Note: This fanfiction based off of a series that I am working on at the moment. The male lead's name is different in this story to follow the storyline. I don't own or have anything to do with the WWE, its partners or The Undertaker.

The latest in the series, Danger in Oleander, is now available on Kindle for 2.99

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Mark reached over towards one of her hands closest to him, and slipped his fingers between them. He watched her eyes move down in the direction of their hands with a hesitant look in her gentle gaze. Mark waited for Emily's stare to make its way to his own before his deep voice started to pour the core of his heart and soul out to her.

"Emily…" Mark whispered. "I want to apologize to you for what I said to Johnathon back at the ranch…about you."

He was wrong about talking about her in the way he did, and making her out to look like a whore or a slut. That was not his intention at all, but he didn't take the time to really think before he spoke.

"I didn't mean for what I said about you to come across in the manner it did, and make you uncomfortable by me saying it."

"I know you didn't mean for it to come out like it did, Mark," Emily replied, "but it still bothered me a lot with how it made me look to my ex-boyfriend."

The tone in her voice made his heart nearly break due to the intense amount of pain and heartache that was resonating from it. Not only had he said something way out of line about the one woman whose opinion meant the most to him, but he had caused her to feel pain, something he never wanted to do.

"I know that no amount of me sitting here and begging you for your forgiveness or trying to turn back time to change what I said is going to take everything away, and make it all better."

Speaking from his heart, Mark slid the palm of his right hand away from her hand that he had been holding, and placed it against a side of her face, gently, with absolute tenderness in his touch to match the growing sound in his Texan accent.

"However…I am going to make damn sure to start making up for what I did right now, and have what I said seem like just a horrible dream."

"I know that you are going to do that and so much more, Mark." Emily replied, speaking from his heart, in a tone that matched his own. "I believe you one hundred percent."

"That is good to know."

He let his hand linger on her face for a little while longer before he slipped it away, and over to the door handle on his side. Slipping his fingers around the black door handle, his voice started to have a little more serious tone coming to the surface of it.

"Now…We have to get ready for when that crazy ex-boyfriend of yours decides to show his ugly face around here in an attempt to look tough when he is nothing more than a whiny little bitch."

Sitting on the passenger side of the car, Emily watched him ease his door open while a smirk started to dance across the fair complexion of her face.

Mark…You are definitely something else that I have never thought or planned on coming into my life…but I am so glad that you did.

No amount of thanking a higher power for letting Mark enter her world in the way he did could repay them for the decision. There was no way, shape or form that could truly do justice or give enough back to show her appreciation.

Emily eased her hand closest to the door, and lifted up the handle. She made her way out of the vehicle, and closed the door behind her before her gaze moved to the small, decent sized house that Mark had brought her to.

This place looks good to me. It is not big but it is not really too small either. The size is just right for someone living on their own.

She walked up towards the front of the car while her gaze was focused on the building she was approaching, fixating on the structure that could become her home at the end of her stay at Belle's farm.

What do you think, Emily? Her conscience asked, whispering to her in the background. Do you really think that you can live in a place like this?

I don't see why not. I mean…I would be living close to my grandmother, and still be able to help her on the ranch, as well as spending as much time as I want with Mark.

Well…You will have to make that decision very soon, Emily.

What do you-

It hit her suddenly without warning. She only had a couple of weeks left in Oleander, and she had to give him an answer about moving in with him in the next two weeks.

Perhaps you being here with him will help the decision to move in with him come more easily to you-

The sound of an animal pawing at a door snapped Emily out of her train of thought, and had her focus move towards the sound's origins. Her eyes blinked a bit from catching sight of a beautiful dog with piercing blue eyes looking through the screen door at her and wanting to come out to meet her.

Oh my goodness…He is so beautiful.

With a smile coming to her face, she approached the back door and stood behind where Mark's body was nestled. Her eyes watched him pull open the door, and allow the large, stunning animal to come out, and sit before her.

"Emily…This is Fang, my guard dog and close companion."

She listened to the soothing sound of his voice in the background while her body knelt down before Fang's furry frame, and one of her hands rubbed against its soft hair on top of his head.