Page 66 of Drowning

With Kane back at the table, handing out cold beers, and the storm intensifying by the second, I adjust in my seat and turn my focus back to my cards.

Papercut by 'Linkin Park' fills the room, the high-end speaker system amplifying the sound. My foot instinctively taps along with the beat on the smooth, hardwood floor, feeling the pulsating bass reverberating through the entire house and relaxing my body. Looking at the cards in my hand, I hum thewords softly, trying to decide what my next move is as Stone's foot continues to rub up and down my leg.

I can't fucking concentrate, though.

Just as I'm about to make a move, the power cuts out, plunging the room into complete darkness. The thunder and lightning outside grow louder and more intense, and for a moment, everything is obscured by the black of night. I feel Stone's foot slip between my thighs and gently massage my cock. Even over my pants, his touch grounds me in the chaos of the storm.

"Well, fuck," Seven spits, dropping his cards on the table before pushing out his chair and standing up. "I guess that's the game."

"Let's go dig out the candles and shit," Kane orders, motioning for Stone and Seven to join him. With Eli spending the night with Nova, we have to find everything on our own.

Leaving me alone, the three of them disappear into the darkness, giving me the opportunity to go check on Emerson.

Walking out onto the porch, I'm drenched immediately and hit with a hard gust of wind, a shiver wracking my body. Emerson never moves, keeping her eyes locked on the treacherous waves in front of us. I slowly approach her, hoping she doesn't push me away even more. We're not as close as she is with the others, mainly because I haven't been around as long.

Growing up, Stone and I were inseparable, bonding over our struggles with our sexuality, among other things. I spent most of my time at his house, especially after my parents kicked me out the first time I got arrested. I was closer to his family than my own.

I had an abusive father who drank as much as he fucking breathed and an absent mother who preferred standing on street corners, seeking the validation of every man she could find. She'd come home when she needed something or when she was trying to hide from someone, and my father allowed it. He wasalways too drunk to care about what she was doing or who she was with but when she did come home, they fought like fucking cats and dogs. The only time they wanted anything to do with each other, was when their food stamps and social security hit; then they couldn't get enough of each other. But when the money was gone, the endless cycle would start all over again, and it got worse every time.

I fucking hated it and I hated them.

Being around Stone and his family saved me, in more ways than one. It was them who pushed me to get my shit together and helped me stay out of prison for good. Kane treated me like I was his son, and even after Stone's mother left, he never gave up on me. Bringing me into the club, he gave me a second chance, and to this day, he still hasn't given up on me.

Emerson and I grew close as time passed. I was put in charge of keeping an eye on her while her father and Kane had business to take care of, and during then is when I developed feelings for her. I didn't want to lose the respect I'd earned from the guys, so I never acted on them, but buried them instead. However, things can only stay hidden for so long, and eventually, I told her how I felt.

But through it all, I've always had Emerson's back, even before we all formed our little family here.

Reaching Emerson, I stand beside her and let the storm rage around us. She finally turns her head to look at me, her eyes glistening with unshed tears and something else I can't quite place.

"Hey, Brat," I say softly through a grin, hesitating before placing my hand on her shoulder. "You wanna come in?"

Her eyes search mine for a moment before she shakes her head, a small, almost imperceptible, movement. But it's enough for me to know that she's slowly starting to come around.

We stand there together, watching the destruction with a sense of understanding between us, and I know that even though the storm may be fierce, she's fucking stronger than she thinks.

Taking it upon herself, Emerson reaches for my hand and laces her fingers tightly in mine. She smiles as if everything's okay, but the turmoil raging within her eyes tells a different story, and I'm anxious as fuck to find out what it is.

"Wanna go for a walk?" she asks in a hopeful voice, keeping her smile strong.

"Yeah, why not?" I shrug, offering her a playful smile as we descend the slippery steps with caution.

The rain shows no sign of letting up, but we walk anyway, embracing the storm together. A few times, she looks at me, but nothing is said for a while. It's not until we get halfway down the flooded beach and turn around to walk back that she finally speaks.

"Eli hates me, doesn't he?" she blurts out, her smile slowly fading.

I squeeze her hand, giving her a silent reassurance. "He doesn't hate you, Emerson, he's just having a hard time. You know how your brother is," I scoff, a hint of a chuckle in my tone. "He's beating himself up because he couldn't help you. He feels like he failed you."

"But he didn't. None of y'all did." She sounds fucking defeated, looking down at her feet as she walks.

Ascending the steps, she stops at the door, pausing before going in.

"It's not easy to talk about, Ace, especially when it comes to Eli."

"I know," I say, standing beside her. "But you need to realize that it's okay to let your guard down. And besides, you don't have to tell him every fucking detail." Taking the lead, I pull her into the house, and out of the rain, the music still blaring through thespeakers. Everyone must have gone to bed because downstairs is empty, with only the entryway light guiding us through the darkness. With our hands still entwined, we climb the stairs together, leaving a trail of water behind us as it drips off our bodies. Expecting me to come into her room with her, her face falls when I try to walk toward mine.

"Where are you going? You're not coming in?" She pouts, her shiny lips and her beautiful lashes flutter, and fuck, it's one of the sexiest things she fucking does.

Chuckling, I tell her, "I'm just going to change into some dry clothes, Brat. If you want me to come back, you know I fucking will." I wink, watching an obvious breath hitch in her throat as I tug my bottom lip between my teeth and drag my finger teasingly down the front of her body.