Heck, I didn’t even know myself.
Back at the couch, I curled into my corner, knees pulled up and arms wrapped tightly around them.
Ryker joined me shortly after but made sure to keep his distance. It took another few moments before he started talking. “Luke told me a little about why you’re here.”
I blinked.
I had promised to be truthful on everything. It was the only requirement to be able to not be put in jail. Although, I would probably be better off there. I wasn’t much help. I had no clue about where I'd been, or even if the names I’d heard were real.
I still wasn’t sure there was a point to any of it.
“You’re safe here.” He paused. “I don’t make promises, but I will make sure to do everything I possibly can to make sure of that.”
At those words, my heart sank. If possible, I pulled myself tighter against the corner. My breathing instantly became tight. My chest ached.
“Hey, calm down, Emery. I’m not going to hurt you or make you do anything.”
I began to rock back and forth. I saw him lean forward, as if he wanted to come closer but fought with himself.
I wanted a certain pair of arms wrapped around me. I wanted a voice to tell me that everything was going to be perfectly fine.
It was only a wish now. It’d never happen.
All because of me.
God, I was just a fuck-up. Stupid. A disaster.
I shouldn’t be alive.
“You can’t save me.” The words were out before I could stop them. “They’ll find me. They’ll come to finish me off.”
“You’re well protected here, Emery,” Ryker soothed from across the room, his voice still soft. “Round the clock protection.”
A mix of a laugh and a cry bubbled forth.
He had no clue. They would stop at nothing to find me, killing everyone that dared to stand in their way.
Pressing my eyes to the tops of my knees, I could do nothing but allow the sobs to mix in with the panic. Tears fell from my eyes. My breathing became uneven. My heart was pounding so hard, I feared it was going to break my chest into two halves.
My thoughts buzzed out of control as all the fear I had bottled up over the past few weeks spilled over.
I was meant to die that cloudless night.
I wasn’t supposed to be found.
Ryker
Listening to my gut over rational thought, I moved as quickly as I dared to the couch. I’d been sure that Emery would have done anything other than this when I wrapped my arms around him.
Once they were, he fell against me. His head pressed into my shoulder, sobs wracking his form.
Afraid the smallest movement from me would send him running for the hills, I slowly tightened my arms around him.
I didn’t say a word, only held him. Who knew when he’d last been able to get such affection?
After a few short minutes, Emery sniffed, calming himself down. I expected him to pull away. Instead, he uncurled himself and basically crawled into my lap. Surprised, I let him get comfortable. There was no way I was going to push him away. Not when he needed to be held.
I knew, logically, that I couldn’t allow anything more than this. In a matter of weeks, he would be leaving. I’d never see him again.
