Chapter 46

Forty-Six

It only takes one look at Ember's face for me to realize something is very wrong. I drop from the silks I'd been playing on, my bare feet hitting the big top floor as the others follow my gaze. All of us instantly forget the setup we were working with.

"Ember?" Spade asks nervously.

She's pale as she glances between us and swallows hard. "Roger is close," she announces. Those three words are filled with terror, and a fire ignites within me I can't contain, my madness flaring as I see her fear.

I never want her to be afraid, not like this, and I prowl toward her, needing her to understand she's safe. My eyes run across her body, checking for any injuries, but she seems unharmed.

"He threatened her," Greg says at her side. Melvin is tucked under his arm, but Greg looks at Ember, checking her over.

"Take Melvin and watch him," Diamond snaps.

Greg nods, shooting Ember another worried look before he wraps his arm around the kid and guides him from the tent, leaving us alone with our girl.

"What happened?" Club asks as I circle Ember, pulling her into my arms and placing my head on her shoulder. She lets out a shuddering breath and leans back into me, her hand covering mine on her stomach.

"We ran into town to get supplies. He showed up while we were shopping. He threatened Melvin in an attempt to get me to go with him. I managed to get out, but he's here. We have to leave. He'll come?—"

I slide my hand across her face and cover her lips as I press my mouth to her ear. "Breathe deeply for me," I command. Sliding my other hand up, I press it against her chest so she's tight against me. "Breathe with me. In." I take a breath and release it. "Out."

She slowly starts to relax, leaning back into me.

"No more going into town alone. We do everything together," Diamond orders. "But we aren't leaving." He shares a look with us. "Let him come. He'll have a fight on his hands. We can't run forever, Ember. We'll make our stand. This is our home, our people. You are our queen. He can't have you. Understand?"

She nods, kissing my hand, so I let go of her mouth, kissing her neck as she relaxes further. "He will come," she warns us.

"Let him," Club replies. "I've been wanting to go a second round with him."

My dark chuckle makes her shudder. "I've been saving toys for when he arrives," I admit.

We calm her as best as we can, but we can still feel her concern, and I don't blame her. If he's here, then it's for one thing only—her.

"He'll never get you," I promise in her ear. "I'll kill him before he even touches a hair on your head."

She nods, but I know only time will prove my words. Diamond is right. We aren't running anymore. This will only end when we face him, so let him come. That doesn't mean I'll let our girl be terrified and living on edge though. He stole her life for years. He doesn't get to now.

I want her to be happy again. I crave her laughter and unweighted smile.

I direct a look at Diamond, who nods and glances at Spade and Club. "Tighten security. Put out the warning. If he comes here, I want him alive. He's ours to deal with."

Holding my girl tighter, I tug her after me.

"Wait, I should help. Where are we going?" she asks as I lift her and throw her over my shoulder. She yelps but lets me, and when I set her on her feet at the back of the tent, she watches as I swiftly set up what I have in mind.

"Here." I hand her some of the paints we use for posters and point at the wooden board. "Throw it. Take some of your anger out. Scream, snarl, do what you need to."

She looks confused and hesitant, so I grin.

"Just trust me. Try it."

Shrugging, she tests the weight of a small pot of paint and then swings her arm back and throws. It hits the wood, splattering bright red across the surface, and she grins before choosing another and throwing that too. This time, she giggles as it splatters, and without sparing me another look, she grabs another and another. She launches them at the wood, and they make a satisfying splatter.

Grabbing my own, I throw it and watch the different colored paints mix on the board as she starts to smile, even if she doesn't realize it. She tosses one after another until she stands back, panting hard, her fear gone.

I don't like her terror unless it's aimed at me.

She spares me a quick look before heading over to the board to check it out. "What a mess," she murmurs as I step behind her.

"No, this is a mess." Dunking my hands into the paint, I swipe it across her cheeks before she can stop me. She yelps as she whirls, bright blue handprints on her face. Her eyes are wide, and she points at me.

"Heart, don't you dare?—"

I step closer, twining our hands until hers are covered too. She groans at the feeling as I grin at her, tilting my head.

"I like it when you're messy," I whisper hungrily, dropping my eyes to her lips. "I like it when you're angry. I also like it when you're crazy, but I don't like it when you're scared. Do you understand?"

She nods, swallowing as I watch the movement with a groan. I search her eyes, seeing the spark of desperation in her gaze as her lips part in desire. She looks at me like she wants to devour me, and I can't take it.

"Fuck it," I snap.

Pressing her against the board, I press my lips to hers. My paint-covered hands slide across her arms, up to her cheeks, and tilt her face, smearing paint on her skin as we kiss hungrily. Her hands slide up my back, taking my shirt with her, her nails digging into my skin as I moan into the kiss.

I lose myself in her, our greedy hands sliding over each other, staining our skin, but neither of us care as we fight to be as close as possible.

Most call me insane, and they'd be right, but for her, I'd let go of my last shreds of sanity to see her smile again.

I'd crawl through fire for her.

I'd cut every inch of me with glass just to keep her safe.

I never thought I was capable of loving another person, not after everything I lost, but Ember possesses my soul, my heart, and my body. I won't live without her, and the thought of almost losing her today makes our kiss turn brutal, until she whimpers as she tugs me closer. Neither of us want to break apart, even as our lungs scream at us.

Pulling back, she meets my eyes. "What if this didn't work? What if this didn't cheer me up?" she asks roughly.

"Then I would have set up some shit for you to smash with hammers."

Her smile grows, but with it, the sun dawns again. "I love you," she murmurs.

"Good, then you understand a fragment of just how much I adore you," I reply as I nip her lip. "I'm going to frame this art we made, and instead of smashing shit, I'm going to smash you." Throwing her over my shoulder, I set off toward her tent while she laughs and smacks my ass.

Her laughter rings through the cirque, bringing joy only our queen can create, lighting up our homes and lives.