Page 38 of Not Your Hero

“You were taught to hunt and kill women?” she asks, her voice shaking. I nod my head once before shoving off the bed and pacing the room.

“I don’t want to, Emerson. I don’t want to have to do it, but what the fuck am I supposed to do? Huh? I’m sick! I’m a fucking sick man!”

“You could let me go.”

“No. That isn’t an option.”

“Why?”

“Because I need you, that’s why. You make it all stop. Don’t you fucking see that? You make all the fucking bad better, Emerson!” Before I can think, I turn and storm out of the room, slamming the door behind me. I hear her scream in frustration but I don’t go back in there.

Her questions are becoming too much for me. I can’t fucking think straight. Emerson has that effect on me.

I head downstairs and into the kitchen, where I drop onto a stool. I rest my head in my hands when I hear Ren coming in.

“Trouble in paradise?” He chuckles. I don’t think this shit is all that funny.

“She asks too many questions.”

“And you answered her?”

“Mostly,” I tell him. “You find out anything about Gary?” I ask, lifting my head to look at him now.

“No. As far as we know, he’s still at home.”

“This is completely fucked up. Why hasn’t he come after me?”

“Is that what you want? A war with your brother?” he asks, grabbing an apple and taking a bite.

“No. Of course, that’s not what I want. I want to hear something from him. This silent shit isn’t sitting well with me,” I tell him.

“I can understand why. What do you think he’ll do?”

“He’s going to come for her. I just don’t know when or how,” I reply.

“You’re not going to let him touch her, though,” he adds as I nod my head.

“That’s the plan.”

“And she’s on board with this?” I chuckle as I look up at him now.

“On board? She doesn’t even have all the details yet.”

“She’s doing better, I assume.”

“She is. Now I just need to make her understand she’s mine now, and there is no escaping me.”

“And you think that’s going to make everything better?” he asks. I shake my head.

“No. She doesn’t want to be here or at least she thinks she doesn’t right now.”

“You think, in time, she will?”

“I don’t know, but she doesn’t really have a choice,” I remind him. Ren nods his head before walking over and slapping a hand on my shoulder before he leaves the house and I get to work on calling those I need to call.

Chapter 22

Emerson

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