I hold my breath. My brother is obsessed with his wife. So obsessed that he kidnapped her like an unhinged asshole.
Who are you to judge?says that voice.You’re blackmailing Bristol.
It’s not the same thing.
Daphne’s just as obsessed with Emerson. That she’s not here is unsettling to say the least. She’s always there for him.
If anything ever happened to her, we’d lose him.
Emerson pulls his hands down. He’s got his gallery expression on now. Careful. Neutral. But he’s too pale in the moonlight.
“She’s pregnant.”
He braces himself, and all that careful neutrality drops away. He’s terrified. His eyes go from me to Sin and back again. Fuck. He’s waiting for us to confirm that this is, in fact, a disaster.
Sinclair blinks, surprised, and then he slaps Emerson lightly on the shoulder. “Congratulations, Em.”
Emerson stares. “What?”
“Your wife is pregnant. That’s a good thing.”
“You’ve fucking lost it.” Emerson lets out a disbelieving laugh and holds his hands up in front of him. They’re still shaking. “Look at me.”
Sinclair looks back. “So?”
“So what if I can’t do it?”
“Do what?”
“Be a father, Sin.” Emerson’s sharp. Struggling for control. “I can’t let her see me like this. Daphne can’t know that this is what happened when she told me. You can’t tell her. Ever.”
He looks away, into nothing, and I see the effort this conversation is taking.
“What are you afraid of?” I meant to keep my mouth shut. Too late.
Emerson meets my eyes. “What if she can’t trust me?”
To be alone with the baby. To not panic. To keep his own child safe.
He’s really asking,what if I can’t trust myself?
Sinclair rubs at his shoulder. “Daphne already knows everything about you. She loves you. And I bet she’s so excited.”
“She’s over the fucking moon.” Emerson’s absolutely miserable. I understand why he didn’t want her to see this. He thinks it would break her heart.
If Bristol stays at my apartment much longer, she’ll seeme. Shame burns hot under my clothes. All the things I’ve paid for won’t hide the truth from her. Even telling her that a fuck in my bed is worth a thousand dollars won’t be enough. She could be awake even now, lying there in the dark, picking it apart. I can hear her soft, disappointed murmur.I knew it wasn’t real.
“It’s going to be different.” Sinclair waits until Em is looking at him to continue. “It’s not going to be like it was with Dad. You’re not like that. And you’re not by yourself anymore.”
It feels like a knife slipping into my gut. Such a simple phrase.You’re not like that.Of course Emerson’s not like Dad. He thought he was because he kidnapped Daphne. That’s bullshit. He worships her. And she went to pieces without him.
I’mthe one who’s like Dad.
I’m the violent fuck who attends underground boxing matches because he can’t get enough of fists and faces. Heat spreads across the back of my neck. All my money, all my success, and I’m still the same.
“Will,” Sinclair prompts.
Emerson’s looking at me. Searching. He’s done that for as long as I can remember. Looked at people’s faces for longer than anyone else. I’m supposed to say something, clearly. The last part of Sin’s sentence catches up.