Page 67 of Freeing Emily
I avert my gaze.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Sure you don’t,” Sarah says and Paige glares at her.
“What? She’s the one pretending that she’s not completely in love with Liam.”
Paige rolls her eyes and lets out an exacerbated breath.
“Ignore Sarah. I know that Liam has been a big reason you’ve been getting better. It’s also one of the reasons I haven’t been spending as much time with you as I did when we first got home. Liam loves you, Em. So don’t worry about what Declan is going to do.”
She winks at me and then spins around and leaves the room.
“She’s right, you know,” Sarah says once Paige is out of sight.
“About?” I ask.
“Liam loves you.”
“We have a history, and he didn’t admit to loving me then, so I’m not so sure his feelings are considered love,” I say with a shrug.
Sarah studies my profile. “That’s not what Rhys said.”
“What do you mean?” I ask, sitting up straighter in my seat.
She smiles, her eyes fill with mischief.
“Ask Liam about it.” She winks and pats my leg and then hops off the stool. Leaving me alone in the kitchen.
My phone vibrates on the counter. Ma’s name flashes across the screen. I stare, unmoving until the screen goes black. A second later, the notification of a new voicemail pops up.
Sighing, I pressdeletewithout listening to the message. Hopping off the stool, I leave the kitchen and head toward my room.
Anger continues to flow through my veins with each pound of my fist on the bag. My knuckles are swollen and bloodied, and my muscles scream in pain, but I don’t stop. I can’t stop. This is my punishment.
I fucking agreed to Declan’s demand of stopping what has been going on with Emily, just like I did with her father and I’m bloody furious with myself. He’s not wrong in saying she’s been through enough.
I know she has. But over the last couple of weeks, she’s started to put on weight, she’s willing to leave her room and has actually been showing emotion.
It’s been days since I’ve spoken with her because Declan keeps putting me on a bunch of assignments. My texts have gone unanswered, and it has me on edge. On top of that, she’s still relying on medication more than she should and any time I bring it up, she all but eats me alive.
My arm gives out when it connects with the punching bag.
“Let it all out?” Declan’s voice sounds from behind me, and I bite down on my tongue.
My arms hang loosely at my sides, and I twist my neck and roll my shoulders, eliciting popping sounds from the joints.
Declan is standing with his legs wide, and arms crossed over his chest when I turn around to face him.
“Do you have an assignment for me?” I ask, avoiding his question. I’m lacking patience for his bullshit right now and I don’t need a bullet in the head today.
His eyes narrow as he studies me. “Not today.”
I nod, then turn to where I set my water bottle. After I’ve quenched my thirst and wiped the sweat from my brow with a rag. I turn back to Declan.
“I mean this with the least amount of disrespect I can muster but fuck you.”
His features harden but he doesn’t say a word, so I continue.