Frustration built, and she wanted to scream at him.“But I was nineteen that last time.I was legal.Why didn’t you do something then?”
“You have no idea how bad it could get overseas.Every day was a struggle.When I came back to visit, I knew I would have to return, and the thought of you waiting for me and then something happening and me getting killed...”He paused, looked away, and then back at her.
“As much as I wanted your attention and letters, you would have been devastated and would have had to deal with my death.I was thinking about you.We hated lying to you, but we thought it was the best way to go.”
“I wish you guys had let me choose,” she said.
“You were so young and ready to go to college.I wanted you to experience it all,” Damon said.
A thought popped into her head.“You were done with your tour and re-upped for another four years.Why?”
He looked down at her small, delicate hand as his thumb ran over her knuckles.
“Because you were living your life at college several states away, and it would have driven me crazy to be that close and unable to touch you.”
She looked away.How was she supposed to deal with this?She understood why he did it and commended him for thinking of her, but she put him out of her life.It was the only way to get through the days.
The front door opened.
“I’ll go help your brother.We’ll talk more.Just know I’m here for good now, so nothing is holding us back,” Damon said as he stood.
She watched him walk off.Her thoughts were jumbled, and she couldn’t focus on just one.The fact that she was sleep-deprived didn’t help.A sigh escaped.She might as well join them.She’d have time later to contemplate everything.
Her spine stiffened when she heard Marley’s voice instead of her brother.She walked in and saw Marley trying to touch Damon, who gripped her hands and tried to push her away.The flirty tone she was using made Emma want to blacken her eyes.One, for fucking around behind her brother’s back.And two, for touching Damon.
“Jesus, lady, aren’t you dating Trent?”Damon asked her.
“Sort of.He’s fun to play with, but I’m getting bored.”
Emma stepped into the kitchen with her arms crossed.“You’re a piece of work.”
Marley jumped back.“What the fuck are you doing here?”
Emma snorted.“It’s my house, you skanky bitch.”She turned to look at Damon.
“How should we handle this, babe?”
She watched one of Damon’s eyebrows lift and the glee in his eyes.
“What the fuck?”Marley said.“No way.You guys aren’t together.Are you?”
Damon immediately nodded.“Yes, we are.”
Emma wanted to smack the smug look off his face, but kept quiet.
The front door opened again, and Trent called out.
“We’re in the kitchen,” Damon yelled.
Emma looked at him to see what he would do.
Trent walked in with a paper bag in his arms.He looked around at the three of them.“What’s going on?”
Emma glared at the other woman.
“Well, this woman and I just met, and the first thing she did was come on to me,” Damon said.
Emma expected to see Trent upset.Instead, he just chuckled.“I see.”