Chapter 15 Emily #2
“Whit,” I say, my voice strained as I push lightly against his chest. “That’s enough.”
But he doesn’t listen, holding on like he has something to prove. It’s suffocating.
“That’s enough,” Axel says calmly as he puts a hand on his shoulder, though his tone is laced with a quiet warning.
Whit freezes, his grip on me loosening slightly as he slowly turns to face Axel. His expression darkens, his jaw tightening as he steps back from me, clearly irritated by the interruption.
“Excuse me?” Whit sneers. “And who the hell are you?”
Axel doesn’t even blink. “Someone who respects boundaries.”
Whit’s lips curl into a smirk, though there’s nothing friendly about it. “Oh, I see what this is,” he says. He turns to me. “These your lapdogs, Em? Didn’t take you long.”
“How fucking dare you,” Tanner bristles.
I wince. He’s just giving him more power. Whit smiles slowly. “Didn’t realize I’d be walking into such a...scene.”
“Should have stayed in the helicopter then,” Ben murmurs.
Whit’s gaze lazily moves over Ben, then to Axel and Jace; both of them look ready to pounce. He raises an eyebrow, clearly amused.
“Don’t know what you guys think you’re doing, but she’s my girlfriend.”
“Ex-girlfriend,” I bite back, crossing my arms. But Whit, being Whit, ignores it completely.
“Hey, we should talk,” he says.
“What? No. I have nothing to say to you.” He’s out of his mind. I don’t know why he’s even asking me.
His tone shifts from cocky to almost pleading. “Come to my room. We can…sort this out.”
I stare at him, my stomach flipping uncomfortably.
“No way I’m coming to your room.”
Whit’s face falters.
“Come on, Em…just talk to me. Please.”
I feel a pang of regret settle deep in my chest. I’ve ignored his calls, his texts—everything. Maybe he thinks that’s why he’s here, that he needs to win me back somehow. The desperation in his eyes feels real, and for a brief second, I wonder if I led him on by not cutting ties more definitively.
But that’s not my fault, right? It shouldn’t be.
I sigh, glancing at Axel, Tanner, and Jace, who watch the exchange mutely.
“Fine,” I say reluctantly, seeing the relief flicker across Whit’s face. “But not in your room. We’ll talk at the lodge bar. That’s it.”
“Perfect,” Whit says, trying to hide his smug smile as if he’s already won something. “I’ll meet you there in a few minutes.”
He turns on his heel, walking off with that familiar swagger, and I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. I glance at the guys, catching Tanner’s narrowed eyes and Axel’s clenched jaw. Jace hasn’t said a word, but his posture is tense, arms crossed over his chest.
“I’ll handle this,” I say quickly, mostly to reassure myself. “I just need to make it clear to him that we’re done. For good.”
“You sure that’s a good idea?” Tanner asks
I nod, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in my gut. “I’ll be fine. I just…I need to make sure he knows.”
Axel steps forward slightly, his intense gaze on me.
The intensity of his gaze sends a shiver through me, but I force myself to smile. “Thanks, but I’ve got this.”
As I turn to head to the bar, I can’t shake the feeling that this conversation with Whit won’t go as smoothly as I hope.
I walk into the bar, my heart pounding harder with each step.
It’s different now from when I was last here with Axel.
The space is more alive, with people chatting, laughter echoing off the wooden walls, and the bartender moving back and forth behind the counter, pouring drinks for a couple seated at the bar. I kind of wish it were still quiet.
The guys—Tanner, Jace, Ben and Axel—walk up from behind to take a table in the corner.
I find Whit near the bar, leaning against the counter with his usual cocky smirk. He looks totally at ease like we’re meeting for a casual drink.
Whit looks up as I approach, his smirk widening. “There she is. Come sit.” He motions to the stool next to him.
I don’t take the seat. Instead, I stand there, arms crossed, forcing myself to keep my voice steady. “I’m not staying long, Whit. I just want to be clear.”
He raises an eyebrow, unfazed. “Clear about what?”
I feel my frustration rising. “About us. There is no ‘us.’ We’re done. I don’t know how many more ways I can say it.”
Whit chuckles lightly, as if I just told him a joke. “Come on, Em. You’re upset. I get it. We’ve had rough patches before, but we always work through them.”
I shake my head, feeling my temper flare. “This isn’t a rough patch, Whit. This is over. For good.”
He leans back, his smirk faltering slightly. “You’ve been ignoring me for weeks. I thought—”
“Exactly.” I cut him off. “I’ve been ignoring you because I didn’t want to have this conversation. But now you’ve forced my hand.”
His eyes narrow, and I see a flicker of something other than arrogance in them for the first time. “You didn’t think you owed me an explanation?”
I open my mouth to respond, but the bartender appears, interrupting. “Can I get you two anything?”
“No, we’re good,” I say quickly, hoping to get this over with.
“Whiskey,” Whit says smoothly, without missing a beat. He shoots me a look, like he’s daring me to react.
I glare at him. “You think I owe you an explanation? After you cheated on me.”
Whit’s face twitches, a flash of anger quickly masked by his practiced cool. The couple next to us at the bar pauses their conversation, glancing over, curious now. I see Whit’s jaw tighten, his hand gripping the whiskey glass tighter.
“Emily, come on,” he says, lowering his voice but keeping that irritating calm.
He reaches out, his fingers brushing my arm.
I flinch at the touch. “We shouldn’t be doing this here, not in front of everyone.
Especially not in front of…” He glances toward the table where Tanner, Jace, Ben and Axel are seated. “Your bodyguards.”
I follow his gaze. The guys are still watching, and now, I can feel the tension radiating from them, their postures stiff, eyes locked on Whit like they’re ready to pounce at the first sign of trouble.
Jace looks like he’s barely holding himself back, Axel’s jaw is set in a tight line, and Tanner…
well, Tanner’s watching Whit with a dangerous calm.
I take a breath, forcing myself to stay composed. Don’t lose your cool. Not here. Not now.
Whit’s hand lingers on my arm, and it’s like he’s testing how far he can push me. His touch makes my skin crawl. He leans in closer, his breath hot against my ear, and I feel the bile rise in my throat.
“Come up to my room,” he murmurs, his voice laced with something darker, something controlling. “We can talk this out. You know you don’t really want this to be over. Let’s be real, Em.”
That’s it. I’ve had enough.
I yank my arm out of his grip, my heart pounding so hard I can barely think. “No.” My voice is clear, firm. Louder than before, catching the attention of more people at the bar. “I’m not going anywhere with you, Whit. Not now, not ever.”