Forest Lake

Chapter 62

“He is a sick man, Emma.” I said. “You heard what the detectives said. It was because of a doll he had as a kid and you reminded him of that doll.”

“I know that.” she said quietly. “But if he gets out and my hair is different, and my eyes are different, and my skin…”

“He is not getting out, Emma.” I interrupted her. “He is not taking you away.”

“But he said…” she spoke, but I interrupted her again.

“I know what he said.” I nodded, wrapping my arms around her. “He is delusional. He is not getting out of jail anytime soon. He is not taking you away from me, Emma. No one is taking you away from me.”

She sighed and looked down at her hands.

I just wanted to make her feel safe. What could I do to make her feel safe?

“It didn’t seem real until today.” she mumbled quietly.

“What?” I asked her, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear.

“When I helped the police for the first time, I convinced myself that it was about Annie.” she said, looking up at me. “I mean, it was. It was about saving Annie. But I told myself that I just looked like her and that it was all really about her.”

She stopped talking and bit her bottom lip. She looked back down at her hands.

“But after today, I know it was never about her.” she continued quietly. “It was always about me. I don’t look like Annie. She looks like me. I didn’t realize that he was this obsessed. I mean, he said that he missed my skin.”

Her eyebrows furrowed, and she looked up at me.

“How can you miss someone’s skin?” she asked me, clenching her fists. “What does that even mean?”

I tightened my jaw and forced myself to remain calm. I almost lost it back at the station when I heard him say that. Chris was having a hard time stopping me from running to the interrogation room and killing the fucker. Detective Perry and two other cops had to help Chris to hold me down.

She placed her hand on her neck where the fucker touched her when he stabbed her with the syringe.

I moved her hand away and placed my hand over the spot. I wished I could just erase his touch.

“I don’t know what it means, Emma.” I said softly, staring at my hand on her neck. “But I can promise you that he will never touch you again.”

Even if he somehow managed to escape, I would kill him before he could lay eyes on her again.

Emma wrapped her arms around my neck and hugged me tightly.

“Thank you for being there for me today.” she said. “I honestly don’t know what I would have done if you weren’t there. After we left the station, I had a feeling that he was right behind me. I had a feeling that he was going to grab me at any second. Being with you was the only thing that kept me from screaming.”

I hugged her as tightly as I could. My heart was breaking just hearing about how scared she was.

“You don’t have to thank me for that, Emma.” I said. “I will never leave you alone. I will always be right here. I will be clingy, and boring, and overprotective, and I will never leave your side.”

She chuckled and turned her head to kiss my cheek.

“I’m sorry you had to see me throw up.” she said as she let go of me.

“At least you didn’t throw up on me again.” I teased her.

“My aim is getting better.” she said, chuckling.

I gave her a small smile and ran my fingers through her hair.

I loved her so fucking much and I couldn’t believe that I almost lost her. I couldn’t believe that I let nine years go by without talking to her. I remembered the first time I saw her in school. I remembered how I told her to stay the fuck away from me. I remembered how I wanted her to leave. My heart clenched painfully, and my stomach twisted. I was a fucking idiot. I was angry and hurt, and I hurt her so fucking much. I would never be able to forgive myself for what I did to her. I would never be able to forget what I did.

“Massy?” Emma called me softly.

“Yes?” I asked as I pulled myself out of my thoughts and focused on my sister.

“What is the name of that girl who came to talk to us when we were at the library?” she asked me, furrowing her eyebrows. “She called me a whore and you threatened her.”

“Monica.” I answered, clenching my fists just remembering how she insulted my sister. “Wh…”

And then it dawned on me.

Holy fucking shit! How the fuck didn’t I remember that sooner?!

My eyes widened and my heart raced.

“She is the only one who was openly rude to me.” Emma said. “She is the only one who came to mind when detectives asked if I had any issues with the girls in the school.”

I could feel the anger building up inside me. I was going to kill that bitch!

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and called Peters.

He answered immediately.

“Monica Jacobs.” I said, gritting my teeth.

“Is she a student at your school?” he asked.

“Yes.” I said.

“Okay.” Peters said. “We will bring her in. I will let you know as soon as we find something out.”

I hung up the phone and threw it on the bed next to me.

I wrapped my arms around Emma and pulled her to me. I took a deep breath and leaned my head on hers, trying to calm myself down.

I wanted to find Monica and show her what happens when you mess with my sister.

But I couldn’t. I could never do anything that would separate me from Emma. She needed me and I needed her. I would never leave her side.