“I’m heading out,” I announced as I stood to leave. “Going to get Emerson and bringing her back here.”
“I’ll help Two Bit and Q with the arsenal till you’re back,” Maverick offered.
I gave him a quick nod as I stood up to leave. I had to get a move on it. Every minute felt like hours wasted – I had to get to my sister.
Guardrail stopped me before I left and said, “I’ll have Cassidy get her a room ready.”
“Thanks, brother. I’ll be back in a few hours.”
Even though it was just over an hour drive to Emerson’s apartment, it’d been almost six months since I’d seen her. She was in her final year at the University of Washington, and she’d been busy with her classes. I didn’t expect her to be happy about leaving her studies to come back to the clubhouse with me but unfortunately for her she didn’t have a choice. I had to do whatever it took to keep her safe, regardless of how she felt about it.
I knocked on Emerson’s door several times but got no answer. I was starting to lose my patience, so I pulled out my cell and sent her a text. Seconds later, her door flew open and Emerson lunged at me, wrapping her arms tightly around my neck. “I can’t believe you’re really here! I’ve missed you so much!”
“Missed you, too,” I told her. “Need to talk to you.”
She pulled back, giving me a questioning look. It was a familiar look, one that I’d become accustomed to over the years. Emerson was a worrier. Guilt over our past troubled her, making it difficult for her to believe that I really had the life I wanted. Emmerson tucked her long brown hair behind her ear and said, “Something’s wrong.”
“Let’s go inside,” I told her. I followed her inside the small apartment. I glanced around, noticing how much the place suited her. It felt like a home, comfortable and inviting.
She sat down at the kitchen table, crossing her arms as she prepared for the news, and asked, “What’s going on?”
“Gonna need you to come back to Clallam with me. The club has run into some trouble and taking you back with me is the only way I know to keep you safe.”
“What? I can’t go anywhere right now, Griff. I’m in the middle of the semester!”
“I know, Em, and I get that your classes are important to you, but there’s no other choice. You’re not safe here, and I’m not leaving here without you.”
“Just wait a minute. This doesn’t make any sense. Why would I need to come back with you? I don’t have anything to do with your club.”
I reached in my pocket, pulling out several of the pictures that were included in my file and placed them on the table in front of her. She leaned forward and her eyes grew wide as she studied all the different images of her around campus. “Who took all of these?”
“Someone who knows you’re important to me, so they’ll try to use you to get to me. I’m not going to let that happen, so you’re gonna need to stay at the clubhouse until we get this thing sorted out,” I explained.
“How long is that going to take?” she huffed with defiance.
“No idea. Could be a few weeks. Could be more.”
“You can’t do this to me. Not now, Griffin,” Emerson pleaded. “I’ve finally gotten away from Grandfather, and now you want me to pack my stuff and go to your motorcycle club?”
“And what are you planning to do when they come knocking at your door? Because they’re coming. You can count on that, and these aren’t a bunch of frat boys I’m talking about, Em. They’ll kill you, but only after they’ve beaten and raped you.”
“Stop trying to scare me!”
“Only telling you the truth.”
“What about my classes?” she asked.
“We’ll figure something out… online classes or something. Mike can get you set up once we get you settled. For now, I need you to go pack your shit. We’re leaving in fifteen,” I ordered.
“This is crazy, Griff.”
“Maybe so, but it is what it is. You know you’re everything to me, and I’m going to do whatever it takes to keep you safe.”
She sat quietly with a scowl on her face while she mulled everything over. I knew she had a good thing going here, and it was understandable for her to be pissed. The whole thing had come as a shock to her. Hell, she’d never even been to the clubhouse before. That part of my life had always been closed off to her, and now I was demanding that she drop everything and submerse herself into my world. It wasn’t exactly fair, but Emerson was a smart girl. She knew I wouldn’t ask her unless there really was no other option. Without a word, she got up from the table and headed for her room. Twenty minutes later she came out of her room carrying two large duffle bags.
“Just so we are clear… I’m not happy about this, and you need to get Mr. Mike or whoever to get me setup to work on my classes online. I’m not going to get behind, just because some bozos want to cause trouble at your club.”
“Understood,” I told her as I took her bags.
“Are there any cute guys at this club?” she asked smiling.