When I Was Theirs

43. Jared

43

Jared

“ E mmy.” I hold her against me, and she’s so cold . “Emmy, it’s alright.”

Angelo grabs for his phone. “I will call for help.”

She stirs.

“No,” she whispers. “No police.”

She starts to struggle, and I shake my head at Angelo. “Okay. We won’t call anyone. Just take a minute.”

“I have to go.” She pushes weakly against my hold. “Let me go.”

“Emilia—,”

“Please.” A small, broken sob slips from her. “Let go of me. I can’t – don’t touch me.”

My arms drop immediately, and she scrambles away from me.

There’s no blood in her face, her scar standing out in stark contrast to her pale skin. Shivering, she pulls herself up using the door. “I’m – I’m okay. Sorry. I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not.” Getting up, I take a step toward her.

She flinches. “Sorry.”

Jesus . I keep back, keep my voice low. “You don’t have to apologize. What’s going on, Em?”

“Nothing,” she chokes out. “I… I just felt faint. I’m okay now.”

She offers me the tiniest, shakiest smile. “I’m okay. It’s gone.”

We both know that’s far from fucking true.

I don’t know what to do. I hover behind her as Emilia backs up into the main store. She turns to look at the window, and she wavers again.

I slip my hand under her elbow, and she jerks away from me. She holds up her hands, backing away. “Sorry. Still a bit out of it.”

“Who is he? The man?”

She jerks as if I’ve hit her. “Nobody. Someone… someone I used to know.”

Someone that’s scared the living daylights out of her.

“Tell me who he is.” I approach her slowly, my hands up. She cowers back like a wounded animal, and it shreds something in my chest. “I can help, Em. If you’re in trouble, I can help you. Please let me help you.”

She shakes her head. “I’m not.”

I lean down until I can look her in the eyes. Her blue eyes are wide, shimmering. As I watch, a tear slips out, sliding down her cheek.

“You sure about that?” I keep my voice quiet. “Because you seem really fucking scared right now, Emilia.”

She’s petrified. And so am I.

I need to know what’s wrong.

Her fear is killing me.

She swipes a hand over her face. “I knew this was going to be a bad day.”

“It doesn’t have to be,” I say softly. “Whatever it is.”

The phone ringing makes us all jump. Emilia almost flattens herself against the wall.

We watch each other as Angelo picks it up. “Hello?”

Emilia’s eyes slide past me. I turn to see the older man’s face change, dropping into a scowl. “No. She left. It was unexpected. You want a job?”

She flinches back, and I hold up a hand, listening. I can’t hear the words on the other end. Only a low, male drone.

“How would I know?” he snaps. “She left me with orders to complete. She mentioned Oregon. Maybe Seattle. But she didn’t leave an address.”

Both places miles away from here.

He doesn’t say anything else before he replaces the phone. But his face softens as he looks at Emilia. “He put the phone down. But he thinks you are gone. He said he would try Oregon.”

A flicker of something. Disbelief. “He said that?”

Angelo nods. “He sounded annoyed.”

I can see how badly she wants to believe it. “Thanks, Angelo.”

Who the fuck is this guy?

“Don’t thank me,” he mutters. “We do have outstanding orders.”

But he watches her carefully, concern creasing the corners of his eyes. Emilia nods, swallowing. Her eyes flicker to me and away. “I need to get back to work.”

“I’ll wait.” There’s no question in my voice as I fold my arms. “You’re not walking out of here by yourself. I won’t ask questions if you don’t want to talk. But do not ask me to walk out of here and leave you.”

“He can stay,” Angelo pipes in. “Free help.”

She looks between us both. Still pale. Still scared.

Then she loosens a breath. “Fine.”