Chapter 20 Emery #2
Cameron breathes heavily for a few seconds before wincing and forcing an agonized smile that breaks my heart. His weary green eyes look defeated, like he’s ready to give in, but a ray of light flickers through him as he stares at me.
“Cameron,” I murmur his name again with a trembling tone. It seems to be the only thing I can manage to say. “I-I’m so—” I cover my mouth as I choke on my words and try to wipe away the tears.
“You’ll get locked up t-too if they catch—” he groans in pain. “Y-you. Leave now.”
My hand trembles as I carefully press it against his cheek.
His eyes flutter closed like he couldn’t bear to keep them open a moment longer.
“Are you in pain? Can you feel it?” I ask in disbelief.
I never thought I’d see such an invincible force such as him broken down like this.
He’s flesh and blood, suffering like I always imagined he was on the inside. Human.
He slowly nods. The scarlet of the skin around his eyes and the bruises across his cheekbones are difficult to look at, especially knowing that he can feel it. I can’t bear seeing him in pain like this.
“How?” My voice breaks with dismay.
Cameron coughs again, then replies quietly, “Your father had the experimental pills”—another cough—“he had the effects rev-versed.”
Bile looms in my esophagus. I’ve never been more appalled by my father’s actions. My eyes widen as I think back to Reed asking for the pills to give to his mysterious biochemistry team. Is that what they were after all this time?
Bryce’s words flutter back into my head: “My objective was to return with intelligence on the test drugs the Dark Forces are using.”
“He was after the death pills this entire time,” I mumble, looking down at my pocket as I pull out the pink bottle. Cameron nods, sorrow threading his brows.
I bury my teeth into my lower lip and taste iron blooming over my tongue as I shake out four pills and try to give them to him.
Cam tightens his lips and refuses to take them.
“What’s wrong?” I plead. “I’m running out of time before Greg sends someone to come find me.”
“They’ll know I can’t feel it a-anymore if I take those, Em. They’ll know”—another painful sigh—“that you were here.” His labored breaths make the ache in my chest grow.
I put the pills in my mouth and lean forward, kissing him as brutally as he had me when he decided he wouldn’t let me die. I won’t let him die either. He inhales sharply, taken by surprise, and parts his lips. I use the opportunity and push the pills into his mouth.
Cameron jerks back and gives me an astonished look.
“Now we’re even.”
I hold his jaw tightly so he can’t spit them out, and massage his throat just as he did to me the night he forced me to take them.
He tries to shake me off, but the chains don’t allow him much movement.
He’s weak. I try to hold back the tears, but they stream freely down my cheeks.
“I’m so sorry,” I whisper against his forehead after he finally swallows them.
His head drops and his shoulders tremble as he chokes back his emotions. His tears pepper the floor. “Em, if they hurt you because of me… I’ll n-never forgive myself.”
I carefully tilt his head so he looks up at me and brush strands of hair from his face.
“Nothing will happen to me. I’m going to get you out of here, okay?
” I wipe my sleeve over his face, sweeping away his lovely tears.
I set to looking around the room for the key, only finding a chair in the corner.
It’s not much, but at least I can offer him some relief from standing.
I retrieve it and set it beneath him. Cameron lowers himself down with his arms still stretched over his head, but a gasp of relief escapes his parted lips. His body shudders as he grits his teeth, worry evident in his expression.
His words come smoother now. “I never stopped caring about you, Em. I just wanted you to be safe from me.” The sound of him broken and in this state sets something loose inside me that I didn’t know existed until now.
I want to burn the entire world down for what it’s done to him. For what it’s done to both of us.
I’m going to kill my father for doing this.
My eyes lift to a mirror at the back wall, my reflection shows a primed soldier in expensive clothing. Her eyes are jaded. I hate the woman I see.
I lean in close and wrap my arms around his shoulders. Cameron’s head is heavy as he lets it rest against mine. My voice breaks as I murmur, “As mad as I am that you pushed me away, not very many people get to fall in love with the same crazy person twice.”
His body seizes before a clipped, surprised chuckle leaves his lips as he pulls back to search my eyes.
“I don’t know what hurt worse: watching you fall in love with me even though I tried to keep you away, or not being able to pull you against my chest every single night and hold you…
Just holding you would’ve been enough for me.
” He pauses and sucks in his lower lip slowly.
“There could be endless versions of you, and I’d love each one as fervently and entirely. ”
I stuff down the emotions that well at his confession and tip my forehead against his. Our lips brush and heat fills every cold crevice that his absence left inside me.
“I love you. I love every wrong thing you’ve done, every right.
We are far from perfect, Cam. Even though I’m still mad at you, I never want to take another breath without you near,” I murmur as he periodically steals kisses between words, only drawing the corners of my mouth up more and more with each one.
“I will always choose you, Em. Over anything. I want to prove that to you. No matter what becomes of me and the monster they made me, I’ll only obey you.” Another sweet kiss against my temple before I woefully push away from him, brushing my thumb over his chin, reluctant to leave.
“I have to get going before I get in too much trouble. I’ll find the key, and won’t be long,” I promise him and stand. He nods wistfully, only furthering the ache in my chest.
“Be careful. Your dad is a fucking maniac,” he says as he lets his eyes trace my features longingly. I’m relieved the pills kicked in and he seems to be in more comfort.
I put on my best reassuring smile before forcing myself to close the door. Hoping that he didn’t see the cracks in my armor. The truth is, I’m scared to death.
My palms are clammy as I quickly stride down the hall toward the elevator. I’m already late to the briefing and will likely be reprimanded. I press the call button and wait as the numbers slowly light up until they reach the eighth floor.
I haphazardly smooth my dress down and straighten my posture stoically before the doors slide open. It’s empty. I exhale sharply and step in, pushing the button for the fourth floor.
The elevator whirrs and descends, stopping at the fifth level as three guards step in. They look at me curiously, probably wondering why I’m not already in attendance, but don’t make any comments. I swallow and tap my foot impatiently until we reach the fourth level.
This floor is mostly unused, save for the large meetings that are held in the conference room. It’s expansive enough to easily fit over a hundred people. The gray halls are barren with the exception of a few armed men at the end of the hall.
I nod to the two men standing outside the conference room. One quietly opens the door for me. My fists clench behind my back as I step inside.
Gregory Mavestelli is the first person I see.
Father’s black-and-gray hair is styled with gel.
He’s leaning forward over the lavish walnut-brown conference table with his hands threaded together.
His lips are pressed to his hands, but I can tell he’s scowling just by the set of his brows and the impatience in his eyes.
His suit is black, with a dark gray vest and blood-red tie.
Reed is seated to his left and gives me a worried look, further confirming that I’m going to get scolded for being late. I’d do it over again if I had to.
I force my eyes down and try to find a seat quickly, but Greg says loudly, “Emery, your place is up here with us.” His tone is dull and calm, but I know underneath his skin he’s boiling with rage. Shit, I shouldn’t have stayed so long.
My anxiety piques and blood rushes through my head, making me dizzy as I walk as properly and expressionless as I can to the front of the room.
I awkwardly move to stand behind my father, and he continues on with the briefing. There are at least fifty people in here, all staring at me and my father.
“As I was saying, the Henderson family will be picking up the product in the Brooksdale building in the city, here.” He clicks the slide controller and an image of a map and photo of a building pop up.
“We’re going to send in our executioner two days earlier than the planned pickup as I suspect that Henderson is going to try to sabotage the deal.
He’s attempted to steal from me before, and I won’t allow it again. ”
My eyes flick down to the back of Greg’s head. This is the first time I’m hearing about this job. I avert my gaze back to the members of the family sitting below. There’s at least fifty of them here, which is a surprising turnout for any of our international hideouts.
If the flash drive belonged to my father, then the Dark Forces are clearly on his trail already for whatever it is that he’s trading. But what could have been so important on there that even General Nolan wanted it? Was it a lure?
I bite the inside of my cheek and try not to worry about anything other than saving Cameron right now. I’ll have to do some recon later and see if I can get my father to tell me what was on that drive.
I hope everyone got out okay. I think of Mikah, Erik, Thomas, and Gage. Kayden’s body was likely buried by the rubble of the destroyed building. I sullen at the thought.