Free Emma's Treasures by Rebecca Joyce Page B

even there.
    “So after he left…” Emma began again.
    “Stop, no more! I don’t want to know any more!” Travis shouted as he flung open the front door, and walked out.
    “Go to bed, Emma,” Tucker said, staring into space, bouncing his knee. But when Emma went to remove her hand from Tate’s, he latched on and held it tighter. She looked up at him, and for the time since she arrived, she saw regret. It was a powerful emotion, one she never thought to see from him, and when a tear fell from his right eye, Emma grabbed him and held him tightly. “I’m sorry, Tate.”
    Tate didn’t say anything. He just held onto Emma for dear life. He held her as they walked down the hallway, into the master bedroom and gently placed her on the bed. Tate didn’t say anything, as he removed her clothes, grabbing one of Tucker’s T-shirt and covering her with it. When she was in bed, Tate kissed her forehead, turned out the light on the nightstand, and walked out, leaving her alone in bed for the first time since she had arrived.
     
    * * * *
     
     
    Emma knew this night had been coming, and she had held off for as long as possible. Who wants to hear that the woman they love was beaten to a bloody pulp? She knew the boys were going to take it hard, and she was right. There was no taking back what she said. She knew that, but she still felt responsible for the pain they were all in right now.
    Getting out of bed, she told herself there was no way she was letting them handle this by themselves. She had caused it. She would help fix it. Walking into the living room, she stopped, noticing that no one was there. Checking the kitchen turned up nothing, so she went to check their rooms. All were empty.
    “Now where did they go?” she asked, and walked out onto the front porch. Only wearing Tucker’s shirt, the cool air nipped at her skin, sending goose bumps over her body. She looked around, and saw that their vehicles were still here, but they were nowhere in sight. Thinking they might be in the barn, Emma proceeded in that direction.
    She entered quietly, walking past the stalls, till she heard them in the tack room. Slowing her pace, she tried to figure out what they were doing, because it literally sounded like they were beating the hell out of each other. Quietly walking through the door, she was relieved to find them hitting a punching bag, and not each other. She just stood there and watched.
     
    * * * *
     
     
    The moment Tate returned from putting Emma to bed, he walked out of the house, with Travis and Tucker in tow. They headed for the barn, so no one would hear them. Nobody said a word. Walking into the back room, they each stripped their shirts and shoes and within moments, they were beating the hell out of the bag. The flurry of punches never ended, as they continued hitting the thing over and over again, wishing it was the bastard who had hurt her.
    Never in their entire lives had they ever wanted to kill someone, but if that bastard who hurt Emma walked in this room right now they would kill him without even blinking an eye. Fury rolled through them, blind, vicious fury. Each of them knew they had to find the son of a bitch, but they couldn’t do that and take care of Emma and Tabitha. The girls were foremost in their mind, and they were not going to allow this one sick bastard take them from them.
    Travis knew come morning, he was going to have to go into town and have a talk with Sheriff Connelly. He wanted something done about this bastard immediately. He was still having a hard time coming to grips with what Emma told him. He thought that when she finally told him what had happened during the last six years, the rot in his gut would dissipate, but it was still there. Travis still felt that foreboding warning that this wicked tale was not over, and he knew Emma was the key.
    He turned to grab a towel off the work bench, when he saw her standing there just looking at them. “What are you doing out of bed?” he