Guardians: The Girl (The Guardians Series, Book 1)(56)
“You took everything away from her.”
“We loved each other. I told you I would never hurt her.”
“You kidnapped her, you get her memory taken from her, and stop you her from going in to the light for thousands of years. How can you say you didn’t hurt her?”
“I took her because I loved her.”
“You took her because you’re a selfish bastard who couldn’t think about anyone but himself.”
“What we did that afternoon was about love, Emmy.”
“She didn’t even know you.”
“I don’t believe that. Somewhere in her heart she knew it was me. She didn’t fight me. She knew we had a connection.”
“She didn’t connect to you; she connected to whatever weapon you used.”
“I didn’t use a weapon.”
“So, you tear apart a teenager with your bare hands. Good job.”
“She didn’t fight. She knew me.”
“How is that possible?” Ameana asks.
“I don’t know but it felt like she wanted to be close to me. It felt like she wanted to be with me.”
“You think she flashed back to your history together?” Jay asks.
“I’ve heard of Sellers who can recall things from past cycles even when they’re kids. Emmy, she wasn’t afraid. We made love.”
“Then why did she file charges?”
“Maybe she forgot after I left.”
“Why didn’t you help her? Why did you leave if you already messed up by being with her? Why didn’t you stay?”
“The longer I stay with her the harder it is to let her live her life. Every cycle it gets harder and harder to stay away. If I had been with her after that day, in the next cycle, I would not even be able to resist at all.”
“You act like its okay, but it’s not. You stopped her from being happy. She could have been in the light right now instead of living paycheck to paycheck with a child conceived through rape.”
“I told you so you’d know that wasn’t the case. I thought this would make you feel better. My biggest fear after finding out that Femi was pregnant was that you’d grow up to feel unwanted. Now you know the truth: you were a product of love, Emmy.”
“Love?” I shake my head in disgust. Warm tears stream down my face. I get up slowly and head towards the door.
“Emmy, I know you’re mad, but try and understand.” He gets up and walks towards me.
“The only thing I could count on was my relationship with my mom. But now I don’t know who she is. Everything in my life is a lie. You have ruined my mom’s life and now mine. I hate you.”
“I can understand that, Piglet.”
“You have no right to call me that!”
“Yeah, I guess I’m not going to make father of the year. But I’m also not going to allow you to risk your life by being a part of this mission.”
“I don’t know you. You can’t tell me what to do!”
“No, but I can tell the Guardians this,” he says as he look every one of them in the eyes.
“I have helped every single cycle find the Triplex. Without me, they would have been lost. You agree to keep Emmy out of this and I will practically put the Triplex in your hand.”
“You’re lying,” Jay says.
“Ask Rio,” he says, looking at the human mood ring.
“He’s not,” Rio confirms.
“We can’t keep her out of this. She’s already a part. The Council has seen to that,” Ameana says.
“Send her away to stay with her uncle upstate. If you need to question her, you can get her on the phone. Or go up to see her. She does not need to be in harms way, Marcus.”
“It doesn’t matter where she is—the Akons will find her,” Miku says.
“Well, the Akons aren’t the only ones who pose a threat now, are they? You think I don’t break Splashes? You were told to stay away from Emmy by the Sage.”
“So this isn’t about her safety, is it? You just don’t want me around her?”
“I know what it means to be a Guardian. I know that every thing you love gets destroyed. So I would appreciate it if you would stay away from my daughter.”
“We’re not together,” Marcus insists.
“Good, then you won’t have a problem letting her go.”
“She won’t be protected.”
“You’re a smart guy, I’m sure you can find away to protect her away from the action.”
“Stop talking about me like I’m not here,” I shout.
“Marcus, you know I’m right,” Julian says with a steely conviction in his voice.
Marcus looks at me. His eyes begin to fill with regret. I walk up to him.
“No, don’t listen to him,” I plead.
“So, how about it, Marcus? Do you want to find the Triplex or not?” Julian asks.
EPILOGUE
It’s Valentine’s Day and I planned to hang out with my mom but she got called into work. So, it’s just me and Ms. Charlotte. The two of us are protesting “V” Day by watching the most unromantic movies we can find. Halfway though Friday the Thirteenth, there’s a knock on the door.
“Who is it?”
“Jay.”
My heart races and my hands go cold. It’s been a few days since Julian gave Marcus an ultimatum. He said he needed to talk things over with the team and would let me know what he decided. I guess this is it.
I walk over and open the door. He stands there looking beyond sexy with shades and a heart-shaped box.
“These are for you.”
“Is this the Guardian’s way of saying, ‘Get lost, we found Julian, we don’t need you?” I say as I move aside and let him in.
“Nothing’s been decided yet.”
“Well, I know Ameana would love for me to be gone. But what about the twins?”
“They love you, Em. But they are very focused on the mission.”
“And you?”
“C’mon, baby girl. You know how I do: I’m faithful to the end. But that Triplex has to be found. Nothing can get in the way of that.”
“I’m screwed,” I sigh.
I open the box of chocolate and shove three pieces into my mouth almost all at once.
“Chew, Emmy.”
“Don’t start with me. I’m trying to deal here,” I say plopping down of the sofa. He sits beside me.
“It’s been hard, huh?”
I shove another piece of chocolate into my mouth. I slide down on to the sofa until the top half of my body is on Jay’s lap. He gently strokes my hair. It reminds me of Reese. He had held me this way after I had kissed Marcus in the car. We sat right here and he told me his Core. I miss him.
“How is it?”
“I’m eating too fast to tell. Where are the others?”
“You mean Marcus?”
“Yeah.”
“He and Ameana are going out tonight.”
“Is there a new lead?”
“No.”
“Oh, it’s a Valentine thing?”
“Yeah, sorry.”
“It’s no big deal,” I lie.
A short while later, Jay is gone and so is a whole pound of chocolate. Don’t judge me. I really needed it. I head into my room and get under the covers. I don’t know who I’m fooling.
There is no way I can sleep. I love Jay very much, but I wish he hadn’t told me about Marcus’ evening plans. I wish I had never asked. But I couldn’t help it. I wanted to know.
Now I feel bad. And the thing about feeling bad is that once you get started, it’s hard to stop. Soon I start to think about what a wonderful time Marcus is having with her. And that if he says I have to sit out the rest of the mission, I won’t have any contact with him at all.
Even as I am putting on my sneakers and heading out the door to spy on them, I tell myself it’s a bad idea. I tell myself that whatever I find when I get to the Guardian’s home will upset me. It doesn’t matter. I have to go.
I fly out the door and see Rio standing there waiting for me. His flaming hair makes his eyes sparkle.
“C’mon, I’ll give you a ride,” he says.
“You’re not gonna talk me out of it?”
“Could I?”
“No.”
“Then, no.” We get into Jay’s favorite car, Siren.
Once we are on our way, Rio turns to me.
“Can I ask you a question?” he says.
“No, I don’t know why I’m going over to the house and no, I have no idea what I’m going to say to him.”
“This isn’t about that.”
“Okay, what is it?”
“Where did Ameana take you the night of your birthday after you two left the house?”
“We didn’t go anywhere,” I say, knowing that it’s pointless.
“No need to lie to a guy who knows what you feel before you do.”
“Alright. She took me to the Golden Gate Bridge.”
“Why?”
“To tell me to stay away from Marcus.”
“And look how well that worked.”
“This is all so easy for you. You know what everyone is thinking already. Me, I have to work without waves. I have to figure out how I feel on my own.”
“You know what you’re feeling, Em. Desperation isn’t a hard emotion to identify, waves or no waves.”
“You think I’m desperate?”
“Yes.”
“Then I must be.”