“Then don’t ask me questions I can’t answer.” I get out of bed and find my discarded clothes. “Were you watching me sleep? How long was I asleep?” I really don’t like people being in the room with me when I’m asleep.
“I don’t know. I woke up when you started thrashing around, crying out for someone not to fucking touch you. I got off the bed, thinking you were afraid of me, but you were asleep, Evie. Who were you dreaming about?”
“It was a nightmare, not a dream, and it wasn’t real,” I argue as I get dressed.
Emmanuel stares at me. Watching me. His jaw ticks and his eyebrows furrow. I know he’s frustrated, but I need air. I need to get away from him before I cave and tell him everything… before I ruin everything. I want this one week, damn it. Just let me have this man for a week so I can look back when I’m old and say I once lived for myself.
“I need some water,” I say, walking out of the bedroom. The plane is still in the air, so it hasn’t been long.
“Ma’am, can I get you anything?” the flight staff, whose name I’ve forgotten, asks me.
“Can I get a water, please?” I reply.
“Sure, ma’am. Would you like me to bring it to the bedroom for you?” she offers.
“No, I’ll sit out here. Thank you.” I take a seat on the closest recliner. How on earth did I fall asleep?
A minute later, a body fills the seat next to mine. I don’t need to look to know it’s Emmanuel. “You know I only want to kill the people who haunt your nightmares, Evie.”
I turn to look at him. “I don’t want you to kill anyone for me, E. Let’s just forget it and enjoy the week.”
Emmanuel’s eyes scrutinize me. “If you think I’mletting it go, think again. Someone hurt you and I will find out who it was. You might not want me to kill them, but I promise you I’m going to. And when I do, you’ll be able to sleep knowing they can never hurt you again.No onewill ever hurt you again.”
It’s a nice thought, a lie I could easily see myself falling into. I’m not going to be that person. I’m not going to be so insanely stupid to let myself believe that he can keep me safe from the monsters in this world.
“I know violence is your thing. It’s how you run your business, but it’s not mine, E. I don’t like guns. I don’t like blood, and I don’t like the idea of people dying because of me.”
“I’m going to teach you how to fight, how to shoot, and how to use a knife. Once you’re familiar with them, you won’t fear them as much.”
That’s what he got from me saying I don’t like violence?
I shake my head. “I don’t want to be familiar with weapons, E. I just want…” I pause, because I don’t know what it is I want anymore. I was content living my boring, small-town life. I have good friends. I have a great business. I didn’t need or want anything else.
Now, there’s Emmanuel. I want him in ways I never thought I’d want someone. I also want it to betemporary. I can’t do the forever thing. I’m not girlfriend material. I can’t even fall asleep next to him without waking him with my nightmares.
“I want you to be safe. That’s all. I want to be able to protect you, Evie. I can’t fail you. I won’t fail again,” Emmanuel says.
“What do you meanagain? You haven’t failed me at anything, Emmanuel.”
“I couldn’t protect you from whatever happened in your past, but I can make sure those who caused your nightmares learn their mistake,” he says. But I don’t think that’s what he meant when he saidagain.
“You didn’t know me in the past.”
“I should have met you sooner.” He’s serious. I can’t help but laugh.
“Yeah, okay, that’s not really how life works, E. You might be used to controlling everything that happens in the world you live in, but that’s not normal. And unless you have a time machine, not even you can change the past.”
“I could hire a team of scientists to get working on that time machine.” He smirks.
“That would be a complete waste of money. I’m sure you have more important things to spend your money on.”
“I do have a niece now.”
“You already gave her a ten-million-dollar trust. What else could you possibly give her?” I ask him.
“Whatever she wants.” He shrugs.
“So what are you planning while we’re in Vegas? You have me for one week.”
