Rebel Fighter: A Rockport Security Romance, page 10
THIRTEEN
TREVOR
I hadn’t followed her into the bathroom to fuck her. That hadn’t been in my plans at all. I just needed her to be alone, private, so we could talk and I could demand answers from her. The second I saw her, though, all rational reasoning went out the window.
She’s matured so much in the past ten years. Gone is the teenage beauty and in her place is a gorgeous young woman unaware of just how stunning she is.
The second I watched her walk into the school this morning my dick was hard. I wanted her then and there. Hell, I still want her even after I just came inside her. She addicting, my own personal drug, that I can’t get enough of. When I’m with her, it’s like the whole world can be in chaos, but I won’t notice.
Every step I take down the halls tears a part of my soul in half. It’s not right leaving her, leaving our daughter in this school, or in the hands of the asshole, Robert. He promised that if I left her, she wouldn’t ever lay a hand on her again. I won the number of fights he asked for so Emma could have her freedom. She was supposed to be allowed to go away to college and live the life of a normal girl, not one who was trapped by her last name and her father's dealings.
He may seem like the greatest thing this city has seen, wanting to make it a better place for everyone to live. He said he wants the city to prosper and thrive. To be ranked one of the best places in the state, no country to live. Too bad it comes from his nefarious ways. The man is deeply involved in the underground. I wouldn’t say he is the leader of the mafia because I haven’t been able to prove that, even with all of my ties. He does, however, have several mafia ties, which is how he pulled off this MMA fight for Emma’s hand in marriage.
I’m starting to wonder if he made some bad transactions and that's the rush to get Emma married off. It would make sense, especially because he would get the money from events like this. Everyone shows up to see the fights as well as the betting, and those paying to get their fighters involved. Oh yeah, he’s getting a good chunk of change from the whole event. I will need to ask Sky to take a look at his financials and see if there is anything we can uncover and work with to our advantage. Eventually, if we can get enough information gathered, I have every intention of turning it over to the government for them to deal with him. I have all the proof I had gathered through high school, but it’s ten years old, and I know it won’t be enough for the authorities to work off of.
I will make him pay for everything he’s done. I have the means to make sure it happens. My first priority is making sure that Emma and our daughter are safe. Once they are safe and hidden away, I can continue focusing on taking Robert down. I just can’t make a move until they are far away from his reach.
The fact that I have a daughter still haunts me. I never would have suspected that. At least not that I wanted to admit. When I looked at her in pictures, I knew I recognized those eyes, and now I understand why. She has my eyes. Every other part of her looks very similar to Emma so I can understand why Robert chose to present her as Emma’s sister. Her eyes, though, are the dead giveaway that she isn’t.
I hate that I left Emma to raise our daughter alone. I should have been there; I would have been there no matter what Robert wanted. I had every intention of winning Emma back when she went away to college. I had a plan in place to do just that, but when she didn’t attend her dream school that I knew she had gotten accepted to, everything changed. I was left scrambling and redoing all my carefully laid plans. After I left, Emma became a recluse and was always home. I blamed myself, thinking I had broken her so badly that she just gave up on her hopes and dreams and decided to just stay under her father's thumb and submit to whatever he wanted. Now, I know she did it to protect our little girl. She gave up everything to try to give her a better life and keep her safe from the horrors her grandfather was involved in.
When it was supposed to be just getting Emma out, I had a plan. Fuck, I had several plans in place. Most of which involved getting her out before the final fight and keeping her safe and hidden. It would give away my involvement in the fights, but as long as she was taken care of, it was worth the risk.
With our daughter now involved, I will need to rethink my plans. I’ll need more security in place, and I’ll need to gather some supplies for her as well. Half of me wants to hide them in two separate places to make it harder for Robert to find them, but I know Emma would never be okay with being separated from her daughter. The second I get back to the compound, I’m going to pull everyone into a meeting to rework our plans. The sooner we get them out, the better.
Clearly, Robert never stopped abusing his daughter as he had promised. That means I can’t trust anything else he promised ten years ago either. This revelation may have changed some things but it doesn’t change the overall plan.
I will get both my girls out, and I will bring Robert down. There is no other option.
Tomorrow I have another fight. After that, it gives me a week to find a way to get Emma and Alexis out of the house, and somewhere I can pick them up without too many faces.
“Yo, Trevor,” Steel claps me on the back as I enter our security company's office building.
The whole area is pretty much a mini compound in and of itself. The front of our building is similar to a warehouse, but once you get inside, it’s completely renovated. In the fenced-off portion behind the main building are several other facilities and areas for training and storage. We had bought up the whole area and slowly have been transforming it to fit our needs. Eventually, one day, we plan to make this the main base of operations where most of our equipment is stored, with several smaller bases of options spread out across the country. It would make it easier when we take on larger jobs. We’ve already been looking at areas near arena venues that concerts tour at thanks to our contact with Damned Embers.
“Grab Knox and Sky. We have work today.” I shake out of his hold and head toward my office. It won’t have everything that Sky will need to start working, but it will give us the space we need to start planning.
A few minutes after I take a seat and get my computer booted up for the day, all three of them are walking into the office with Knox shutting the door behind them. Both my brothers sit on the couch by the door, leaving Sky to choose from the seats in front of my desk.
“Want to tell me what has your balls in a twist?” Steel grumbles as he looks at me. I know he's referring to the fact I should be in a much better mood after finally seeing Emma today.
“The girl,” I start looking between each of them. I know I can trust them with the information I’m about to give them. I also have a feeling it may just leave them shocked. “Alexis is my daughter.”
As I suspected, Sky gasps and covers her mouth. Steel’s eyes widen, but Knox just gives a solemn nod. Between the three of them, I had expected Sky to be the least shocked with all the information I’ve had her sorting through. Robert really must have done a job to keep all records of Alexis sealed to the point even Sky couldn’t find them. She could tell the information in the papers she found was forged, but she never found the originals. I wonder if there are any originals anymore.
“Well, I didn’t see that one coming,” Steel remarks.
“That explains the forged documents,” Sky adds.
Knox just pinches the bridge of his nose before looking at me. “You want to change the plans now, don’t you?”
“Yes,” I answer simply. “We now need to account for getting Alexis out as well. The safe house will still work for both of them. We just need to adjust when to pick them up. Our original plan of getting her out when she is brought to the next fight isn’t going to work because we know they would never bring Alexis there.”
“What if we grab them at the school?” Sky questions, already opening her laptop that was sitting on her legs and getting to work.
For the next hour, we shoot ideas back and forth on when we can grab both of them. The problem is the only place that seems to work the best would be the school, which has way too many prying faces. Steel suggests having the school host another event that would get the kids and parents at the school. At first, it would have been a good idea, but it runs the risk of Robert being the one to bring Alexis that day instead. By the time we are done, it is circled back to collecting them from the school at either a drop-off or pick-up time. The guys agree to watch the school for the next three school days, and then we’ll make a plan. Hopefully, by next Wednesday I will have both my girls with me where they belong.
FOURTEEN
EMMA ~ 12 YEARS AGO
Trevor and I struggled to survive my sophomore year. There were so many ups and downs between us I thought I was going to lose my mind. One second he was staying away from me, claiming it was to protect me, and then the next, he was beside me promising to never leave me again. Those around me knew something was wrong by the end of the year because I got tired of constantly hiding my emotions. I stopped caring what my father thought about my relationship with Trevor and was all in. Even when he beat me so badly that I missed three days of school towards the end of the year it was worth it in my eyes. When I returned back to school, though, Trevor was back to putting distance between us blaming himself for me getting hurt.
That beating hadn’t been because of Trevor, not that he let me tell him that right away. I received the beating because I had spoken back to my father, wanting to quit cheerleading. With Nora graduating I didn’t want to continue in her footsteps; I wanted to find an extracurricular I would love for myself. My father disapproved of that, though. I wasn’t allowed to have my own thoughts in the house or about my life.
It’s been four months since that happened. Four months of Trevor doing his best to avoid me. I thought giving him time would lead him back to me, but it didn’t. I am tired of being the one constantly needing to chase him. Is it so bad to just want him to chase me for once? I don’t think it is, but I do know one thing. Guys are stupid when it comes to protecting someone they care about.
With it being summer, it has been hard trying to corner him. My father is keeping a watchful eye on me, and I can only get away so often, claiming I have summer homework and need to go to the library in town. It isn’t a lie, but it isn’t the full truth either. The library is close enough to the edge of town that Trevor and his friends live in. I continuously sneak out hoping to find one of them to talk to, but I haven't had any luck.
I’m not sure why, but I thought today I would have some luck. After about thirty minutes I am able to convince my father to let me go into town. My sister has been visiting and agreed to drop me off and pick me up about three hours later. That will be plenty of time for my plan to work. Hopefully.
The drive to the library is made in silence on my side. Nora rambles on about how amazing her honeymoon was and that she can’t wait to see what type of stay-at-home mom she will be. I don’t think she is pregnant yet, but I really don’t care at the moment either. Everything she says to me goes in one ear and out the other. I am on a mission, and her words are just background noise.
“I’ll call you when I’m finished with my homework,” I call out right before I shut the door of her car. She waits a moment before pulling out of the lot. Knowing I need people here to see me, I walk inside and browse through some stack of books before heading downstairs to exit through the back door.
The walk to Trevor’s street doesn’t take long, but with it being the heart of summer, I am sweating by the time I knock on his front door. I probably look like a disheveled mess, but there isn’t anything I can do about that now.
“Well, hello there, Miss Delcoure,” Trevor’s father says as he answers the door. “He’s out back with his friends. Please stay for a while if you can, it’s been so long since you stopped by and I’ve missed your smiling face around here brightening up the place.”
“Thank you, Mr. Griffin,” I smile, heading through the house and out towards the back. As I open the back door, I see Trevor and one of his friends roughhousing while two others call out moves. I guess there’s a fight tonight if they're practicing. With a sigh, I step off the porch, following the stone path through the yard until I reach them. The two calling out moves have unfolded some chairs and filled a kiddie pool to soak their feet in while they watch. Trevor and his other friend are set up in front of them barefoot on the grass.
“Emma,” one of his friends calls out, shocked, standing immediately from his chair when I reach them. “What are you doing here?”
“Well, all of you are avoiding me, so I decided to take matters into my own hands.” I place my hands on my hips and stare each of them down before coming to a stop on Trevor. He looks pissed, and I don't actually care. His eyes darken with his anger, and if I wasn’t so pissed at him for avoiding me, I would probably get turned on by the look he is giving me.
“Emma,” he growls, stalking towards me. I have to look up at him when he reaches me, our chests almost touching as he towers over me. Most would cower under the look he is giving me. He’s beyond livid. I can see the rise and fall of his chest as he stares at me. He doesn’t say anything else, just stares. Both of us are stuck in a battle of wills, neither wanting to say a word until the other does first.
“Are you two going to say something or just eye fuck each other?” one of his friends jokes behind us.
His words break us from the trance we are in. Trevor grabs my arm roughly and pulls me behind him toward the house. He leads me right through the kitchen and down the side hallway. We don’t stop until we reach his room where he sits me on the edge of the bed. Trevor begins to pace the small length of the room, running his hand through his hair, messing it up. I have always loved when he did it. Something about his hair being a mess just turned me on and made me want him. I continue to watch him waiting for him to say something, anything, to me.
“Emma, what the fuck do you think you’re doing showing up here?” Trevor snarls, coming to a stop in front of me.
“You were avoiding me. I’m tired of it,” I push up from the bed and get in his face. Probably not the best idea to test him right now but I don’t care. He would never hurt me.
“You got hurt because of me!” He throws his hands up and backs away. “I’m so sick of watching you get hurt because of me. I can’t keep doing this. I love you too much.”
“I didn’t get hurt because of you!” I shout back, getting up in his face and forcing him back against his closet door. “I told my father I wanted to quit cheerleading and he freaked out. He didn’t want me to quit and told me I had no choice but to stay in it. I pushed the subject more than I should have. It had nothing to do with you! I can’t keep doing this Trevor! I need you on my side. You are the one person who always has my back, no matter what. We can get through everything if you promise not to leave me.” My face is red, and my chest is heaving after yelling at him. I want to cry, but fight back the tears trying to be strong.
“Emma,” he sighs as his hands grasp my waist and pull me against him. “I’m sorry. I just can’t stand to see you hurt. This time it wasn’t because of me but what if it is next time? I hate being apart from you. It kills me just as much as you. I just worry. You know I’ll always protect you first and foremost.” He leans down and places a soft kiss on my forehead.
That’s when I lose it, and the tears begin to fall. I cling to him and let his black t-shirt, already drenched in sweat, soak up my tears. Trevor is my peace, my reason for surviving the hell of my family. If he walks away for good, I know I wouldn’t be strong enough to handle it. The tears just keep coming as I struggle to get myself under control. Not once does he rush me. His hands just run along my back and through my hair in an attempt to soothe me. After a while, the tears begin to slow. When they do, Trevor picks me up in his arms and settles me on the bed as he pulls the covers back for me.
“Get in and rest,” he commands softly, his eyes full of worry.
“Don’t leave me,” I panic, reaching out to grasp his wrist, my eyes wide with fear.
“I won’t be gone long. I’m just going to tell the guys to head home.” He leans forward, placing a soft kiss against my lips. His other hand extracts his wrist from my grasp, and he’s out of the room before I can say another word.
I cuddle into his covers and wait for him to return. I try to keep my eyes open, but my exhaustion finally wins out and my eyes close. I’m not sure how much time has passed, but I feel Trevor crawl into bed behind me and join me under the covers. His chest is bare, and the heat from his body counteracts the standing fan on full blast pointed at the bed. I snuggle into his hold and let him soothe me back to sleep. I slightly remember mumbling something about when I needed to be back to the library, but I’m not completely sure. I know we hadn’t actually fixed anything between us but the hole in my heart was already filling up once more.
“Emma, I swear to god,” Trevor grumbles as he pulls the truck into park behind an old abandoned warehouse.
“What?” I turn in the seat to stare at him. “You’re the one who agreed to me coming along tonight.”
“Because I knew you would show up anyway. It terrifies me when you just randomly show up at places and don’t tell me. We barely got you back to the library in time for your sister to pick you up. If my father hadn’t run that light…” he trails off knowing I won’t listen to the same argument.
“You got me there, and she was none the wiser,” I smirk before leaning forward to place a kiss on his cheek. “We both know I’m your good luck charm. So let's get our asses inside, you win this fight, and then we can leave and the night will be ours.”
Trevor rolls his eyes but opens the truck door to get out. I wait until he comes around to my side to open my door. We had agreed early on that I would always wait for him to check the area and make sure it was safe before getting out. It was the least I could do to help his nerves over my safety at a location like this. I knew he hated bringing me but also loved having me here.
