ever since we got the call."
"Yesterday, Drew Latimer found Emma here, in her hotel."
"Found her?" Brian interrupted. "What do you mean? Weren't they
together?"
"She's been hiding from him while she set the divorce in motion."
"Divorce?" Because he knew he was punchy from lack of sleep and worry,
Brian took a long breath and tried to clear his head. "I talked with
Emma only a few weeks ago, she said nothing about wanting a divorce."
"She couldn't say anything about it," Michael told him. "Because she
was afraid. Latimer's been abusing her for most of the marriage."
"That's crazy." Brian dragged a hand through his hair. "He dotes on
her. I've seen it."
"Yeah." The fury Michael had been holding off bubbled to the surface.
"He's been a real loving husband. A tucking prince. That's why she's
been terrified. That's why she's lying in there right now, with her
face smashed and her ribs broken. The man damn near loved her to
death."
Brian's lips trembled open. His hand tightened on Bev's until he rubbed
bone against bone. "He beat her? Are you telling me that he's the one
who put Emma here?"
"That's right."
Rage flew into him as he grabbed Michael by the shirt front. "Where is
he?"
"He's dead."
"Easy, Bri." Johnno rubbed his shoulder, debating the wisdom of stepping
between two furious men. "It won't help Emma if you go off."
"I want to see her." He pulled Bev against him. "We want to see her
now." He walked to the door as Marianne came out. He didn't speak, only
stared for a moment at his daughter lying in the bed.
"Baby." He held tight to Bev as he crossed the room.
Emma looked at them. One hand fluttered to her bruised cheek. Then she
lifted both to cover her face. She hadn't wanted him to see her like
this. Gently, he drew her hand away.
"Emma." He lowered his head to press a kiss to her forehead. "I'm
sorry. I'm so sorry."
She let the tears come then, stumbling over her own apologies and
explanations. When she was exhausted, she lay with her hand in his. "I
don't even know how it all happened, not really. Or why. I wanted to
have someone love me, just me. I wanted a family, and I thought She let
out a long sigh. "I thought he was like you."
He wanted to cry then. It was almost impossible to keep his head from
lowering to her breast to weep. But he only brought her hand to his
lips again. "You're not to worry about it. You're not to even think
about it. No one's ever going to hurt you again. I swear it."
"All that matters is that you're safe now." Gently, Bev brushed the hair
back from Emma's bandaged forehead. "That's all that matters to any of
us."
"I killed him," Emma murmured. "Did they tell you I killed him?"
Over his daughter's head, Brian's shocked eyes met Bev's. "It's-it's
over now." He fumbled for Emma's hand again.