Page 123 of Renascence
“This is your fault. You know that, right?” Raven rolls, unable to sit up until Ellen helps.
I take a deep breath, getting ready for the onslaught.
“If you hadn’t pissed her off and let her leave, this wouldn’t have happened.”
“I know that.”
“How are you going to fix it?” Ellen asks.
The bathroom door opens, granting me a reprieve. Out comes Emily, assisted by Marisol. Our eyes meet, hers dropping to the floor as she limps to the bed. After seeing she’s comfortable, Marisol leaves, telling her to call if she needs anything. The other women head for the door, motioning for me to go to Emily. Once we’re alone, I move to the other side of the bed, snagging the painkillers and a bottle of water from the nightstand. I pop two pills, propping my gimp leg up on the bed as I lean against the headboard.
“What happened?” comes Emily’s timid voice.
“Got shot, darlin’.”
“My God! Are you okay?”
“I’ll be fine. How do you feel?”
“I wasn’t shot, Liam.” She moves closer to me. “Your condition is more important than mine right now.”
“Darlin’.” I turn to her and cup her cheek, thumb gently brushing a blue and purple bruise. My blood boils with fury. “I didn’t protect you. This happened because of me. How can you even be concerned about me?”
“No. You warned me. I’m the one who ran off half-cocked. Maybe you would’ve been at the courthouse with me if I hadn’t left.”
“The courthouse?”
“Yes. My divorce is final. I’m free, Liam.”
CHAPTER 21
***Emily***
“Em….”
Liam stares at me, no words coming from his lips. I climb onto his lap, burying my face in his neck. “That’sbecause of you. Thank you.”
He wraps his arms around me, causing a sigh to pass my lips. I’m finally back where I’m supposed to be.
“What now?” he poses the question I asked him not long ago.
“That’s entirely up to you. You know what I want.”
“Still?”
“Still.”
“Emily, how can you say that after what those motherfuckers did to you?”
I sit up, meeting his troubled gray eyes. “I don’t want to be with those motherfuckers. I want to be with you.”
“Yeah, but shit like that? That’s what happens when you’re with someone like me.”
“You’re the numbers man, right? What’s the probability of things like this happening on a regular basis?”
“Emily….” He shakes his head, expelling a frustrated breath.
“Low, right? What I know for certain is that you make me happy, Liam. Don’t you like being with me?”
