“And she just jumped straight into it. Started buttering him up and flirting like there was no tomorrow,” Jax said, sounding bitter.“Are you interested in her?” Bane asked.“Fuck no. Not as more than a onetime fuck. Sorry Emma,” Jax added. “Don’t mind me,” she said.“So you're not interested in her. She used the mark’s attraction to her advantage to get you what you wanted. I don’t see the issue,” Bane told his friend. “There is no issue.” Both Bane and Jax turned to Emma when they heard her giggle. “What? Care to share what’s so funny, angel?” Bane asked.“He is grumpy because Jennie isn’t falling over herself to get his attention. Another man noticed her and she rolled with it instead of focusing on Jax and he doesn’t like to be treated like he treats women,” Emma said, still giggling.“I am not interested in her,” Jax objected.“I know you aren’t. That’s what makes it so much fun. You are just so used to women thinking you are god’s gift to them. Then when Jennie didn’t act lik
Emma’s head was still a little foggy from the scolding fervent kiss Bane had given her when she walked over to James and the group of people he was standing with. “Emma,” he said with a smile when he saw her walking towards them.“Hello again,” Emma said, smiling at the other two people. “Emma, this is Dr Linda Walsh. She has just started at the hospital. This is Mr. Cleaso, one of the biggest donors for the new surgical wing. This is Emma Cobler. She used to work for us as a nurse,” he introduced her.“Nice to meet you,” Emma said. “You as well, miss Cobler,” Mr Cleaso told her. She could feel his eyes rake over her body and Emma forced herself not to take a couple of steps back. Linda just looked at her like she was trying to figure out where Emma fit into a puzzle. “Please, call me Emma,” Emma told Mr Cleaso.“Only if you promise to call me Marcus,” he said, firing off what Emma thought was meant to be a smouldering smile. Having been around Bane and Jax, it just looked comical
Emma gasped for air when Bane’s lips travelled down her throat as his hand caressed down her leg, finding the slit in the dress and pulling her leg around him as he exposed it. “Bane,” she half-heartedly objected. Her body was, as usual, responding to his touch, but her mind was aware of the party that was going on just a few feet away. “I have needed to fuck you since you came down the stairs, angel. This dress is driving me insane and that fucking idiot has every part of me needing to claim my ownership of you,” Bane growled in her ear, making her whimper. Emma felt the need in her grow alarmingly fast as Bane’s hand travelled up her exposed leg. She heard him swear as his fingertips felt the delicate lace of the stockings. “You are killing me,” he murmured against her neck as his lips tasted her puls. “Someone might come by,” she pointed out.“I don’t care. Your body is singing to me. We won’t be here long, angel,” he said. Emma knew he was right. She could feel her body rapidly
Emma was surprised that she wasn’t alone as she stepped into the bathroom. “Dr Walsh?” Emma said as she saw the dark-haired woman from before lifting her eyes in the mirror from her own lips as she was adding more lipstick to meet Emma’s. “Well, hello,” she said, smirking slightly at Emma. Emma caught a glance of herself in the mirror and felt mortified when she realised she looked just as dishevelled as she felt. “I guess James got what he wanted after all,” the woman then said.“Pardon?” Emma asked. Her mind was still not back to normal. Then she realised what this woman implied. “You think I had sex with James?” she said, sounding alarmed.“You didn’t?” “Of course not,” Emma said, making it sound like it was the most disgusting thing she could think of. “I mean, no. No, I didn’t. Why would you think that, Dr Walsh?”“Please, just call me Linda. What else am I supposed to think? James has been obsessing over you since he saw you and now you show up looking like that,” Linda said.
“You don’t get to tell me that. Not after what you said earlier. And when Bane does those things to me, at least he makes me come and makes the earth shake. From what I heard from the other nurses, they were lucky to start getting excited before it was over. Now move before I let Bane and Luke do to you what they are itching to do,” Emma told him. James looked at her with rage. She was half expecting him to come at her. She felt Bane getting ready to make sure James didn’t see a new day. But luckily, James seemed to sense the same. He backed off, and Emma strolled past him without looking at him. She heard Bane’s quiet voice behind her as he passed James.“If you ever lay a finger on her again, I will show you just how much of a criminal I am,” she heard Bane say. A sharp intake of breath followed it. Emma felt Bane’s hand come to rest on her back as he guided her along. She heard James whimper a second time and was about to turn her head to figure out why, when Bane lowered his lips
Bane watched the sleeping Emma. She looked every bit an angel as she lay naked in his arms with her hair billowing in all directions and a serene look on her face. He loved these moments when he could relax and let go of all the masks he wore and all the pretence. He was allowed to adore his angel without limitations. Bane tried not to indulge in moments like these too often. He found that for each time the thought of letting her go was becoming more painful. But tonight, he needed it. He needed to know that she was safe. Bane played with the thought of keeping her with him forever. He could keep her safe, he could make sure she had everything she ever wanted. But she deserved more. She deserved to be with someone she loved, to be happy. If he was less of a bastard, he would have let her go already. But he wanted to keep her, for just a little longer, he thought and eased a strand of her hair from her face. His phone on the nightstand buzzed and he looked down at Emma. She was still s
** TRIGGER WARNING** This chapter will contain discussions about SA and self-harm. Please be kind to yourself if these things trigger you, and move on to the next chapter. Bane had a hard time believing that Emma felt safe with him. From his point of view, he was the one that introduced danger into her life. She should be terrified around him, even if she wasn’t afraid of him as a person. “It’s because of my mother,” Bane told her. He froze, he hadn’t meant to say that. He didn’t talk about his mother, not even with Jax. “Because of how she died?” Emma asked. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t poke at old wounds,” she then said. “It’s okay, angel,” he told her. He picked up her hand that was on his chest and kissed it. He found himself wanting to talk to her about his mother. “She was so different from everyone else in my life when I grew up. My mother was sweet and kind, and she would almost always laugh. She always had time for me and Jax and she would take us on picnics in the garden and
Emma sat in the backseat of the car and could barely keep her eyes open. Last night hadn’t given much room for sleep. But Emma wouldn’t have traded it for all the sleep in the world. The moments she and Bane had shared after he had taken care of James had been profound in a way that Emma never had experienced. It felt like they had connected and forged a bond. Emma didn’t want to delude herself by thinking it was love. That was just her wishful thinking. But it was definitely a strong friendship.“Are you okay, Miss E?” Luke asked from the front seat.“I’m fine, Luke. Just a little tired,” she told him.“Did the boss keep you awake?” Carlos asked.“Carlos! You keep your mind on the road, mister,” Emma huffed. The two men laughed and looked back at her through the rearview mirror. “I would have suggested you sleep a little, but we will be there in two minutes,” Luke then said.“I’ll be fine, but thank you.”Simon had his offices on the twenty-fourth floor. It was the one below the top