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I flinch.
“By all means…continue as planned.”
Professor Barclay moves so fast I barely register what’s happened before he has Emmett held by the jugular, hoisted up against the wall.
“Enough,” he bites out through clenched teeth.
I stare at them in silence, adrenaline and fear mixing to a boiling point. I feel tears prick my eyes and my knees tremble as if they’re about to give out.
Almost as quickly as he grabbed ahold of Emmett, Professor Barclay releases him. Emmett looks totally unfazed by the altercation. He straightens the neck of his shirt then smooths his hand down his suit jacket.
“What the fuck is going on?” Alexander asks from behind me.
Professor Barclay flexes and releases his hand as if trying to calm his temper.
Emmett is the one to speak. “I was just getting acquainted with our little sister.”
I finally find my voice. “The last time I checked, we aren’t related,” I nearly spit, despising him more and more with every second.
Emmett’s dark eyes meet mine, and confusion registers there for a split second before he hides the emotion behind a mask of hatred.
So they really don’t know the truth. Frédéric never told them.
“What do you mean, Emelia?” Alexander asks, coming around me so he can walk over to stand near his brother.
I don’t like how this feels; suddenly it’s them against me. I don’t even register Professor Barclay’s presence at my side.
“Emelia,” Alexander prods.
“I’m not your sister,” I say, blind with rage and uncaring of the consequences my confession will bring. “Frédéric is not my biological father.”
Alexander looks wounded when he asks, “What are you talking about?”
“My mother had an affair while she was married to Frédéric. I thought the two of you knew that.”
No one speaks for a few seconds, and then Emmett shrugs as if this means little to him. “I already knew Kathleen had a proclivity for that sort of behavior.”
“Fuck you,” I hiss.
Professor Barclay takes a protective step toward me. Alexander’s eyes widen, and he holds his hands out as if trying to get me to calm down.
“I think we all need to cool off for a second.”
“Do we? Or should we escort this interloper out of your apartment?” Emmett asks Alexander before turning back to me. “How did you get an invitation anyway? Surely you haven’t weaseled your way into my brother’s heart. He always had a soft spot for the needy. He’s blind to how cunning people can be, but I’m not. Whatever you want from us, you won’t succeed.Leave.”
Though I’ve never considered myself a violent person, I wish I could punch him, scratch him, leave marks by any means necessary. I wish I could hurt him as deeply as he’s hurting me right now. These wounds will linger, but he doesn’t even seem to register how vicious he’s being.
I’ve never been kicked out of anywhere before, and I won’t be told to leave twice. I have my purse on me; there’s nothing else I need.
I don’t bother looking at Alexander or Professor Barclay before I turn on my heel and scurry out of the apartment. The elevator ride is excruciatingly long. My tears are held back by some divine mercy, but the moment I step outside and register that Professor Barclay is standing right beside me at the curb, having left alongside me, a small sob breaks free.
I turn toward him and crush my small frame against his. He envelopes me in his arms and I cry like I’ve never cried, sob in heavy fits that have me heaving in great gulps of air, Professor Barclay’s grip on me my only tether to the world.
He shushes me soothingly, but he never tells me to stop and he never pushes me away.
I cry until my sobs hitch and break, until I feel shattered and beaten.
“Emelia.” He says it like he’s in pain too. “Please don’t cry.”
At any other moment, I’d follow his command, but I’m helpless to stop the stream of tears.
They eventually slow though, turning into a quiet hiccup and a sniffle. I swipe under my eyes.
What I’ve just done isn’t pretty or enticing. I already worry about how he’ll perceive this, how awkward this must be for him. I have no doubt he’ll keep me at arm’s length even more so in the future.
But for now, he says, “Let me get you home,” and he leads me toward his car.
