Page 98 of Borden 3

“Can you sing our happy song?” he asked. “It only ever sounds good when it’s coming from you. Julia can’t sing for shit.”

“Julia would do anything for you.”

“I don’t want Julia.”

I hesitated. “Theo…”

“Sing. I don’t mind begging, Em..”

A genuine laugh escaped this time. “Only if you promise to try and do better.”

“Better with what?”

I shrugged. “Just…there’s more to you, Theo. I wish you believed in yourself.”

He nodded, but only to placate me. “Okay.” He rubbed his nose against mine. “Now sing my favourite song.”

I stared into his disarming eyes and let out a long sigh.

I sang Over the Rainbow.

Chapter Thirty-Three

Emma

I opened my eyes and winced from the blinding light. My head throbbed. My body ached. I was bruised and sore everywhere.

“Daddy, she’s awake!” said a small voice.

Footsteps approached. “Is she now?”

My blood turned cold. I shot up in bed, and hands wrapped around my shoulders. “Calm down, Nightcrawler. You just took a beating to the head.”

His scent hit me. My stomach rolled. I immediately whacked his hands away, scrambling back in the bed I was in. I looked around, trying to take in my surroundings. It was a massive bedroom, with log walls and sparse furniture. Heat was coming from a lit fireplace where pink toys were scattered all along the floor. A familiar little girl stood at the head of the bed, her tiny body angled in my direction, her yellow curls framing a scarred but beautiful little face.

Stasia.

Slowly, head pounding, I turned to the large figure looming over me. He was shirtless, boxing tape wrapped around his knuckles, his blond hair in disarray as he peered down at me, breathing quickly, as though he’d just been through a workout, or maybe he’d beaten someone else up.

His green eyes met mine, and he didn’t smile. His face was empty. “You’re lucky you’re alive, Emma.”

I could barely breathe without wincing. Mindful of Stasia’s presence, I whispered, “What have you done, Theo?”

His eyes flared. “What have I done?”

I looked around the room again. “Where’s Hector? Tell me you haven’t hurt him!”

“Why? You care for that oaf?” He scoffed. “Making friends all over the place, hey, Emma? These big scary dudes, too. Violent and deadly. I thought you said you wouldn’t mess with someone like me again?”

I ignored him, my heart pacing as I tried to build the energy to move. But every time I shifted around the bed, a pain roared so bad, I felt my heart pounding in my ears.

“You need to rest,” he said, coldly. “Stasia, get Mrs Borden that plate you set aside for her.”

Stasia grinned. “Okay.”

She walked out, her pitter-patter steps fading out of the room. I glared at Theo as he continued to stare down at me. His eyes traced along my body, seeing the flesh through the tattered holes in my top. His tongue was between his teeth as he angled his head to the side, staring deeply at me.

I grabbed the covers and wrapped them around me, hiding my body from his intense stare. My nostrils glared as his eyes shot back up to meet my gaze.

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