3. Nash

3

NASH

I barely get through the door of the Whiskey Whistler and I spot Emery sitting with Ray McCallister. He’s a nice enough guy, but he’s not good enough for her. Hell, nobody is.

“What’s up, Nash? How’s it going?”

I briefly look over at Malcolm, the bar manager, and give him a head nod. He must see the concentration on my face because he just shrugs. “Let me know if you need anything.”

I slide onto a barstool, my back to the bar top while answering him. “Will do. Thank you, Malcolm.”

I stare at Emery. She’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. She’s curvy perfection, and I still can’t believe at one point she was mine. At least she was until I completely fucked it up.

Since our divorce, I’ve been a shell of a man, and even though I know I don’t deserve her, I can’t continue like this. If I thought she was happy without me, I could probably move on. I’d be miserable, but I’d do it. But she’s not happy. She tries to put on a content face, but I know her. I know her better than anyone, and she hasn’t moved on either. At least not entirely. By looking at the last few weeks, she’s trying to, though, and it hasn’t set well with me.

I suck in a breath and rub my hand over my heart. Truth is, since the day she said she wanted a divorce, I’ve had an ache in my chest that won’t go away. I knew I needed to get her back, and I wanted to be able to dedicate one hundred percent to it. The fact that she’s started dating has moved up my plans.

Emery is drinking water, and Ray is throwing back another shot. Just since I sat down, he’s had two already. I look around the bar briefly and back at Emery. I’ve been here before, and I know there’s one entrance in the front, one in the back, and another through the bathroom windows. Just in my quick glance, there’s around forty-five people in the building. I can tell who is packing and who is just here to have a good time. Who’s probably going to start a fight and who’s leaving with whom. It’s all part of the job to know my surroundings. But for the first time, none of that matters. The only thing that matters right now is Emery.

I watch as Ray puts his hand on the back of her chair. Her body stiffens, letting me know she doesn’t like it. I know Emery, and I know she can handle herself. I may not have been the best husband, but I sure as hell made sure she knew how to defend herself. I’m out of my seat in an instant when Ray leans over to whisper something in her ear and puts his hand on her shoulder. That’s enough. I’ve had all I can take. Hell, there’s no way I can sit here with another man’s hands on her.

I stalk toward the other side of the room. I try to calm myself on the way. Not only do I not want to murder someone today, I really don’t want to piss Emery off, either. When I get to the table, I pull out the vacant chair and sit on the other side of her. She’s staring at me with her mouth hanging open, but her eyes say it all. She’s pissed.

I glare right back at her. Ignoring the shmuck sitting on the other side of her, I try to give Emery my best smile. “Hey, honey. Who’s this?”

Truth is, I know exactly who Ray is, but none of that matters. He’s enemy number one right now.

Emery shrugs Ray’s hand off her shoulder, and I nod in approval.

That makes her even madder. She shakes her head, spitting her response to me. “Don’t call me that... and don’t act like you don’t know Ray. You met him in the bakery.”

I nod my head, still not looking at Ray. “Right. You’re right, I did.” I force my eyes off Emery and look at him. I did meet him at the bakery. I thought he was some random guy getting desserts. I had no idea he was trying to pick up my wife. He’s obviously had more to drink than I thought. His eyes are glassy, and he’s looking at me almost cocky like. I smirk at him. “So, Ray. Want to tell me why you’re touching my wife?”

Ray’s mouth drops open, and he stares between Emery and me. Emery gasps and grabs me by the arm. “We’re not married.” She looks at Ray. “We’re not married. He’s my ex-husband.” She stands up from the table and pulls on my arm. “Ray, can you give us a minute?” She doesn’t wait for him to respond. She starts tugging me toward the exit. “You! Come with me.”

I go with her but make sure to give a lethal glare toward Ray. I can tell exactly what he was hoping was going to happen tonight, and it’s not going to. Emery can get mad at me all she wants.

As soon as we get outside, she lets go of me, and I follow her to the edge of the building. She turns, crossing her arms over her chest. “What do you think you’re doing?”

I sigh. This is not how I wanted this to play out. The meeting with the rest of the Ghost Team this afternoon went smoothly, but the men were all surprised, to say the least. Did I think I could come here and tell her I’m stepping back from the business and everything was going to be okay? I should have known better... and I definitely shouldn’t have started this by pissing her off. “Look, I’m sorry. I came to—”

She doesn’t let me finish. She throws her hands in the air. “You came to interfere. For months now, you’ve shown up everywhere I am. I’ve seen you more since the divorce than I did when we were married. Nash... this has to stop.”

I shake my head. “I can’t. I’m sorry, Emery, but I can’t let you go.”

She looks so sad. “You already did. You signed the papers.”

I reach for her, but she draws back, and I let my hands fall to my side. “I didn’t want to sign them, but you were so mad, so upset... I couldn’t stand seeing you like that. I had a mission.”

She rolls her eyes. “You always have a mission.”

Tell her you’re stepping back. Now’s your opening . But I open my mouth and close it real quick. She’s too mad, she’s not going to listen, and even if she does, she’s not going to care. I fist my hands at my side. “I know I was gone a lot...”

She laughs out loud, but I continue. “I know I did a lot of things wrong, things I regret.”

She looks almost scared as she searches my face. “I don’t wanna hear it...”

I take a step toward her. “You need to hear it, Emery. I know I messed up, but I want to fix it. I can’t go on like this. We can’t go on like this.”

She cocks her shapely hip out and puts her hand on it. “Why? Why do you care now? All this time, I was yours, Nash. You had me and never had the time for me. Now I’m dating and putting myself out there and you decide you want me.”

I clench my eyes, count to three, and open them. “I’ve always wanted you. I didn’t deserve you. I still don’t. But I love you, Emery. I always have and I always will.”

She wants to believe me. The hope is evident in her face that she wants to. But just as soon as her face starts to soften, her guard comes back up. “No!”

“No? What do you mean, no?”

She’s shaking her head, and her hand trembles as she pushes a piece of hair off her face. “I mean, no, Nash. I can’t go through this again. All the traveling…”

I start to interrupt her and tell her that I’m not traveling anymore, but she doesn’t let me. She holds her hand up. “Stop. Let me finish. All the traveling, and even when you were here you were never HERE. And then the women... I can’t.”

“Women? What women? What the hell are you talking about, Emery?”

She grabs the strap of the purse that’s hanging across her body. Her knuckles are white from how tight she’s holding it. “I’m not going to spell it out for you. The other women. I’m not stupid to believe that you were gone all that time and...” She holds her hand up and starts backing away. “You know what? Forget it. I’m not getting into this now. It’s over, Nash. We’re over.”

I let her go. My whole body is vibrating in anger. How can she even think I would ever betray her? I would never. From the day I met her, I haven’t looked at another woman. Even since the divorce, I haven’t bothered. I know that there’s only one woman for me, and unfortunately, I’m starting to realize that she may not want anything to do with me.