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The next thing I heard was the sound of a motorbike engine revving followed by wheels squealing as Mark drove off and I couldn’t help but smile. Mark was a bully just like his brother and couldn’t handle it when faced with someone who could—and would—fight back.
About a minute later Slate walked in carrying all three grocery bags, a smile lit up his face. “Did you leave anything at the store?”
“Yeah,” Ash answered. “Bunches of stuff.”
I laughed and took one of the bags before heading to the kitchen. “I’m making a celebratory dinner and dessert tonight because I got the job!” I still couldn’t believe it. Working again had always seemed like a far-off dream. For years I thought about it, imagined what my life would be like if I could work again and have friends, but I figured I would be dead before that happened.
Slate’s lips curled into a smile. “Congratulations.”
“Thank you.” I sighed and paused in unloading the groceries. “And thank you for coming so quickly. Dinner will be in a few hours so if you have to get back, it’s okay. I think we’ll be fine.”
He shook his head. “I can be your assistant if you want?”
The thought of Slate and me in the kitchen together, working as a team to get dinner on the table for our daughter was far more appealing than it should’ve been.
Chapter 30
Slate
It’s not unusual for me to spend hours in my office at home even though I prefer my office at the clubhouse because it has all of my high-tech gadgets. The club office was my happy place where I could unleash the full power of my skills to help my MC and my brothers.
And now Emma. And Ash.
My home office had enough privacy for me to spend some time looking into Mark Edwards. Again. I needed to know everything about this asshole. I dug deeper than I usually would have since the last time I tried to look into him, the sheriff interrupted my progress. He’d asked enough questions that I knew Mark had been feeding him information mixed in with speculation.
“Gotcha motherfucker!” Between bank records, email accounts and all the shit I found when I was inside his house, I had everything I needed to get him to back off or ruin him forever.
A soft knock sounded on my office door, and I knew it was Emma. Ash’s knock was still tentative as if she wasn’t sure whether or not I would yell at her. I hated that shit, but I knew only time would fix it.
“Yeah?”
Emma peeked her head inside, her brown hair pulled into a messy topknot and her lips stretched into a hesitant smile. “Busy?”
I glanced down at the screen and then back up at Emma. “Nope. Not anymore. What’s up?”
She pushed the door open and lugged a picnic basket inside that was at least half her size, grunting when she settled it on the table near the window. “What’s up is that I’ve packed a picnic for us. All we need is a good spot. Know of any?” Her teeth sank down into her bottom lip as if she was a little bit nervous.
I leaned back in my chair. “I might. What’s the occasion?”
She shrugged. “I’ve been working for a week, and it feels good. I feel like I have a purpose, like I’m being useful and not just a waste of space. It’s a good feeling and I want to celebrate it while I can.”
My brows dipped and I took in the signs of worry that she did a terrible job at concealing. It was easier to hide things from Ash because kids took most things at face value, but her sweet smile didn’t fool me one bit. “While you can?”
She nodded. “I don’t know, Slate. It feels like everything is going too well, you know?”
“I know that’s been your experience.” I stood and walked around the desk, holding her hands in my own. “But I also need you to know that no matter what happens, I got your back. We’re a team now. Whatever else happens that’s always going to be true, okay?”
She nodded but I wasn’t sure if she believed it. “Yeah, okay. I can’t help it.”
“Time. It’s going to take some time, but I’ll be happy to remind you whenever you forget.”
Her smile beamed a little brighter. “Deal.”
“Good.” I gripped her chin between my thumb and forefinger and tilted up before I brushed my lips across hers.
Emma moaned and gripped the fabric of my t-shirt in her hands, pulling me closer. Her tongue flicked out against my lips, teasing me, tempting me to open up, which I was happy to do. She moaned again and rubbed her body against mine.
I pulled back. “So, about that picnic?”
