“Bedroom. I’ll go get him.”
“Wait,” she stated, coming closer. Her eyes bounced to Enzo for a moment before she lowered her voice. “There are some rules you need to hear. He doesn’t want you to touch him.”
“Don’t talk to me at all,” Enzo grumbled, his tone dry.
Glancing over my shoulder, his eyes were down at the floor, arms crossed over his chest.
“That’ll be hard to do, but I promise to not lay a hand on you.” That, I certainly could do.
“Also,” Scarlett cleared her throat, “he wants a room he and Emery can share. To talk. Without you hovering.”
“Okay.” Easy enough. “The spare room. But I’m not leaving Emery until he says it’s okay.”
“Deal.” The word was clipped, but it seemed like he expected such an answer from me.
After another glance between the two, I walked away in search of Emery.
In a few moments, everything was going to go downhill fast.
Emery
Icouldn’t do this. I was okay with just me and Ryker here. I was content, which wasn’t something I’d had for so long.
Steven had taken everything from me.
Heck, I don’t even think my parents knew I was alive. Had they pretended I was dead before they ever found a body? Did they mourn me?
Maybe Ryker could find them for me, just so I knew where they were. Did I want to see them again? Maybe.
I paced the bedroom, hands in my hair, as I fought to keep my thoughts from spinning.
Could I change my mind? I didn’t want to meet someone new.
“Emery, sugar?” Ryker stood in front of me, hands on my shoulders as he stopped my pacing. My breath gushed out of me.
“Ryker.” A breath. At him standing here, something in me settled just a bit. One second, his hands were on my shoulders, the next I was pressed against his chest with arms wrapped around me.
“You can change your mind. Just say the word.” I was about to do just that, but he went on. “But I think this is one person you would like to meet. He’s come here just to see you.”
“I can still change my mind, right?” What if I didn’t like who came? What if I didn’t want to see anyone?
“Absolutely.”
“Okay.” I pulled back, looking up to meet his eyes. “You’ll stay?”He wouldn’t leave me, right?
“I’ll stay until you tell me otherwise.”
Grounding myself, I took a deep breath in. With a nod, I let him grab my hand and lead the way from the bedroom. I kept my eyes down, not entirely wanting to see who was here.
With each step, I wanted to turn around and hide. I wanted—
My thoughts were cut off instantly when someone gasped my name.
“Emery.”
No. It wasn’t possible. No. No. No. No.
“It’s okay,” Ryker soothed, turning to face me. Whatever Scarlett said was lost as my eyes zeroed in on the man before me.
