Page 12 of Whispers and Warriors
Out of all the things she expected to find, this was not one of them.
“Thank you think I will go inside. Check out the house. ” The words were thick in her mouth, and she excused herself, wondering if there might be a need to let Chris know, but trying to operate as if these people were exactly what they appeared to be.
“Make yourself at home. It’ll be a few days.” the other woman said with a smile.
She felt like a stranger in a strange land, unsure of what to do or say. But as she stepped inside, the cozy warmth of the place enveloped her, easing some of her tension.
She walked through a living room filled with comfortable looking couches, and into a spacious kitchen that had her question how the inside was so big. A pot boiled and burped on the stove, its silver lid giving none of the contents away.
Moving through the room, Emma stopped in the next hall, staring at the open doors filled with beds and even pictures on the wall.
It’s so normal. So like the base.
“Emma,” Liam’s voice rang out as he stepped out of the third room in the hall. He approached, his gentle footsteps echoing in the quiet hallway. “Hey,” he murmured, his voice soft and soothing as he pulled her close. “You’re okay, Em. I’ve got you.”
Emma looked up at him, her vision blurring with unshed tears. She managed a small nod, grateful for his the comfort his presence brought. Liam rubbed his hand over the small of her back as he released her. “Here, come relax. It’ll help.” The door creaked slightly more as he pushed it open, revealing a simple space with a worn sofa and a dusty window.
As they stepped inside, Liam carefully closed the door behind them, creating a private sanctuary. Emma let out a shuddering breath, the weight of everything settling heavily on her shoulders. Liam turned to face her, his blue eyes filled with understanding and concern.
Without a word, he opened his arms, and Emma found herself instinctively gravitating toward him. She stepped into his embrace, burying her face against his broad chest as his strong arms enveloped her. Liam held her close, his warmth seeping through her clothes and into her very bones.
“I’ve got you,” he whispered again, his lips brushing against her hair. “You’re not alone in this, Emma. We’re in this together.”
Emma clung to him, her fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt. In Liam’s arms, she had a sense of safety and security that had become one of the most important things to her in the world. His steady heartbeat thrummed against her cheek, a reminder of the life and love that still existed amidst the ruins.
Liam’s presence was a balm to her battered soul, a reminder that even in the darkest of times, hope and love could still flourish.
“I don’t know if I’m strong enough,” Emma confessed, her voice muffled against his chest. “Leaving everything a second time.”
Liam pulled back, just enough to look into her eyes. He cupped her face with his hands, his thumb brushing away a stray tear. “You are strong, Emma. Stronger than you know. And we’re not abandoning you or letting you abandon us. We’re fighting for a future where kids like the ones here can truly have a safe place. Kids like our kids.” He gave a small chuckle. “While selfishly fighting for our desires.”
Emma leaned into his touch, drawing strength from his unwavering belief in her. She knew he was right. They had to keep going, to fight for a world worth living in.
Taking a shuddering breath, her eyes searched Liam’s face as she asked the question that had been plaguing her for hours. “What would have happened if we’d stayed on the base? If we hadn’t left when we did? I know we had to, but what was the alternative?”
Liam’s gaze turned serious, a flicker of pain passing through his bright blue eyes. He guided Emma to sit on the edge of the bed, taking her hands in his as he knelt before her. “If we had stayed,” he began, his voice low and earnest, “we would have killed and you more than likely would have been tossed aside for your inability to conceive. While I’m not saying you’re infertile, it doesn’t look great. Though it’s possible your body isn’t ready, or fuck, we could be sterile. The places we’ve been, it could’ve screwed us up, too.”
Emma ignored the stab of guilt that wracked through her. She’d been sleeping with five men without protection and had yet to deliver a pregnancy. Shortly after the bombs, she’d beenchecked and confirmed to have healthy eggs and a viable uterus—before the world turned to utter shit and there was just a concern over toxins, before anyone knew there was something to be concerned about. Which meant having viable eggs and eggs that grow into a little baby were not the same thing.
He paused, his grip on her hands tightening slightly. “But more than that, staying would have meant giving up on our mission. On our hope for a better future. And I couldn’t let that happen. Not to the world, and not to you.”
Emma’s heart constricted at his words, at the fierce protectiveness radiating from him. She knew he would do anything to keep her safe, to shield her from the horrors that lurked beyond the walls of their temporary sanctuary. She just hadn’t realized how important those goals were for him to complete for others.
“You’re worth fighting for, Emma,” Liam continued, his voice filled with tender conviction. “Your life, your dreams, your future...they matter. And I will do everything in my power to make sure you have a chance to live them.”
Tears welled in Emma’s eyes, blurring her vision as she looked at the man who had become her rock, her anchor in the chaos of their broken world. She leaned forward, resting her forehead against his as she whispered, “I don’t know what I did to deserve you, Liam. But I’m grateful for every moment we have together.”
Liam’s lips curved into a soft smile, his breath warm against her skin as he murmured, “You deserve the world, Emma. And I’ll spend every day trying to give it to you.”
Liam leaned forward and captured her lips with his, the warmth of his mouth sending a shiver of delight through Emma’s body. His kiss was tender yet passionate, conveying the depth of his love and devotion in a way words never could.Emma melted into his embrace, her fingers tangling in his messy brown hair as she pulled him closer.
Liam’s arms tightened around her, drawing her closer until she was flush against the solid wall of muscles that was his chest and torso.
The world fell away, and for a precious moment, there was nothing but the two of them, lost in the intimacy of their connection. Liam’s hands roamed her back, his touch igniting sparks of desire beneath her skin. Emma sighed into the kiss, savoring the taste of him, the way his lips moved against hers with a perfect balance of gentleness and fervor.
As the kiss deepened, Emma lost herself in the sensation of Liam’s mouth moving against hers, his tongue tangling with her own in a sensual dance. The world fell away, and all that mattered was the two of them, intertwined in this moment of stolen intimacy. Emma’s fingers tangled in Liam’s hair, anchoring herself to him as she poured every ounce of her love and trust into the kiss.
Liam’s fingers traced the contours of her face, as if committing every detail to memory. His touch was reverent, almost worshipful, and Emma found herself leaning into his caress. In that moment, the worries and fears that had plagued her seemed to melt away, replaced by an overwhelming sense of belonging and safety.
