He laughs in my face. “Oh, that’s what I plan on. Killing you and sitting by your dead body until your lover arrives home to find you bled out on the floor.” He smiles.
I clench my fist to hit him, but before I can move, he plunges the long knife into my abdomen. The feeling of the metal slicing into my skin makes me shriek in terror and inexplainable pain. I look down as he twists the knife inside my stomach. How have I not passed out from the blood loss and pain? Shock halts me as I stare in disbelief, watching as blood pools and stains my robe. A blood-curdling scream echoes throughout the room, begging for him to take it out.
Why is he twisting it? Why is this happening to me?
“Get it out!” I scream.
He laughs maniacally, before pulling it out and plunging it into my side.
“Get it out!” I cry.
I close my eyes, not wanting Lucio to be the last thing I see before I die. I think about Aiden, his smile that he reserves only for my eyes. How his serious demeanor changes when I walk in the room.
I gasp as I feel the knife being pulled out before it finally plunges into my heart.
Then, everything goes obsidian.
Aiden
∞∞∞
My wandering thoughts screech to a halt when the morning’s quiet is shattered by Em’s blood curdling scream. I flick the lamp on.
Emma is trashing against the sheets, yanking at the material over her stomach. “Get it out!”
What a nightmare she must be having.
I straddle her, pinning her arms to her sides so she doesn’t hurt herself, whispering soothing words as I urge her to wake up.
“Get it out!” She screams.
Steeling my voice, I order her to wake up.
She listens, but her eyes remain tightly shut. “Please, Lucio. Please stop.” She sobs quietly, her body limp under mine.
“Baby, it’s me, Aiden.” I croon to her calmly. I wrap her in a hug, pulling her onto my lap.
Her cries slow down and her breathing soon regulates.
“Does that happen a lot?”
She nods.
I throw my head back. I’m even fucking up her sleep. I hate myself. “I’m sorry.”
She buries her face into my chest, shaking her head furiously. “Don’t apologize. That one was just really bad.”
I think back to the other night at her mom’s house. She had stirred in my arms, a scream escaping her lips. I pulled her close and managed to calm her down.
Fuck. I should’ve known.
Smoothing her hair, I keep my voice strong and calm. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
She sighs. “I didn’t think it mattered.”
I roll my eyes. “Emilia, if anything ever bothers you like that, I need to know. What…what happens in your dreams?” She begins to cry again, and I almost tell her she doesn’t need to tell me. But I wait patiently. I need to know so I can help her.
“It’s...it’s different every time. But Lucio, he…” Her breath catches. “He stabbed me.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose in an attempt to rid my brain of the visual. “He’s dead, baby. Ricky checked every lifeless pulse in that warehouse, just to be sure. No one will harm you,” I assure her. But she continues to shake in my arms.
“I want you to see someone for me, baby.”
She lets out a small laugh. “What? Like a shrink?” She lifts a brow.
I nod.
“Aiden, you can’t be serious.” She pulls away, rolling her eyes.
“I wasn’t asking, Emilia.”
She doesn’t put up a fight and instead crawls on top of me.
Being a little late to work won’t hurt anyone.
I kiss her collarbone and rub my thumb against her perfect pout, before carrying her to the bathroom to draw her a bath. I’m thankful my bathtub is large enough to fit two. Once the tub is mostly filled, I undress the both of us before depositing Emma into the warm water.
I smile when her rigid body visibly relaxes as the warm water and bubbles envelope her. I wish we can do this every morning.
“You’re so fucking perfect.” I rub her feet, my eyes glued to how beautiful she looks in the morning. Her messy hair and sleepy eyes.
She smiles, but it doesn’t reach her eyes.
“Hey look.”
Her eyes dart to my face.
I bring the frothy bubbles to my chin and make a foam beard, eliciting a giggle from her. What the fuck is she doing to me?
She needs peace of mind. She trusts me enough to come back with me.
I have so much shit to do to ensure she’s as safe as possible. I’m going to be busier than usual.
This girl, with her smile and slight attitude. Her courage and her beautiful looks as well as her smarts. She is the most important thing in my life. I don’t want her to feel anything less than happy at all fucking times.
I don’t give a fuck about myself.
But, her?
She is everything.
Twenty
Aiden surprises me when I step into the kitchen.
His suit is tailored perfectly to his lean frame, and the dark as night material looks perfect against his tan skin. I kind of wish I took his offer as his assistant so I could see that all day. But I need to do this on my own.
I found a few affordable colleges in the area. It may be a quick judgment to move my life here, but Aiden is right. I have nothing in Corvallis. Ashley is here. It’s not like I loved my school and, as a bonus, there are more opportunities here.
I’m also seeing someone about my nightmares. The medicine is helping and talking to someone is nice but what I really need is for Aiden to be home. His late nights are starting to take a toll on me.
I smile as I head towards him. “I thought you left while I got ready.”
He smirks, placing his warm hands on my hips.
The fabric of my dress does nothing to mask the perfect heat that radiates from his touch. I’m wearing a
