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Because he had more control over her than I did.
“Get your shit,” I told Alex, my gaze never leaving Em. “You’re bunking with me.”
“Wi
ll—”
“Now!” I barked as Alex protested.
Fuck it. She could grab her stuff anytime. Taking her hand, I pulled her up the stairs, leaving Emory in the foyer as I disappeared down the hallway, through the last door, and up the stairs to the third floor.
Emory was safe. She was under his protection now.
I slammed my hand into a wall as we traipsed down the hallway.
“Look, I don’t know what the hell is going on,” Alex said, pulling her hand out of mine, “but when we leave, she’s coming with us. You can sort your shit out back in civilization. When I run, you and her are both coming.”
I locked my door and turned on the lights, debating about grabbing my laptop and having my contact intercept Michael and the crew and stop them. But they needed to come now in order to take Emory and Alex to safety.
“When are they arriving?” I asked.
“Any day now.”
I pulled on a shirt and walked over to the window, closing the curtains.
“You want to go home, don’t you?” Alex asked.
I shot her a look.
“Will…”
I paced the room, feeling like I was about to jump out of my skin.
“Your parents…” she said, her voice softening. “The way you always talked about them. They love you. Given everything, they adore you.” She approached me. “Why are you still here? Would they really have kept you away so long? It doesn’t make any sense.”
I should tell her. I just wasn’t sure I wasn’t going to fail, and I needed to do this on my own. I’d put in too much time and work.
I had to go home ten times the man. I needed to see this through.
She took my chin and tipped it toward her, stopping me. “Damon, Winter, Michael, Rika, Misha, Kai, Banks…” she said their names as if I’d forgotten them. “You belong home. Don’t you want to leave?”
Of course, I did.
Why would she think I didn’t want to leave?
• • •
Kai and Banks.
Winter and Damon.
Michael…
I knew what I needed to do when I came here, but Alex’s words kept drifting through my head—especially now. Especially when faced with the decision I was going to have to make sooner than I thought.
Maybe I was scared.
Maybe…just maybe a small part of me didn’t want to ever leave here. There were no drugs here. No women. I’d stayed away from the alcohol fairly easily. I didn’t have to prove my worth with a career, plans, or relationships.
