Free Phantom Scars by Rose Von Barnsley Page B

date he can't be late for," she said with a smile. "I'll see you at six o'clock, Eli, and bring an overnight bag," she winked at him and left.
    Clayton was guffawing and slapping his knee. "You got your hands full with that one," he said laughing at Eli.
    Jen walked by, glaring at Clayton, and Eli smirked, raising a brow at my brother. "Well, at least I'll have my hands full."

Chapter 15 – Movements
     
    It had been two weeks since Emma had last left the house. I was surprised she was doing so well, but then I remembered she had done well on the ship, never leaving my quarters, and that had been much smaller. She seemed to thrive in confined places, but I also noticed she always stayed far away from the windows. I didn't mention anything to her about it, because her staying away from the windows right now was a good thing. I just didn't want her to be afraid. I would never let anything happen to her.
    She had been sleeping better, and I had been able to keep myself under control, thankful she hadn’t woken up and noticed anything. More than once, though, I had woken up to her wrapped around me and my hand cupping her backside inappropriately. This girl was killing me. I took cold morning showers as part of my normal routine now. When I made my way out of bed, I did my best to ignore how nicely her little body was filling out, now that she had put on some weight. Dang her and her distracting backside, my hands would just find it in our sleep of their own volition. I just knew one of these days she was going to find out what a cad I really was and tell me to take a hike. I knew my momma would let her move in with her if she asked.
    I tried not to look at her inappropriately, but it never failed that when my momma brought lunch for us, she would point at her eyes and then motion for me to look up. I heard my momma clear her throat again. I quickly looked at her and smiled, kissing her cheek and pulling my eyes away from Emma once more.
    I let out a sigh.
    "What's on your mind, sugar?" momma asked.
    I looked to Emma and then to my momma, "Um, nothing really, I just wish I could take out these jerks and be done with this already."
    "I know, honey, but Warren is on top of it. He's been passing tips to the authorities, and they're listening. Just let them do their work, so we don't have to get our hands dirty. You know, I could go for a good hog boiling myself, but sometimes we have to let things play out and stick with peanuts instead of pig."
    Emma looked at us both, thoroughly confused, not understanding a word my momma had said. It just made me smile. I leaned over and gave them both a kiss on the head.
    I made my way downstairs and saw Clayton glaring at bald guy and his goons. Bald guy was watching Jennifer, and Clayton didn't like it. Neither did I. "Did Wayne come in today?" I asked.
    "No, not yet, but I don't like those nasties over there looking at my girl."
    I looked at him, raising a brow. "Nasties? Really?" That was an odd word choice. "I'll send Jen home."
    "No, I want to keep her here, where I can keep an eye on her. I don't want her disappearing," Clayton insisted.
    I let out a sigh. It was time we let Jen in on what was going on. I put on my apron and got to work. When Jen and I both happened to cross paths in the kitchen, I told her there was a meeting at my place after work. She looked at me confused and annoyed, but I insisted and reassured her that my momma would be there as well. I also invited Eli. He should know what a risk it was having his Ms. Faye come in. She was a very beautiful girl, too. There were known slave traders here, and it looked like they were looking for another mark.
    For now, though, I would boil me some peanuts. I looked at the drink orders for the bald guy and the goons and got an idea. I prepared two of the drinks the way they were supposed to be, and to the third I added a little of the powerful laxative left over from my momma's colonoscopy prep, not enough to taste, but enough to