Emma sat at her desk, she had gone through the last of the reports regarding the latest batch of potential new clients. She had selected three that she thought had potential. The rest would get a kind refusal letter, telling them the firm had too much on their plate to take them on as clients, but they could recommend the attached list of accountant firms. Simon’s and her business were blooming. They had stopped looking for new clients as they had their hands full with their existing ones and the ones that asked to join. There was a knock on the door and Tom opened it and came inside.“We need to get going in ten minutes if you want to have time to get ready, Mrs E,” he told her. “Thank you, Tom. Could you make sure that these three potential clients get wetted? I’ll just say bye to Simon and then we can go,” she told him. He nodded and took the folders from her. When Emma had started working from the office, Bane had insisted she needed a bodyguard. Since Tom’s injuries, his wife ha
Emma parked her car and got out. She couldn’t help but yawn as she got the groceries out. She had been working since seven am and it was now well past ten in the evening. The hospital was, as always, short-staffed when it came to nurses and she had agreed to stay and work an extra shift.They needed the extra money and Emma always felt bad for her colleagues if she didn’t help. It wasn’t like she had kids or a husband that was waiting for her at home. She looked at the house; it was strangely dark tonight. Her aunt and uncle usually would sit in the tv-room watching one of their shows by now. But there was no flickering light coming from the window. Maybe they had gone out. Sometimes uncle Jonas took aunt Laura out on the town. Emma didn’t like when the two of them went out. They usually came home in the middle of the night drunk as skunks. Emma sighed and started up the three steps that led up to the front porch. They needed to be replaced, the first step flexed as she put her wei
They drove for what felt like hours to Emma. But as they never left the city, it felt unlikely. At some point, her tears stopped, not because she had resigned to her faith but out of sheer exhaustion. She had been tired when she arrived home, and now, as the adrenaline wore off, she was left feeling like a balloon that had lost its air, empty and deflated.The car slowed down. From Emma’s point of view, it was hard to see anything other than the top of the buildings and the night sky. But she could hear the steady beat of club music and the occasional shout from people. Emma perked up. If there were people around, she could be rescued. Emma had a firm belief in the inherent goodness in people. You would think that after three years working in the E.R, her rather naïve worldview would have faded. But she found examples every day of the good people did for each other. She, therefore, was convinced that if she only could let the people outside the car know she needed help, they would
Bane walked with determined steps through the nightclub. He had been in his office on the third floor when Jax had called him and asked him to come down to the counting room. Bane knew that Jax wouldn’t have asked if it wasn’t something that Bane needed to deal with.He was still irritated to be interrupted and whoever had caused it would face the consequences of it. Bane smiled as two women called for him to join them. He didn’t have time to stop and talk, but he let his eyes move over both of their bodies. He made a mental note that he should go back after he had handled the situation. He came to the door that led to the back area of the nightclub. Bane held his card up to the scanner and entered his code. He sighed as he stepped into the white corridor and relaxed as the sound of the music and the people were muffled as the door closed behind him. The nightclub was a good investment and a good base of operations. But the noise of it could drive the sanest man mad. He walked alon
The man was clearly expecting Emma to answer. She nodded without meeting his eyes. “And your name is?” he asked.“Emma,” she told him in a thin voice.“Emma Cobler?” he wanted to know. Her name had never sounded so melodic before. It surprised her. She almost forgot to nod. “My name is Bane Velky,” he introduced himself, holding out a hand. Emma’s eyes grew bigger as he heard the name. Oh no, not that, anything but that, she thought. “You have heard of me,” he smiled. He sounded satisfied. Emma nodded. Everyone that lived in the city knew the name Velky. It was the largest mafia group in the state with its centre in the city. And Bane Velky was the head of the family, the don, the big boss, the huge honcho, the Al Capone of the modern world. Emma felt her panicked brain spin out of control. “Calm down, angel,” Bane told her and placed his hand on her shoulder. His thumb went down in front of her throat. If he squeezed, she would struggle to breathe, but somehow his hand calmed
Bane looked at the trembling woman before him. His men shouldn’t have hurt her. They definitely shouldn’t have taken the deal with her uncle. And they would pay for that. Bane didn’t believe in keeping his men at a short leash or babying them. But he had four rules that everyone in the organisation had to live by. His word was law. They didn’t hurt women and children. They didn’t deal with human trafficking. No one was to sell drugs to children.The four rules were enforced without exception, with severe punishment for disobedience. What his men had done to Emma violated rule number two and was a clear attempt at breaking rule number three. But this angel in front of him didn’t know that.Bane’s need to possess her had only grown. Her innocence was like a light in the night and he was the moth. He needed to possess her, to corrupt her. So he smiled his wicked smile and saw her tense up. She may be innocent, but her instincts were strong.“We need to get our money back and that is one
Emma felt her gut clench for the hundredth time since this conversation started. Was she really considering this?“Angel, any man that hangs around you will be interested in getting you into his bed unless he is insane. I don’t want you around insane people,” Bane told her with a smirk.“And if he isn’t interested in women, if he is gay?” she asked. Bane looked at her with surprise. “I’m guessing you have a particular man in mind?” he said. “My best friend,” she nodded. “And you are sure he is gay?” Emma couldn’t help herself but smile.“I’m sure,” she nodded.“I could allow it, if you agreed to let my men or me be present when you meet, at least at first.”Emma nodded. She didn’t like the idea, but it was better than losing Simon all together. “I do have to treat male patients,” she told him.“What do you work with?” he asked.“I’m an E.R nurse,” she said. She was proud of herself for her work.“It won’t be an issue since you won’t be working,” he calmly said.“What?”“Angel, I
“Boss,” the mountain greeted Bane as Emma got into the vehicle. There was a second man in the driver’s seat. “Tom,” Bane greeted the mountain before getting in and taking his seat next to Emma. “Boss,” the man in front said.“Luke,” Bane nodded. “Everything good?” the man called Luke asked.“We should have no issues,” Bane said as he placed an arm around Emma. She jumped at the touch. Bane shot her a disapproving look. Emma took a moment to regret the fact that she had never learnt to swear. She felt like this situation could have used a couple of good swear words. But she couldn’t really seem to use them, even in her own mind. As the car started and she once again found herself in a black SUV with gangsters, without knowing her destination, she forced herself to relax her body. Fudge, fudge, fudge, she repeated in her head.Emma focused on the city passing by outside her window. She wondered if her aunt and uncle had got free from their restraints. She shouldn’t care. After all,