Brave as It (Hellions Ride On #7)

11. Emmalee

ELEVEN

EMMALEE

Life lessons with Emma: Some nightmares never end.

We are at some airfield with swamps literally on both sides of this strip of pavement, a small plane hangar and a tower. In my driving around aimlessly to figure out life, I didn’t dare spare the extra expense of tourist attractions. I always wondered about those airboat rides and gator adventures.

Curiosity.

In this moment, I don’t actually care for an up-close gator experience. In fact, I don’t need to see a swamp this close.

Why can’t I be the girl with a boring life? Or at least a calm one. Maybe I should have decided to be a librarian. If I ever get to go back to school, forget working on biologics to cure diseases. No, I will get a library science degree and work in a school. This way the only drama I can find is between the pages of books and not live it out.

I can hear the noise of the swamp near us, and it sends shivers down my spine. Are they going to feed us to the alligators? I still don’t understand what I have to do with any of this. And now I’ve gotten Dia sucked into it. I have to do something, fix this.

Fight, flight, or freeze.

Every fucking time, I freeze.

When shit hit the fan last year with Diem and her dad, my dad, the whole thing I was stunned in shock. I literally couldn’t move, couldn’t think. She had to tell me to hide for me to even do that. Then I came out of hiding instead of waiting for help that was on the way and nearly died. I am intelligent. I should have thought of something. Instead, I stood there dumbfounded while the world crashed around me. I can’t do that to people I care about again.

Maybe I pissed off God or did something in another life to cause myself this level of chaos and pain. If I deserve this so be it. Dia, though, she is nothing but sweet to everyone around her. I can’t watch her die because of me.

Dia is beside me. Patrick O’Leary stands around casually with a phone to his ear while the other two-armed goons’ pace and watch every movement. Our hands are still cuffed behind our backs and the ride here was uncomfortable to say the least.

I’m not some thrill seeker. I don’t know how to process a plan to get us out of this. I absolutely feel like a damsel in distress.

Except, I don’t believe in fairy tales or knights that come to save a princess. I’m not a princess, I’m a peasant, and right now, I’m fucking screwed.

Dia bumps into me and I look at her trying to understand what she’s communicating. It sucks that we can’t freely speak because the men remain too close. Dia is quick-witted and clever obviously she’s come up with something.

She begins crossing her legs and uncrossing them. She half jumps up and down. I stare at her with eyes wide open.

“Excuse me, sirs,” she engages our captors and I want to scream don’t engage the enemy. “Umm, sirs,” she tries to garner attention again.

They come in closer while I still try to figure out what she’s doing. Everyone back home may love her, but I have a feeling these men don’t love anyone. I don’t have the street skills for this, and I don’t know Dia well enough to know if she’s been in any kind of danger before.

“Oh, thank heavens. I’m sorry to bother you,” she says while still wobbling around everywhere. “I have to use the facilities.” She looks to the tower and over to the single hangar. “Is there a bathroom around here?”

“Bitch, piss your pants,” he replies giving her a death glare.

Is she deterred by his tone? No. This is Dia fucking Crews. When God made her, she got an extra dose of crazy fearless apparently. However, I did not. I’m freaking out inside and I’m sure it shows on my face. Dia, she’s cool as can be, like this is an everyday thing.

“Well, that isn’t very nice of you. We haven’t been disruptive. We’ve cooperated. My hands are stuck, and I would simply like to go into one of those buildings to find a restroom to relieve myself. I’m not asking to be let go or win the fuckin’ lottery.” She is bouncing from foot to foot like a young child trying to hold it, so they don’t have an accident. “I have to pee, and I would like to do so as a civilized woman and not pop a squat right here.”

“Not happenin’. Piss your fuckin’ pants,” he reiterates and goes back to pacing.

Dia keeps at her dance while he ignores us both. A blacked-out SUV comes down the air strip and Patrick O’Leary ends his call. He looks to me and smiles like a proud peacock. What the hell is going on? The vehicle comes to a stop in front of him. He opens the back door behind the passenger seat. My mother steps out.

She isn’t shackled.

She isn’t disheveled.

She looks healthy.

She isn’t stressed.

She isn’t crying.

All the things I have imagined her being, and she isn’t visibly any of them. What in the absolute hell is going on?

She looks put together. Makeup is stellar and hair is back in a tight chignon. She approaches in her purple pantsuit with her red pumps and not a hair out of place. Patrick O’Leary follows behind her looking around as they go. He actually seems more intense and invested in the atmosphere than she is.

Anger consumes me. I’ve been played.

By my mother.

This whole time.

I should have known better.

How stupid am I?

Because of my bad decisions, Maritza has been shot, Hollis kidnapped, his mother dead, and now God only knows what will happen to Dia. If I am tortured or die, that’s okay, this is my mess. If Dia gets hurt in this, I’ll never forgive myself.

I gave up my entire life to keep my mother safe for nothing. There was never any danger to her, not then, not now. How the hell did this happen? How long has she known O’Leary? Was it really my dad and Reigns or my mother? In my process of healing from the gunshot wound, I didn’t ask many questions. Struggling to get through the changes in my life and body, I didn’t care.

I should have.

She stops in front of me, and Dia ceases her pee-pee dance going on alert at the presence of my mother. “You know this woman?” she whispers. I nod, but don’t speak.

“Emmalee,” she greets leaning in to kiss my cheek. “It’s good to see you.”

I jerk back. This isn’t some family reunion. What in the actual fuck is wrong with her? How is this shit happening. She can’t say anything that any of this is good. Yet, she’s standing here like this is a natural visit. I can’t hold it in as the words tumble from my mouth. “Good to see me? Handcuffed. You like to see me like this. Confused, scared out of my mind. I did everything you asked. Everything the man on the phone asked. One step at a time, I gave up my life and did all of this and you say it’s good to see me. My dad was into God knows what, he gets killed in front of me. I get shot and expected to die. You’re gone like the damn wind!” My shoulders twist wildly because I usually talk with my hands, and I can’t move them right now. “You called me. You said they had you and I needed to get away from the Hellions. You said in time I could go back but to keep you safe I had to get away from the man I love, the family who got me through the worst days I’ve ever experienced. I gave it all up so you could be safe. I’ve lived clueless for months and months waiting on a fucking phone call that didn’t come.”

She slaps my face. “Language,” she shouts at me.

“Fuck you,” I spit.

She slaps me again. “You will not speak to me like that. I am your mother.”

“What do you want from me? You have ruined my life. You called. You said you needed my help. Your life depended on it. You aren’t hurt at all. You lied!” I don’t know what else to say. I can’t process this.

She laughs, “I didn’t lie. My life does depend on you.”

I glare at her, “explain how I could possibly help you mother dearest. You look fine, healthy, nice even.” The disdain drips off every word.

“You always have tested my patience. Daddy’s little girl.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” I ask my frustration growing. “He didn’t go out of his way for me and neither did you.”

O’Leary steps up. “Fuck the childhood trauma chit chat. Tell her what you need, Mia.”

“Your father,” she looks to the sky, “God rest his soul. He had a unique skillset as you now know.”

O’Leary is losing patience as he steps closer to her. “On with it.”

“I knew about it. I knew about all the money he skimmed through Reigns Enterprises. Only, he didn’t leave it to me like he told me he would. My security for a life without him was ripped from me. He promised me I would always be taken care of.”

“What can I do about that? He’s fucking dead. You don’t come back from dead mom.”

She huffs and smirks, “I know very well just how dead he is. Because of him, I had everything and now I have nothing. He didn’t honor his commitment to me. The money is my concern. It’s in an offshore account in your name.”

“Fuck your money,” I tell both of them looking O’Leary right in his eyes.

O’Leary raises up backhanding me on my cheek so hard I fall into Dia. She takes the hit staying upright, keeping us both from falling since we can’t balance with our hands. I stand back up because they will not see me break. I refuse.

He can beat me, she can too. I will not give them what they want.

This has all be a game to get them something I didn’t even know existed.

My mother gives me the look. The one that in childhood would rattle me. In this moment, it infuriates me. She can glare all she wants. She can do her very best to intimidate me. All she’s doing is putting nail after nail into her coffin. If by some miracle I get out of this alive, she’s dead to me. No matter how many years she has left upright, she is dead to me forever.

“Give it your best, but I haven’t had anything to do with anyone’s money but my own. I’m not about to start now.”

My mother steps forward into my space. “You’re gonna get on the plane. Mr. O’Leary here is going to escort you to the bank. You will take your passport and retrieve the money left for you by your father. Mr. O’Leary will take back the portion your father took from him plus an additional twenty percent. The rest of the money I will get. I’ll get you back to your life of mayhem with your biker and all will be right in the world.”

“You expect me to go with this man to retrieve money that doesn’t belong to either of us so you can have money to fund your lifestyle. That was your life and death predicament? You had me leave my car behind. Always looking over my shoulder. Not knowing what comes next or when I would get a call. I had to live life one day to the next. I gave up school, my whole future, for you to get some money that isn’t yours? Did I get that right?”

“Your integrity is admirable, young lady,” Patrick O’Leary says to me with an almost proud smile.

“I want no part of this. It’s another scheme, mom. The last one got my dad killed and I almost died myself. How about get a job? That’s what normal people do for money, mom.”

She juts out a hip clearly losing patience with me. “When you say all of it like that it sounds awful. Emmalee, your father worked hard, and he wanted us to have the lifestyle we’re accustomed to. He’s gone, but I shouldn’t have to change because he left me with nothing.”

Exasperated, I have had enough. “He got dead, mom. This money, Mr. O’Leary’s and whatever other money you are talking about is what got him dead. It’s insane that you think this is okay. He didn’t earn this money, mom, you aren’t entitled to it, and neither am I.”

“I think you’re missing the point. The money is there, Emmalee. No one can do anything with it without you. If your dad was alive, I wouldn’t have to do this because he would provide for me. He’s gone and I’m in need of that money.”

“Need, no. Want, yes, and it ain’t gonna happen.” I try to stand firm.

“Bullshit, this is all bullshit.” Dia chimes in. “Lady, you’re fuckin’ crazy.”

O’Leary looks to her, “I like you, little Doll.”

At the reference to her mother, Dia’s face changes. She is livid now. Dia lives for family. He crossed a line.

A plane emerges from the hangar.

These people think I’m stupid. “I get on that plane, I’ll never come back home.”

I’m running out of time for me and Dia. It’s the truth. I can see it all over O’Leary’s face. Once he has the money, I’m as good as dead and so is my mother. Although, truth be told in this moment, I’m fine with her death.

“Have some faith,” O’Leary taunts, “I’m not the enemy here, Emmalee.”

“Well, you aren’t my fuckin’ friend,” I shout back.

Dia kicks me in the back of the leg. I turn to her she shakes her head. “Let it ride,” she mutters. “Don’t rattle the cage.”

What does she know that I don’t? Dia Crews doesn’t let shit ride.

“Okay,” O’Leary raises his hands in surrender. “You’re right. I haven’t given you a reason to trust me.”

“Now we’re getting somewhere.” I should hold back my sarcasm, but I can’t. If these are going to be my last moments, I’m not going to make it easy.

He looks around getting the attention of one of his guys. They approach, he gives a nod to Dia. The man takes out a key and removes her handcuffs.

“What a show of good faith you have given me, O’Leary.” I don’t hold back my frustration. “I’m so freaking impressed.”

Dia is looking at me wide-eyed. I don’t know why she’s so shocked, I’m taking a page out of her book. She never backs down and uses her mouth to shake things up not to suck dick like the barflies. I’ve had enough of everyone’s bullshit.

He nods to his goon. The man moves in and releases my handcuffs.

My mother takes a step back. “What?” I challenge her. “Things feelin’ different when the playing field is a little more even?” I taunt.

“Emmalee, I just need you to get on the plane,” she points to it as it’s approaching on the runway. “Go to the bank, get the money. This is over.”

She makes it sound simple when it’s anything but. “Your existence disgusts me. Why do I want to do anything to help you?”

O’Leary studies my face. Something changes in him. He reaches out to the goon who pulls a gun from his back and hands it to O’Leary.

My heartbeat picks up and I feel the panic rising. This is it. I’m not cooperating, and he’s done playing. I’m going to get killed and probably get Dia killed right along with me. How do I save her? If I die, fine. What is there left to live for? My mother is a snake in the grass just like my father was. I lost the man I love. There is no way the Hellions will trust me after this. I can’t go back to North Carolina. I can stay here and work for Stone, but I’ll never be able to live anywhere but a damn motel. Oh yes, what a life. I can’t afford to go back to school and finish my degree. I can die and it will be okay.

Dia, I can’t let anything happen to her, though.

He raises the gun, pointing at me. I feel Dia reach out and put her hand in mine. She gives it a squeeze as he smiles a sick smile at me. “A gift for you, Emmalee. You are right about it all. You don’t have to help her,” he mutters before moving the gun and firing a single shot into my mother’s head. “I needed her to get you here, I don’t need her to get the money.”

Her brain matter and blood splatter across my face. I fight back the rising bile as the plane comes to a stop. I’m stuck in place completely stunned. I can’t look away. My mother’s limp body is on the ground at my feet as blood pools around her head.

Dia squeezes my hand once again. It breaks me out of the trance. I look where she is staring. In the distance I see a van. What the hell is going to happen next? The plane is here. Who could be coming in a van.

What do we do? How can we find a way out?

Until I’m no longer breathing, I’m not giving up hope.

I’ve been through too much to give in now.

Right?