(Embry’s POV)
“Crap Sebastian, I can’t do this with you, really I-I can’t” I shuddered, ducking under his arm as I rushed to the other side of the room. I observed him nervously as he stood as well, only now realising how intimidating his height was. “Stop fighting it Embry, don’t you want somebody to just take care of you, I’m not like Noah, you’ll never have to fear me snapping at you, let me protect you, let me hold you, let me nurture you like you deserve.”
My tears were falling at a rapid pace with the intensity of my inner turmoil. It all sounded so nice, but I couldn’t. I knew he had to leave soon because I was slipping. I always fell for this. But it was so easy to, it was so painfully simple to give in.
I held my hands out in front of me as a warning for him to stand back as he treaded carefully towards me. I couldn’t afford him touching me, I was like putty in his hands. “I know you Embry, you’ve spent your whole life taking care of other people, making sure they were okay at the expense of your feelings, I can give you that soft, warm, touch of comfort you so badly crave. The touch of somebody who cares.”
I stood straight at his words, “don’t you want that princess? I’m the only one who can give it to you” a crazed look sitting in his eyes. Then it hit me, why he sounded so familiar.
He sounded just like Noah.
“But I understand it, that’s why I’ve done all this, I understand you. You just need someone to take care of you, just let me take care of you Embry, you have the weight of the world weighing you down.”
Those were the words Noah had said to me after he brought me down into the basement, I could never get them out of my mind. Not when they had such a massive impact on me and now here I am, again, the same feelings and basically the same words, just the other son.
I wrapped my arm around my stomach, the nausea hitting aggressively this time. I’d be surprised if I didn’t get sick one of these times. “Oh my god” I muttered, my eyes widening in realisation. “I think I’m going to be sick” I rushed towards the bathroom, heaving up the food from this morning. Yep, there it was, maybe I could predict my escape just as easily.
“No, don’t touch me, please don’t touch me” I shot away from him, my back slamming into the sink cabinet. “Princess, what’s wrong?”
I gripped my hair, tugging at it, “stupid, stupid, stupid Embry, you should have seen this coming” I muttered disheartedly to myself. “Embry, you’re scaring me, talk to me” his finger coming underneath my chin to lift my head up. My hands falling from my hair as the acidic taste of vomit lingered on my tongue.
“No, Sebastian, you’re scaring me,” my hands shake on either side of me, a raw terror exploding in my chest. “You sound just like him, you are just like him” I shakily breathe. I knew what Noah was capable of, I knew how to avoid his triggers, not that I did a very good job at it but I had known him for fifteen years.
Sebastian though, I had no idea of his capabilities, of his triggers, heck I wasn’t even sure of his exact age. “Don’t say that, don’t say that” he frowns, shaking his head in disappointment, “I’m nothing like him, I would never hurt you the way he has hurt you.”
“BUT YOU HAVE” I yell, smacking my hands against my mouth at the outburst. Oh shit, definitely should not have done that after just realising I had no idea what his triggers were. My heart sped up as my eyes shot down to his hands, clenched. I knew that was a bad sign. “Shit, no, don’t look at me like that, please don’t be scared of me princess” he ran his hands down his face in distress.
“I promise you princess I’d never-” bringing my hands up to cover my ears, I brought my knees to my chest in protection. I couldn’t afford listening to him anymore, they were so good at it. So freaking good at manipulation. It was something I had always been defenseless to, a thing I could never sense but now I know better. Now I know better.
I yelled out in panic as he grabbed my arms, prying them from my ears, “stop this Embry,” he pulled me roughly to stand as I struggled against his hold. “Let. Go. Of. Me” I cried out, pulling away from him with every word.
My emotions got the best of me as I weakened in his hold, my protests dying down as my head dropped against his chest. “I can’t go through this again” my crushed tone whispered out, his hands releasing my arms as he encircled me in his hold, or more like his prison. “I won’t hurt you Embry, you mean too much to me,” I flinched away from his hand as his thumb slowly caressed my cheek.
My arms were limp by my side as my heart thrummed with emotions. My body tensed at his remark, “I’m not like Noah because I’d never let you slip through my hands like he has,” he gently brushed my hair back, tilting my head to look up at him.
“I have to go now princess, in case Noah comes back soon, but I’ll be back tomorrow alright” he pressed a kiss to my tear stained cheek as he left me in the bathroom, cold and alone.
Breaking down again, I dropped to the tiles of the bathroom, curled up on my side as my deep wrenching sobs echoed against the walls.
I can’t go through this again, I can’t.
Not with Sebastian.
He was meant to be my normal.
(Noah’s POV)
Storming away from the office, I knew exactly who could cheer me up, her. She had been back for two days now and she was doing so good. Especially considering I decided I couldn’t be too harsh on her punishment knowing I couldn’t risk chasing her into Sebastian’s arms. Sebastian. His name left a bad taste in my mouth as I remember the hour long lecture I got from my father about how I would be disowned if I was to kill him and how Embry would be taken from me and sold or whatever bladdy blah he was going on about.
He was all, Sebastian’s the heir this and Sebastian’s the heir that, news flash father, I’m the only one who actually does work, age doesn’t matter when he clearly doesn’t want anything to do with the business. Gosh, family was so infuriating at times.
Stepping into the room, the frown vanished from my face as my eyes met her sitting on the floor by the desk and painting her toe nail. “Hey baby” I smile lovingly down at her, removing my jacket to sit down beside her.
“How was your day?” I queried, examining the different nail polishes. “Boring” she whispered, not bothering to look at me, what a pouty little baby she was. I caught her eye as she moved to pick up the bottle of nail polish, they were red and bloodshot. She had been crying.
“Were you crying?” My voice alarmed as I imagined something having happened to her, I took her avoidance of my prying gaze as an answer. Taking the bottle from her, I turned her head so she could face me, a red hue on her face from her crying. “Talk to me, little bug, did something happen?” I turned her face the other way, examining it.
“I just missed you” she whispered softly, my heart melting at her words. How was it possible for somebody to be this perfect? Pulling her into me, I inhaled her scent, a cloud of comfort surrounding me. Her head tucked under my chin as I rubbed her back making sure not to cause any smudging to her nails. “I’m sorry baby, I missed you too” I whispered, kissing the top of her head, “I have to work again tomorrow but after that you’re stuck with me for two whole weeks with Christmas and New Years” I mumble against her hair, refusing to pull away from her.
“Things just get bad when you aren’t here” her voice cracked as she snuggled further into my chest. I sighed happily as we remained in this position for a little while, she needed me. Look how far we have come, my pretty little flower in my arms and I’m everything she could ever want.
“Well, it’s only four o’clock and you have me for the rest of the evening, what do you want to do?” I smiled down at her, brushing back her hair which was blocking me from seeing her, “just cuddle” she whispered, her eyes closing as a peaceful look rested on her face.
“Let me get changed quickly and you clean up this stuff and then we can cuddle on the bed, okay baby?” I soothed, prying myself from her hold. Oh how the tables have turned my beautiful wife.
Watching her bend over to pick up all that nail polish with nothing but one of my shirts on, my body itched to do more than just cuddling but I knew she simply just needed some tlc after everything she had been through without me. It must have been so tiring to pretend she wanted to be away from me for so long.
Scooting onto the bed, I held my arms out wide for her as she scurried over to me, falling onto my chest as she curled up on top of me. Her head on my shoulder and legs on either side of me as I held her tightly to me.
“The moon is beautiful, isn’t it?” I breathed softly in her ear, liking the way her body shivered in reaction to it. I felt her body freeze above me at my words, it had been so long since either one of us had said that, my heart was beating in anticipation for her reply. It was a quiet one, if she hadn’t been lying so that her face was right beside my ear I might not have heard it. “I can die happy.”
Fifteen years experience, I knew how to have her wrapped around my finger. Sebastian didn’t stand a chance.