Page 30 of Forget me Knot
“They’re good guys. All of them. They won’t hurt you.”
Her gaze shifts to mine, and she makes eye contact for only the second time since we met. “I trustyou,” she murmurs. “I’m sorry for putting you in this position. I didn’t know what else to do.”
“Don’t ever be sorry for looking out for yourself, especially when it comes to matters like this. You did right, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Your pack did the same, didn’t they? Wanted to sell you?” Her earnest question doesn’t take me by surprise, but it snaps against my heart all the same. “Come,” I say and lead her up the stairs to the flat. Closing the door behind us, I gesture for her to sit and take a place on the coffee table in front of her. “They did sell me. I was with the Trials for around a month. Jack helped me escape.”
“What?” Emily’s mouth drops open, and she drops her face into her hands. “Oh, my God. I’m so sorry. And here I am, bringing them straight to your fucking door. I need to go, get away from you, keep you safe.”
“No,” I say sternly when she rises, ready to bolt. I grab her hand. “You aren’t going anywhere. Yet. Sit.”
To my surprise, she does. I think her reaction is coming from the pure Emily. The one who cares about people when she isn’t scared for her life. But sheisscared, and she doesn’t want to run.
“It’s true, you can’t stay here. That enforcer idiot knows where you are.”
“Nigel.”
“Hmm?”
“The idiot is called Nigel.”
I press my lips together to stop from laughing, but Emily snickers and shakes her head.
“Yeah, I know. But he isn’t nice. What he lacks in physical strength, he makes up for by being nasty and mean.”
“That makes him a real arsehole, then.”
“Agreed.” Emily sighs. “So where can I go? I literally have nowhere else.”
“We are working on it. But I need you to trust that I will do right by you.”
“I do. I trust you.” Emily’s eyes, which are just starting to lose their red-rimmed look, meet mine. There’s a flicker of vulnerability in them that makes my heart ache. I want to tell her everything will be okay, but I can’t. Not yet.
“I’m going to make sure you’re safe,” I say instead. “I promise.”
“Okay,” she whispers. “I believe you.”
“Good,” I say, squeezing her hand. “Do you want to stay up here or come back down?”
“Stay up here. Can I have a shower?”
“Of course you can. You don’t need to ask. Make yourself at home. Have a shower, eat, make a cuppa, watch TV. Relax and feel safe because you are, okay?”
“Thank you, Lily,” she says, gripping my hand. “I owe you everything.”
“No, you don’t owe me anything except living your life free and happy.”
She gives me a shaky smile and picks up her backpack to head into the bathroom. I blow out a breath and leave her to it. No one can get into the flat without getting past three growly alphas and me, an omega who will claw eyes out to keep that girl safe, even if it means putting myself in danger.
Chapter 15
Max
First Jack and now Sam seems to be involved somehow with Lily Bloom. How is this happening? Is it meant to be? Or some fucked up way of making my life a miserable hell? Sitting in traffic, which is particularly bad this morning due to a temporary traffic light somewhere up ahead, thoughts of Lily swarm my mind, and I slam my fist on the steering wheel.
“Fuck,” I growl. “Why her?”
This is the question of the hour. Why her? But it’s coupled with a thousand other questions. Why now? Why is Jack hiding her? Why is Sam getting involved? Why is no one talking about her? Why? Why? Fucking why?
