Deserving You

The slow, deep breath didn’t help to diminish the anxiety rushing through her veins like a raging river crashing against the shoreline. She’d like to say it was just another day.

Today was anything but normal. Today would either fill her up with intense joy, or bring her down to the lowest pits of hell. Throwing her phone, lip gloss, and keys in her purse, she scanned her desk again as one more shaky breath escaped.

The present.

She couldn’t forget that.

Opening the top drawer, she yanked out the small gift bag hidden in the back and tossed it into her purse as well.

She had no idea why she hid it. It wasn’t as if Emmett went digging through her desk. He knew better. She’d likely bite his head off for doing such a thing.

So, why did she hide it?

Pretending today wasn’t finally here, maybe.

She jumped as a roll of thunder echoed in the distance. Today, of all days, it had to storm. It was a sign. A bad sign. Today wasn’t going to be a happy, joyous day as she planned.

“Hey, Deja.”

Jumping again, this time almost falling backwards, she shivered at Emmett’s warm touch as he grabbed her arm, preventing her from falling.

“Are you okay? I didn’t mean to scare you.” He smiled. The sweet one she wished she didn’t like.

“I’m fine. I’m running late, and I don’t want to be late.” She gently shrugged his hand off.

She couldn’t stand it when he touched her. Not that he touched her often. But on rare occasions like this, when he did, his touch did things to her that were best not to think about. Those emotions needed to stay locked away. She didn’t deserve a good man like Emmett. She didn’t deserve to feel the aching need that rushed through her body.

“You work too much. I told you to take the entire day off. I have no idea why you came in today.”

She rolled her eyes. “Because I didn’t need the whole day off. Just the afternoon. Honestly, what would you do without me running the office? You’d be lost without me.” She grinned as she threw the strap of her purse over her shoulder.

His eyes sparkled with what she swore was heated desire. “I would be lost without you.” He cleared his throat as the desire melted away. Or maybe she just imagined it. “Where are you going?”

“I have an appointment.” She averted her eyes, unwilling to share anything else.

He might think she was the best secretary he ever had to run his business as smoothly as possible, but if he really knew her, he wouldn’t like her. Most likely, he’d fire her without blinking an eye.

“Gotta run, E-man. See you tomorrow.” Walking around him as quickly as possible before he could say anything else, she prayed she wouldn’t be late.

“Have a great day, Deja.”

Her hand rested on the door handle. She turned around to look at him. He had that sweet smile back on his face. She wished he’d stop looking at her like that.

“You, too, E-man.” She ran out of the building and ducked into her car before the rain decided to appear. Bursts of thunder still pounded in the distance. A nasty storm was headed their way.

How bad would the storm be when she arrived at her destination? Would he be happy to see her? Would he ignore her as he had the past ten years? Would he like the gift she bought him?

Well, she’d find out soon enough.

Turning out of the parking lot, more thunder rolled in the distance.

Yep, the storm was making its way with a vengeance. A very bad sign.

“He’ll be happy to see me. He will.” Or not.

No amount of pep talk would change the fact her brother didn’t want to see her. He ignored her the past ten years while sitting behind bars.

Well, tough. He was her brother. He was finally free. She’d welcome him with open arms, whether he liked it or not.

Lightning flashed before her eyes, thunder crashing alongside it. She wished she could consider this the eye of the storm. It wasn’t.

Seeing her brother again would be the eye. The real test of her strength. She loved him. No matter what.

He killed their parents. But she still loved him.

* * *

“You slept with Brad, didn’t you? He said you did.” Chelsea cackled as she rolled her eyes.

At least, it sounded like a cackle. An evil laugh that said she was about to decimate Deja into a tiny million pieces. Chelsea was such a snob. She couldn’t stand her.

Deja grabbed her backpack from the floor and slung it onto her back. Chelsea stepped in front of her when she tried to walk away. Why did she think coming to the mall was a good idea? On a Friday night, she knew half the school would be here. Maybe she was a glutton for punishment.

“What, cat got your tongue? Who’s next on your list? Gonna sleep with the entire class?” Chelsea laughed, glancing at the other three girls behind her, who laughed in unison.

Deja squared her shoulders, refusing to let these bitches get to her. “You’re just jealous Brad wanted to go out with me and not you. Get over yourself, Chelsea.”

Deja walked around Chelsea, ignoring the continued teasing they were dishing out. It didn’t matter. None of what they said mattered. She didn’t sleep with Brad the Ass. That’s exactly what he was—an ass. No more Brad Bear, just a complete asshole.

She wasn’t ready for sex. When she told him that, he dumped her and immediately started to spread she slept with him—and wasn’t very good either. It was one thing to brag she had sex with him, but the asshole had to say she wasn’t good.

Wiping a tear from her cheek, she steeled her shoulders. She wouldn’t cry. None of them mattered.

Brad better watch out. One little word to her brother, Dare, and he’d be a dead man. Dare didn’t tolerate anyone messing with her. It’d serve him right if she did.

Deja took her time walking home, grateful the mall was less than a mile away. Enough time for her to get her emotions in check, but short enough that she wouldn’t be exhausted by the time she got home.

Why did she go to the dumb mall?

Maybe she had hoped they wouldn’t tease her. That they’d know Brad was a liar. Of course, she shouldn’t be surprised. She never got along with Chelsea, especially after she started to date Brad. With Chelsea fueling the rumor she slept with him, everyone now believed it.

One more year.

One more year, then she’d be sixteen and she could get her license and disappear. Drive far, far away from all these stupid people. She hated them all.

Swiping another lone tear away, she sucked in a deep breath as she climbed the porch steps. The house was dark.

Strange.

Her parents never mentioned going out tonight. Her brother liked to party on Friday nights, but he normally didn’t leave until later. Where was everybody?

She turned on the living room lights, then tossed on each light as she walked to the kitchen. For some reason, the dark was giving her the heebie-jeebies.

A roll of thunder echoed in the distance.

Well, at least the night was kind in that regard. She didn’t have to walk in the rain. After dealing with Chelsea’s cruelness, that would’ve been too much. The ground had been wet, telling her it rained before she left the mall. She could only thank her lucky stars it stopped when she decided to leave. Apparently, it was gearing up for another round.

She looked at the clock on the microwave.

8:10 P.M.

Where were her parents and brother?

She opened the fridge and grabbed a pop, gulping half of it before heading to the pantry for a snack. She’d eat her misery away. At least for a little while. Then she’d scour her closet for the best damn outfit she owned and show Chelsea, Brad, and all the other jerks who liked to tease her exactly who they were messing with.

They could call her a slut. They could tease her up and down until they turned blue. But no one would make her feel useless and pitiful. She was stronger than that. She’d put on her armor and show everyone she wasn’t fazed by their words. They couldn’t hurt her.

A knock sounded on the door.

She tossed the bag of chips she’d grabbed from the pantry onto the counter. Opening the door, her heart nearly fell out of her chest.

Two officers stood on her porch step wearing solemn expressions that didn’t bode well for her.

“Deja Wilson?” the officer with pitch-black hair asked, a frown molded permanently on his face.

Nodding, unable to form words, she almost slammed the door in their faces. She didn’t want to hear what they had to say.

“Is anyone else here with you?” the other officer with bright blonde hair, making her think he bleached it recently, asked. His softer expression displayed too much sympathy.

Why did they both look at her so forlorn?

“No. My parents aren’t home. Neither is my brother. I don’t know where they went. What’s going on?”

The officer with the blonde hair twisted his hands, then suddenly dropped them to his sides. “We have some terrible news.”

***

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