Page 128 of Her Dark Promise

“I can’t help you if I don’t know what’s wrong. Let me help you,” I pleaded with her. “When did this start?”

“Ever since I came here.”

“When you were little?” I asked, stunned. How could I have not noticed?

She nodded her head erratically, her blonde hair moving wildly around her face. “I never told you because I never wanted you to send me away.”

“I wouldneversend you away. You are my everything. The reason I get up each day.”

She bared her teeth. “If you caresomuch for me then, why? Why did you try to kill yourself!” She said that word with so much disgust and hatred that it felt like a punch to the face.

She couldn’t hate me. Not her.Anyonebut her.

I could feel my heart beating wildly in my chest. “I am tired and done and want all of this to be over. That had nothing to do with you.”

“But you were still going to leave me! Alone! All I have ever known isyou. All the kindness that you offered means nothing if you were going to give it up so easily as if I meant nothing.”

You deserve this hatred.

I was about to respond to her when Emilia slammed her fist into the table and screamed, “Get out of my head!”

I rushed to her side, fear ran rampant through my body. What was going on with her? She sounded like me, talking to a voice in her head. She’d never done this before, not even during her worst days.

“Emilia, you need to calm down. Okay? Everything is going to be fine.”

I reached out toward her to assess the damage when she ripped it away from mine and slammed the heel of her hand into the side of her head. “I need space!”

“Let me help you! Please, Emilia, I’m sorry.”

She raised bloodshot eyes toward me and said in a low, strained voice, “How many times do I need to say it? I want to be left alone.”

I stood firm, unyielding.

“Leave!”

I flinched. All I could do was stand there, I didn’t know what to do.

I heard the door open behind me, and I knew our conversation for the time being was done. I couldn’t get through to her…not right now. I could hear one of them ask a question, but I was too focused on Emilia to understand it.

I walked up to her and said with as much conviction as I could muster, “I will leave for now, but I’ll be back soon.”

“No,” she snapped. She finally turned to look at me and whispered, “I just need a little time.”

I wanted to reach out and beg her, but she deserved to have her wishes respected. I wrapped my hands behind my back and dug my fingernails wherever they landed. I had to do something to help me focus on keeping myself grounded in the here and now.

She is fine. She has to be fine.

She just needs time to adjust to everything.

I can do that. I can give her that time.

I kept repeating this to myself as I willed myself to believe it because it was glaringly obvious that nothing about Emilia was fine.

“Take as long as you need, but you must promise me to eat whatever Callum brings you. You need to keep up your strength. And keep the curtains open for some fresh air.”

She nodded.

I left.

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