"Night." I repeat and turn to walk into my room.
"Mama's home!" I hear E call out from the foyer. My heart starts pounding and I can't get myself out of my room quick enough to see her. She's only been gone two weeks but I fucking missed her. She has the type of strength that just seeps into everyone around her and things have just felt out of control since she's been gone.
I hurry down the stairs and see her ocean eyes staring up at me full of mischief. Finally, I reach her and lift her into my arms. She's back and I didn't realize just how much I needed her here. "Hey," her hands grab my face once I let her down, "you alright?" Her eyes take on this fire like she's ready to kill anyone that fucks with me. And that's a true fucking statement.
"Just missed you." I smile at her.
"Sup Bro?" Vin comes in with their bags. They both look hella tanned and healthy. Vin has cut his hair shorter into a buzz cut and all his curls are shaved off.
I grab his outstretched hand and drag him in for a hug, "missed you guys."
"Yeah," he claps me on the back, "I missed you guys, too. It's good to be home."
"Is that my oh so very good looking identical twin sister?" I hear his croaking morning voice and my heart goes into overdrive. I take a deep breath and force myself to school my features. I need to make sure shit looks much like it was before they left. So, I roll my eyes and look up at him standing at the top of the stairs.
Yeah, wish I hadn't done that.
He has no fucking shirt on and his abs all start flexing as he reaches his hand up to run his fingers through his messy bedhead.
"Hey." Ember grins up at him and he matches hers with one of his own. "You will probably be getting a call from Carm soon. Don't believe everything he says. I did not almost kill him ten times."
Emmett throws back his head and laughs. Yep, gonna have to not look at him if I don't want to explain my thick ass boner.
"Just eight times." Vin chuckles and kisses her temple.
"He's going to express how worried he is about my sanity and wants you to come home." She waves her hand like it's no big deal.
"Meh." Emmett shrugs and joins us all in the foyer. "I'm more concerned with what you found while in Spain."
"Yeah," I nod, "what's happening?"
"I need wine for this convo." Ember huffs as she walks into the kitchen.
"She's been thoroughly fermenting since the first day we stepped on Spanish soil." Vin whispers loudly.
"Fuck you, I heard that." She calls back from the kitchen.
"Hope I get in trouble." He winks at me and chuckles as he heads into the kitchen. What they have is what I want, being unconditionally in love.
"We'll get it." Emmett places a hand on my shoulder.
"Did I say that out loud?" I ask him as my eyes grow wide.
"Nah," he shakes his head with a smile, "I'm just getting really good at reading you." Then he slaps my ass and walks into the kitchen.
I walk in behind him and see Vin leaning against the island and Ember sitting on a stool with a very large and very full glass of wine. "How bad was it?"
"I almost had her," she gulps down a few mouthfuls, "twice."
"Are we going to have to drop you off for AA in the mornings before school?" Emmett asks as he points to her glass.
"Maybe," she grins at him.
"Jennifer is a slippery bitch," Vin chimes in. "She is also so fucking corrupt it's insane. She's been taking orphans out of New York foster care and giving them to families in Spain at a cost."
"That's just fucked up." I shake my head.
"Not to mention, she may very well be the cause of those children becoming orphans in the first place." Ember grinds out. "Her trail went cold about four days ago. Carm is on it to try and figure out where she went. I'm expecting some sort of retaliation from her for Carlos, so as soon as I lost her, I knew I needed to get back here to you guys."
Carlos was the son of Jennifer Talia, he had captured Vin and I to try and torture info about Ember out of us. Needless to say, he failed and was killed by Carm.
"What's the next step?" I ask her.
"We chill for a bit and try to be normal." She nods as she refills her glass.
"Try being the operative word." Emmett nods taking a sip from her glass.
12
"How's school been?" Ember asks as she comes into my room, "do you like it?"
"Actually, it's hard as fuck and I am going to need you to tutor me. Other than that it's good, it's fun."
"Who are you chilling with besides Travis?" She lays beside me in the bed.
"Adrianna has been nice, she's in most of my classes and I met Charles and Jake. We skateboard a lot."
"That's good. Those are good people." She turns her head to look at me, "have you met Marlana?"
"Yeah," I nod, "I don't think you will be having problems with her this year. She looks scared as hell."
"Don't underestimate her." She shakes her head.
"My locker is right beside hers."
"No!" She looks at me with amusement.
"Yeah, and it's your locker from last year."
"No way!" She squeals and it reminds me of Adri. "Why do you look like you want to puke? Is it the squealing?”
"No," I chuckle. "I'm fine."
"Did you talk to Carm?"
"Yeah, he called." I look over at her, "you seriously kicked him out of the car in the middle of nowhere and made him find his
