I looked at Emma.

“I’ll watch her, sir.”

I couldn’t take the call with that man in here. I shook my head and pointed at the man. “No, I’ll stay. Take him out.”

“What?” Kevin asked suddenly.

Thomas gestured to two of the guards and ordered, “Take him outside. Stay with him.”

As they left their positions, Kevin began to back up. He looked all around him, but there was nowhere to hide. “What’s going on? I don’t like this. I didn’t agree to any of this—”

The men grabbed his arms and started to guide him toward the door. He went limp, so they dragged him. When they lifted him in the air instead, he started to kick at them.

“Help! Andrea—” he yelled.

“Shut. Up.” I held the phone against my chest. “It’s a phone call. Your woman is safe. You came to us. Not the other way around.”

Sweat covered his forehead and damp circles radiated from under his arms. He kept looking between the two guards who were holding him. “I—”

I didn’t care and waved them on outside. The men continued on their path and shut the door behind them. Kevin continued to yell, and I fought the urge to go out there and silence him myself. That would’ve been uncivilized. He was the weaker one here. This was my territory. I understood his panic, given everything he’d heard about me in the media, but there was a way to deal with fear. He was like a frightened little boy. I didn’t have time for men like that.

“Carter!”

Hearing Cole shouting from the phone, I lifted it to my ear. “This is not the best time.”

“You’re still in town?”

“And how do you know that?”

“I asked your men.”

Hearing a smugness in his voice, I clutched the phone tighter. “I will make sure to give my men explicit instructions on keeping my location quiet, to everyone.”

He laughed. “You sound like a grizzly bear waiting to attack. What’s got you worked up? It couldn’t be the police chief?”

I looked up, making sure Emma was safe. “Nothing. We ran into a small obstacle, that’s all. Why are you calling me, Cole?”

“To give you the heads-up. I called a meeting with the elders.”

I was quiet for a moment. There were things he wasn’t saying. He’d said earlier that he needed to watch the elders. Now he was meeting with them? He was doing something else, playing a game with the elders.

“Did you need my help?” I asked.

“No, no. I’m just letting you know, in case there’s fallout. I thought you’d be long gone by now.” He sounded casual, happy even. “Are you sticking around town because of this small obstacle?”

Emma had her back to me, but I saw the compassion in her body language. Her eyes had lit up when I told her who was waiting for us at my club. She wanted to know this sister, and she didn’t want the information handed to her in a folder. She wanted to foster this relationship. Even if she came out and denied that desire, I knew she would be lying to me.

She wanted a family. I couldn’t deny her that, but this war… My hand tightened around the phone, and I forced myself to loosen my hold. I was going to break the thing. “Unfortunately, I think so.”

“Well, consider yourself warned then.”

Emma came out of the office as I hung up, with her sister behind her. Both had shed a few tears. What had they talked about in there? Emma reached for my arm, and as if she’d heard my unspoken question, she murmured, “I’ll tell you later. Do you think a car can take Andrea and Kevin to their hotel?”

“Of course.” I gestured to Thomas, who opened the side door on command.

Emma’s sister looked around the warehouse, a small line forming in her forehead. “Where’s Kevin?”

“He had to step outside for a moment. Thomas will help you to the car.”

“Oh. Okay.” She reached for Emma and squeezed her arm. “I’ll see you later then?”

“Yes.” Emma grabbed her hand for a moment. “I’m looking forward to it.” She choked up on the last word, and I leaned forward to study her. Her other hand reached toward her sister, but she caught herself and lowered it back to her side.

“Okay. Good night or good morning, whatever it is.” Emma’s sister gave her another beaming smile before hurrying through the door. It wasn’t long before a car door shut, and we heard their vehicle pull away.

Emma didn’t waste any time. She turned to me, both her hands grabbing my arm. “I know you want to leave. I know there’s a war going on, but I want to stay.” She glanced over her shoulder in the direction her sister had gone. “I want to know more about what happened, Carter.” She pressed against me, her eyes turning sad. “She doesn’t remember AJ. She hates him. Kidnapper. That’s what she said. I have to know. I need to understand what happened. I…” She faltered, closing her eyes a moment. “I don’t have memories before I was with AJ, and according to her, it was just us with our mother. I need to know what happened.”

“I can hire someone to look into it. Their private investigator’s already given us most of what he has on them. I can do that.” I needed to try, but she shook her head, as I knew she would.

“I need to remember. Me. Reading about it won’t do the same thing. I remembered a little bit when I was with her. If we can spend more time together, maybe I’ll know for myself what happened.”