Over the Edge

Ch.38-Always

"Need to go, need to go, need to go."

Alright, that's enough. I strode toward her, reaching out and snagging her arm, dragging her against me. She fought with everything she was worth as I wrapped an arm around her waist, pinning her back against my chest, covering her eyes with my free hand. 

"Let me go!" she screamed.

"Calm down, shut up, and listen," I ordered, shocked when she did. She trembled against me, fear quaking down to her bones, and more than anything, I wanted to get rid of it. "Are you calm?"

"Yes," she lied.

I would buy it for now. "Mike Packer is in jail," I said. "He can't get to you. We found him and locked him up, and we have everything we need to charge him."

She blinked. Her eyelashes brushed against my palm. Nothing so menial had ever aroused me before.

"My name is Rhys Richardson," I continued. "Do you remember me, Emma?"

"Not before waking up," she said, decidedly more calm.

"That's fine. My name is Rhys Richardson. We were on an English project together. At first we hated each other, but now we're friends."

She stopped shaking.

"I like to paint," I mentioned, grabbing for words to say. "That odor you smell is paints, probably left out over night, because I'm a lazy ass. I hate people in general, reality TV makes me want to kill someone, and I am in love with you."

She froze. I looked toward the ceiling as I said the words. They left a strange taste in my mouth, probably because I had never uttered them to anyone before.

I hoped I hadn't just made a colossal douche of myself.

"More," Emma breathed suddenly, hands gripping my arm around her waist. "Tell me more."

I propped my chin on her head and was hopeless but to do her bidding. I would stand there all damn night of she asked me to. "You like The Breakfast Club," I began. "And fast food fries. You hate obnoxious people and being in crowds. You hate people who feel worthless because sometimes you feel that way, too, and they remind you of yourself. Your father is a fed, and your mother is a grief counselor, and you attend Heart High School."

She turned, eyes remaining closed as she faced me. "More."

"You take chances on people," I said, using the crook of my finger to tilt her chin up. "You have the best heart out of anyone I have ever known. You saved me from myself."

Her teeth caught her lower lip. I wanted to devour her. "More."

I began undoing the buttons of her blouse, slowly, methodically, giving her a chance to shove me away. She didn't. "If anybody saw me with you right now, like this, my reputation would be ruined."

Her lips quirked up in a smile.

"I am so terrible for you, and undeserving, but I can't just not try." I snuck one hand between the folds of her parted shirt, tentatively settling my hand on the bare skin of her waist. "I can't stay away from you."

She opened her mouth to speak, but the impossible happened. Her fucking cell phone rang, effectively ruining the moment. A blush crawled over her face, deeper than the reddest rose. "I . . . I'm sorry," she mumbled, brushing by me to answer it. I cranked my hands up behind my head, closing my eyes, wishing the downstairs brain was as easy to cool off as the upstairs one. 

And then, as if her cell phone ringing wasn't bad enough, there was a fucking knock at the door.

Holy hell.

I waited a few moments, sucking in a few cleansing deep breaths, before leaving the room to open the door. I was not completely surprised to see Rico standing on the other side.

"Rhys!" he exclaimed. "My man. How's it going?"

It was going fine until the world decided to interrupt. "Great."

"Can I come in?"

"No."

He seemed taken aback. "What? But . . . Okay, listen, I know I teased you about this place before, but . . .

"Rico," I snapped, cutting off his rambles. "That's not why."

Partial understanding filled his expression. "I see."

"Emma's here."

"Hmm."

"We're just talking."

"Sure."

"You need to get the hell out of here."

He held his hands up. "Fine, whatever. I just wanted to make sure you're okay, since you're like a brother and all to me, but I guess I took that relationship for granted. I'll just be on my way."

"Good. That's all I ask."

Rico paused half-way to his car, hands shoved in his pockets. "One more thing, Rhys."

"What?"

"Don't fuck this up."

I rolled my eyes. "Bye, Rico."

He sped away in his car, laughing his stupid head off.

"Rhys."

Whirling around, I spotted Emma standing hesitantly a few feet away. "Yeah?"

"Who was that?"

"Nobody, just . . . How are you?"

Everything sort of felt awkward. I was still majorly aroused, and she was no doubt lost and confused, only holding a partial memory. And her fucking blouse was still undone, basically stripping me of any and all self-control I could maintain. "Okay," she said, probably another lie. 

"Awesome." Oh, God, I need a cold shower. "Do you, uh, want me to drive you home or something?"

"No."

I blinked. "Huh?"

"No, I don't want you to drive me home."

"Well, you can't walk . . ."

"Rhys," she insisted, a small smile pulling up one corner of her mouth. "I don't want to go home."

I thought I was hallucinating. "You don't."

"No."

"So . . . You want to stay here?"

"Yes."

"With me."

"Yes."

"Just making sure you know what this entails," I said as she approached me. "I'm an asshole."

She reached out a hand, running the tips of her nails along my jaw. Everything within me settled into place. "I don't care."

"You don't even remember everything."

"I remember enough."

"Then ask me, Emma. Whatever it is you want, just ask."

She looked up at me, just looked, and for a second I almost thought she would change her mind. I nearly panicked.

“When you care about someone, when you love someone, you put them before you.”

Would I forever be hearing my dad’s and Rico’s voice in my head? The thought was highly disturbing and equally terrifying.

“Rhys.”

Her voice was barely more than a breath, a release of air. But I heard it; I would always hear it. “Yes?”

The tear rolled down her temple, tripping onto her collarbone, down her chest. “Love me.”

All she had to do was ask.

I was already hers.

So I cupped the back of her neck, resting my forehead against hers, and I said, "Always."