes shut against the threatening tears. She couldn't cry anymore. That was a relief she would now deny herself. She didn't deserve to cry.

She pulled at her hair and dug her fingernails weakly into her cheeks.
Ohmigod I don't deserve anything.

Emma slid off the couch and lay on the hard floor. Hard and cold like her stupid heart.

***

After a long night of fitful sleep on the floor, Emma was back at work early the next morning. She had no good reason not to be there. She wasn't injured. The bruises that had finally materialized on her throat were small, barely noticeable. Besides, she didn't deserve a day off. She felt dead, dull, slow-witted. Her head was full of sand, her eyes scraped as she blinked.

She went about her morning checklist with no enthusiasm. Jerry sang a hi to her from outside the ambulance.

"Hi Jer," she whispered.

They hit the road. Jerry started in on her immediately.

"Emma, what in the world is wrong with you? You look like someone ran over your puppy."

She pasted a pained smile on her face and in a small voice said, "nothing, Jer."

He looked straight at her for a second, eyes widening. They were passing a McDonalds. He did a hard right into the parking lot and drove to the farthest stall in the lot.

He put the ambulance in park and turned, swinging his legs over the side of the seat to face her completely.

"Emma, what in the world is going on? You have to tell me right now. Did someone die?"

Emma couldn't hold back the tears for one more second. Her face crumpled and her hands flew to cover it.

"Oh Jerry no one died. I'm just the biggest idiot that ever lived," she wailed.

Jerry was at her side in a second, hunched over in the small cab. He held her tight and smoothed her hair.

"No Emma, you're never an idiot, you're sweet and smart and fine. There, there, get it out."

The damn broke again, and again. The feelings she had tried to turn off all night because they hurt so badly spilled down her cheeks and broke out her throat. She cried until her throat hurt and Jerry held her tightly.

When she slowed a little, Jerry picked up the radio and told dispatch they were out of service for thirty minutes. He locked the doors and said "Come on, lay down in the back and tell me everything."

Emma didn't know where to begin.

She took a deep breath, intending to tell him what she had done to Craig, but instead "Reece almost raped me," came tumbling out of her mouth. She avoided looking at Jerry. He wasn't one to say 'I told you so', but he had been right about Reece and now they both knew it.

"That rotten bastard. Is he in jail?" Jerry spat.

"No," Emma covered her face with her hands. "He said you called him and told him I like it rough. I fought him and hurt him and he told the officers he wanted to press charges against me so -"

The back ambulance door opened and Emma broke off, looking up. Jerry was out of the ambulance, pacing, fists clenched, eyes on the pavement. She could see a vein in his forehead she'd never seen before.

He stopped pacing and came to the door.

"He told you
I
called him and said you like it rough?" he demanded through gritted teeth. "That bastard tried to use me to justify putting his hands on you? I'll kill him."

"Jerry, stop, calm down, I know you wouldn't tell him that," Emma pleaded.

"That's not the point!" Jerry yelled, and he was off pacing again.

After a few laps he stopped at the door again, his words slow and deliberate. "It doesn't matter if you believe him or not. He still said it. Only a coward would do something like that. And only a monster would rape women. This man doesn't deserve to be a doctor, much less a head of surgery."

"He still might be prosecuted. An FBI agent came and took my report after the local PD wouldn't do it."

"FBI? How did you get the FBI involved? Wait, wait. I want to hear the whole story from beginning to end. I promise I won't freak out again."

Jerry climbed back in the ambulance and took Emma's hand. "Ok, go."

Emma told it, a shameful blush creeping its way onto her face at first, beginning with throwing Craig out of her house and deciding to call Reece and ending with the report to Agent Rollins. She wanted to share the next part with Jerry too, but she couldn't just yet.

Jerry sat back, thoughtful, anger gone. "Well thank goodness you came to your senses and called Craig. That man is just what you need Emma, you know that, right?"

At this Emma lost it once more. She had an endless supply of tears, it seemed. She put her hands over her face and tried to push them back.

"I messed that up Jerry."

"You messed it up - when? Didn't this all happen last night?"

"Yes. Agent Rollins? He had dark hair and dark skin."

Jerry didn't say anything for a few moments. Emma wasn't sure if he was in a state of disbelief at her stupidity, or if he didn't get the connection.

"I asked him out," she whispered.

"In front of Craig?" Now she could tell. He was in a state of disbelief at her stupidity.

"He wasn't right there, but Agent Rollins told him after it happened."

"Ohmigod Emma, what did he do?"

"He left. He didn't say anything. He just left."

Jerry gave a low whistle. "Emma, you have got to just forget about his vision. Whether it's going to happen or not, it's ruining your life right now."

"I know!" she cried, dropping her hands and looking him in the face. "You are right Jerry, I know you are right! I figured that out last night when Craig walked out of my life and my heart broke into a hundred pieces!"

Her hands crept to her face again. "I'm such a jerk."

Jerry knelt down on the floor of the ambulance and pulled her hands away from her face. "You're not a jerk Emma, you're just someone who had been through a lot more crap than most of us will ever know or understand, and so sometimes your issues seem a little bigger. You can't help it that you've never had a family, so all you want in the whole entire world is a family. That drives your whole life and every thought in your head, especially since you've had this vision. That would mess me up - it would mess anyone up. But I bet you can fix this."

Emma sat, dumbfounded at Jerry's insight into her issues. After a few moments she asked him, "Fix it how?"

"You have to tell Craig the truth. He's a good guy, he will understand."

The truth. Tell Craig that the only reason she went to Reece and the only reason she asked out Agent Rollins was because she had some stupid vision that told her one of them could be the love of her life? But now she knew he was the love of her life and she was so sorry for messing things up? Would he understand? Would he care?