(Noah's Pov)One whole week without my pretty flower. One. Whole. Fucking. Week. I could feel my sanity slipping through my fingers with every moment that went by. I had never felt such a lack of control. I was always one step ahead, always.Call me an optimist but I could feel it, something would happen soon and I'd have her back but the uncertainty of it was killing me. I hadn't felt this helpless since I was a child taking my father's hits of anger. Embry was my anchor. She was the one who kept my blood pumping through my veins and my heart beating in my chest. Every breath of air I took was for her.All the anger and frustration was building within me, patiently waiting for a release. I couldn't use Sebastian as my release, he kept skipping off to help Indigo with the wedding, bidding to my mother's wishes but I knew deep down something was up, so I had my men trail him but there was nothing, he really just had been going to visit Indigo in her tattoo parlour everyday. I knew th
(Embry's POV)I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks as I stepped back from him shyly. Well that was not what I had planned. "I think- I think I have more flour in the cupboard so I'm just gonna go get that" I trailed off, scrunching my eyes together in embarrassment as I shuffled to get the new bag of flour. "Has anyone told you that you're cute when you blush?" he smirks, shaking his head as he turns to wash his hands.Freezing, I quickly placed the flour on the counter, looking up at him. "Yeah" my voice wavered, "your brother. The guy who I'm married to and on the run from." I said defeatedly feeling stupid. A sudden emotion of weakness overcame me as I held onto the counter for support, a raw type of pain surging through my body.Resting my head in my hands I could feel my chest restrict alarmingly, "oh god, what am I doing?" My chest heaving up and down at a rapid pace as I tried to get the air to reach my lungs, but it didn't seem to be working. Every breath I took never qui
(Noah's POV)Scrolling through my phone, a smile forms on my face as I hear the front door open and shut. Ah so the prodigal son returns. Furrowing my eyebrows, I look questioningly at him, "what the fuck are you covered in?"His face remained stoic as he turned to face me from the doorway of the living area, "flour, Indigo thought it would be a great idea to try out making their own cake for the wedding, and I got dragged into it" he sighed, rolling his eyes."You fucking wimp" I sneered, turning back to my phone. "I think I might give her and Dakota a surprise visit tomorrow, it's been too long since I've visited her" I commented, turning my head just in time to catch the slip in his composure.Well what in the hell was that Sebastian. "Aren't you worried she'll start asking questions about Embry's lack of presence, she did seem to take a liking to her when they first met" his jaw clenched as he glared down to where I was seated. I highly doubted that was the reason for his panic, g
(Embry's POV)December 11th, it had been only three days ago when Noah paid his little surprise visit. My heart races just at the thought of it and I can feel my stomach churn when I imagine what could have happened that day if he hadn't been so careless. Unless he wasn't being careless, what if it was his plan and it was just to scare me and then convince me I was safe to then BAM, take me back with him.Indigo and Sebastian kept telling me I was being paranoid but in reality, was I or was I just being prepared. Okay yeah, maybe a little bit paranoid but this is Noah Hill we are talking about and he looks extremely bone chilling when angry. Any confidence I had gained in staying here had vanished and I was once again checking behind me every couple moments, convinced someone would be there just watching me.I felt the only time I could relax was when Sebastian was here because truthfully he was probably the only one who could take him in a fight, I do suppose Dakota's small and fiery
(Embry's POV)"He's out doing business with James, I promise you'll be okay if you go down to hang out with Indigo while she works" Sebastian smiled down at me, intertwining his fingers with mine. "Well then I guess it'll be okay if I walk you to the door," lifting the hand he held in his he dotted a light kiss onto the back of it. "I'd love that but only if I get a goodbye kiss" he winks, as I follow him down the stairs into the parlour."I'll see you tomorrow beautiful" he halted right beside the door as he bent down a little so I could reach his cheeks. Leaning on my tippy toes I placed a small kiss just at his cheek bone, "bye, be safe" I grinned, waving at him as he walked away from the building.Turning around, I sauntered back over to Indigo, who was currently customerless. "Hey pretty girl" she smiled, as I came up behind her to peek over and see her sketching images out. "So how was your day with Sebastian?" she wriggled her eyebrows as she made a kissy face. "Good" I tried t
(Embry's POV)December 18th. The atmosphere around the place was amazing as everybody was on the countdown to Christmas. The apartment felt so homely with all the decorations and lights, it was becoming my safe place. Indigo had promised that Noah wouldn't be coming around anytime soon, at least not until after Christmas, and I trusted her so my paranoia had decreased a lot, for the most part. It was three days ago when that weird man came into the parlour and I was right, I hadn't seen him since, but I sure did hear a lot about him.And by the look on Indigo's face as she walked in I knew this would be one of those times. "He came by again" she sighed as I could feel that familiar dread expand inside of me. "What did you tell him?" Worry coating my face, as I dropped into the chair at the table, following my lead she sat beside me, her brows creased with worry. "The same thing I tell him every time, that you aren't here anymore," gnawing at my lip in distress, I looked over to her. "
(Embry's Pov) ******"Are you positive, you know there isn't any pressure to do this Embry" his face holding a look of concern, "I've never been as sure of anything in my life Sebastian" I whisper, my nerves burning with anticipation. "Well, let's move to somewhere a little more comfortable then" taking my hand in his he leads me to the bedroom.Shutting the door, he slowly makes his way over to me, "god you're so beautiful." I could feel my chest rising and falling slowly as my stomach somersaulted with the thought of what was about to happen. I lifted my hands up as he gently pulled my top over my head, kissing each shoulder softly.Letting my body weight drop against his, I basked in the feeling of his hot kisses trailing from my jaw to my chest. A sharp intake of breath sounded out in the room, as he continued down my stomach, ending just above my waistband. Ending up on his knees, my eyes were closed as I focused on the sensation of his fingers brushing against my thighs as he p
(Embry's POV)My head was spinning with everything that was going on, my eyes flitting from the man to the phone. My heart felt as though it was beating fast enough that it would explode right in my chest. I couldn't do this, I couldn't do this.Staggering into the bedroom, blood still heavy on my skin, I threw a bunch of clothes into the first bag I saw, I had no money, I had no plan, I had no place to go and right now I had no faith in myself. "I want my mom" I cried out, clutching the bed for support, as my emotions suffocated me from the inside.Throwing random things inside the bag, my ribs ached with all the wailing that I couldn't suppress. "This is all your fault Embry" I whispered, staring blankly at my hands, the same hands that held the gun and stole a life. A million voices were screaming at me in my mind,"Just go with Noah, he's the only one that could love a murderer like you.""Run, Embry, run.""Sebastian will save you""Of course Noah's your soulmate, you're just lik
Five years later...Embry's POVI rubbed my hands against the fabric of my trousers, the anxiety building within me at the large crowd of people. Pulling at the collar of my shirt I tried to ease my breathing, this wasn't my first book reading, but I always got very nervous at them.When I did these, I put my work, my inner thoughts in front of everybody to judge. I put my experience, my trauma before their scrutinising eyes. So far the audience seemed to be interested in what I was saying, in work that I had actually published. Something I never would have thought would be happening. But the book had been published for a month now and the reviews were beyond me.I suppose everything with Noah had its purpose in my life, its reason. It led me here. Led me to a dream of mine I had long forgotten under the weight of everything. My dream of being a writer. A silly hope I had when I was a child, one I never gave much of a second thought to.Taking a sip of the water, I cleared my throat p
Embry's POVIt had been two weeks since Jonathan had confronted me in the kitchen about who I was. Two very peaceful weeks. Well, as peaceful as my life could ever be in these circumstances I suppose. Noah had been sticking to his promise and I felt myself growing a little saner than I had been while stuck in the basement.I was achieving more freedom. Well in a certain sense. More freedom over my thoughts, slightly so in my actions to a small extent. Such as no longer having to ask permission to go outside and not having to second guess everything that I did. He was here and I was here and to me, we just happened to be here together."Everything okay little bug? You seem to be very in that head of yours" Noah questioned, taking the space on the couch beside me and lifting my legs onto his lap. Coming back to reality my eyes met his, "yeah, just thinking is all" I gave a small smile, turning my head back to the TV. We had started a show called Lost. Noah had picked it and I must give
"Like I said, I've worked for this family since I was a boy, my father watched Noah's mother go through the same thing Embry, whatever promises he makes that he won't hurt you anymore are lies. I can't force you to let me help you so whenever you realise what you need to do, you can come to me" he grabbed my hand, reassuringly squeezing it before walking out the door.Closing the door, I leaned my head against it, the tears flooding my vision. My shoulders shook with the weight of my grief as I tried to silence the noise of my sobs. He knew who I was. He knew me. I could have walked out that door with him, but what right did I have to put another life in danger. I slid down to the floor, allowing my body to curl up in misery. A raw sense of agony convulsed within my body, agony over this endless situation, over Indigo having actually cared about me, over the impact everything Noah said had on me.Jonathan had made a remark about not believing Noah's promises that he would no longer hu
Embry's POV"So, I'm going to kill myself."There it was. That feeling. The one that used to haunt me so often in the past year, that gnawing sense of hopelessness, of self betrayal. My composure dropped, and it sort of felt like I had blacked out for a couple moments, but I was aware of my existence. Aware of my consciousness sitting heavily in this temple I called a body.My body worked faster than my mind, as it had done so many times before. When the words seemed to register in my mind, I found myself staring straight into the empty eyes of the boy I had grown up with. The boy I had watched grow up. The boy I had shared many firsts with.I'm going to kill myself.....Kill myself...The uncomfortable memories sat heavy in my mind, haunting me. The ones I had tried so hard to block out, pushing their way back into my life. I was ashamed of them. They were a reminder of every weakness I could never overcome. A reminder of everything I swore would never happen again. My hearing had fa
Embry's POV"All I want to do is look after you Embry, I swear, you gave me this fresh start, I won't mess it up."But how was I to tell him, he already had.My glossy eyes were blankly trained on the floor, I couldn't look at him. Every time I did I seemed to lose a part of myself, a part of us. "Look at me Embry, everything I do, I do it for you, don't you get that?" Desperation seeped from his voice as I made no move to entertain him. "Or maybe you just say that to make yourself feel better" I muttered, gently rubbing my throbbing cheek."Do you know why I call you little bug?" He perked up, crouching in front of me so that I had no choice but to look at him. My silence was enough of an answer for him as he gently smiled, continuing. "Do you remember when-" sighing, my tears fell one by one, "don't Noah, just don't" I whispered. "Do you remember when we were kids, and one summer we were hanging out in your room and there was this spider in your bathroom," he rambled on, ignoring my
Embry's POV"Nice to meet you" I smiled, now meeting the eyeline of the man. I watched as he stretched his hand out for me to shake, but as he looked at my face his smile faltered.As if he knew something.As if he knew me."And you Mrs. Hill," he was quick to compose himself, his smile coming back full force. Shaking off the doubt I previously had, I excused it as grogginess from the flight earlier in the day, giving him a quick shake of my hand."Well, I should get going, it was lovely seeing you again Mr. Hill, and you Mrs. Hill, I shall bring fresh bread and fruit to you both in the morning, have a safe night," he gave a quick nod of his head before grabbing his things and leaving the kitchen."He seemed nice" I smiled, helping Noah put the new food in its correct places. "Yeah he is, he used to deliver groceries with his dad when I was a kid and we were on holidays here" he smiled softly, clearly lost in his memories."Tell me about it" I encouraged, shutting the cupboard, "your
Embry's POV"Wake up baby, we are here" a soft voice whispered in my ear as the sensation of a hand on my back came to the forefront of my awareness. Pushing my face further into the soft fabric I tried to block out the disturbance, too consumed by my utter sense of peace. Groaning in protest, I tried to shoo away the cold hand that now stroked my cheek. "Embry baby, we have to get up now" the deep voice became stern as my eyes tiredly opened and closed."I know, I know, I'm terrible, but I'm really excited to show you the new house, our new home" he murmured against my temple, gently pressing his lips against my skin. Taking a couple moments to regain consciousness, I sat with a prominent pout on my face, my body feeling heavy with sleep. "What a pouty little baby I have" Noah teased, lifting me from his lap as he jumped up to grab the bags that we kept in the seats across from us.My heart thudded in my chest as he abruptly stopped what he was doing and a massive smile lifted on his
Embry's POVDay 12My body shivered slightly with the coldness that enveloped it from the wet hair that sat heavily against my shoulders. My fingers continuously stroking the soft fabric of the dress, the feeling seeming foreign to me after spending so much time without it. That ended today, Noah had woken me up early enough, elation rolling off of him as he explained how we would be leaving today. I would finally get to leave this basement after God knows how long.I was at long last able to wear proper clothes again, hence my excitement with the dress, as well as a wool cardigan to keep the frosty January air from irritating my skin. I even had shoes. Small black pumps. "I was thinking of two French plaits, what do you think, little bug?" Noah questioned, already parting my hair as I gave a small nod."Words baby" he scolded as I hurried to fix my mistake, "French plaits would be nice, thank you Noah" I smiled, humming along to the playlist Noah had playing from his phone. "Good gir
Embry's POVDay 10.My legs were securely tucked underneath me as I sat on the heels of my feet, facing him. Six cards sitting coldly in my hand as I scrunch my eyebrows in concentration, "do you have a six?" I observed his neutral face as a gentle smirk lifted from the edges of his lips. "Go fish," with a roll of my eyes I picked up a new card from the deck."This is my fourth go fish in a row, you have to be cheating" I narrowed my eyes at him, sighing as he continued the game. "Do you have an eight?" Loudly sighing I handed him over the card, watching with bitterness as he joined his last pair of cards together.Grouchily I counted my seven pairs as I watched the pile of pairs surround him. "Cheater" I muttered, throwing myself dramatically onto his lap. "Awh, is my poor baby a sore loser?" he teased as I stuck my tongue out at him. "Bully" I crossed my arms, a frown settling on my face.My body lurched forward as his fingers grazed my sides, dread filling me at the knowledge of wh