Into The Unknown (Emerald Lake Prep Book Two), page 10
“This is a nice place,” Amy says, getting out of the car and looking around the compound. “It’s like a little community. Does everyone in the MC live here?”
“Mostly. Each family has its own home, and the single men share one house like a bunch of frat brothers. Tyson’s said he lived with them for a while but ended up taking the extra room in the back of the bar. His dad stays there too.”
“They live in the bar?” she asks, sounding a little surprised.
“Yes,” I laugh. “The back half is like a mini apartment. It's behind a locked door, away from the rest of the bar.”
She nods her head. “I guess it could be convenient when you're really drunk. Wouldn't have to go far to get home,” she jokes, making Charlie and I laugh.
WHEN WE GET INSIDE the clubhouse, the place looks completely different. All the loose tables have been pushed together to make one long one, and it’s lined with an assortment of foods—my mouth waters at all the different choices. When I’m not getting sick, I’m eating. It’s like I’m never full. Eating for two has turned into eating for four.
“Hey!” Steel cheers when he sees us, getting up from the table and coming over to greet us. Oliver and Tyson's heads snap up. Oliver’s face instantly lights up, and I can't help but get a fluttery feeling in my belly, but then it intensifies when my eyes catch on Tyson’s. His eyes slowly devour me from head to toe, taking in my comfy leggings and form-fitting, black, long-sleeved shirt. Today is a special occasion, so I decided to dress a little nicer than sweats and a hoodie. Better dress this way while I can, before my belly is too big to fit into anything nice.
Biting my lip, I can't help but look him over also. He’s trimmed his long black hair back to the style it was last year. Just shaggy enough to fall over his left eye. He's wearing a Metallica T-shirt. And even though he is dressed like it was any other day, for some reason, today, he looks extra yummy. He smirks when my eyes make it back up to his, letting me know I’ve been caught ogling.
“Hey, Baby,” Oliver says, suddenly standing in front of me, as he wraps me in his arms, squishing me against his chest. I look over his shoulder at Tyson, and his smirk is gone; in its place is now a scowl. Not like he's angry, but as if he wishes it were his arms around me and not his brother’s. But that can't be it, right? Tyson could have any girl he wanted, so why would he want me?
“Hey, Olly.” I hug him back. He kisses me before crouching down to kiss my belly. I stand there feeling awkward as I look around to see everyone looking at us. But it's also really adorable.
“I missed you,” he says.
“You just saw her yesterday,” Charlie laughs.
“Well, some of us are not as lucky to get to live with her outside school as well as in school,” Oliver snarks playfully.
“Yeah, true. I’m just awesome like that—the power of being the same sex. You get to have all the sex,” Charlie says, giving him a wink, and thankfully, Amy and Rick are too busy talking to Steel to have heard.
FOR THE NEXT HOUR, we sit, eat, and chat. The MC men are already well on their way to getting drunk. After a delicious supper, all the Old Ladies clean up, and Amy heads to the kitchen to help, while all the guys move the tables back to their original places.
Rick is in a booth, geeking out with the MC’s accountant, Charlie is getting baby cuddles from one of the MC members' children, and Oliver is having a tipsy conversation about the best make and model of motorcycles with some guy with a mohawk.
I stand back and smile, feeling stress-free and happy for once. That is until I take another look around the room and see Tyson in the corner with some blonde chick’s tongue down his throat. My stomach drops as I watch his hands grope her body.
Needing to get some air fast, I slip out the back door and go to the picnic table where Tyson told me about Harlow.
It’s been all I could think about these past few days. In the end, I’ve come to the conclusion that I'm pretty excited to have some blood family who is not a disappointment and who actually wants something to do with me. Tyson was afraid I’d be overwhelmed, but knowing I have more people on my side makes me feel a little bit better. I’m just afraid I won't live up to the kind of sister she wants me to be. From what Tyson told me, she's a pretty big deal where she's from. At least this kind of crazy is something I want in my life. Charlie and the guys all said they were happy for me, but Oliver seems to know something more about Harlow, and the vibe he was giving off showed he was a little uneasy.
“Hey, Kiddo, what are you doing back here?” Rick says, taking a seat next to me. “I saw you leave, and I wanted to make sure my baby girl and her baby are alright.”
I force a smile up at him. “Just needed some air; felt too crowded in there,” I shrug.
“Are you sure that it has nothing to do with Tyson and that girl in the back?” he asks with a sad smile.
“No... W-why would it?” I stutter out, taken by surprise by his question.
He chuckles. “I may have been married for a while now, but I know what a man in love looks like when I see one.”
I choke on a laugh. “You're kidding, right? Tyson is not in love, especially not with me. The guy sees me like a little sister or something.”
He cocks a brow with a smirk. “Hunny, the way he looks at you, is not how someone should be looking at their sister,” he laughs lightheartedly.
I sigh, turning to look out at the night sky in front of me. “Yeah, well, from what I just saw in there, I’m not that important. Doesn't matter anyways."
“If it doesn’t matter, then why are you so upset?” he asks softly, rubbing my back.
“I honestly don't know. I have three amazing boyfriends and the best girlfriend a girl could ask for, so I shouldn't have eyes for anyone else.” I look up at him with tears. “Am I a bad person for loving so many people, and maybe even have feelings for someone else?”
He gives me a side hug, and I hold back all the tears that are ready to fall. “I think it just means you have so much love in your heart that it's more than enough for just one person. Your group works. You all love each other and seem to communicate well. If you have feelings for someone new, I think you owe it to them to talk about it. They want you to be happy.”
“I can't do that right now. I have so many more important things to worry about. This baby is my number one priority, and I already have four other people I need to take care of,” I sniffle.
“You’re not alone; lean on them. They can take care of themselves; you just have to trust them to do so... And maybe love them too. Everything else will fall into place. But don't make yourself unhappy over what they might think or how they may react. Communication is key.”
“Okay, I just need to think.”
He gives me one more hug before heading back into the bar. I sit outside in the cool night air for a little while longer. As time passes, the cold seeps into my body, and I start to shiver, so I get up to head back inside but stop when I hear arguing.
“Let me go find her,” the voice slurs. Is that Tyson?
“You need to go back inside and go to bed. You’re trashed, Tyson; now is not the time to have this conversation with her,” Charlie says as I peek around the corner. They are standing outside by the back door, and Charlie is blocking his way from going any farther. “Do you want your brother to find out how you feel about her before she herself even knows?!” Charlie hisses.
Tyson takes hold of both of Charlie's arms and shakes her lightly, but not enough to hurt her. “But I love her,” he says, sounding defeated. “Charlie, I'm in love with your girlfriend,” he slurs, wavering a little.
The ever-stoic Charlie just responds with, “Trust me, dude, I know. I see how you look at her when you think no one is looking. It’s how we all look at her. Like she's the best gift God could give us. I'm surprised no one else has caught on. But now is not the time to confess these feelings. I know for a fact that in the morning, you're gonna think back to this moment and thank me for stopping you.”
“Do you hate me?” he stumbles over his words.
“No. I want Emmy to be happy, no matter what it takes. If you talk to her, and she ends up feeling the same way, I’ll support her. It won't change much with our relationship. The other guys, however, may not be as welcoming to someone else.”
Tyson groans, “I’m the worst brother ever.” He runs his hands through his hair. “I’ve fallen in love with his girlfriend. What kind of brother does that?!”
“I'm done with this conversation. If you remember this in the morning and still want to talk about this, we can talk again, but after you're sober and not taking forever to get your words out. Plus, talking with a drunk person is like fighting with a toddler. Annoying and pointless.” She sighs.
“Do you think she saw me with that girl?” he asks, and my heart starts beating faster. “I was so stupid! I just saw how she was with you and Oliver and... I want that,” he growls, punching the wall. “Fuck!” he shouts, shaking his hand with a hiss. I want to go over there and see if he's okay, but I’m frozen in place. My mind is on hyperdrive as it tries to process everything he just said.
Charlie manages to drag Tyson away, and they disappear back into the building with her complaining about needing ice for men who make stupid decisions. I lean against the wall and close my eyes. I'm so confused about what to do. Did he really mean it? Or was it just the ramblings of a drunk man? The way he touched me when we were playing pool did feel a little more than just friendly. And that moment we had, right after he helped me take the shot, left me just as confused. I can't think straight, and I need to put this in the back of my mind as much as I can right now because I can't deal with this yet. I already have one boyfriend who's slipping away from me; I can't worry about adding another. Why can't my life just be easy for once? What the fuck did I do in a past life to deserve so much hardship in this one?
Chapter 9
Emmy
When I get back into the bar, Tyson is gone. Rick and Amy are ready to leave, so I say my goodbyes to Oliver and everyone else, and then we leave. Charlie says nothing about what Tyson said, and I don't know if I should be mad at her for not telling me or thanking her for being okay with what my heart wants. Should I mention what I saw? In the end, I decide not to say anything until I know for sure how I really feel about Tyson and what I want when it comes to him. I have a lot going on right now, and it's not only my life that would be affected.
The time comes for Amy to drop us off at school, and I'm not really all that excited to be back because this place has become almost like a real reform school. Thank god, it's not, or it wouldn't be so easy to sneak into the guys’ room and have our little sleepovers.
“What time is Oliver coming back?” Charlie asks while one of the guards searches our bags.
“He and Tyson are doing a few things with their dad. They should be back later tonight,” I respond as we head up the stairs to our room. When we get outside our door, I hear voices coming from within. I look at Charlie, confused. “Who the hell would be in our room?”
Charlie shrugs and reaches for the handle. I grab her wrist to stop her. “Wait!” I whisper. “We don't know who's in there.”
“One way to find out,” she says before turning the handle and pushing it open.
I suck in a gasp, and my eyes start to water as I stand in the doorway, looking around the room. The whole place is covered in rose petals. The spare bed is full of all kinds of baby items. And Talon is standing in the middle of the room with a bouquet of roses in one hand and a big teddy in the other. I notice Ben sitting on Charlie’s bed with a happy smile on his face but my focus instantly zeros back in on Talon.
“What's going on?” I ask him, my voice full of emotion.
He looks at me with a slight blush, and it's so cute. I've never seen him this nervous before; I’ve never even seen him blush.
“I love you,” he blurts, stepping forward. “And I'm so sorry for how I reacted. It was such a dick move. I’ve had a lot of time to think, and after some talks with Mrs. Pillar and a few others, I’ve realized I’m not alone in this and that I'm not anything like what I was fearing,” he says, stopping in front of me. His eyes look so sad, guilty, and remorseful.
“Come on, big guy, let's give these two love birds some space. We can go check on Felicity and hang out with her,” Charlie says, grabbing Ben by the arm. He stops next to me. Leaning in, he kisses me, then whispers, “Go easy on him. He’s had a hard time,” in my ear, before leaving with Charlie.
“I... Um, got these for you,” he says, sounding shy and unsure. He holds out the items in his hands to me. I take the teddy giving it a hug before taking the flowers and sniffing them.
“Thank you.” I give him a watery smile. I place them on my bed, then walk over to the other bed, looking at all the baby items. “You got me all of this?” I ask, looking up at him.
“Well, some of it, Ben helped. We split the cost. I used what I had left in my savings,” he says, scratching the back of his head.
“You didn't have to spend all your money on this.”
His eyes turn serious. “Yes, I did. I used my money to help buy things for our baby. That's what a father does.”
I feel a tear fall down my cheek, and he wipes it away with his thumb before cupping my face. “I'm so fucking sorry, Shorty,” he whispers against my lips before kissing me with so much passion it has me weak in the knees. “This is only the start of me making it up to you. You're not a materialistic person, so I'm not gonna buy your forgiveness. I'm gonna earn it by showing you that I'm serious about being here for you and our baby.” His eyes turn from sincere to worried. “I’m just so afraid of fucking this up,” he admits.
“You’re not alone, Tal. You have Ben and me, but most importantly, our family stands behind you for support. We won't let each other fail. It's not gonna be easy, and we're not gonna be perfect at this; no one is, but this baby is already so loved, and that's something most of us didn't get. I say he or she is already the luckiest baby in the world. Definitely with you three as its daddies.”
WE SIT ON MY BED AND cuddle, talking about everything. The more we talk things through and make plans, the more relaxed Talon gets. From the looks of it, the biggest thing that scares him, other than whatever he has going on with his father, is not knowing what to do. So, if talking things through helps him, then that's what I will do.
We go back to the guys’ room and watch movies for the rest of the night. At some point, both Oliver and Ben get back in, and they all take turns telling random stories to my belly, about how if it's a girl, she will never have a boyfriend, and that they are gonna lock her in a tower like Rapunzel. I laugh so much over their silly antics that I almost pee my pants.
I go to bed feeling content and happy, and with one less thing to worry about. I know I still have the Tyson thing to deal with, but it’s not at the top of my list right now, and I need this little bit of happiness to get me through another day.
I honestly don't know where I'd be without my people.
THE SOUNDS OF QUIET moans wake me from one of the best sleeps I’ve had in a while. Slowly, I blink my eyes open and turn my head to the left to find the bed empty. The guys let Talon have me in his bed for the night. I fell asleep cuddled into his chest as he rubbed my back, soothing me into my slumber.
I hear another moan and movement coming from the other direction. Turning my head, I’m met with one of the most erotic, sexiest sights anyone can wake up to, and it instantly has my panties flooding.
Both Talon and Ben are naked on Ben’s bed. Nothing is covering them as Ben lays there. Talon has Ben’s knees pushed up next to his head as he slowly thrusts in and out of him. They're looking into each other's eyes with so much love and passion that my heart is about to burst.
Talon’s thrusts start to get deeper, and my thighs grow slicker. Quietly, I slip my hands between my legs and under my panties, finding my swelling nub, giving it a few rubs before slipping two fingers into my soaked core.
“You like it when I fuck this ass hard, don't you?” Talon whispers with a grunt as he pounds harder into Ben’s ass.
“Yes,” Ben croaks. “I fucking love it,” he pants, as he fists the bedsheets tight and squeezes his eyes shut in pleasure.
“Open your eyes,” Talon demands, and Ben's eyes snap open again.
“Our girl loves hard too, just like you, Baby. I bet you would love to fuck her like an animal as I fuck this sexy ass, wouldn’t you?” Talon groans as he continues to thrust into Ben.
“Fuck yes,” Ben moans quietly, reaching up, gripping his cock hard, and he starts to jerk himself into a frenzy.
“Tell me what you want to do to our girl,” Talon orders.
As Ben tells Talon all the filthy, delicious things that he wants both him and Talon to do to me, I work myself close to an orgasm. I’m on the edge and ready to fall off into the depths of orgasmic bliss. My fingers are drenched; my clit is throbbing with so much need that it almost hurts to touch. I can taste blood from biting my lip so hard to keep my moans inside. I don't dare to risk using the pillow to smother my sounds of pleasure and having them stop if they notice me watching. I know they wouldn’t care; if anything, it would probably turn them on more, but I'm enjoying watching them connect like this, seeing them in this rare moment.
Ben works his cock harder. Both grow louder as they are unable to keep their noises under control.
“Harder,” Ben pants. “I'm so close.”
Talon obliges, leaning over Ben as he goes deeper and faster, pushing Ben’s knees right to his ears. I have a perfect view of both Talon’s cock as it pumps into Ben’s ass and Ben’s grip on his own cock.
