Page 5 of Freeing Emily

My heart is beating so hard, I’m sure Emily can feel it. I can feel her eyes on my profile but resist the urge to peer down at her. Gently, I place her onto the plush mattress that is littered with pillows.

I scan the room, looking anywhere but Emily. I don’t know if I’ll be able to hide the bulge in my jeans if I look at her in that towel again.

The door swings open and Rhys steps in with the family physician a few moments later. He quickly walks over to where Emily lies and begins assessing her wound.

Anger, possessiveness, and jealousy flow through my blood at an alarming rate. I feel a growl threatening to escape my chest each time his fingers touch her delicate skin.

What the hell?

Quickly, I spin around and exit the room before I do something I’ll surely regret.

I watch as Liam flees from my bedroom shortly after Dr. Robbins begins working on my leg.

His face morphed into a weird combination of emotions that I couldn’t figure out. He was like a concrete wall when I bumped into him earlier. But the moment I met his gorgeous hazel eyes… Everything disappeared. I knew my da was hiring someone to come replace Finn at the docks, but I didn’t anticipatehim.I’m not sure what it is about him that calls to me, but I want to explore it.

With wavy light-brown hair, broad shoulders, and a towering height, Liam is beautiful. His strong jaw calls for my fingers to caress his stubble. His plush lips demand mine.

His spicy musk scent wrapped around me like a warm blanket when he lifted me into his muscled arms. I wanted to immerse myself in that scent. The feel of his heart beating rapidly caused my stomach to swarm with butterflies.

I affect him just as much as he affects me. It’s thrilling and I hope something can come of it.

“You hurt yourself pretty good here, Emily,” Dr. Robbins says with a shake of his head.

“It’s not like I meant to fall,” I reply with an eye roll.

Declan stands behind Dr. Robbins and meets my eyes. “What were you doing?”

“I just lost my footing when I was moving around.”

He purses his lips and nods. I know he doesn’t believe me. I’m not a very good liar but I’m not going to tell him I was trying to shave every inch of my body. He doesn’t need to know that or thewhyI decided to do it.

It’s not like Liam would be interested in anything with me anyway. I’m sure he’s experienced, and I’m anything but. I don’t even need to mention the fact that he works for my father.

I hiss from the sharp sting caused by the antiseptic Dr. Robbins is using to clean my wound.

“Sorry, I’ll need to numb you for this next part,” Dr. Robbins mumbles and preps the supplies.

Another sharp sting followed by a burn causes my face to twist in pain before the numbness sets in.

“This will need a few stitches,” Dr. Robbins begins working on mending my wound and Declan watches his actions closely.

Declan is an overbearing brute when it comes to me. I’m the kid-sister. Unfortunately, I’m also a mafia princess. That means I’m at a much higher risk of danger than Declan. Where he is mountainous in height and build, I’m petite, like my mother. Declan is a force to be reckoned with. He has a thirst for blood and thrives in hectic situations.

Me? I’m too soft. Too gentle. I can’t even muster the courage to kill a damned spider.

I can’t help but glance repeatedly at the doorway in hopes of seeing Liam standing there.

The way my body responded to his was surprising. I wasn’t sure what to think of it. I’ve been surrounded by men my entirelife but not someone so close to my age outside of Rhys and Declan.

Rhys has been best friends with Declan for as long as I can remember but he’s as much of a brother to me as Declan is. Nothing romantic will ever be happening there.

But Liam? The attraction was instant and unavoidable.

Despite being eighteen, I’ve never had a chance to explore any relationships because of my status with the mafia. I’m meant to be pure for any plans for an arranged marriage.

But maybe I can convince my da to let me at least try something with Liam. It’s a huge stretch that he would be willing to let it happen, but I want to at least try.

“There you are.” Dr. Robbins packs up his supplies and then rises from the bed.

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