“Emilee, you’re talking crazy.” She falls to her knees before me.
“Nothing matters anymore.”
“Don’t do this.” She shakes her head, her red hair bouncing around her face. “Don’t go insane on me. You’re stronger than this.”
“Am I?”
“Yes,” she barks, jumping to her feet. Reaching down, she grabs my shoulder and yanks me up as well. “You need to get a grip, Emilee! This is your life you’re putting in jeopardy. For what? A mom and dad who got divorced?”
“You don’t know what it’s like!” I shove her off me. It’s more than that, isn’t it? The lies? The betrayal? I fucked my dad’s business partner to save my mother. And he was married to her. I became a fucking escort. I fucked Titan and Bones at the same time. Nothing I have done is sane.
“What? To come from a broken home?” She laughs at that.
“No. To have no one.”
Her face hardens, and her green eyes narrow. “I do. I know it more than you do. But there is a difference between you and me. I didn’t get the chance to run away from it.” And with that, she turns and exits the room, slamming the door behind her.
It opens back up immediately, and Titan enters. “Please go away,” I whisper, my voice breaking. “I want to be alone.”
“Last time you were alone, you set your house on fire.”
“Why is it Cross can do it, but when I do, it’s a fucking tragedy?” I say through gritted teeth,
He frowns. “Emilee …”
“Please, just stop, Titan.” My shoulders begin to shake with anger. “I’m begging you. Just stop.”
“I just want to help you.”
I take in a shaky breath. “I don’t want you.” It’s one of the biggest lies I’ve ever told, but it needed to be said. I’ve fallen for him, and it was the stupidest thing I could have ever done.
He walks over to a bag on the floor and unzips it. Nite had grabbed it off my floor when he dragged me out of the burning house. He pulls out my boarding pass that I had printed off before I set the fire. “What in the fuck is this?”
“I’m going home,” I state.
“This is your home.” He points at the floor.
I almost laugh. “What is? Kingdom? Vegas?” I shake my head. “I haven’t been here for years.”
Walking over to me, he glares down at me. “Let me make myself very clear, Emilee. You are not fucking leaving tomorrow. Or the next day, do you understand me?”
“You can’t make me stay.” I say and my chest tightens. I feel so lost. Confused. Utterly alone even though he’s standing right in front of me.
His jaw tics and his hands fist, wrinkling my ticket. I think he’s going to yell at me. But instead he turns his back to me and heads to the bedroom door. He turns the knob but pauses. He turns to face me. And then he’s charging me. Before I can move, his hands are in my hair. His lips on mine. And he kisses me. With passion. With fury. It’s a mixture of love and hate. His tongue enters my mouth, and he takes my breath away.
When he pulls away, I’m gasping for breath. Opening my heavy eyes, I look up at him. “Titan …”
“I let you walk away from me once, Em. I won’t make that mistake again.” Tears sting my eyes at his words. “Did you hear me? I won’t let you leave. Not me. Not this time.” He runs his thumb over my swollen lips. “Stay here with me. Let me fix it. I promise, I’ll get to the bottom of all of it.” The first tear runs down my cheek. “Let me take care of you. Let me love you.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
TITAN
I HOLD MY breath as I wait for her to respond to me. I owe Nite fucking everything. He saved her life. I should have been there for her. That’s what makes me the maddest. I should have followed her to her house when she left the funeral, but I didn’t. I always allowed my pride to get the best of me, but in the end, it’s going to cost me everything.
She licks her lips and nods her head once. “I need to go back to Chicago. But I won’t stay there.”
“Why?”
“Because I still have things there. I haven’t been able to return since I got the call about my father. And I just destroyed everything I had here.” She gestures to the black dress she’s still wearing from the funeral earlier. “I need things …”
“We have things here.”
“Titan.” She stomps her foot.
“I said let me take care of you.”
“I don’t need—”
“I want to,” I interrupt her, cupping her cheek. “Please?” I beg. “Let me show you what you deserve.” There’s nothing in this world that I can’t give her. She just needs to let me.