Emma

I finally rouse myself when I smell bacon. Bacon and coffee. I’m suddenly aware of how hungry I am and realize it’s been a day since I’ve eaten. Forgoing another horrifying look in the mirror, I get moving, following my nose.

“Good Morning, Emma,” Jasper smiles at my appearance. “Actually, Good Afternoon, but it was a late night for you.”

Trying to smooth my hair, I eagerly reach for the coffee he offers me. “Thank you. I’m sorry to put you out, I am starving though!”

“No worries. Go sit on the couch, there’s nowhere else as you can see, I’ll be right there.”

“Your ‘murder house’ looks like quite the project?” I say, trying for an easy topic. It’s apparently the right one; I’m done with breakfast before he finishes telling me his plans. Taking the paper plate from me when I finish eating, he sticks it in an empty grocery bag.

“I have some work I need to get to; I would move it if I could.” Jasper says, shrugging. “But you need to stay here. The Probie who was here last night will be outside if you need anything.”

“You have no right to keep me here,” I stand, fists at my side, furious at the turn his actions have taken. I storm towards my duffle bag, beside the door, wanting my own clothes on so I can leave.

“Emma, you need a place to heal. You’ve found it. I need to know you’re not going to try to leave, take today and rest; we’ll talk tonight.” Jasper reaches out for my arm as I walk by him to change in the bedroom, and I swing my bag out to keep him away.

“No!” I close the door to his room and lean against it, wondering what the hell I’ve gotten myself into now.

“Darlin’, it’ll all be alright. Just stay inside and rest.” He says through the closed door, sounding every bit as frustrated as I am, but I soon hear the front door close.

Quickly changing out of his clothes and into my own, I wander up to the front to look out the window. The young guy from the night before is leaning against a truck smoking, he waves at me. I turn and go in search of a back exit. Off a back room, there are what seem to have been French doors that have been removed and boarded up; so that leaves one of the windows.

Tossing my bag out first, I painfully lower myself out and head to the tree line, moving slow and trying to keep the house in between me and the guy Jasper left outside I make it to the trees undetected. Staying just inside the tree line I follow the curve, hoping to get out to a road of some sort.

After twenty minutes or so, I hear a buzzing noise similar to the saw my father had in his workshop. Deciding to follow that I move deeper into the woods; relieved when I see a building with a truck parked outside. Success!

“Hello?” I call out from the doorway. The buzzing sound had stopped as I approached what looked like an old barn, sticking my head in I see the saw mounted on a long workbench, but no one around. “I’m sorry to intrude, but I need directions!”

Looking around I see I’ve stumbled into a carpenter’s workshop. There are some amazing pieces of furniture, doors, and precut crown molding in addition to salvaged pieces and uncut wood.

“You know, Baby? Probie might not get patched in now. What, with you being here, and him supposedly looking out for you back at Jaspers’?” I squeal as Gunner speaks from directly behind me.

I swing around to face him. “Royce isn’t a bad kid, not really, aside from his big mouth. What do you say we do him a little favor and get you back over to where you’re supposed to be?” Gunner is smirking down at me. “Then we’ll just not tell Jasper about you stretching your legs this afternoon?”

Gunner continues to look at me, tattooed arms crossed against his massive chest as he stands between me and the door.

“This is kidnapping, you know.” I try standing up to him, but am so tired from the walk over here I can barely stand without swaying.

“Come on, Baby, I was just about to head out anyway. Handy my shop is so close to Jasper’s place, isn’t it?”

My knees buckle and he reaches out and easily picks me up. “Now, Emma, I ain’t ever seen Jasper get jealous over a woman, but just in case? Let’s not tell him I’ve had you in my arms.”

“Can’t you just take me to a bus stop? Please? I’ll be out of your hair?” I ask as he leans me against his truck before helping me in.

“Yeah, I thought about that when I first saw you in there,” He starts slowly, pausing to light a cigarette. “I think it’d be best for Jasper if I did; but he’s got other ideas and like it or not, I gotta accept it.”

“What ideas?” I groan as he hits a bump in the road.

Pausing, giving me major side eye, he keeps quiet.

Pulling into Jasper’s drive a moment later, the probie is just exiting the front door and looks horrified, he stops, frozen in place, as we pull up.

“Fuck. Gunner. I don’t know what happened. I thought she was resting, then I just walked around the house and a window was open that wasn’t earlier…” He stops as Gunner lifts his hand.

“Probie, Emma and I had a little chat,” I raise my eyebrow at that exaggeration. “No harm, no foul, this stays between the three of us.”

“Gunner, I, I…”

“What’d you learn here today?” Gunner breaks in making the guy pause in the midst of his freak-out.

Looking around, he finally says, “I should have stood somewhere without blind spots.”

“Good. Now what happens next time you fuck up like this?” Gunner steps towards him, looking down at him.

“I don’t get patched.” Probie says with finality, trying to maintain eye contact with the giant who has nearly a foot on him.

“Bingo. I gotta run. Baby, can you make it in alright?” He asks as I start walking towards the house.

I nod, waving him off. I honestly don’t have energy for anything other than getting to bed right now.