Page 72 of Freeing Emily
“You want to try and replace me, Emily? Fine. Go ahead. But know this…” he dips his head, bringing his lips inches from mine. “I won’t hesitate to put a bullet in the head of every man who speaks to you.”
A shiver skates down my spine and for the first time in two years, arousal saturates every fiber of my being.
Damnit.
Liam smirks arrogantly, obviously having seen how my body reacted, and then pulls away. Unconsciously my body leans into him, chasing his lips.
Liam looks me over, stopping at my chest. My thin tee doesn’t hide the fact that my nipples are pebbled to near-painful points. I swiftly wrap my arms over my chest to hide the clear sign of my arousal.
Liam licks his lips and chuckles under his breath. He makes no attempt to hide his hardened cock as he steps to the side of the bed. Bending, he picks up his pants and slides them on, followed by his tee.
“Get ready. I’ll be back in an hour. We’re going to the garden.”
What the fuck just happened?
My head is spinning at the rapid changes in conversation we had since waking up.
I frown. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”
After slipping on his boots, he walks over to me and cups the side of my neck. His thumb strokes my cheek lightly and I find myself leaning into the feeling of his callused skin touching mine.
“One hour. Be ready.” He says with a smile.
He presses a kiss to my forehead and then turns to leave the room. My jaw is slackened as I gape at the door.
I gasp when I suddenly remember what Liam was doing in the bathroom. I spin on my heels and run to see if any of my medications are still safe.
Nope. Only thesafe onesremain.
Motherfucker.
Returning to Emily’s room, I knock before entering. She’s not in the room but the sound of the shower tells me that’s where I’ll find her. I make my way over and freeze. Emily is crouched with her arms wrapped around her legs and her chin resting on her knees.
Instead of immediately trying to get her attention, I lean against the door frame and observe. She’s as still as stone. The room is humid from the heat of the water and my upper lip begins to sweat.
From where I stand, I can see her lips moving but no words are said.
I frown and shift nervously. Her attention immediately spins to me, and I tense.
“The voices… they never stop,” she whispers.
I remember her comment about the voices, and I swallow tightly. Pushing away from the door, I take the towel from the hook by the shower. Reaching in, I shut off the water and then drape the towel over Emily’s body.
Bending, I scoop her into my arms, and she rests her head on my shoulder. The fabric of my shirt becomes soaked and sticks to my body. Instead of setting her on the bed, I sit and set her on my lap.
So many emotions rage within me that I can’t focus on just one.
We sit in silence for an eternity. I close my eyes and listen to the sound of her breathing.
“I’ll be right back,” I say and plant a kiss on the top of her head before moving to set her down so I can stand. I walk over to her walk-in closet and quickly grab a pair of leggings and a sweater.
With it being early spring, the temperature outside is still chilly.
The clothes fall to the ground when I step back into the room. Emily is standing in front of the floor-length mirror that sits in the corner. She tips her head side-to-side, examining her naked reflection with an expressionless face.
I watch as sadness spreads over her face and her eyes gloss over.
“Emily?” I whisper, taking a step toward her, but she doesn’t respond.