Page 148 of Poison Vows

“Ange—”

“You don’t even like me! You’ve been crystal clear about that, all the while keeping important details of my life a secret, and now what? You marry me and say that crap? What are you playing at here?”

To my horror, I hear the pain and sadness in my words.

“You know what the worst part is? You’ve never cared for intentionally hiding things from anyone, so why me?” I demand, staring at the green-eyed stranger, fighting to stay calm and failing. “Did you do that just to make me suffer an agony worse than death for lying to you about my amnesia?”

“Am I that petty to you?” he questions quietly.

“You served raw, rotten meat to your family tonight in your absence! You also found the barest coincidence about a misunderstanding and used it to blackmail me into signing that contract, so yes, Emmett. Youarepetty!”

“I’ll remind you, that unbreakable contract was your idea!” Emmett snaps in a low, dangerous tone that reveals a very turbulent undercurrent that might drown me if I’m not careful. “Didn’t I fucking warn you all these years? Fuck, Angel, I went above and beyond everything to derail your bullshit interest in finding those bastards, but you, stubborn as ever, you never listened to me!”

“Would you give up looking for her?” I ask in a tight voice.

Emmett’s jaw snaps shut, refusing to answer. He glares back at me, but I don’t care.

“If it were you, would you give up looking for your mother? It’s been almost two decades, and you haven’t stopped! Not once! So why am I being penalized for doing the same?” I cry, my voice hoarse. “At the very least, you could’ve told me about my mother. Jesus, Emmett, I broke the law to try and find someone who…”

“And what would you have me do, Angel?” he asks, glaring daggers at me. “Go against your grandmother and brother to tell you that your mother is not the kind of person you dreamed she was and that she married a man who isn’t your father? What would that do for you when you hated yourself already?”

My heart drops to the acidic pit of my stomach and is shredded to nothing.

I stare into his fiery green eyes, and I see it all.

I did hate myself. I thought if I could fix myself, be quieter, less of an annoyance, less of a burden, I could stay with my loved ones and then ultimately, my mother would come back for me.

I really deluded myself, using imagination as a balm to salve the self-hatred… and Emmett saw all that.

I remember the times he used to make snide comments about looking for what doesn’t want me.

How he’d often tell me that I should accept the abandonment and move forward.

I remember all those times, but my God, I always thought he was just being mean and protective all at the same time.

Was I so delusional to this extent?

Emmett falls silent and watches me closely.

I wanted to sound strong, steadfast, and resilient, but before I know it, tears are streaming down my face.

Emmett’s face blanches and before the first sob powers through me, he has me scooped up in his arms, securing my frail, exhausted body with his powerful one.

I feel him press kisses on the crown of my head as I cry, shell-shocked by everything.

Emmett is saying some unintelligible things in my ear, but I can’t hear him… and I can’t do this.

I can’t allow him to break through my walls again. He’s broken me already. I can’t allow him to shatter what’s left, so I push away from him and quickly wipe away my tears.

“I don’t need your comfort,” I mumble, my throat dry and head still aching.

“Then what do you need from me?”

I look up at him. The sincerity in his eyes makes my heart pause, but I dare not trust it. I don’t know exactly what game he’s playing here, so I go back to basic cold principles.

“I want you to give me my baby.”

This time, his face falls.

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