Page 68 of Tarnished Embers
“She’s my very soul, you bitch!” he sneers, and I leap out of bed just as the men reach for him.
“Stop!” I cry out, rushing up to him and grabbing his arm. Locking eyes with Dr North, I give her a nod. My racing heart calms a little, the knowledge of what I have to do is so obvious now that I’ve thought of it. “Please, can I have a few minutes to say goodbye?”
Her face softens before she replies, “Of course.” Then she turns, quietly opening the door and ushering the two men out before closing it again.
“Sugar, I won’t let them fucking take you,” Prince hisses, his body thrumming with restrained violence while still looking at the door as if he will fight anyone who comes through it.
“Look at me, Prince,” I say softly, stepping in front of him and cupping his face in my palm. “Please.”
He tears his eyes away from the door, looking down at me, and the anger swirling in the emerald depths makes my breath catch.
“Maybe…” I swallow, taking an inhale and slowly blowing it out of my mouth. “Maybe this isn’t a bad thing.” He rears back and I grip his face tightly to keep him facing me. The others hover around us, but I don’t look away from Prince, holding his gaze even though I know my words hurt him. “I always run from things, Prince. M–my mother’s death, my father’s, a–and what happened that night.” I take another inhale, tears gathering in my eyes. “I’m so tired of running, Prince. So tired of feeling weak.”
“You’re not fucking weak,” he grits out, his fists clenching at his sides. It hurts that he doesn’t touch me, but I forge on, knowing that I need to say this. Need to admit to myself the hard truth that I’ve refused to acknowledge for far too long.
“I almost lost you all because that was the only path I could see, Prince. I tried to take my life because I couldn’t see another way,” I confess, my voice small and broken. “And I don’t want to believe that I’d do that again…but I can’t trust myself not to if things get too hard.” I look into his eyes, tears swimming in mine, and beg him to understand.
His nostrils flare with the deep breath he takes, his jaw clenching. “But you’ll be without us, alone, and I can’t protect you if you’re not with me.” His voice is thick, his gaze falling as his head drops forward.
“I need to learn to protect myself first, Prince,” I whisper, using my grip on his face to bring his eyes back to mine. “And it won’t be forever. Just a little while.”
“Fuck, Sugar,” he rasps, pulling me in close, engulfing me in his spiced rum scent and calming the nervous butterflies that are swarming in my stomach. “I’m a fucking selfish bastard. If you think this is the best thing for you, then that’s what will happen, but be prepared for a daily visit.”
“I wouldn’t want it any other way,” I tell him, squeezing him tightly, my heart beating a fast rhythm inside my chest. “I love you, Prince.”
“I love you so fucking much, Ember,” he murmurs back, leaning down and placing his lips on mine. His kiss is full of longing and it makes my heart ache, doubt creeping in that I can do this alone.
He pulls away, leaving a small peck on my lips before turning me in his arms, and then Cas is there, his copper eyes shining, his brows furrowed. “We’ll be here, waiting for you to return to us, Cinders,” he tells me, his voice deep and rasping.
“Oh, Cas,” I choke out, throwing myself in his warm embrace and breathing him in. “I’m scared.”
“Hey,” he breathes, his palm cradling my cheek and tilting it upwards until I’m once again staring into his beautiful eyes. “You are the bravest person I’ve ever met. You’ve got this, my love.”
Then he tips his head down, his lips pressing against mine in a softly sweet kiss that strips me raw. I cling to him, trying to take the strength his kiss and embrace is offering, hoping it’ll be enough for what is coming.
“I love you, Cas,” I murmur when we part, his thumb stroking the tears from my cheek.
“I love you too,” he replies, and then he’s stepping away, Oct replacing him at my front and Kit at my back until I’m between them both and wrapped up in their powerful arms.
“We’ll miss you, Little Sis,” Oct says gruffly, tears making his blue eyes sparkle like a tropical sea. “But I know that you’ll come back stronger, and then we can give them all hell.”
I chuckle, then pause as a thought occurs to me. “What will you guys do?”
“We’ll be fine, Pretty Thing,” Kit murmurs against my ear, and a small shiver cascades across my skin. “We’ll wait and plot for when you’re back with us. Then we’ll see. Just focus on getting well and coming back to us, love.”
“I will,” I say, my voice trembling as it comes closer to the time of letting them go and stepping out alone.
Oct leans down to kiss me, his tongue delving into my mouth and gently caressing mine with such tender affection that my knees almost give way. Then Kit is turning my face to the side and kissing me from behind, his lips gentle.
It’s the hardest thing in the world to part from them, to step out of their comforting embrace and turn to face the door.
“Come on, Sugar,” Prince encourages, taking my hand in his and opening the door. The doctor and the two guys from Serene Haven are waiting just outside, and Prince stiffens beside me as we exit the room.
“If anything happens to her,” he states in a low, dangerous voice, not finishing his sentence, but the threat is clear in it.
“She’ll be under the best care, Mr Brown,” Dr North assures him with a nod. “And you can visit her daily, just call ahead and they’ll tell you when visiting hours are.” She looks at me, sympathy shining in her eyes. “I don’t think you’ll be there long, Ember. Just enough to rest up and heal.” She indicates I take her arm, but Prince growls.
“We’ll walk her out,” he snarls, and Cas takes my other hand, Oct and Kit behind me, presenting a united front.