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He hasn’t said a word to me yet, but his presence alone is screwing with my head. After only four hours, I’m struggling. Seriously struggling with a mess of confusing emotions.
Every time I look at him, I can’t help but remember the kiss. Remember how for those few short moments of bliss I finally felt at peace. I finally felt like I had found my place in the world.
And it scares the hell out of me.
It scares me more than my father or Tristan ever have.
He has a pull over me. Some kind of strange, supernatural pull that I don’t understand how to counter yet.
Until I can figure out how to resist him, I need to keep my distance. But how can I do that if he’s in the gym?
The id
ea of giving Chase my notice is tempting as hell. Especially as it dawns on me that I’ll probably see Emmett every day I work for the rest of the summer as he trains for his upcoming match.
Just the thought of seeing Emmett every day, half-naked, glistening with sweat as he pushes and molds his body into a powerful fighting machine, is enough to drive me to the brink of madness. And if he does what he’s been doing today, staring me down like he’s a damn predator and I’m the prey he has his sights on, I might seriously fucking lose it.
Making a U-turn, I head back toward the gym and stop at the first place that looks like it has food. Still toying with the idea of quitting and trying to figure out exactly what to say to Chase so he doesn’t look down on me, I end up ordering two different meals in the drive thru.
Two meals and I have no damn clue what’s even inside them.
By the time I make it back to the gym, I have a huge sack of food and absolutely no desire to eat any of it. There’s a huge ball of anxiety sitting in the pit of my stomach, taking up all the space, as I walk back through the front doors.
Avery waves at me and smiles. I give her a nod and manage to force my own smile before my eyes search the gym, seeking out Emmett.
When I fail to spot him, instead of feeling relieved, I find myself somehow feeling disappointed.
Dammit.
Pulling up my shoulders as soon as I realize they’re slumping, I make way over to the front desk.
Avery eyes the huge plastic bag I’m carrying and her face lights up with amusement. “Hungry?”
The words not really almost pop out of my mouth before I catch myself.
“A little,” I sigh as I plop the bag down on the desk.
Chuckling, Avery stands from the chair. After flipping her long, sleek black hair over her shoulder, she slips on her purse.
“I have to go pick up the girls from Grandma’s and take them to ballet class. I probably won’t be back today, but if you need anything Chase will be here.”
I nod in acknowledgement as she comes around the desk.
I’m just about to head to the chair and sit my butt back down when she suddenly stops beside me.
Turning to me, her face is serious, almost grim, as she says, “Thank you for helping us out, Bree. We sincerely appreciate it.”
My first instinct is to brush it off, to let her know it’s not a big deal. But looking at her face, it’s plain to see that to her it is.
She is truly grateful that I’m helping her by working here.
Knowing that any kind of dismissive response would be insulting, I struggle at first to think up something to say.
Then it comes to me.
Smiling at her, I say, “No thanks needed. We’re family.”
At first, Avery looks a little taken aback by what I said.
