Page 175 of There's No Us Without You
I’ve seen the damage those drugs can do, and I never want to lose Emerson.
Not ever.
He’ll forgive me when he calms down. He just has to.
He shakes his head, his top lip curling. “Thank you for showing me the real you, Eden. I should have known the moment I found out you used me for money that you were a fucking traitor.” He throws his arms up. “I’m cut off now. Are you fucking happy? You’ve just ruined everything.”
My mouth dries up, and my heart is pounding against my ribcage. Have I ruined everything for him? He’ll never forgive me—nor would I expect him to.
But I’d sacrifice everything for him and would likely make the same decision if I had to do it all over again. Although I’d probably go about it a different way.
“Em, please,” I say, reaching out for his hand. “We can work this out.”
His eyes turn to slits as he glares at me and takes a step back. “Don’t you touch me. You can’t even work out your own pathetic life, so how do you expect to fix mine?”
Tears spill over my lashes and down my cheeks, dropping onto the tiled floor where my heart just got trampled on.
His words are harsh, but he’s right. I just never thought Emerson would be the one to throw them in my face like I mean nothing to him.
I know he’s hurting, and I’m going to give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he doesn’t mean what he’s saying.
I’m also not going to let him ruin everything he’s worked hard for. I know he thinks I betrayed him, but what he doesn’t realise is I’m trying to save him.
From the drugs.
From himself.
I’ve come to know him over the last five weeks, and I know he’s in pain. That injury has sent him spiralling to where he doesn’t think he has any other option but to let an addictive painkiller ruin his life.
So I’m not letting this go. He can call me names, curse me out, tell me how I fucking screwed up my life, because I get it. He’s hurting, so everyone around him has to hurt too.
We’re in this together, whether he likes it or not.
I’m now his, and he’s mine.
I swipe at my cheeks and fold my arms over my chest. “We aren’t talking about my life, Emerson. What you’re doing is dangerous. Can’t you see that?”
“Oh, of course. Because you’re so fucking perfect, right Eden?” Emerson lowers his voice, venom lacing every single word he spits out at me. “You’re exactly like your mother, manipulating and using people to get what you want.”
All the air is sucked from my lungs, and I stumble backwards, almost tripping over the mat on the floor and slamming my back into the shower screen. My stomach churns, and I wrap an arm around my waist.
“You don’t mean that,” I say, my voice catching in my throat.
“Sure I do,” Emerson says, before storming out of the room.
Oh, no way is he leaving right now. We aren’t finished.
“Don’t walk away from me.” I chase him out of the bathroom and come up behind him, running to keep up with his long strides.
“Fuck off.” Shaking his head, he continues along the hallway and heads downstairs. “I don’t need you.”
But I’m fast on his heels, racing down the stairs as he storms towards the front door, hands fisted at his sides. “Can’t you see Tyler and I are trying to help you?” I say, trying to catch my breath.
With a sickening laugh, Emerson pins me with his feral eyes. “Nagging isn’t caring, Eden. If I wanted to be nagged, I’d move back home to deal with my parents.”
“God, you’re an arsehole.” I throw my hands up. “The drugs are definitely doing a number on your brain.” I regret the words as soon as they come out, my hands flying up to cover my mouth before I say anything further.
Emerson’s eyes widen and his face contorts to the point I feel the need to back away from him. I attempt to race back up the stairs, but strong hands grip my waist and shove me against the wall. The back of my head slams hard against the plaster, my ears ringing.
