A Beauty Dark & Deadly (A Dark & Deadly Series Book 1) (26 page)

Jason said nothing but he grinned.

When they reached her grandfather's room, Emmy felt her heart start to race. She was nervous and excited at the same time, which was something she had never felt before. Her eyes slid over to Jason; he was giving her a lot of those first-time experiences and they all seemed thrilling and scary at the same time. He looked beautiful, standing next to her with his shoulders squared to the door, as though he was going to battle. His jaw was locked, determined, his eyes on the closed door in front of him. His hair still fell in his face - that was something it didn't appear as though she could change - but at least it was combed. She took his hand in hers - it was cool but clammy, another nervous tic - and she pressed a kiss into his shoulder.

She was in love with him, she realized. She didn't know how it happened or why it did without her being cognizant of it, but she was in love with this man. It didn't matter that he was acquitted of murdering his wife and her lover. It didn't matter that he was the best and only suspect and was only released on a technicality. She was in love with Jason Belmont. She was in love with him wholly, completely, fully. And now, there was no going back.

"Papa," she said with a grin as they stepped through the curtain and to the foot of his bed.

Warmth flooded through her body when she saw that while he was still recovering from surgery, he was sitting at a table looking out the window in tan slacks and a red polo shirt. His thin grey hair was combed and his periwinkle blue eyes were sparkling. He looked better. And more than that, he was trying just like Jason was. The two most important men in her life were finally meeting.

"You must be Jason." Her grandfather got to his feet with more effort than it normally would have taken him. He gripped the corner of the table, putting his weight into standing up. Emmy had to press her lips together to keep herself from expressing something akin to sympathy. He would hate that.

Instead of trying to help her grandfather up, Jason remained at Emmy's side, simply watching the old man. There was no judgment in his eyes, no sympathy either. He had no emotions, to be honest, but he wasn't empty. He regarded the old man like his equal, like a man, and based on the firm stare her grandfather had for him in return, Emmy knew he appreciated it.

"I am, sir," Jason said.

"I've heard a lot about you." Her grandfather extended his arm and the two hands.  They were both prideful men and Emmy was certain the handshake would tell them exactly what they needed to know about each other. It was some weird guy thing that Emmy didn't fully understand but refused to question it.

"All good things, I hope."

Emmy's mouth dropped open as she set the food on the table and she looked at Jason with wide, sparkling eyes. He made a joke. He made a joke. That was actually funny. He rarely jokes. He was typically a quiet person, losing himself in his work. In fact, the only time he really makes an excessive amount of noise was when they were engaged in intimate behavior. She beamed at him. Of course, he ignored her. His attention was on her grandfather which was where it should be, but Emmy knew he knew just how much that meant to her.

Her grandfather chuckled but said nothing. When he saw the food, he took a seat. Jason pulled out a chair for Emmy and grabbed the small stool with wheels - the one the doctor usually sat in while on their computer in the room - and moved it over so he was sitting in between the two.

"Have you had Lucille's before?" her grandfather asked Jason. Emmy started handing out the styrofoam containers while Jason passed out the drinks.

"I have not," Jason answered.

They decided to eat first. There was little to no discussion among the three unless chewing counted as a form of communication. When they finished, Emmy stood up and disposed of the trash before resuming her place in between both men.

"Jason," her grandfather said, his eyes like bullets heading straight for Jason. "Do you mind if we cut the crap and get straight to the point?"

"I'd prefer it."

Emmy looked back and forth. Her heart was still jumping on a trampoline. Sometimes it landed in her throat, sometimes it landed in her gut. But it never landed in the same place twice.

She was nervous. She knew that. What she didn't understand was why she so badly wanted these people to get along. It honestly didn't matter what their opinions were regarding the other. She was still going to be in love with Jason. She was still going to put her grandfather first. But she wanted them to like each other. She still had this innate desire to obtain her grandfather's approval. It wasn't likely that that would change anytime soon. But she had this fire inside of her that only grew when she was around Jason. He set her on fire and kept the flame burning. She doubted it would ever go out completely.

She rubbed her palms on her thighs. Her hands were always cool - never warm - which was the worst in the winter. Never were they clammy or sweaty or filled with perspiration. Until now. She could feel the tension between the two men but it wasn't overwhelming. They were both open to giving each other a chance.

"What are your intentions with my granddaughter?" he asked.

Jason didn't flinch. He did not look away. That had to be a good sign.

"I don't really like the word intention, sir," Jason said. "For me, it seems to imply that I'll make decisions regarding Emmy without her knowledge and her opinion. I have no intentions regarding her. What I want, though, is to be with her. I want to be around her because she's this shining light and I can't look away from her. She's good and pure and genuine and that's so rare to find nowadays that I recognize how vital she is to someone like me. I love her but if she didn't feel the same way about me, I wouldn't condemn her to life with me. I just... I just..." He shrugged. "Whatever she wants from me, I'll gladly give it. I want to be with her for as long as she'll have me." He paused. "Does that answer your question?"

"I'll allow it," her grandfather said after a moment. "Son, do you mind if I talk to my granddaughter alone? You can wait outside of my room. It won't be long."

"Of course," Jason said with a nod of his head.

When the door clicked shut behind him, Emmy's grandfather turned to regard his granddaughter for a long moment. His arms were crossed over his chest, resting on his stomach. Emmy felt herself squirm under his gaze but she did not want him to know he was getting to her. Instead, she tried to breathe in and then breathe out, calming her nerves and hoping the shakiness was all in her head.

Finally, he said, "Do you love him?"

"W-what?" she asked, surprised by the simplicity and the directness of the question.

"Don't play dumb with me," he told her. "Do you love the guy? And be honest. I know you want to please me. I know you want to make me proud and you're afraid of making choices that you think I might not agree with. But the only thing I'm concerned about is your happiness, no matter what my opinion is on the matter. You are all I care about. So, tell me: do you love him?"

Emmy swallowed but nodded her head. "Yes," she said. "I do."

Her grandfather nodded, as though he expected this. "Emmy, more than anything in the world, I want you to be happy," he told her. His periwinkle blue eyes twinkled and she knew he was being serious. "I don't know if this guy is capable of giving that to you. Then again, I don't think anyone on this planet is capable of giving that to you. I don't care about Jason. I care about you. I may have my reservations about him but I trust you. I trust your decisions about your life, including the type of people you want in it. I asked him to come here because I wanted to see if he was the sort of man I could like. Even if he didn't show, that has no bearing on your feelings for him. You don't need me to like him to be with him. And I don't have to like the guy to support you." He paused and swallowed. "I still don't know if I could like the guy based on his past, which I know isn't fair. But I also realize he's here for you. He's already scrutinized and I'm up close and personal. I have to respect him for that. I just want you to know that I'm here for you and I love you and I want you happy. If he makes you happy, well, he's all right by me."

Emmy didn't realize she was crying until a tear dropped from her eye and hit her cheek. Without warning, she leapt from her chair so she could throw her arms around his shoulders and press her face against his chest.

"Now, now," he said, patting her back. "Why don't you let him back in so we can finish our lunch?"

"I love you, Papa," she murmured into his shirt.

"I love you too, baby doll," he said. "Now, come on. The poor guy is probably getting harassed standing out there. Let's get him back inside."

"Well," her grandfather said, "you're in for a treat."

Epilogue

People were fickle. They also loved a good redemption story. When Jason Belmont decided to head back into the spotlight, the general population welcomed him with open arms. It didn't hurt that when he made his re-debut at the Montgomery Writing Ball, he had Emmy on his arm, a young woman with a college degree and a pretty smile, who looked good enough to be considered beautiful without overstepping the fine line between bimbo gold digger idiot.

The couple was at their cabin in the woods, and they were running late. Originally, Jason had wanted to do a signing before the ball and awards were announced, but then changed his mind and decided against it. Twenty minutes before they were supposed to leave, he changed his mind again and Emmy had to hastily throw her hair up into a simple bun instead of curling it the way she wanted to. However, as she stared at herself in the mirror, she realized the simplicity of her hair, makeup, and accessories really emphasized the dress, making it stand out. Emmy could not help but smile to herself. She looked beautiful, and she knew it.

The dress itself was a subtle white color that contrasted nicely with her dark hair and dark eyes. For this reason, she decided her makeup would be subtle and earthy, with warm Browns and nudes. There were no sleeves on the dress, but lace flowed freely from it, and the cut was sweetheart, giving her more cleavage than she already had. It narrowed at the waist and hit her ankles the way a waterfall hit the water in a graceful, eye-catching way. She wore a simple pair of matching white high heels, and there were thin silver rings on her fingers, reminding her who she really was and where she came from. It was too edgy to be compared to a wedding dress, and Emmy refused to let herself worry over what might be written about her in fashion magazines and tabloids. It came with the territory, she knew, but she it was nerve racking nonetheless. At least knowing she was happy with her appearance gave her courage to step out into an audience waiting to judge her.

When Emmy made her grand entrance by walking down the wooden staircase to the living room, the look on Jason's face was enough to make her forget about any worry she might have had. His mouth dropped open - Emmy didn't think that actually happened - and he stared at her unabashedly, not even bothering to hide his wandering eyes nor mask the awe that was so clearly emanating from them. Before he could stop himself, he strode over to her and pulled her into a passionate kiss, using his hand to support the back of her neck as he dipped her.

"You're going to get lipstick on your face!" she chided him, giving him a playful smack on the shoulder once she was able to breathe and he had released his hold on her. "And mess up my makeup."

He shrugged, fixing the lapels of his black jacket. "Don't care," he said. "When you look like that..." He let his voice trail off and shook his head. "You can't blame me. It's not my fault."

Emmy pressed her lips together and felt herself blush. They had been together now a little more than half a year, and somehow, Jason had the ability to make her blush regardless. She didn't understand it, couldn't question or analyze it. It was something so uniquely him that any further research into the matter would turn up with a headache and slight annoyance.

"Are you going to slick your hair back?" she asked, reaching out to run her fingers through the locks of copper-brown.

"Nah," he said. "I don't mind if they fall in my face. Nothing much to see."

Emmy rolled her eyes and decided not to comment on the fact that after all this time, she still believed him to be the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.

A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts, and she glanced at the staircase, past the metal baseball bat Jason kept next to the door just in case.  Her brow furrowed on its own accord, and she paused.  The only person who would choose to visit she and Jason would be her grandfather, and he knew they were going to the awards slash signing slash masquerade ball tonight. 

“I’ll get it,” she said.  Jason didn’t respond, probably because he was still getting ready.

Emmy walked to the door just as the pounding started.  She sprung up on her tiptoes to look through the peephole only to find Cody standing there.  This confused her even more.

“Who is it?” Jason asked, fixing his cufflinks as he came out of the downstairs restroom.

“Cody,” she whispered.

He furrowed his brow.  “What’s he doing here?” Jason asked as he stepped next to her.  “And why are you whispering?”

“Because I’m not sure if I want to answer it or not,” she replied.

He gave her a furrowed brow and an amused smile.  “Let’s just get this over with.”  More pounding on the door, and “I know you’re in there!”  Jason rolled his eyes as he reached for the doorknob.  “He’s never going to quit if we don’t do something about this.”

Just as Jason opened the door, Cody pushed it open, nearly knocking the wood into Emmy.  If she hadn’t taken a step back, the edge would have smacked her in the face.  Jason’s eyes narrowed as he caught the edge, watching Cody walk into the room without being invited.

“You almost hit my girl in the face,” he snapped, turning his body so it faced Cody but blocked Emmy’s.

“Your girl?”  Cody looked from Jason to Emmy, his blue eyes filled with disbelief.  “Your girl?  Is he serious, Emmy?”  His eyes suddenly took in Jason’s suit, Emmy’s dress, and they squinted.  “Are you his girl?”

“I’m not going to dignify that with a response,” Emmy said, standing on her toes once again so she could look over Jason’s shoulders.  “I have nothing to say to you, Cody.  We’re late as it is.  If there was nothing you came here to say, you can leave.”

“No,” Cody said, shaking his hair.  “No, I have something I want to say.”

“Well, we don’t really care what you have to say,” Jason said, standing to his full height.  He wasn’t tall, but when he tensed his body, he appeared intimidating.  Even Cody swallowed, though it didn’t look like he was going to back off anytime soon.  “You can leave.”

“Not before I talk to Emmy,” he insisted.  His eyes shifted over to the woman in question.  “Alone.”
.

Jason shifted his eyes so they rested on Emmy.  She liked the fact that he didn’t answer for her, that he trusted her well enough to make her own decisions and he would have her back, no matter what, even if he didn’t agree with it.  She nodded to him, letting him know that it was okay, that she could handle this.  He nodded back to her.

“I’ll be just in the kitchen,” he said, more for Cody than for Emmy.  The kitchen offered the best vantage point, where Jason could see but not be seen.  It also had the best acoustics, so he could pick up everything that was said.  He’d also be able to detect if she needed him right away as well.  His statement also told Cody that if anything happened to Emmy, if he thought Cody was getting too aggressive, too belligerent, he would just be in the next room and wouldn’t hesitate to control the situation if Emmy could not.

Cody paid him no mind, and instead, shifted his focus to Emmy.  Emmy, meanwhile, smiled as she watched Jason leave.

“What is that?” Cody asked in a rushed whisper, raising his arm and gesturing at her face.  “Why do you look that way at him?”

Emmy turned her attention back to Cody.  “Because I love him,” she said, making sure her eyes were locked on his. 

“You love him?” he asked in disbelief.  “You love this murderer psychopath?  Are you out of your fucking mind, Em?”

“You don’t get to call me, Em, Cody,” Emmy said, taking a step toward him.  Her voice was hushed because she did not want Jason to overhear him.  He wouldn’t like anyone talking to her that way, especially not Cody.  “And you don’t get to talk to me that way, either.  Why are you here?  What do you want?”

Without warning, Cody grabbed Emmy’s hands in his and pulled her to him.  “I want you, Em,” he said as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.  “Don’t you see?  Don’t you understand that?  I want to rescue you from this life.  Come be with me.  Come b
e
my maid.  You know I’ll take care of you.  You know I’ll take care of your grandfather.  You’ll always have a roof over your head and food in your belly.
You’ll never have to worry about another bill ever again.  Let me do this for you, Em.”

Emmy yanked her hands away from Cody and stepped back from him.  “I don’t need you to do that for me, Cody,” she told him.  “I don’
t
wan
t
you to do that.”

“Come on, Em,” Cody said.  “I know you care about me.  I know there was something between us.  Don’t deny it.  Not now.”

"Cody." Emmy's eyes narrowed. She was starting to get annoyed. Why did he think he knew her better than she knew herself? Why was he telling her how to feel. "I'm going to tell you one more time. I am in love with Jason. Like, crazy in love Beyoncé style love with Jason. You cannot change it. Back in college, I liked you. That's nothing - nothing - compared to my feelings for Jason. I don't care that you led me on. I don't care that you dated my best friend knowing I had a thing for you. I don't care about you and I don't care about her. You guys could both die tomorrow and I wouldn't care."

Emmy blinked, surprised with herself for her harsh words. It wasn't like her to be so forward, so blunt, so cruel. At the same time, it was true. She didn't care about Linda and she didn't care about Cody. If they died, she wouldn't care. She knew in her gut that she wouldn't care. Did that make it right to be so direct about her feelings - her lack of feelings - she didn't know. Perhaps she would make an effort to censor herself in the future but right now, she didn't care.

"Now, Jason and I have somewhere to be," she said after she cleared her throat. She went to the door and opened it. "I'll walk you out."

Cody looked surprised, to say the least. He looked hurt when she said what she said, but that hurt turned into anger and his eyes flashed into hers as he watched her open the door.

"Look at what his influence is doing to you, Emmy," he pointed out. He was allowing her to lead him outside which was a good sign. Maybe they'd make it in time for hors d’oeurvres. "You were never a cold bitch, Emmy. Sure, you had an attitude every now and then, but not like this. You're letting him change you into a person I don't even recognize anymore."

Emmy couldn't stop herself from rolling her eyes. She wanted to stop on the front porch and watch him walk to his car but she didn't know if he would stop with her. She decided to head to the driver's door while keeping a reasonable distance between him and the car.

"You never knew me then," she told him. "And you don't know me now. Stop insisting that we were a thing or that I'm changing when you don't know anything." She looked him dead in the eye. "I love Jason and there's nothing you can do or say to change that. Now, please leave. And Cody, don't come back here."

She watched as he clenched his jaw. He looked like he was going to say something, thought better of it, finally turned away. His hand slid into his pocket, probably for his keys, and he angled his body toward his car, as though he was about to go in.

“I came here,” he said, then stopped.  He looked away.  Emmy tilted her head to the side.  She did want to know why he was here, considering his presence made no sense whatsoever.  Finally, his blue eyes clashed with hers.  “I liked you, Emmy.  Back then.  Linda was a better fit on paper.  I made the choice to be with her, but I made the wrong choice.  When I realized you were with Jason, all my feelings came back and I thought I could rescue you, make you see sense.  I realize now that you’ll never see sense.  Not anymore.”

Emmy said nothing.  There was no point.  She did not want to argue with Jason.  She had too much to worry about tonight.  All she needed was Cody to drive off the property and then she and Jason could go. Without warning, Cody spun back around and lunged for Emmy, knocking her off her feet and causing her head to snap back and hit the ground hard. She saw stars.

Cody was saying stuff. Emmy couldn't make out what that was. She heard bitch a few times, then whore. To be honest, she was in a daze. It was hard for her to focus, to hear, to speak, to see. Maybe if she blinked... Once, then twice. She still saw stars but less of them.

It was only when she felt Cody climb on top of her did she get pulled back to the reality of her situation. He was still talking, still going on, but she couldn't hear him. His voice was like an instrument; he was making sounds but she couldn't understand what he was saying.  Suddenly, his hands were on her body and all she could think about was, My dress, my dress is getting dirty and wrinkled and what if the fabric rips and it will be ruined before the ball...