Emery reached across the seat and grabbed Rachel’s hand. “I love you, Rachel. You saved my life tonight.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
That’s a Gorgeous Gun
It was a little after two in the morning when Rachel pulled Derrick’s SUV into a tree-lined neighborhood near Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.
“So, your cousin’s cool with all of this?”
“Em, all he knows is that you’ve been in an abusive relationship and you’re getting out of it.” Rachel opened the door and walked to the back. “You’re just cooling your heels here for a while.”
“Oh.” Emery met Rachel at the back of the SUV. “That works.”
“I told him you’re eighteen and just quit Georgia State to get away from your abusive boyfriend.”
Emery nodded. “Parents?”
“Died in a car accident two years ago. You have money from life insurance.”
“Got it.”
Emery grabbed one bag and Rachel grabbed the other. They walked together through the parking lot to the condo that would be her new home for who knows how long. It was dark so she couldn’t really tell anything about the neighborhood itself, but it looked like there were two condos per building and there were at least eight buildings. They looked relatively new with their brick exteriors and cheerful bright-colored doors.
“So I think you being in an abusive relationship will keep him away from you,” Rachel commented, “but if he starts to sneak in, call me and I’ll cut his balls off.”
Emery laughed nervously. “What do you mean ‘sneak in’?”
“Noah is charming,” Rachel said and rolled her eyes. “He’s a football player and girls throw their panties at him on a regular basis. I don’t want him aiming that gun at you. You’ll flinch.”
“Rachel...” Emery touched Rachel’s arm to stop her from walking. “This will sound weird, but I’m not interested in anyone. I’ve cut myself off from people for so long…I don’t care about looks or charm or guns.” She sighed. “I’m a void. He’ll look at me and see that. I haven’t even kissed a boy.”
This admission caused a choking sound to escape Rachel’s mouth. She cleared her throat and looked down for a second. When she looked up, there was determination on her face. “Oh, Em! I’m so sorry that all of that was taken from you. You deserve to have that thirteen-year-old first extremely bad kiss that’s all teeth and hands. You deserve to get those chills of anticipation when you look at someone’s lips and wonder how they’ll feel on you...everywhere.”
“Don’t...” Emery started. This rant reminded her of all the things she’d lost—no, they’d been stolen. She didn’t want to be reminded of that right now, she wanted to figure out who Emily Sanders would be. What would she love or hate? What would she study? What would her laugh sound like?
“Emery Shaw, you deserve to be loved, adored, and touched so that you won’t cringe when someone wants to hug you. And so does Emily Sanders.”
Okay, so Rachel had noticed that she didn’t want to be touched, by anyone, anywhere.
“I’m too broken for that,” Emery said, exasperated. “Too damaged...damaged beyond repair.”
“No, Em. You’re not.” Rachel leaned into Emery’s side and bumped her shoulder. “You are totally lovable and when you’re ready to love someone it will be a wonderful thing to see.”
“Whatever,” Emery muttered and started walking again. They fell in stride together as they approached what Emery assumed would be her first step away from the nightmare that never went away.
“Don’t whatever me,” Rachel said, shifting the bag she was carrying to the other shoulder. “Here it is. Let’s get inside. I need alcohol or weed. Either will do.”
“Does your cousin smoke?”
“No, but he doesn’t care if we do.” Rachel’s smile widened as the royal blue door opened to reveal a guy in a white wife-beater tank top and gray sweatpants.
Emery looked away after she realized she was staring. Her eyes were drawn to his muscles and she took a moment to memorize his body. He was handsome in an all-star athlete kind of way, with stereotypical all-American good looks and straight teeth. His dark hair was a little shaggy and hung past his ears, his smile was genuine, and Rachel ran toward him.
“Noah!” she squealed.
“Rach! Glad y’all got here okay.” He picked her up in a bear hug and looked at Emery. “You must be Emily.”
Emery nodded. Emily. She was Emily now.