(Embry’s POV)
“He’s out doing business with James, I promise you’ll be okay if you go down to hang out with Indigo while she works” Sebastian smiled down at me, intertwining his fingers with mine. “Well then I guess it’ll be okay if I walk you to the door,” lifting the hand he held in his he dotted a light kiss onto the back of it. “I’d love that but only if I get a goodbye kiss” he winks, as I follow him down the stairs into the parlour.
“I’ll see you tomorrow beautiful” he halted right beside the door as he bent down a little so I could reach his cheeks. Leaning on my tippy toes I placed a small kiss just at his cheek bone, “bye, be safe” I grinned, waving at him as he walked away from the building.
Turning around, I sauntered back over to Indigo, who was currently customerless. “Hey pretty girl” she smiled, as I came up behind her to peek over and see her sketching images out. “So how was your day with Sebastian?” she wriggled her eyebrows as she made a kissy face. “Good” I tried to hide my smile, turning away from her.
“You know that’s like the third one this week” she commented in amusement, signalling to my neck. That little shit. “Crap, is it really noticeable? I told him no more love bites,” I said, distressed as I zipped my hoodie up fully in an attempt to hide them. “Nah, I just like annoying you, it’s quite faint this time” she smirked, laughing to herself.
December 15th, four days since Sebastian and I had put up the decorations, his behaviour towards me was no more appropriate than it had been that day. It had never surpassed making out, or the occasional intimate hand placement, but even now I still felt shy when he did it or when Indigo and Dakota brought it up.
“I’m new to all this, you know? With Noah, realistically I had only been actually dating him for a year before he went to prison and we never really got further than kissing and it certainly was never as intense as it is with Sebastian.” I could feel heat rising to my cheeks as I turned shyly towards Indigo.
“This is a safe space, say what’s on your mind” she encouraged, leaning back into her stool, her full attention on me. “I don’t know” I shrugged, pulling my lip between my teeth, “I was never really interested in doing any of that kind of stuff before, I never felt ready to, but with Sebastian, I don’t feel pressured to be ready to and I know because he tells me all the time that it is bare minimum but when you just came from a place where you had convinced yourself that deciding when you were ready wasn’t a decision you got to make, it’s nice.”
“I guess, despite not being able to leave this building, he just makes me feel free and alive, he makes things exciting again, and I think I’m starting to really like him” I sighed, I didn’t want to fight my feelings my whole life or be ashamed of them but I knew it was wrong, the way everything was happening. But it all felt so right.
“Awh, Embry, that is literally so cute, wait till I tell Dakota, she’ll love this” Indigo clapped wildly.
Eager to change the topic of conversation, I move over beside her, flipping through her book of designs.”How’s business today?” I queried. “Good, Josh starts his shift in like an hour so we can go up and watch a movie if you want,” she suggested, now rummaging through the presses towards the side of the shop. “Yeah, I’d like that” I nodded, tracing my fingers over a pretty butterfly design.
“Crap, I left the new inks in the car, would you mind just watching the place really quickly, if anybody comes in just say hi and tell them I’ll be back soon” she rushed out, practically bolting out the door before I could even express my agreement.
Sighing at the eerie feeling that started to creep up around me, I tried to distract myself with more of the designs in the book. I internally grimaced as I saw a man walk in through the doors, of course someone would come in while I was here by myself. “Hi” I smiled, trying to ignore my gut feeling as I observed how he looked me up and down. “Indigo, the woman who owns the place just ran out really quickly, she should be back in five minutes or so if you just want to take a seat there” I nod towards the bench, putting on my best customer service voice.
“Well, with such beautiful company I don’t mind waiting,” his smirk leaving an unsettling feeling within me. I could feel my smile falter at his words, why was it only creepy men that ever approached me? My gaze followed him alarmed as he decided to stroll over towards me instead of taking a seat. Luckily I was protected by the table in between us. “I haven’t seen you around here before, are you new?”
Deciding it was best to just be polite, I regained my composure, trying to ignore the fact that a man about fifteen years older than me was the only person in this place with me and was giving off very bad vibes. “Oh, I’m just visiting, I’m a friend of Indigo’s so” I nodded, praying she would come back soon.
“Well, I’d say she definitely attracts more business with such a pretty little thing running around” his grin grew as his eyes settled on my chest. Oh god, I think I was going to be sick. What was I even meant to reply to that? “Oh, I doubt it, I’m not even down here that much” fidgeting with the edge of my hoodie, I contemplated how much trouble I’d get in if I threw this book at him.
“Down here, so you live in the apartment upstairs?” I could feel my gut visibly retract at his statement, great going Embry. “P-pardon?” I choked out, my brain seemingly having stopped functioning completely as I couldn’t think of a single lie.
“I just asked if you lived in the apartment upstairs” I pulled my arm back as quick as I could as he not so gently laid down onto the table. “Occasionally?” Fuck, I was completely bombing this.
“Maybe when I’m done, I could come up and keep you company” he winked, flashing a toothy smile. “Oh, I don’t know, I don’t feel very well so that probably isn’t a great idea” I swallowed harshly, a lump forming in my throat as I could see him getting annoyed with me.
“Well, could I atleast have your name?” His tone gave it off as more of a demand than a question, “yeah, no, I don’t- I don’t have one so” grimacing I wanted to burst out laughing at how shitty I was doing right now. Relief crashed through my body as I watched Indigo walk in the door, “you know, I really do feel sick, so I’m just going to go” I forced a smile before all but running back to the apartment.
At least I’d never have to see him again.
_____
(Noah’s POV)
I felt completely and utterly empty as I stared blankly at my little bug’s ring that sat on the desk in front of me. Fifteen whole days. Each one was just as excruciating as the last. My bed always felt so cold without her in it. Mother was concerned about the growing bags under my eyes but how was I to sleep without her in my arms. Not knowing where she was, not knowing if she was safe or not, each day I had to live knowing if Sebastian wasn’t such a fucking prick I would have her sitting here with me right now.
She’d probably be rambling on about some cute shit like she always did and I’d shower her face in kisses and repeat how much I loved her. Of course she’d say it back, considering she would need me after all the punishment she would have been through. I can just imagine her pretty little screams and begs as I crushed both her legs. Never to leave me again. I’d have to carry her everywhere, have her be completely reliant on me, what a blissful plan.
Or maybe I’d lock her down in the basement for days on end without any human interaction so she’d go crazy and come crawling back to me. She’d beg to talk to me and would crave for my presence every minute I was away just like I did with her. I’d finally be able to own her, all of her.
All these plans whirled around in my head making my pants uncomfortably tight around the crotch area. They shifted dramatically, from her screaming at me to stop hurting her as I punished her for ever thinking she could leave me to her screaming and writhing beneath me as I finally claimed her as mine.
God what a beautiful sight that would be. Of course we would wait a while before having kids, I didn’t want anybody else occupying her attention besides me. But when we finally did decide to, I would love them almost as much as I loved her. She would be a great mother, always so caring and understanding.
We’d be a perfect little happy family, and I would be nothing like my father. No, Embry would never let me stoop so low, that’s why I needed her, she kept me in check.
I could feel the salty liquid trail down my face for yet another time this week. My heart had never felt such raw pain as it did in moments like this. I had no work to distract me, no anger and no scheming. At this point I wasn’t even sure if I wanted to hurt her for leaving me if it meant she would never do it again. I just needed her to come back to me.
“You were meant to be the one person I could trust to never abandon me Embry, so how could you do this to me,” I muttered, placing her ring on my pinky finger once again. It would return to its owner soon enough.
Much, much sooner than any of us ever thought.