8

Emily woke up to the smell of bacon. Her one true love. She rolled over and stretched then glared at the bedroom door. She didn’t want to see the sexy man on the other side of the door. Her mind imagined how he looked shirtless, displaying his rock hard body as he cooked. His hair tousled from the night in bed with Emily. It was bad enough he had filled her dreams throughout the night. Now, he was filling her head first thing in the morning. Not happening!

“Time to get the hell out of here,” she groaned then made her way out of bed quietly. She didn’t want Kian to know she was awake. The last thing she wanted to see right now was him. 

Emily groaned when she realized she needed to take a shower before she escaped anywhere. The smell of sex was all over her. People would know instantly that she had hooked up with someone and she didn‘t want people giving her dirty looks.

She grabbed the handle of her suitcase and lifted it off the ground. Rolling it down the hallway would most likely give her away. She took a deep breath then opened the bedroom door slowly. When Kian didn’t appear right away, she made a mad dash for the bathroom. 

“Good morning, sweetheart,” Kian called out, in a husky voice, behind her as she reached for the bathroom door handle. Son of a bitch!

“Good morning,” she said out of habit keeping her back to him. 

Her heart was racing, her cheeks were warming, and the heat from the night before was rising between her thighs. Emily knew she would melt then climb back into bed with Kian if she turned and faced him. There was no time for that. She needed to get ready, grab Selma and hit the road.

“I made breakfast if you’d like to join me.” His voice lacked confidence, which made Emily feel guilty. She had caused his lack of confidence. 

Emily began to tell him she wasn’t hungry, but her stomach spoke up first and growled. Damn you, traitor! Emily cursed at her growling stomach.

“Thanks,” she replied and rolled her suitcase just inside the bathroom door.

Her heart was beating even faster now with anticipation of what she would see when she turned around. She tried to calm herself by counting the different items around her. Anything just to help her gain strength to face him with the anger she had the night before. Kian and his voice were becoming her weak spot. 

Emily had learned at an early age how having a man as a weakness could be detrimental. She had seen lots of women change their entire lives for a man and becoming a puppet on a string. She had heard stories from her grandmother about Emily’s mother. How her mother was kind and free-spirited. Emily never got to see that side of her mother. 

The woman Emily had dealt with for seventeen years was a walking puppet with the puppet master being Emily’s father. 

Emily’s mother would do anything her father would tell her to do. Which included beating Emily for the littlest things and belittling Emily in public to where other adults around would step in and tell her mother to stop. Those moments made Emily feel like someone cared about her; however, those moments made it worse for Emily when her parents finally got her alone. Those were the days they beat her the most. 

Emily hated her parents. Especially her mother. Her mother worshiped the ground Emily’s father walked on. To Emily, her mother never was really a mother. Emily couldn’t even recall a single time when her mother had hugged her, kissed her goodnight, or even said a nice thing to her. That’s why Emily vowed to never be a sucker for any type of love.

“Emily? Are you okay,” Kian asked concerned.

Emily shook the thoughts of her parents away. They were all in the past. She never had to see them again.

“I’m fine. Thanks.” Her voice told a different story. She hated the fact that her childhood was painful and made her emotional any time she thought about it. 

“You sure?” Kian asked walking over to her.

“I’m...” Kian spun her around and pulled her into his arms.

“It will be okay. Whatever it is,” he whispered holding her tightly. 

“Kian...”

“I won’t say another word. Just let me hold you for a minute. You’ll feel better.”

She wanted to kick herself in the ass. Not even a minute ago she was thinking how she’d never become weak because of a man and now she was in Kian’s arms. It felt good to be in his arms. Not just because he was good-looking but because Emily, for the first time, felt safe.

Her body and heart refused to let her protest against her emotions. She wrapped her arms around Kian’s waist. She laid her head on his chest. He kept his word and didn’t speak. The only things Emily heard were their breathing and Kian’s heartbeat against her ear.

A few minutes passed by. Emily felt like someone had lifted the world off her shoulders. Someone had. Kian.

She took a deep breath and twitched her nose. Slowly she pulled away.

“What’s wrong?” Kian asked looking her over with concern.

“You’re burning breakfast,” she mused. Kian’s eyes lit up and then he took off to the kitchen. 

“Shit,” she heard him growl. Hearing him grumbling made her laugh.

“Need help with anything?” 

“I’ve got it! But, thank you, sweetheart,” he called out to her sweetly then went back to grumbling at whatever he was doing in the kitchen. 

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Kian poked his head out of the kitchen. “Can you answer that, sweetheart?” 

“Sure.” He smiled then went back into the kitchen. Emily couldn’t help feeling the butterflies in her stomach with him asking her to open the door for him. Made her feel like he trusted her in his home. 

Emily made her way to the door. She unlocked the door and turned the knob. Before she could even open the door it swung open on its own.

“Oh, Kian,” a high-pitched woman’s voice called out as the woman wrapped her arms around Emily. “I’ve missed you so much.”

“I’m not Kian,” Emily growled and shoved the woman away.

The woman was barely over five feet. Her hair was blonde, short and styled into a bob. Her skin was pale and her ears were slightly pointy. Emily noted how the woman looked like a pixie. The pixie looking woman was wearing a retro red cocktail dress with black flats.

The woman’s brown eyes widened, and she took in Emily from Emily’s head down to her toes.

“Who are you?” The woman shrieked.

“Leaving,” Emily snapped back at the woman. 

Images of Kian and the petite woman in bed infuriated Emily. She didn’t want a relationship with him but she didn’t want any other woman to have him. Ever. She found herself very possessive over him. 

“Good morning, Norma,” Kian muttered from behind Emily. Norma smiled seductively.

“Kian,” Norma purred and pushed past Emily. Emily turned to yell at Norma but instead, she found herself ready to tear Kian a new ass. Norma had her arm looped through Kian’s arm and was staring up at him dreamy-like. 

“You don’t have to use your powers to seduce me to bed,” Norma smirked at Emily. Kian looked at Emily with remorse before shaking Norma loose from his arm. Norma frowned then glared at Emily. 

“Emily, it isn’t what you think,” Kian explained.

“Oh? It’s not? So you’re telling me you never fucked her,” Emily screamed at Kian causing both him and Norma to wince.

“Emily,” Kian pleaded.

“Kiss my ass, lover boy!” Emily made her way over to Kian and Norma. 

“I wish you two a lifetime of great sex!” 

“Emily. Sweetheart, please let me explain,” Kian whispered then grabbed hold of Emily’s arm and looked down at her.

Emily loved the color of his eyes. The perfect blend of blue and green. They reminded her of the ocean. The one place she loved the most. She got lost in his eyes when he looked at her. Damn it, Emily! Get your shit together. The man’s a man whore. 

“Emily, it’s not how it seems. Sweetheart, please, just...”

Emily snapped back to reality and frowned. 

“Move your hand if you don’t want it broken, sweetheart,” Emily said sweetly with a forced smile.

“Emily, please, don’t be like this.” Kian held on to her arm and rubbed it with his thumb. 

“Kian, remove your hand while I’m still being nice, then you and Miss Pixie can go fuck!”

“Pixie,” Norma shrieked! “You told her, Kian!”

“Shut up, Norma,” Kian growled at Norma, who stood with her arms crossed in front of her chest. One of her lips was pooched out into a pout. “Emily, I don’t want her, sweetheart.”

“Kian,” Norma gasped!

“I don’t want you so leave!” His voice sounded evil to Emily. It was another voice she didn’t  think his voice was capable of sounding like. 

“Kian,” Norma whimpered.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Kian looked at the door and groaned. 

“Kian? Are you home,” a woman asked on the other side of the door. Her voice sounded seductive like Norma’s. Emily snatched her arm out of Kian’s grasp. Her fists were balled at her sides. She wanted to either punch him in the face or choke the life out of him.

Another woman? You man whore! She screamed in her mind.

She didn’t know why she cared who he slept with before her. Her and Kian weren’t together. They just had one moment of heated passion. Amazing, incredible passion. Nothing more. They weren’t committed to each other. Yet, she stood in Kian’s living room ready to pulverize him over her jealousy.  She couldn’t understand why she was so emotional over him having other women in his life 

Emily groaned internally. 

“Kian,” the woman on the other side of the door whined. “Please? Open the door.”

“Yeah, ladies’ man, open the door for her,” Emily snarled at Kian.

“Emily. Please? Just hear me out. I don’t want them. I want you.” Emily threw her head back and laughed dramatically. 

“You want whatever legs you can get between!”

“Hey, I’m not a—” Norma began.

“Shut the hell up,” Emily yelled at Norma. 

“Kian,” the woman at the door called out. “Is someone else in there! It’s a woman, isn’t it? It’s that whore Norma. Isn’t it?” Norma stormed over to the door, swung it open and...

SMACK!

She smacked the other woman who was hidden behind the door from Emily’s view. Kian rushed over to the door.

“Ladies,” he pleaded. The two women were bickering back and forth. Their voices carrying throughout his apartment.

Emily was torn between watching the catfight, grabbing her suitcase and storming out, or saying screw it all and taking a shower. 

“But he walked me home from work last night,” the other woman yelled at Norma. Emily still couldn’t see the woman. 

“That’s because he is a gentleman, you twit,” Norma screamed at the woman. Norma went to smack the other woman again. The other woman grabbed Norma’s hair, and all hell broke loose. They had made Emily’s decision.

Shower. She’d take a relaxing shower, then deal with the ridiculous town and the manwhore, Kian. 

***

Emily walked out of the bathroom feeling like a million bucks. She wore a pair of low-rise jeans, black spaghetti strap tank top, and black sneakers. Her hair was parted to the side and pulled up into a messy bun. She wasn’t big on makeup so she wore only pink lip gloss and mascara.

Emily rolled her suitcase into the living room. Kian was sitting on the couch. His face in his hands. His body slouched. She wanted to leave but her feet wouldn’t let her. She didn’t know what was wrong with her. Why she became jealous. Why she didn’t have the heart to leave him right then. Nothing was making sense. The sooner she left the sooner she could get back to her normal self.

“Thanks for letting me crash here for the night,” she spoke rolling her suitcase towards the door. Kian quickly stood up and rushed to her side. 

“Emily. Sweetheart, please don’t leave. Let’s talk about this,” he blurted in panic. 

“Nothing to talk about. The sex was great. Keep up the good work,” she smirked and patted him on his shoulder.

“Emily, please,” he begged.

“Kian, I don’t have time for this.” Emily circled her finger at him. 

“Don’t have time for... me?” He looked like someone had just told him that there was no such thing as Santa Claus.

“Yes. I don’t have time for you. Or your bullshit.” She grabbed her purse from the side table, unlocked the door and opened it. “Have a great day.” 

“Look,” he said taking hold of her hand. “I’ll leave. I have to go to work. You can stay here and eat or whatever you want to do without me being around. No rush.” 

“I can grab something on the road.”

“Emily, please? Just stay here and get some rest before your journey. Okay?” Sleep did sound good. So did food. 

“Fine. But only if you leave.” 

“Okay,” he sighed. “Let me change and then I’ll get going.” 

“Okay.” Emily set her purse back down and walked over to the couch. Kian watched her with sad eyes. Emily turned her eyes away from him. She didn’t want to be guilted in by his beautiful, sad blue-green eyes. She needed to be strong.

“Let me go get dressed.” Emily didn’t reply. She simply nodded. Kian left the room and headed down the hallway. She heard the bedroom door open and then close. 

You damn idiot. Emily reprimanded herself for falling for words. His words. She knew better. 

“I’ll be on my way,” Kian said standing next to the couch. Emily nearly jumped out of her skin. She hadn’t heard him come out of the room. She wondered how long she had drifted. It didn’t seem that much time had passed since he had gone into the bedroom. “Sorry, sweetheart. Didn’t mean to scare you.” 

“No worries.” She kept her eyes focused on the coffee table in front of her.

“Help yourself to whatever you want,” he breathed.

“Thanks.” 

“Um...” Kian took a step closer to her. “I really am...”

“Have a great day at work, Mr. Nordin.”

“You too, sweetheart,” Kian sighed. He walked over to the door, opened it, and grabbed his keys. Right before he stepped out, he looked over his shoulder. “I’ll be back at noon. I hope you’re still here.” 

Emily wanted to be there when he returned. But she knew she would be foolish to stay. She had a book signing to get to. She had a life back home to get back to.

“Have a good day,” she replied and Kian sighed.

“You too, sweetheart.” He closed the door behind him. Emily let out the breath she had been holding then slouched. She was drained. Not speaking her true feelings to Kian had taken every ounce of her. She didn’t know exactly the reason for her true feelings. However, that didn’t make them go away.

A few minutes went by and Emily finally heard Kian’s truck start and drive away. She went and looked out the window just to make sure he was gone. As she was stepping away from the window, she spotted Casper walking down the sidewalk in front of the apartments across from Kian’s.

“Jughead,” Emily called out, but he didn’t hear her. “Shit!”

Emily scurried and grabbed her suitcase and purse. Then she bolted out the door closing it behind her. The two flights of stairs seemed never ending to her as she sprinted down them with her belongings in hand. The front door she swung open. Casper was still walking down the sidewalk towards the woods. 

“Jughead!” The man stopped in his tracks and turned to face Emily, who was running in his direction with her belongings. He looked spooked. He quickly turned back to the woods.

“Don’t you dare,” Emily cried out still running after him. She never caught up to him because he took off into the woods. “You son of a bitch!”

It didn’t matter how loud she shouted; she knew he wasn’t coming back out to talk to her. At this rate, she would never get Bitching Betty back. 

“I really hate this town,” she groaned. 

She turned to face Kian’s building. A huge smile covered her face. In front of her, a few feet away walking towards her in a hurry was Selma. 

“Thank God,” Emily said in relief then stalked over to Selma. Maybe she could explain why Casper was acting how he was acting. Not that being an asshole was out of his character, but looking spooked was.

Emily and Selma finally reached each other. Emily couldn’t help but check out Selma who was dressed to impress. 

“Holy shit, girl, who you dressing up for,” Emily asked looking Selma over once more. Selma looked like a powerhouse woman, who was ready to kick some ass. She looked amazing in her dress and heels. 

Selma glanced down at herself and smiled. “This is my power outfit and I’m determined to reach the book signing today.” Fuck. Emily hadn’t thought about dressing for the book signing. She was too focused on leaving.

“Well, those readers won’t know what to do when they see you.” Emily smiled. 

“So, what’s your plan? Are you waiting on your car,” Selma asked softly. 

“Shit for brains just took off into the forest like a creep. I didn’t even get to ask him about my car,” Emily glared towards the tree line. “To be honest, screw my car. I just want the hell out of this weird-ass town. Can I catch a ride with you? I’ll pay.”

“Of course you can ride with me, and if you can chip in for gas that’d be awesome.” Emily wanted to cry. She was so happy that Selma was willing to give her a ride.

“It’s going to be a bit of a walk,” Emily said looking down at Selma’s heels. Selma groaned while looking down at her shoes.

“Yeah, I didn’t really think this through did I?” Selma laughed.

Emily laughed along with her but stopped when she thought about Selma’s feet killing her after the walk in her heels. 

“Can you walk to your car? I don’t want to ask anyone for a ride.” Emily glanced around. “Not that I see anyone around here, anyway.”

“I’m with you, I don’t trust this town.” Selma turned in the direction of the town's square where her car was still parked at the diner. “Let’s go. My feet will hurt in these shoes either way.”

Emily laughed because she understood how painful it was to wear heels to look cute. “But, they’re so worth it, right?” Emily asked still laughing.

“Yes, they are.”

They began making their way to Selma’s car. At first, they small talked, but that ended when the walk seemed to drag out. Between their luggage and slow pace because of Selma’s heels, it seemed like forever before Selma’s car came into view. 

Selma seemed out of breath, but as soon as Selma spotted her car she picked up her pace. Emily was just as happy and walked side-by-side with Selma. Emily scanned around them as they stalked over to the Mini Cooper. No one seemed to be around, but that didn’t mean they weren’t lurking somewhere watching her and Selma.

Selma popped the hatchback. Both women quickly arranged their suitcases in the small space, then hopped into the car. Emily’s box of books was once again on her lap. She was crammed, but it was well worth it if it meant she could escape Camden and Kian.

Reality hit. She wouldn’t see Kian again. The thought of never seeing him again broke her heart. They hadn’t gotten to know each other. They had only spent a few hours together and yet Emily felt like he was her other half. She knew once she and Selma left the town she would feel empty again. Just as empty as she was when she entered the town. Kian seemed to have filled that emptiness in the few hours they had known each other. But that fullness would soon be gone. 

Emily looked over at Selma, who was staring in the rearview mirror and adjusting the top of her dress. Every so often, Selma would wince in pain and then massage a spot on her neck. Emily was about to ask her if she was okay when she caught a glimpse of Kian. 

“Oh, hell, there’s Kian. He’ll have Jughead and Samantha from ‘Bewitched’ on our asses,” Emily growled. Selma turned her head in the direction Emily was looking.

“Start the car, girl,” Emily shouted. “Start the car!”

“All right, all right.” Selma started the car and reversed out of the parking spot. Emily was in full panic mode. She didn’t want Kian to follow them because then she would have to face him once more. If she saw him again, face-to-face, she didn’t know if she would have the strength to walk away.

“Hey, wait,” Kian yelled out heading towards the Mini Cooper. Selma hit the gas, and they were off down the road. Emily watched Kian in the side mirror. He was running after them but stopped in front of the diner. He was waving and shouting something to everyone inside the diner.

“Faster, Selma, he’s waving at the people in the diner,” Emily urged.

Selma turned the car sharply right and onto S. Second Street. She didn’t bother doing the speed limit Emily noted. Selma slowed the car when a two-story pink house with black shutters appeared at the end of the road. Without a single word, Selma swerved the car around in the circular cul-de-sac. Emily stared out the window in horror. Standing on the front porch of the house was Nikki. She was motioning for the girls to stop. 

“Don’t stop,” Emily yelled.

“Wasn’t planning on it,” Selma gritted through her clenched teeth.

They were heading back down the street. The weather shifted in a manner that Emily had never seen. Lightning flashed across the sky. Dark clouds hovered above them. Nikki. Emily didn’t know why but she had a gut feeling Nikki had a hand in this sudden change in weather. Every time the weather changed Nikki seemed to be involved. Just like at Casper’s garage.

“Ugh. What is up with this damn town and its weather?” Emily groaned. “You have to make a right to head out of town.”

“No, we need to go north,” Selma responded.

“You can’t go north, the park is in the way. We have to go around it,” Emily argued.

A bright flash of lightning struck a few streets over. A short amount of time, the boom of the thunder sounded. Then rain poured down like a waterfall. Nature or someone was trying to stop them from leaving. It seemed as though magic was being used to stop them from leaving Camden.

“Go right,” Emily ordered.

Selma yanked the wheel to the right, causing the tires to lose traction. The motion reminded Emily of all the times she had drifted for fun in Bitching Betty. However, that was fun. This moment was tense, especially when the Mini Cooper barely missed a parked car.

Another eerie factor struck her and Selma’s luck. The temperature had dropped well below thirty-two degrees. Emily knew this because she could see her breath and see ice crystals forming on the window. 

“Oh, hell,” she cursed. “We’re driving on ice.”

“You can’t stop now, Selma. I don’t trust these people.” Emily grabbed on to Selma’s arm. “You can do it, Selma. Get us out of here.”

Selma tensed up but didn’t slow down as she turned on to the next street. A large animal came out between the buildings and darted towards Selma’s car.

“Selma! Watch the dog!” Emily shrieked. She was now looking around the box and through the windshield at the large animal bolting towards them. It was too big to be a dog as she had thought. Its features were too similar to a human’s body, except the animal was larger and conformed to being on all fours.

Screech! 

Selma jerked the wheel trying to avoid the beast. Out of habit, no doubt, she slammed on the brakes. 

“Brace yourself,” Selma yelled. Emily tensed up. This was not how she imagined leaving Camden. She wanted to leave in a car. Not in a body bag. 

The front of the car smashed into something. The sound of metal crushing, Selma’s screams, and Emily’s own screams filled the car. Emily’s face smacked against the box of books several times causing her vision to blur. There was a sudden wolf-like howl, then the sound of the airbags deploying. Her airbag struck the box on her lap. The box shifted from the force of the airbag and struck Emily’s face. Her face slammed against the passenger side window with great force. So much force that the glass cracked. To say Emily’s head hurt would be an understatement of a lifetime. The pain had her wanting to scream, cry, and throw up all at once.

“Fuck,” Emily managed to groan as the darkness began to fall in on her. The queasy feeling was almost as unbearable as the pain in her head. She could hear someone banging on Selma’s side of the car. It was a man, and he was barking at her to unlock the door. The doors remained locked. Suddenly there was a sound metal bending then there was a gust of uninvited cold wind that blew in through the open space where the door once was.

“What were you thinkin?” Emily heard the now known voice of Casper asking. Emily didn’t hear a reply. All she heard was her door being ripped off of its hinges. The freezing cold rain poured down onto her causing her to shiver. 

“I got you, sweetheart,” Kian shouted over the rain. Emily couldn’t see him. She couldn’t see anything. But she felt the box of books leave her lap and her seatbelt reel in after someone undid it. “Sweetheart, can you hear me?”

She tried to nod but the pain shooting up her spine and into her head made her stop. 

“It’s okay, sweetheart. You don’t need to speak,” Kian whispered reaching into the car and lifting Emily out. She screamed from the pain of being moved. “I’m sorry. But I have to get you out of the car and somewhere safe, sweetheart.”

Emily didn’t reply. All she seemed to be able to do was rest her head on Kian’s chest and close her eyes.

“What the hell were you thinking, Cas,” Kian growled.

“Not now, pretty boy,” Casper growled back.

“Yes, now. You could have killed them!”

“Kian—” Casper began.

“They’re human, Cas.” Emily didn’t know if she was dreaming or dead. She didn’t understand why they would question her or Selma being human. Why wouldn’t they be human? So many thoughts were swarming in her mind. The werewolf looking beast. Kian and Casper’s conversation. The sudden change in weather. Her feelings towards Kian. All the thoughts swarming were making the nauseous feeling in her intensify.

“Don’t you fucking think I know that?” Something was draped over Emily’s head shielding her from the weather. “Not now sweetling, we need to take care of you first. Then we can talk... okay?” Casper’s voice was soft and tender. Emily could only assume that he was talking to Selma.

“Cas, we need—” Kian began.

“Not now, Kian. Please?”

“Boys! What happened,” Nikki shouted out of nowhere.

Great. I’ve died and gone to hell.