Page 31 of Freeing Emily

I walk solemnly toward the garden. Conor’s words replay in my mind in a continuous loop. As much as I’d like to deny it, it’s true. I’m replaceable in this world.

There will always be another grunt who can do his dirty work. There will always be someone who can shoot a gun with accuracy such as mine. If I die, someone new will take my place as if I wasn’t even in it to begin with.

Emily deserves more than I can give her.

The truth is a slap to the face. Emily does deserve more than I can give her. We’ve both known that. We’ve just been running from the inevitable.

Ryan is a wealthy man who is going to run an empire of his own. He can provide her with the life she desires. I can’t.

Emily sits atop a white throw blanket in the center of her wildflowers. She’s writing in her journal with pursed lips and lowered brows. Strands of her red hair, brush over her cheeks with the soft breeze.

Sadness fills my heart.

I have to do this. I have to let her go.

The weight on my chest increases with each step I take.

Consequences be damned? Fecking Liar.

This is different. I can’t stake my claim knowing she can and will have a better future with someone else. I can’t allow my insignificance to burden her.

Emily spins around to face me when she hears the soft thump of my boots on the grass.

She smiles and her eyes are warm. It guts me.

Shutting her journal, she sets it aside and rises to her feet. I stop just a few feet away and her brows pull inward.

“Are you okay?” She asks, flicking her eyes from me, the space between us, and back.

"We need to talk." I swallow the lump forming.

What a fucking cliché.

When she takes a step toward me, I take one back. Confusion covers her face, followed by wariness.

“What’s going on, Liam? Did you speak with my dad?”

“What has been going on between us is over.” I try my damned hardest to keep my voice level but it’s fucking hard.

She jerks her head back. “What?”

“We’re over, Emily.”

Her head starts to slowly shake, and sadness fills her eyes.

“What happened with my dad, Liam?” her voice cracks.

“We both knew we were on borrowed time, Em. You’re going to be married soon. This needs to stop.”

“What… What happened to ‘staking my claim’? What happened to that?”

Make her hate you.

“I didn’t mean it. You’re not mine to claim.”

She flinches like I’ve struck her and my heart breaks. It’s hard to fucking breathe.

“You don’t mean that. You can’t mean that.” She whimpers, the tears gathering in her eyes before falling down her freckled cheeks.