Page 52 of Not Your Hero

“Is that what you want? You want to die?”

“I don’t care anymore, Gannix. Don’t you see that? You’ve watched me. Did you think my fucking life was all sunshine and flowers?”

“You had a fairly good life.”

“Living off my mother’s money? Fucking random men in clubs? You call that a good life? Then you weren’t fucking looking, Gannix!”

“You’re telling me you weren’t enjoying your life?” I question her.

“I was doing the best I could with what I had. No one knows me. No one knows the ache inside me. The need for someone to love me. The yearning to have something normal. You think I liked it? Fucking random men because I needed something?”

“Now you don’t have to worry about that. I plan on giving you everything you need,” I tell her.

“Fuck you! I don’t want it from you, Gannix! You’re a liar, you’re a coward!”

“What do you want from me?” I scream this time, my hands beginning to shake from the anger.

“I want to see you! The real you.”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because I’m not ready to let you go, Emerson.”

“Who the hell said you had to?”

“It’s just the way it is! Don’t you see that?” I roar as I tug at my hair.

“Coward.”

“Shut up, Emerson!’

“Coward!” She yells louder. I’m not a coward. I’ve never been a coward, and I sure as hell won’t be one now. I grab the front of my shirt and rip it open, sending the buttons flying in every direction before sliding it off. Emerson’s eyes move over my chest and down to the top of my slacks.

“All of it,” she demands. I want to tell her no. I want to snap her fucking neck for making me do this, but instead, I let the anger take control. I kick off my shoes, and I rip my slacks and boxers down in one move, exposing myself fully to her. Emerson licks her lips as she takes me in, tugging at the chains.

“Unhook these,” she demands.

“No. Are you happy now? Are you fucking happy I now have to end your life?” I roar, causing her to flinch.

“Unhook me, Gannix.”

“No.” I step into her space, grabbing her face in my hand. “It was one fucking night. I was asleep on the couch with my brother. The babysitter was as crazy as they come, but that’s how my father liked it. The crazier, the better. She set the couch on fire while we were sleeping.”

“Oh my God.” The three words fall from her lips, but I squeeze her face harder so she can’t speak anymore. This is what she wanted.

“I didn’t feel it at first until my lower half was fully covered in flames. I rolled off the couch and onto the floor, screaming in pain. My father rushed in and put out the flames but the damage had been done already.”

She tries to speak, but the hold I have on her is too strong. I shake my head as I slowly release her face and move my hands around her neck. I don’t want to do this. But I don’t have a choice now. She forced this on me.

“Gannix, unhook me,” she whispers.

“You shouldn’t have pushed me, Emerson. You shouldn’t have kept on,” I tell her as I squeeze her neck harder. This is it. This is what has to be done. Emerson tugs at the chains, but she isn’t going anywhere.

“Gannix,” she whimpers through the stranglehold I have on her.

“You did this! Why did you fucking do this!”

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