had much patience, but it would seem when it came to my friend, I somehow found a great deal of it.
He opened his mouth, closed it, and walked to the door.
“If you hurt her, I’ll kill you,” I said.
Earl looked at me. “First, you’d have to catch me.”
He exited the room and I was okay with that. I had a feeling I knew his answer, even if he didn’t yet. Ashley, for now, was in good hands. He wouldn’t hurt her. If he intended to, she’d have already lost her virginity.
****
Caleb
Dinner had been a tense affair.
Ashley and Emily had kept the conversation while me, my boys, and Earl had glared at one another.
Drake had also helped to carry the conversation along. They made no show of recognizing the tension. They were more than happy to talk. Now as I stood in my office, Earl and Ashley gone to a safe location of his own choice, I wasn’t happy.
I threw the contents of my desk to the floor.
“Do you think that is going to help?” Emily asked.
I turned to see her already taking a seat on the sofa. She’d changed from the black cocktail dress into a rather revealing negligee. The curves of her breasts on full display and distracting me from my dark thoughts.
“You shouldn’t come in here.”
“Why? Because you’re pissed?”
“You’re not to be alone with that asshole.”
“I agree,” Gael said, entering my office.
River and Vadik were not too far behind him. Drake was nowhere to be seen. He did these little vanishing acts from time to time, and he always came back with information. There were moments I didn’t think I could trust him. He’d been volatile during school and now he always seemed to be the perfect specimen of calm and control. I didn’t buy it, but he had yet to give me any doubt as to his intentions.
“I didn’t call for a family meeting,” I said.
“No, you want to sulk all on your own. Not going to happen,” Gael said.
Emily chuckled. “I don’t see why you’re sulking at all. This is a good thing.”
I looked toward her with a question. “Vadik gave me the heads up,” she said. “I know what you all talked about.”
I glared at Vadik.
“Don’t get angry at me. We promised we wouldn’t keep her in the dark. Besides, she’s part of this.”
“Yes, I am,” Emily said, sitting back.
“And how do you get that this is all a good thing?” I asked, pointing around the room.
She sighed. “You’re in a mood because you have no reason to kill Earl. I’d say while he’s helping us, he gets a free pass.”
“Even though he’s fucking your friend.”
She shot me a scowl. “Anyway, the moment he does hurt my friend and all this crap is over, we can take him out. Not before then. We don’t know what he’s capable of.”
“Emily, he’s the one who made the deal to have you killed if we approached.”
“And he’s also the one who has made sure that didn’t happen. Any attacks now come straight from your parents and you’ve also discovered there are men who want you all dead. I’d say that is a lot more important right now.” Emily ran her fingers through her hair.
“You’re being awfully reasonable about all of this,” Gael said. “I thought the moment you saw Ashley, you’d want to cut his dick off.”
“I do. I really do, but Ashley, she has always had a way that makes me calm and if she has the same impact on Earl, then I think we’re all safe. I need you all to promise me you won’t kill him. At least not yet.”
“I’m getting whiplash,” I said.
Emily rushed toward me. “I get that you’re angry and you’re stressed.”
“Three fathers with a serious case of revenge are right now out there plotting our deaths. Not to mention they know how we all feel about you. I … I can’t let anything happen to you.”
She grabbed the back of my neck, pulled me down, and kissed me.
I couldn’t resist grabbing her ass and holding her close. Letting her feel just how much I wanted her to be there.
Breaking from her lips, I trailed mine down to her neck, flicking across her pulse. Her moan filled the air and I groaned. In that instant, all I wanted was for her tight cunt to be on my dick, taking all of me. The desk was already clear and I spun her around, lifting her onto the desk and stepping between her spread