Page 101 of Take Hold of Me

Her eyes are huge and her whole body trembles. “I am fine. Wade,” she points to the asshole on the floor. She continues to talk but the buzzing in my head overtakes all other sounds in the room. I flex my fist, my knuckles already aching.

Wade Block could’ve raped her. Or killed her. On my watch. Just like Three. And Roberto. And Jared. Worse—my own fist could’ve landed on her.

Emilie appears at my side again, trying to get my attention. “Wills. Are you hurt? Talk to me.”

A bruise from where Wade Block smacked her already forms on her cheek. I shake my head. Will I ever be okay again? “I was wrong. He was right. They were right.”

“You are not making sense. I think you are in shock.” She turns her head and addresses someone else in the room. “He should go to the hospital.”

How can she care about me now? Not only did I allow that fucker to corner her, I almost hit her. I stumble backward. Rinaldo opens his arms and says, “Come here, Emmie.”

I continue backing away from the scene in front of me. On the floor, Wade Block groans, turns over and retches.

“This way.” Two cops enter the room and head toward Emilie. Shortly, paramedics wheel in a stretcher and circle the perp. Victim. Of my unstoppable rage.

Another paramedic approaches me. “Sir, let me check you out.”

I remain immobile except for my head shaking negative. I don’t deserve attention.

“Please, Wills, let them take a look at you.”

Emilie’s hands are on my dry cheeks, tears are on hers. I remove them from my face. “Don’t cry. I don’t deserve it.”I almost hit you. I know, once and for all, that my father pegged me right from the beginning.

Wade Block is loaded onto the gurney and wheeled out. One of the paramedics approaches me. “Sir, you need to get checked out.” A police officer stands directly behind him.

Maybe if I agree to the ambulance, Emilie will let me go. She can get back together with Rinaldo or something. Live a happy life in the limelight. My stomach twists at the thought, but I have absolutely no right to be with her anymore. I cause everything I love to die. No exceptions. No hope for change.

Addressing the paramedic, I say, “Fine.”

Without sparing Emilie another look, I follow him to a corner of the room. When the paramedic finishes checking me out—cleaning the blood off my fists, which really start aching—he declares I don’t need to go to the hospital. Most of the blood wasn’t mine.

One of the cops joins us. I give him my statement, explaining that I’m Emilie’s boyfr—bodyguard. That I let her out of my sight, which allowed Wade Block to attack her. His eyebrow raises. Even though he doesn’t say anything, I know exactly what he’s thinking. And I agree.I’m a failure.

I end my statement with, “This is my final assignment.”

Emilie joins our unholy trio, placing her tiny hand on my forearm. “Let me take you home.”

I shake my head. “Go home, Emilie.”

The other cop joins us. “I got the statement from Miss Dubois and we may need to follow-up with you tomorrow. You’re free to go. However, we need to take you down to the station, Mr. Sumner.”

My hand throbs in response. I deserve this punishment. And worse. So much worse.

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