Chapter 27
“She’s here with me” Jackson said to his brother while Emily refreshed herself in his bathroom. He had taken her to his house up in Manhattan where he lived occasionally when he needed to clear his head or be alone.
He waited for Ethan’s call, because he knew he’d call and a slow smile crept up his lips when his phone began to ring and Ethan’s name was displayed on the screen.
“What do you mean she’s there with you, Jackson she’s my wife” Ethan roared into the phone.
“Well where were you when your wife needed you?” Jackson asked and the pause on the line was like an adrenaline shot to his veins
“What do you mean?”
“Emily’s fine, she needs to rest and I’ll drop her off in the morning”
“Where are you? I’m coming to get her”
“Too much hassle for a woman you don’t bother to check on throughout the day”
“Jackson if you don’t -” but Jackson ended the call before Ethan could complete his sentence, just as Emily walked into the living room dressed in his tracksuit, a slight frown on her face.
“What’s wrong?” He asked her looking concerned. Emily signed proceeding to seat beside him on his leather sofa.
“I don’t know how to explain it and besides I don’t know you that well” she said to him
“You called me, didn’t you? I’m sure there was a reason you did that so tell me what’s wrong, however you want to explain it ”
Emily looked at him, there was warmth in his eyes and somehow she felt safe in it. His ginger hair was tousled, his long sleeved shirt rolled up to his arms revealing his muscles as he kept his arms above the chair in a protective manner around her.
“I’ve been having this memories from my childhood that I don’t remember but they keep coming and I feel this blinding pain in my head” she explained
“And I don’t remember much of my childhood, turns out I suffered a memory loss at a young age and I guess those memories are returning now”
“What kind of memories Emily?” Jackson asked
“Bad memories, things I don’t want to remember but it’s like they’re haunting me” she told him, staring at her hands, her voice low and sad.
“Emily” Jackson called, tipping her chin up to look at him.
“Do you want to tell me about those memories” he asked her and she shook her head
“They make my head hurt” she felt the painful sting of tears on her eyes
“It’s okay, you don’t have to talk about them but I need you to promise me one thing”
“What’s that?
“You’d call me, whenever those memories resurface or whenever you feel lonely, you just call me and I’ll be by your side in a second” he told her, one hand finding hers and the other moving to smooth her hair behind her ears.
“Promise?” Her eyes pleadedContent property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.
“With my life Emily”
There was a pause, the sudden quietness engulfing them even holding them captive as they held each other’s stares. Emily stared at Jackson, her heart beating a symphony of melodies while his hand caressed hers, he was so handsome and he spoke words that melted her heart into a slush.
She saw him stare at her lips and then look back at her eyes, that simple rhythm almost sending her into spiral, she didn’t realize she was slowly moving closer to him, his hand now finding it’s way to the back of her head. She caught a whiff of his scent and she inhaled it fully with her eyes closed and soon enough she felt his lips touch hers, gracing them softly with the fullness of his lips, soft and plush, a certain deliciousness stirring within her but the sudden banging of his door tore them apart immediately and Ethan emerged with an angry look on his face.
In a split second, Ethan charged for Jackson grabbing him by his collar
“She’s my wife” Ethan yelled and Jackson smirked at him
“Unarguably so”
“You guys stop it!” Emily yelled at both of them and Ethan released Jackson his eyes softening towards Emily, even though he was fuming inside, but he had seen them kissing and he couldn’t get that image out of his head.
“Let’s just go Ethan” she said pulling Ethan by the arm and offering Jackson one last look, an undecipherable look on his face as she left house.
The ride down the elevator was quiet, the awkwardness stung the air like a bad breath but Emily was too tired to say anything not until Ethan spoke.
“We had a date planned, did you forget?” He said “and why were you with my brother, why were you kissing him?”
“Don’t play the jealous card right now, we don’t love each other that way and you know it”
“I’m trying to Emily, but you’re making it hard” Ethan confessed and Emily whipped her neck so hard to look at him she thought her neck might break
“I’m making it so hard?” She mimicked his statement “why do you think I called Jackson, don’t you think I tried to call you first?” The elevator pinged and she walked out immediately, Ethan following closely behind her, remorse and guilt already clouding his eyes as he called out to her.
“Emily wait!” He called but she doubled her step
“Emily!!!” He called, louder this time and she turned around
“What!” She said
“I want to make this work” he said to her
“I thought we had an expiry date?”
“We don’t need to have that, look Emily I’m sorry. I’m sorry I wasn’t there when you needed me”
“It’s fine-” she wanted to say but Ethan cut in
“No it’s not, stop saying it’s fine when it’s not Emily” this time he pulled her close in a hug and inhaling Jackson’s perfume nearly threw him off but he held still, pushing everything to the back of his head.
“I want you to stay mine Emily, and just mine” he said to her but still he wasn’t sure he entirely meant it but maybe a big part of him didn’t want Jackson to have anything even though he seemed to be taking everything from him. But Ethan knew, showing emotions would be hard for him but he’d rather die than lose Emily to his brother.