Page 56 of Wrecked With You

Chapter Twenty

Alive.

The word tumbles around in my head, and I can’t quite seem to grasp it. To make it real.

Clyde Morgan is alive.

My whole body is hot. Burning. I can practically feel the heft of a gun in my hand. I can almost picture him cowering as I aim. As I fire.

Alive. Is he really alive? How could he have disappeared for so long? And how in the hell am I going to find him?

“Emma?” Tony leans toward me, then lightly touches my knee. “Earth to Emma, are you okay?”

I nod. “Yeah, sorry. I just can’t believe he’s alive. I mean, the man was blown away when we were kids. That’s what you said, right?” I know it was. I remember the stories perfectly well. “I can’t believe he could have been alive all this time and we never knew.”

“We?” He repeats. “I didn’t think you even remembered the news from back then.”

I nod, remembering that I’d told Tony I didn’t recall hearing the news back when his dad’s body was discovered.

“The royal We,” I clarify. “Law enforcement. The man just went completely under.”

“Apparently.” His voice is cold. Hard.

I nod, regrouping as I try to figure out what to do with this new bit of information. This unexpected key that fits into a door to my past.

I stand, then move to the window. I don’t want him to see my face. To see the jumble of confused emotions underscored by a tug of uncertainty, both professional and personal.

I’d been so angry—no, hurt—when he’d looked at me that way on the island, but the truth is that I get it. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust me, but that he didn’t trust himself. And don’t I feel the same way? Isn’t that why I’m so angry? Because I opened myself up to this man? Trusted him? And then he hurt my heart?

Except I didn’t fully trust him. And now, if I want in on his search to find Clyde Morgan, I’m going to have to come completely clean.

I’ve spent my life juggling lies. Holding them close, burying them deep. I’m good at it.

But telling the truth? That’s something I suck at.

Now or never, I think, then turn to face him. “So that’s why you’re turning down the offer to join Stark Security. Because you want to continue this quest. You want to find Clyde Morgan.”

He nods.

“Then stay. Join the SSA. The resources are insane. Much better than you could manage on your own.”

“Emma—”

“No. Listen. This isn’t about what happened between us on the island. I get that you’ve got tunnel vision for getting this guy. I do, too. And we can nail the fucker a lot faster if we work together—and if we take advantage of the SSA’s resources. I mean, you might as well,” I add with a shrug. “I’m going to. And you wouldn’t want me to beat you to the punch, would you?”

I had to convince him to agree. Yes, it would be awkward working together, but he was right. Focusing on the job was always the best option. You open your heart, you risk getting hurt. Hadn’t he proved that to me during our last night on the island?

“Why are you so fired up to chase down my father?”

And there it was—the question I’d been waiting for. I draw a breath, let it out slowly, then take my seat at the far end of the sofa again. “When I saw your expression on the island, it really did feel like a knife to my gut.”

“Come on, Emma. I already told you what was in my head, and I can only explain so many—”

“No. Wait. Let me talk.” I take a breath and start over. “When I saw your expression I felt sick. I really did. And part of that was because it seemed like you didn’t trust me, but the bigger part—” I break off, swallow, and start up again. “The bigger part was that you were right not to.”

I keep my eyes on him as I talk, noting the way he leans forward, his brow furrowing.

“We were supposed to be partners on that mission, but I had my own agenda. But now I want to partner with you again. And I owe you more than a half-truth.” I shut my eyes, hating that I have to dig into my past and pull it out for examination. But hating more that my silence hurt him.