(Embry’s POV)
December 18th. The atmosphere around the place was amazing as everybody was on the countdown to Christmas. The apartment felt so homely with all the decorations and lights, it was becoming my safe place. Indigo had promised that Noah wouldn’t be coming around anytime soon, at least not until after Christmas, and I trusted her so my paranoia had decreased a lot, for the most part. It was three days ago when that weird man came into the parlour and I was right, I hadn’t seen him since, but I sure did hear a lot about him.
And by the look on Indigo’s face as she walked in I knew this would be one of those times. “He came by again” she sighed as I could feel that familiar dread expand inside of me. “What did you tell him?” Worry coating my face, as I dropped into the chair at the table, following my lead she sat beside me, her brows creased with worry. “The same thing I tell him every time, that you aren’t here anymore,” gnawing at my lip in distress, I looked over to her. “And what did he say?” it came out as a whisper as I feared the answer.
“The usual, left his number again and asked me to give it to you,” I groaned at that response. “I think I scared him off when I threatened to call the police, even though we both know we can’t take that risk, are you sure we shouldn’t just tell Sebastian to be on the safe side?”
Frowning, I dropped my head into my hands, “I don’t know, I just, I don’t think it would be a good idea, I’m scared he might do something drastic and if I’ve learnt anything it’s that you avoid those possibilities at all costs.” “I guess you’re right, I’m sure he is just harmless anyway, and the door is always locked, not that he would be able to slip past any of us in the parlour,” she reassuringly added.
“I’m sorry I seem to bring so much trouble along with me Indigo” a woeful look resting on my face. “Don’t apologise pretty girl, both me and Dakota love having you here” she beams, “but I do believe I just heard Sebastian’s voice down stairs, so that means it’s my cue to leave” she winks heading for the door.
“Hey Inds” he greets, a paper bag sitting securely in his arms. “Don’t forget to use protection” she lightly shouts from the bottom of the stairs. My cheeks burned with embarrassment, as I went to get two glasses and sodas for us.
“And what is it exactly that you tell my sister, huh princess?” His face possessed a smug look as I avoided his gaze. “Oh well do tell, I’m curious now” he leans against the counter, his eyes trained on me as I slowly turned to face him. “I don’t know, I guess I tell her some things” I admit, shrugging in innocence. A guilty smile aimed his way as he waltzed over to me, pressing me between the counter and his body, “well I guess I’ll just have to give you more story telling material later then huh?” His teeth nipping the skin of my neck lightly.
Scrunching my eyes, I forced myself to collect my bearings. Giving him a light shove, I rolled my eyes as his laughter boomed throughout the kitchen. “Can’t you go one day without making me flustered, Sebastian” giving him an unimpressed look, I placed my hand on my hip.
“You look unbelievably hot right now” his voice raspy, shaking my head at him, I move to peek in the bag he brought with him.
“And what is this?” I question holding up the small game box, “well, it’s a card game kind of but basically it has questions that we ask each other and it helps us get to know each other better on a deeper level. Obviously if you aren’t comfortable we don’t have to d-.” Diving into him, I wrap my hands tightly around his torso, “you’re interested in getting to know me emotionally?” My eyes glisten with happiness, such a simple thing with such a big meaning.
“I’m enamored with every part of you Embry” his hand gently brushed back the hair covering my face, my eyes fluttering closed as he gently pressed his lips to the tip of my nose. “I know you panic about how quickly your feelings come and go, but if it makes you feel better, I’m just as messed up as you and I’m falling abnormally fast for you,” he whispers, letting his forehead rest against mine.
“I’m falling abnormally fast for you too,” I smile, opening my eyes to see him staring at me. A soft look present in his eyes. “Well, should we start?” I smirk, pulling away from him as I scurry to bring the drinks and box over to the couch with us.
“Okay, so if it gets too uncomfortable, you don’t have to answer but I want us to be completely honest with each other, I’ve never wanted to show somebody all of me as much I have you” he whispers the last part. “You ask first” I say, fidgeting with the zip on the cushion I was holding.
“It starts simple, what’s your fathers name? And tell me one more thing about him,” he read, placing the card down after. “Edward and ehm, he’s a workaholic? I don’t know, is that the kind of thing I say? Or do you want to know his favourite food?,” I grimace, this game being harder than I thought it would.
Laughing at my distress he pushes the box of cards towards me, “do you not answer that question now?” I wonder, wishing I had listened a little better as he explained the rules. “It doesn’t say on the box but yeah I guess that’s probably a better way,” he nods, sitting up straight.
“James, and his favourite food is seafood” I roll my eyes at how he just played me like that. Copying his actions, I let my legs stretch out in front of me, my feet stopping by him as his had the same placement by me.
Nodding in a signal for me to ask the question I pick up the next card in the box, “what’s the most pain you’ve ever been in that wasn’t physical?” I rack my brain trying to think of what I would say, “to be honest, it was probably seeing my dad hitting my mom for the first time and realising I couldn’t do anything about it.” His face was sullen as he answered. “You?”
“Ooo, this questions kind of hard, worst pain I’ve ever been in that wasn’t physical,” I thought out loud, I covered my mouth as a guilty smirk covered my face, “it’s definitely unfair of me to say, but probably when my parents left me alone in the house for work the day after Noah was bailed from prison, I mean of course I told them to go but like I didn’t expect them to actually leave me” I laughed at how bad that sounded on my parents part.
I could see Sebastian’s face drop, “no they didn’t” he gasped, a smile lifting on his lips as well. “That’s so bad out” he shook his head in disbelief. “Okay, I guess this kind of is fun, ask the next one” I encourage, pushing the box back over to him. “Okay this is a fill in the blank, ‘dear people who raised me thank you for’, hmmm, thank you for teaching me how to use a gun” he smiled, holding back a laugh.
“Okay, okay, my turn, ehm, thank you for letting me befriend a murderous psychopath at the age of five,” unable to contain ourselves anymore we both burst out laughing, “I don’t think we’re very good at playing this” I manage to get between our fits of laughter.
“Or maybe, we are just playing it incredibly well” he beamed, as both our laughing died down. “Next one, what about me is the hardest for you to understand?”
I watched as his face got serious again, “probably how you manage to still be kind and forgiving after everything, I mean how you managed to still treat me like a human being after everything I did to you” a pained look on his face, as he nods for me to go.
“Mmm, maybe the way you have changed so drastically over the past couple weeks, not that I’m complaining” I smile softly at him. “What is your heart telling you?” He reads the card, looking expectedly up at me, “to stop overthinking my feelings for you and to just let it happen” I nod, biting the inside of my cheek.
“And you?” I ask, “that these feelings I have for you are real, it’s really important you know that Embry, that no matter what, this, us, here, what we are now and everything I’ve told you about how much I like you, it’s real, and it will always be real” an intense look in his eyes as he moves in his seat.
I observe him as he places the box of cards on the floor, climbing over me, to let his body hover above me. His right elbow rested beside my head as I slid down so I was laying on the couch fully, his left hand caressing my cheek as he holds me in his intense stare.
“As long as you know, that, what we are in this moment, that’s how I truly feel about you, I really do like you Embry and no one can ever take that away from us.”
Lowering his lips to meet mine, I looped my arm around the back of his neck, pulling him into me. Liking the feel of his body against mine, the protection and safety it signified. Moving my lips in sync with his, I gasped as his hand trailed underneath my topic, making its way to my chest.
“Sebastian” my voice breathy, “I’m ready” I softly smiled at the way his face lit up at my words.
But the truth is, I would never be ready for what this would lead to.