I want to scream and run, but I have no idea if he’s armed or if I could even outrun him. I slowly spin, trembling.
Please, God, don’t let me die.
I stand here, without any idea if he’s going to hurt me. He touches my shoulder, and I start to scream, but his hand quickly covers my mouth.
His hot breath is against my ear. “Don’t scream or I’ll have to teach you a lesson.” I don’t even try to stop the tears that burn down my cheeks. “We could be so happy.” His nose moves against my neck, up into my hair. “You can make it all stop, baby. It’s only because you forgot about what we had.”
He pushes his body against mine, and another tear falls.
“Just give us our time back and get rid of the man who isn’t good enough. Do you want me to hurt him? Is that how you want me to get rid of him? Will that be how you finally believe how much I love you, Emily? Do I need to kill him to show it?”
The blood runs cold in my veins. I will not let Cooper be hurt by this man, and I will do or say anything as long as it gets him to let me go. So I shake my head quickly. When he drops his hand, I speak. “No, I’ll give us a chance.”
This can’t be real. This is just a nightmare. It has to be, because Wade would be here if it was real. He has to be coming here any second now.
“I knew you’d come around.” He grazes his teeth against my ear. “Your little protector may have found my cameras, but remember that I’m always listening. I won’t hesitate to remind you how much Cooper doesn’t love you if you tell the dog about our little chat. I love you. I’m willing to do anything to have you.”
He presses his lips to the side of my head, and I bite my tongue to keep from screaming out.
“I’ll see you soon, my sweet little nightingale. I’m always around.”
I feel the heat from his body disappear. I turn quickly, but all I see is the back of his head as he runs off the stage and out of view.
My legs go limp, and I fall to my knees. He’s the reason Cooper lost his herd. He’s been able to get in my bus not once but twice that I know of. There’s nothing he won’t do, and I know, deep down in my soul, that he’ll hurt Cooper if I don’t obey.
With trembling hands, I dial Wade’s number.
“Where the fuck are you?” he growls through the phone. “I told you to stay on the fucking bus!”
“The stage,” is all I’m able to say before I completely fall apart.
Minutes later, I hear footsteps and Wade’s voice. “Emily!” He rushes over.
My eyes meet his, and even in the dark, I’m sure he can see the tears. “Please take me somewhere. I can’t walk.”
“Are you hurt?”
“Not physically.” I go for a half-truth.
I can’t tell Wade about what happened just moments ago. Not here. Not now. The psycho is clearly listening, watching, and God only knows where he is. Being quiet is all I can do. There are times I believe in trusting my gut—this is one.
“Did you fall?” Wade’s hands brush over my arms and legs as if he’s checking for injuries.
Oh, I fell. I fell into the hands of a stalker who wants to kill my boyfriend.
I fell in love, only to have it torn away.
I fell into the depths of hell, and the only way out is a deal with the Devil.
Instead of saying any of that, I shake my head. “I’m tired.”
“You’re lying.” He studies me and then glances to the shadows around us. “Something has you rattled and you need to tell me what. Why did you leave the bus?”
“Luke was supposed to be right back,” I say as my lip trembles.
“What the fuck?” He looks around. “I’m going to kill him.”
Wade is a good man, and I wish I had trusted in that. He’s been here ensuring my safety for weeks, and I failed him.
Now, it’s Cooper I’m worried about.
If this guy is willing to go all the way to Bell Buckle to prove some sick point, I have no doubt he will make good on his threat if Cooper shows up here. I start to cry harder, each tear is an outward display of the pain I’m in. I don’t want to do this, but I don’t have a choice.
“Talk to me, Emily,” Wade urges.
I look up at him, and the knot in my stomach twists. “It’s over. It’s all over.”
“What’s over?” His voice drops to a whisper. “Is he here?”
I shake my head. “No. I mean me and Cooper.”
Another loud sob escapes my lips, and I cling to Wade. Everything is falling apart, and I have no hope left.
“I’m sure you’ll work it out.” Wade tries to comfort me, but he’s not very convincing, and I cry harder. “Cooper won’t let you go, not without fighting the world. I’ve seen what a man will do for the woman who owns him.”
Too bad it isn’t Cooper’s choice. I’m the only one who knows his life is in danger at the hands of a psychopath. One who will stop at nothing to get me.
There’s only one option.
I have to walk away from the only man I’ve loved to keep him safe.
“Please, just take me away from here,” I beg.
Wade doesn’t hesitate. He hooks his arms under my legs and pulls me to his chest. My arms wrap around his neck, and I hold on.
I’m lost inside my hopeless thoughts. My eyes are open, but I don’t see anything. His words ping pong around my head, bouncing from one terrifying thought to another. I’m going to have to hurt Cooper.
I’m going to lie to him.
I need to find a way to make him stay in Bell Buckle because he won’t listen if I just tell him to. He’ll fight back and show up regardless.
Wade carries me back to the bus without complaint. He climbs the stairs and sits me on the couch. I immediately curl into myself.
“Emily.” He touches my face, and my tears continue to drop.
Something hits me. Wade works for Cooper. I lift my head and sit up quickly. “Will you break the contract with Cooper?” I ask.
“What?”
“Will you end your contract with him and work for me?” I clarify.
Wade scratches the back of his head with his ball cap. “I’m telling you there’s no way he’s going to fire me.”
I shake my head. “I didn’t think he would. I’m asking you to work for me. I don’t want Cooper involved.”
He takes a seat next to me. “This is going to blow over.”
“No. It isn’t.” I wipe my face and look away.
I can’t let it.
“I know you’re upset, but he is trying to protect you.”
I can’t talk about this. I don’t know if the crazy man who wants to hurt Cooper to win me is listening. The pain of what I’m about to do slices through me. My chest aches, and I try to hold myself together.
“Can you please let me have a few minutes to myself?” I ask Wade. “I want you to stop relaying anything about me to Cooper. Can you do that?”
He sighs and drops his head. “Sure.” I hear the disappointment in his voice, but it’s vital they don’t communicate.
“Thank you. I’ll pay the fees for my protection if you need it to be black and white. I need you to ignore Cooper’s calls because this is no longer his concern.”
Wade’s eyes meet mine. “I technically work for him.”
“Do you want me to fire you?” I ask, praying he’ll say no. I need Wade more than ever. Even if I’m lying to him.
“Fine. Twenty-four hours, but after that, I’ll need to figure out how we’re going to handle this.”
He walks off the bus with frustration radiating off him.
Now to make the phone call that will officially destroy me.
Chapter Fourteen
Cooper
When I see Emily’s face flash on my screen, I answer. “Hi, darlin’, are you okay?”
“No. I’m not. I thought I was okay with everything, but I’m not.”
I sit up in my bed and turn the light on. She sounds angry again.
“I thought
we talked about this.” I’m not sure what changed in an hour. We were fine, talking about me coming there, and now she’s pissed again?
Emily’s breathing quickens. “I don’t want you to come here. I want time alone.”
What the fuck? This is completely different from what she said before. “What changed?”
“Everything.”
I swear that women confuse the shit out of me. “Can you elaborate please?”
“This was just the eye opener I needed. This can’t work between us. We were fooling ourselves, and I think it’ll just be easier to sever things now. A clean break.”
Okay, now I’m completely fucking floored. She has never mentioned a damn word about having any doubts. We’ve talked every single day. Our conversations have been about how to make things work. Who could travel when and finding ways around the shit in our way. Both of us were on board. I don’t know where the hell this is coming from.
“I understand you’re upset, but—”
“No, it’s over.”
“No, it’s not,” I reply. “It is not over… We’re going to talk about this.”
She laughs. “There’s nothing to talk about, Cooper. We’re done. I’m done.”
“Well, I’m not done.” I’m not letting go of her. I love her, and I’ll fight to the ends of the earth to keep her. She’s the girl I’ve waited my whole life for. There’s no way I’m going to walk away because she has a few doubts.
Fuck that.
“It’s not up to you!” Emily yells. “I don’t want to do this with you anymore. I don’t love you. I was foolin’ myself.”
“Bullshit!” This is insanity. She’s lying to me, and I know it. I saw the way she looked at me. I hear it in her voice when we talk. “If you’re scared, I get it, but I’m getting on that plane in two days. You’re not goin’ to end this on the goddamn phone. If you want to end this, you need to say it to my face. I want to see you look me in the eyes and tell me you don’t love me.”
Her breath hitches. “Do you really want to see this, Cooper? Is that what you want? You want me to hurt you?”
My heart pounds against my ribs and two words stick out. “See what?”
“Look.” Emily sighs. “I...I didn’t want to... It just happened...”
“Just say it,” I say through gritted teeth.
If this is what I think it is, I’m going to lose my mind. I get to my feet and start to pace because deep in my gut I feel it. This is going to fucking kill me.
After a few seconds of silence, she clears her throat. “I have feelings for someone else.”
Rage consumes me. Every part of me wants to explode and release the fury that builds inside. “Are you fucking kidding me?”
My breathing is heavy, and I grip the edge of the door.
“It just happened. It’s been buildin’ for a while, and tonight, it finally came to a head.”
“Just happened?” I let out a sarcastic laugh.
“Cooper...” Emily’s voice is barely a whisper. “Please, I didn’t want to hurt you. I really didn’t. I’m so sorry!”
That’s just fucking perfect. I really don’t give a shit if she’s sorry. An hour ago, she told me she loved me. Three hours ago, we were videoing about how much we wanted to be together. All of it was a lie. This whole time, I’ve been worried sick about her and she’s going behind my back?
“I thought you were different.” I hear the defeat in my voice. “I thought you were the one. I guess I was wrong.”
She lets out a heavy cry, and I’m being torn apart. I want to comfort her, but she’s the one breaking me. “I swear it wasn’t like that.” Emily cries harder. “I wanted us to work, but it was like it wasn’t my choice.”
I’ve known this girl my whole life, and she doesn’t do anything she doesn’t want to do. “Who is it?” I ask, needing to know.
Emily falls quiet.
“You owe me that much!” My palm hitting the wall sends out a loud echo.
I hear her sniffle as she struggles to catch her breath. I imagine her blue eyes being red rimmed, her blonde hair falling around her face, and I tighten my fist. She was mine. I would’ve given her the world, and now I’ve lost her to someone else.
“Please,” she pleads. “Please don’t make me say it.”
Do I want to hurt her? No. But I’ve been here before. I was the loser in the last relationship because Grace chose another man. Emily is supposed to be my happy ending. She is the girl who chose me.
“I want to know his name. Is it Luke? Is it Vince?” I taunt. “Who is the guy you’re willing to throw away all we were buildin’ for? Who could you have possibly met that could love you, protect you, and be there for you the way I will?”
Nothing in the world could prepare me for the next word out of her mouth. “Wade.”
* * * *
“No,” Grace says as she tries to convince me I misunderstood. “She loves you. I know she does.”
Why I came here, I’ll never know. I hung up the phone, threw it against the wall, and watched it shatter in dozens of pieces.
I grabbed my keys and drove. Somehow, I ended up at my ex’s house with her husband staring at me with a grin.
Grace takes my hand in hers. “I don’t know what’s goin’ on with her, but I know Emily, and this isn’t like her. She’s never been in love, Cooper. She’s always kept herself so distant from men, but with you, she allowed herself to open up. I can’t see her throwing that away, not for some guy she just met.”
If only that were the case, but she clearly doesn’t give a shit. My lifelong friend and the girl I hired him to protect. I’m at a complete loss.
“History repeating itself again,” I mutter.
“You know it wasn’t that way for us.”
She’s right. For Grace and me, it was never going to work. I knew that from day one, but I had to try. I thought maybe I could give her what she wanted that Trent wouldn’t. Presley warned me early on that Grace’s heart was never mine to win, but I refused to listen.
I knew it, and in retrospect, it was never her. It was Emily, but I had been too chicken to ever admit that.
Emily was the girl that I looked at but never really saw.
I’d been too scared to look. I knew if I did, she would own me, and I was right.
I get to my feet and look at the ceiling. “How the hell is this happening? How could Wade, of all people, do this to me?”
“You don’t know anything at this point,” Grace reminds me.
I have no phone so there’s no way of getting a hold of Wade now.
Trent starts to laugh quietly. Is he for real? He’s laughing at this. I swear to God, he and I may be cool, but his arrogance sometimes pisses me off.
“What the hell are you laughing at?”
The oldest Hennington brother gets to his feet and chuckles. “Karma, man.”
“Trent!” Grace admonishes him.
“No.” His eyes cut to mine. “It sucks when your friend moves in on the girl you love, right? You feel ten times more betrayed. You feel like every part of you is suddenly disconnected. Losing her is bad enough, but losing her to someone you trust…it’s brutal, huh?”
“That was different,” I defend. Grace left him before she and I had any kind of relationship.
He rolls his eyes as he gets to his feet. “You may not want to hear this, but it wasn’t different for me. Whatever way you spun goin’ after Grace in your head, it wasn’t justifiable to me.”
Grace stands, placing her hand on Trent’s forearm. “That was years ago, and we’ve all long since buried the hatchet.”
Seems someone is ready to chop wood again.
He releases a heavy sigh. “I’m not mad, I’m just clueing him in a little.”
“Thanks for that.” My sarcasm is thick.
“You’re welcome.”
Grace lets out a groan as her head falls back. “Men!”
Trent grips my shoulder and clamps down. “Listen, I’m not tryin’ to
drudge up old shit. I got the girl, I’m not pissed.”
Once again, the urge to clock him is real. “Are you always this fucking helpful?”
“Pretty much. My question is this… Do you love her?”
With everything inside me.
“Yes.”
“Would you do anything for her?”
I don’t hesitate. “Yes.”
Trent nods. “Including the fight of your life? Are you willin’ to go to war to get your girl? Will you put all your stupid bullshit aside for her? Because that’s what all this talk has been, Coop. Bullshit. You’re talkin’ about Wade this and that, but when I lost Grace, I went insane. I saw her slippin’ away, and I manned the fuck up.” He wraps his arm around Grace’s waist, pulling her against his side. “I told you that night that you had no idea how I felt, and now you do. The question is... What are you goin’ to do about it?”
Chapter Fifteen
Emily
“You have to get up,” Wade says while banging on my door. “It’s been two days since you’ve gotten out of bed.”
I don’t care. I’ll stay here until I feel like living again. Besides, when we’re driving and waiting for the next show, what does it matter anyway?
My phone lies on my bed with no missed calls. No returned text messages. Nothing from Cooper.
I did exactly what I was supposed to do, and now, I’d like to stay in my little hole. Now I understand why Presley and Grace were so damn miserable. Broken hearts hurt more than broken bones.
The pain is indescribable. It’s like a living thing inside my heart, turning everything cold and dark. I was smart to avoid this shit.
Another knock. “Emily, I’m letting Ginny in,” Wade says.
Great, this should be epically fun.
“Emily Young, you get your skinny ass out of this bed right the hell now!” Ginny says as she throws the door open.
“Go away.” I pull the covers back over my head.
“Get up!” The blanket is gone, and she’s gripping my ankle, yanking me down the bed. “I did not bust my ass to get Luke to put you on this tour, just to have you throw it all away. You’re going to be a goddamn professional and get your ass on that stage, so help me God.”
Say You Won't Let Go_A Return to Me/Masters and Mercenaries Novella Page 9
