The Buchanan's Redemption (12 page)

“Fuck the money.” Her eyes glittered and he had to look away. “I never asked for your money and I’m not taking it now,” she said, wiping at her eyes.

He hated seeing her cry but he had to look out for the family. There was too much at stake. “I would feel better if you took some kind of compensation. I need some assurance that you will keep this to yourself.”

“I guess you’ll just have to trust me.”

“Damn it, Emma, take the Goddamn money. It’s not like you can afford not to,” he said, losing patience. “Don’t be pigheaded just to spite me.”

“I said I don’t want your money.” She slid from the bed and he had to force his gaze from drinking in the sight of her beautiful nude body. Good God, he could stare at her for days and never tire. He squeezed his eyeballs with his thumb and forefinger, knowing he’d have to find a way to deposit the money into her bank account before she’d accept a dime from him. She stalked to him, going toe-to-toe. He had to fight the urge to clasp her to him. “You’re a coward,” she said fiercely. “All this talk about how damaged you are over something that happened in the past is all a bunch of smoke and mirrors so you don’t have to look at the real reason you’re pushing me away. You’re scared shitless of the feelings you have for me. Maybe they’re similar to what you felt with Isabel, or maybe they’re completely new but either way, you’re too chickenshit to just admit you don’t know how to handle the emotion. Yes, it’s scary. Newsflash, you scare the hell out of me! You think I wanted to feel this way about
you
—
 
of all people! —
 
but I can’t help that my heart wants you.
Only you
. I’d dance the Macarena to fall in love with anyone but you —
 
and I hate the Mararena! But that’s the way it goes.”

Love? Vince stared, his heart beating so fast he thought it might jump from his chest. “You don’t even know me,” he said.

She agreed with mild exasperation. “You’re right. We’re practically strangers but on some level you know that you and me make sense in a way that defies understanding. I don’t get it either but I’m not questioning it because I’m smart enough to know that this sort of thing happens once in your life and I’m not going to willfully walk away from it without a fight!”

“What is wrong with you?” he cried, shaking her. “I’m no good! Didn’t you hear a word I’ve said?”

She shocked him when she reached up to cup his face tenderly in spite of the angry fire in her eyes. “Get over yourself! Everyone has wounds and some are deeper than others but you can either nurse them or let them heal —
 
it’s your choice. You’ve been nursing that wound for far too long. Isabel —
 
rest her soul —
 
is dead. But I’m standing here with you right now, naked and vulnerable, saying that I want you —
 
fucked up, emotionally-constipated you. Do you hear me? Are you listening for once in your life?”

Vince’s throat closed and he felt like a little kid about to lose it. Without thought he yanked Emma into his arms and held her so tightly he was afraid her head might pop off but he couldn’t let her go. How was it possible that she wasn’t running away from him? If she had the sense God gave a goose she’d go away as fast as her legs could take her but she refused to budge. And he loved her for it. Strong, defiant, and sweet Emma.
His Emma
. Was it even possible? Holy hell, his head was swimming with as much fear as it was with hope. “I have a terrible temper and I drink too much. I rarely remember birthdays or anniversaries or anything women find important. I’d be a terrible boyfriend and an even worse husband. Why Emma? God, Emma…I want better for you than me.” He captured her mouth, delirious with the need to taste her and he tasted the salt of his own tears. “You deserve so much better than me,” he said against her lips, his voice cracking.

“You big dope,” she said, muffled against his chest. She lifted her head and stared at him with open happiness. “If you spent less time trying to convince others how bad you are, you could actually spend time being true to who you actually are.”

“What if I don’t remember who that person is anymore?”

“Then I will help you remember. I know you’re a good man. I know it because I was fighting the knowledge from the moment I saw you. Something inside me changed when we locked gazes. And I’m so glad.”

And just like that, a dam broke, washing over every broken and jagged piece of his fractured self and he knew he would do anything for this woman. “Emma, I promise you, I’ll spend my life working to be worthy of a woman like you. Every last moment. I swear it.” Her laughter was like a balm to his heart and he swept her into his arms as he kissed her deeply again. She was right. He felt it in his soul that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to wipe the slate clean and start fresh. Emma was offering to him what Shannon and Penny had given his brothers and he’d be a fool to walk away from it. “Marry me,” he said without an ounce of hesitation when yesterday the very idea would’ve been ludicrous. But right now? Perfect. “Make me the luckiest man alive.”

“Shouldn’t we date first?” she asked, smiling through her own tears. “I mean, that’s sort of the thing to do before jumping to the
I Do
part.”

“Fuck that. I know what I want and it’s you. I want you Emma Winters. God, woman, I want you. What do you say? Destination wedding or a blow-out obscenity with hundreds of people stuffing their faces with lobster and steak on the Buchanan dime?”

She looked into his eyes and said with a grin, “How about an elopement? Just you and me and someone to make it official.”

“We’re already thinking alike,” he said with a wicked grin. Could she be any more perfect for him? “We can be in Tahoe in an hour. I’ll call the pilot to ready the jet.” At that her eyes widened and he dropped her to her feet with a playful smack on the ass. “Honey, there are perks to being a Buchanan. Now get dressed or else we’re never going to get out of here.”

She squealed and ran for the shower, throwing an invite over her shoulder, “You can join me if you promise to keep your hands to yourself!”

Vince grinned and wiped at his eyes, amazed at how things felt so different. It was all because of Emma —
 
the woman who’d walked into his club with the intent to bring him down. Funny how life worked out sometimes. “No promises, baby,” he answered, stripping once more. As he stepped into the spray, Emma immediately going into his arms, he realized Tahoe wasn’t going anywhere…

“Vince!” she gasped and then dissolved into giggles as he proceeded to lovingly worship her body just as he planned to do for the rest of their lives.

Married life wasn’t so bad. Hell, who was he kidding? He fucking loved being tied down —
 
and Emma was becoming quite the expert on how to tighten the restraints so she could have her wicked way with him. That was his favorite part —
 
his wicked little wife.

“You look like the cat that ate the canary,” Dillon joked, poking him in the ribs as they stood around the barbecue and tried to appear as if they knew what they were doing. Emma had declared she wanted a good old-fashioned backyard barbecue with burgers and beers, which was fine by the Buchanan men except for the one caveat the girls had thrown in —
 
the men had to cook.

“I don’t understand why we couldn’t have beers and burgers catered in,” Nolan complained, looking at the meat cooking on the grill. “How do we know this will be edible?”

“Cooking a burger isn’t rocket science,” Dillon said, swigging his beer. “You just flip it a few times and make sure it doesn’t burn. Viola, dinner is served.”

“Until we all die of e-coli poisoning because we didn’t cook the meat thoroughly,” Vince quipped dryly. “But hey, my wife wants burgers and beers, and that’s what she’s getting.”

Vince swigged his beer and surveyed their expansive backyard, watching as Shannon and Emma played with Aubrey in the pool while Penny sat with baby Bobby in the shade.

“So…you okay with shutting down Malvagio?” Nolan asked. It was the first time they’d actually talked about the decision to put an end, literally and symbolically, to their old ways and Vince realized he felt great.

“I’m good,” he answered, grinning. “It’s weird. I thought I’d be wrecked about it but I don’t feel anything but relief. It’s like I closed a door and walked away from everything in that house. I don’t miss it. Hell, I don’t have time to miss it. Being a husband is serious shit.”

“Amen to that,” both Dillon and Nolan agreed.

“I do regret not having the opportunity to beat the shit out of Preacher for what he’d done to Emma and her sister. Seems he got off light.”

“I agree. The justice system is fucked.” Dillon flipped a burger, adding. “However, there is a benefit to being who we are. Preacher AKA Scott Pritchard might not be spending much time in jail, but he’s going to find it very difficult to show his face around town, well, at least until it heals,” Dillon added slyly.

Both Nolan and Vince swiveled their gaze to their older brother. A slow grin spread across Vince’s face. “You didn’t…”

“Me? Nah, but someone did. Let’s just say he got everything that was done to Emma and Lana…and then some.”

“Including…?”

Dillon’s laugh was downright wicked. “You know what they say…don’t bend over to pick up the soap.”

“Fuck yeah, that’s what I’m talking about,” Vince said with whole-hearted approval, loving his older brother for taking care of business. “You’re the man, Dillon. Your network is a fearful thing.”

“Yes, it is.” Dillon’s answer wasn’t smug, just matter-of-fact and Vince’s pride in his older brother swelled.

“Hey don’t leave me out. I had something to do with it, too,” Nolan said.

“Yeah? Mr.-I-have-a-family-now? What did you do?”

“I kept you occupied so you didn’t go and run off to commit a felony before Dillon could handle things. You think I wanted to spend all day at the batting cages with your spoiled ass? You cheat more than you play fair and my arm is shot.”

Vince laughed and punched his twin in the arm. “Don’t be such a pussy. Fine. Name the sport and I’ll beat you at it fair and square. Except golf. I fucking hate golf.”

“Whatever man, it’s cool,” Nolan said, grinning. “Just glad to have your cheating, sulking, sore loser —
 
and winner —
 
self back. It was rough, you know?”

“Yeah, I know,” Vince acknowledged, sobering a bit until Dillon rolled his eyes and made a gagging sound.

“Can you guys stop being a bunch of girls for ten seconds? Shit, you’re about to sprout ovaries. Grab your plates these burgers are done.”

They hollered at the girls to grab some grub and as they munched on the very first meal they’d ever made in their lives, Vince realized there was something to this simple but beautiful life filled with family, laughter, and love.

There was no fancy catering company tending to their every need, just good, old-fashioned potato salad, burgers and beers.

And it was sublime.

What had he been so afraid of? Why had he waited so long? The answer hit him as Emma leaned over to press a kiss to his cheek in between bites and his heart tripled in speed as pure, unadulterated love suffused his body. He’d been waiting for her.

“Let’s make a baby,” Vince murmured in her ear among the conversations flying around the table. Emma’s smile froze and she swallowed her bite to peer at him with wide eyes.

“Are you serious?” she asked, a slow, hopeful smile spreading across her lips. He nodded and she squealed. “When?”

Vince rose abruptly and scooped her into his arms. “Right now.” Emma blushed and clung to him as he strode to the house, calling over his shoulder, “We’ll be back later…maybe. Gonna make a new Buchanan!”

Vince smiled as hoots and hollers followed.

God, he loved his debauched family!

Thank you for following the last Buchanan to his Happily-Ever-After in
The Buchanan’s Redemption
. I hope you’ve enjoyed the journey of these incredible people as much I’ve enjoyed writing it. Redemption is my favorite theme because I feel we’ve all fallen along the way at some point but that doesn’t mean we can’t climb back to our feet and start again. Vince had to allow himself to let go of the past to forgive himself and Emma was the right woman to help him do so.

If the Buchanans have given you a few moments of reading pleasure, please feel free to spread the word, either by a nice review, or simply word-of-mouth as there is nothing more powerful than a happy reader.

Once again, I am humbled by the loyalty and enthusiasm of my readers. Without you, I am nothing.

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Warmly,

Alexx Andria