Intertwined

bonus five: made up of her

R H E T T

"REMIND ME AGAIN why I agreed to this?" I ask when the obnoxious neon sign hanging off the side of the brick building blinds us. Emmy's hand is curled tightly in mine, a teasing smile growing on her lips at the annoyance written on my face at the sight of the karaoke bar.

"Because you want to get to know the important people in my life," she answers, reaching for my other hand while spinning to face me. She pulls her hands forward, bringing my arms around her waist while keeping our fingers tangled together behind her back. "And because you love me."

My lips curl up at the sweet look on her face. I lean forward and kiss her quickly, pulling her toward my chest. "So much," I whisper against her lips.

"Good," she says, kissing me again before untangling our fingers only to reach for my arm. She pulls me along and with a few slow breaths, I calm myself down and follow her inside to meet the important people in her life. When I had said it, I meant it. We started our relationship all backwards, and it wasn't until after I fucked everything up that I met Greyson.

Wasn't exactly the great first impression I wanted to give, but with the bar on the floor, things can only go up from here. At least, I hope so, because Emmy has quickly become the most important person in my life, and I want her to know I'm making an effort to show up for her, even if that means spending my Friday night in a packed karaoke bar I wouldn't have been caught dead in before I met her.

"Em!" Greyson waves from the bar when we get inside, and he spots us.

Emmy slips her hand down my forearm, slipping her finger between the gaps of mine to pull me behind her. "Hey Grey," she says, moving her free arm around his waist to give him a side hug. "You haven't been here long, have you?"

He shakes his head. "We just got here," he says before tipping his chin up in my direction. "Hey Rhett! How's it going, man?"

"Good," I say, squeezing Emmy's hand and gently shift her body to stand in front of me. I move my hand to the bar on the opposite side of her, leaning forward to press my lips against the side of her head because despite being in a public place, I can't go more than five minutes without touching her. "How's the music making going?"

"Better than I could have imagined," he says with a grin. It's one of the reasons I agreed to go to a karaoke bar of all places to get to know Emmy's friends. Greyson's music career may just be starting, but it's already skyrocketing and soon enough, it's going to be damn near impossible for him to get anywhere without getting recognized.

"What can I get you guys?"

"Whatever you've got on tap and a cranberry vodka," I answer for the both of us, Emmy snuggling back into my chest, and I watch the look on Greyson's face shift up into a smile when he sees the two of us.

"You're staring," Emmy says, moving her hand over my forearm. Part of me thinks I'm not the only one that can't keep my hands to myself, and all of me knows it to be true.

He shrugs. "I'm just glad you guys figured everything out."

"Me too," I say as she leans her head against my shoulder when the bartender slides our drinks onto the bar top in front of us. She reaches for her cranberry vodka, and I grab my beer before we both turn in the direction of Greyson. "Lead the way."

Greyson grabs the three drinks off the bar and nods in the direction of some of the private rooms in the back. He shoulders his way into the room and his entire face lights up when he sees his girlfriend, Robyn standing at the karaoke machine with his bandmate, Jonas. He hands Robyn her drink before holding the beer out to Jonas.

"Hi Rhett!" Robyn smiles when she sees me. "It's nice to see you again."

"Yeah, you too," I say and shift my gaze from her bright face to the brown-haired guy standing next to her. "Hey man," I say and offer my hand. "I'm Rhett."

"I know who you are," he says while taking my hand, giving it a firm shake. "Jonas."

Emmy slides her hand over the small of my back, sliding up next to me. "You going to sing us a song, Young?"

A boyish grin appears on his lips. "Any requests?"

"I've got one," Greyson says, moving towards the machine to pick a song out and giving me excuse to pull Emmy onto one of the leather couches. I could let her sit on the cushion next to me, but I've grown accustomed to her warmth which is why she ends up in my lap instead.

"Doing okay there, Lieutenant?"

I nod my head. "I thought you said Kayla was coming?"

"She is, but it's Kayla," she says with a smile. "Probably had to change her outfit a few times before she deemed it acceptable to go out."

"I heard that." Kayla steps into the private room and rests her hand on her hip, showing off the black dress hugging her curves. "And if I do say so myself, I'm looking pretty fucking hot," she says, twirling to give Emmy the full view.

Jonas let's out a low whistle from across the room and earns himself a wink from Kayla before she settles onto the opposite side of the couch. "Long time no see, Lieutenant Adams."

I roll my eyes. "Rhett, Kayla."

"Nah," she says, flashing me a smile when Jonas calls for Emmy to join him at the front of the room. She presses a quick kiss to my temple and then slides off my lap, taking her warmth with her. I don't even care that I'm staring at her, already longing for her to be back in my arms. I used to keep everything locked in tight, but when it comes to Emmy, I can't bring myself to hide anymore. I want everything she's willing to give me, and I couldn't give two shits who's looking.

She changed everything for me.

I no longer want to be a shell of a human. I want to do everything, and I want to do it all with her. Forever. If I thought she wouldn't look at me like I was insane, I would be down on one knee right now asking her to marry me. I knew it the day of my accident, and I am even more sure now. There is no one else for me. She's it.

I already fucked everything up between us once. I have no intention of doing it again.

"You have it so bad for her," Kayla says next to me, a knowing smile creeping on her lips. I don't even bother sparing her a glance, because she couldn't be more right.

"Yeah, I do."

"Good," she says, her gaze moving to the brunette across the room that I plan to spend the rest of my life loving. "She deserves the world, Rhett." This time I do break my gaze away from Emmy to look at her. "To love her in a way that let's everyone else see she's absolutely adored. I really do believe you are the right man for the job. She won't ever say it out loud, but Oscar took something from her after all those years of loving her quietly. I need you to promise me you're going to love her loudly, even when she's not at her best."

"I will," I say and shift my attention back to Emmy, watching the smile I've grown to cherish appear on her face when her eyes find mine. They isn't a day that is going to go by that I'm not going to be loving her as loudly as I possibly can. The same way she's always loved me in her quiet ways, the way I needed. I plan to love her in every way she needs until my dying breath, and even then, my whole being is made up of her.

She's everything.