Chapter 14

EMERSON

I made a show of yawning in the backseat as I sat up, leaning against the door. I couldn't let Armani know that I'd overheard his entire conversation with Siren. That was sure to start another argument between us, and I didn't have the energy to fight him tonight.

"You're awake. Good."

"Are we coming from Siren's place?"

His eyes met mine in the rearview mirror. "What do you think?"

"Looks like I slept through the entire visit. What did she say?"

"She's going to discuss it with you later. You were asleep, so she didn't want to wake you up."

"Oh. When did she say she was going to see me?"

He shrugged. "When she's free, I guess. I don't keep up with her schedule."

I rolled my eyes, winding down the window. "Would it kill you to stop being an ass for, say, one week?" 

"Close that back," he snapped.

"Make me." I stuck my upper half through the open window, laughing to myself as the wind caressed my skin, blowing my hair around my face.

"For fuck's sake, Emerson, you're not a fucking child!"

"Oooh, he's about to have an aneurism," I mocked, knowing he could hear me over the sound of the engine and other cars passing by.

"Fucking hell."

Armani packed the car by the roadside before climbing out of the car. "Inside. Now!" His eyes shot daggers down at my face.

"Keep growling at me, Armani. It won't change anything. If I don't want to get in, you can't make me."

"Can't I?"

"You can't. Rather than being a killjoy, why not have fun? You don't have much time left to live, after all."

I regretted the words the minute they left my mouth. Shit. He didn't know I'd overheard the entire conversation with Siren, but I'd blown my cover.

"You weren't asleep," came his blank reply.

"Can you … pull me out?" I asked with a hesitant smile.

He banded an arm around my middle, using his second hand to support my legs as he pulled me out through the window.

"I heard everything you discussed with Siren," I admitted, refusing to meet his eyes. "I didn't mean to, but I knew you'd close up the minute you knew I was there. You seemed like you were comfortable talking to her."

He said nothing in reply, so I looked up at him to find him already staring down at me. 

"I won't tell anyone if that's what you're worried about." 

'I don't want a repeat of this weekend,' I thought to myself.

"Okay. Get into the car."

He swiveled around, lowering himself back into the driver's seat, leaving me dumbfounded on the roadside. I didn't expect him to agree so easily.

"Don't make me drive off, Emerson. Get in."

"Calm your tits down," I grumbled, sliding back into the car.

"Everything you heard tonight, forget it," he said, our eyes meeting mine through the rearview mirror.

"I didn't say I was going to tell anyone."

"That's not what I'm talking about. You need to forget everything."

He was talking about the fact that he thought we were mates, and I couldn't resist the urge to mess with him. "Even if all of it is true?"

"None of it is true. It's just speculation."

"Uh-huh."

He looked annoyed. "I'm serious. Forget it. About the nightmares, since when did you start getting them?" He asked as she started up the car.

"The second day I got here."

"So, the mark caused it."

I nodded. "Yeah. Those nightmares are yours, aren't they?"

"Yes," he admitted, his voice solemn.

"I don't understand any of it."

"I'd like it to remain that way."

"Why? Because you see it as another part of yourself exposed to the world?"

"I don't want to argue, Emerson."

"Did you ever think that me sharing your nightmares with you might be a way to relieve you?"

"Relieve me, how?"

"You can talk about it with someone who understands because I was basically experiencing everything myself."

"So, you're offering to talk about my nightmares with me?"

"No."

"Why did you bring it up then?"

"What happened during the weekend is going to happen again, and I don't know if you know this, but I have feelings. Feelings that got hurt because of your words. 

"Sure, you're my dragon, and I'll feel obligated to help you every single time I feel like you need help, I'm going to try to curb that. It won't be easy, but I'll try. It's a win-win for both of us; I respect your wishes, and my feelings don't get hurt."

He nodded in agreement. "I can work with that."

"Then there should be no further arguments between us."

"It's not going to be that easy, but sure," he said before taking off down the road.

It took over thirty minutes to get to Emily and Darren's mansion, and the memory from the two nights ago had me wincing when Armani looked at me expectantly, as if trying to say 'get out of the car'.

"I think it's best if you took me to my parents' house."

"These are your parents," he deadpanned. 

Right. He didn't know the full story behind me not being with my parents for eighteen years. "See, my biological parents didn't raise me."

"I know. Everyone at school already knows."

"Oh." I didn't know that. "Back to why I'd rather go to my parents' home. I was a bitch to Emily after the argument we had, and I think I hurt her."

Why was I telling Armani about my current life crisis? We weren't friends by any means, and it wasn't like he told me anything personal about his life.

"So, you think they might not want you back."

Damn, he hit the nail right on the head.

He huffed. "You're not perfect, Emerson. We all make mistakes and say shit we don't mean. If your biological parents care as much as I think they do, they'll take you in, flaws and all."

I couldn't stop myself from saying, "Just like your parents."

His mother loved him a lot. I'd witnessed that firsthand when the healers were with Armani. She'd all but torn down the palace. She'd been that worried, and even though the king didn't rage out like that, anyone who looked into his eyes could tell he was worried about his son's health.

"Yes. My mom and Emily are friends, and Emily seems like a nice person. Trust me when I say she won't take anything you said to heart."

I cocked a brow at him. "Trust you?"

"I think we can both agree that's a little far-fetched," he admitted with a smirk.

I couldn't help the smile that pulled at my lips. "Something we finally agree on." I was already one foot out of the car when I paused. "Do you mind if I say something? It's okay if you don't want to hear it."

His eyes danced with uncertainty. "Shoot."

"I know you said to forget everything I heard back at Siren's place, but if you really don't have much time to live, it would suck if you don't live your best life before you eventually have to go. Focus on the in-between and create memories with your family."

"And what makes you think I'm not living my best life, or creating memories with my family?"

I shook my head at him. "I know you're not. There's a fear holding you back."

My heart ached for him.

 We shouldn't be having this conversation at all. He was young, full of life, handsome, you name it. He had his whole life ahead of him, but that was getting cut short. 

Sadly, not everyone was lucky enough to have a good fate. He was one of the unlucky ones destined for an ugly fate.

"You would know that, because?"

"Because we share the same nightmares."

He turned to face the steering wheel, automatically dismissing me. "Goodnight, Emerson."

***

"Emerson, we've been waiting for you!" Emily squeaked, a nervous smile in place.

She stood in the foyer with Darren, both dressed for bed. 

"I'm sorry for keeping you two awake. You should not have bothered."

"Nonsense. You're our daughter."

An awkward silence fell over us for a dreadful minute before I cleared my throat. 

"I'm sorry for Saturday night. I was a bitch, and what I said was uncalled for."

"Queen Renee already let us know what happened with Armani. You were angry at him when you snapped at us."

"Nevertheless, I should have had better control of my emotions."

Darren patted my shoulder. "No one is perfect, Emerson. We don't expect you to be. We know bonding with us won't be so easy. Relationships take time. We said as much when you first came. Now, why don't you go catch some sleep? I'm sure you're exhausted."

"I am." 

But I knew I wouldn't be able to get some sleep. As long as Armani had a nightmare, it'd keep me awake until the early hours of the morning and by then, it was too late to catch a wink of sleep.

"Goodnight, darling."

Emily placed a kiss on both of my cheeks before waving me up the stairs. I let out a sigh of relief when I was in the safety of my bedroom. One fear eased, a million more to go.