Unbroken

“But I don’t want Daniel!” I scream, trying to break through his icy demeanor. “I want you!”

My voice echoes through the yard, out through the trees and dunes, and the tall grasses that bob and bend as the sharp breeze whips around us. I stand there, shaking, in agony. If he could only listen to me! If he would only understand!

But Emerson doesn’t flinch, and when he looks back at me, his eyes are dead behind those velvet lashes, so cold in the way I’ve only ever seen once before.

The last time he left me.

A storm of emotion comes crashing around me, my heartbeat roaring in my ears. “You’re doing it again,” I whisper, gripped with a dread so cold I can’t feel my arms or legs. “You’re ending it.”

Emerson’s jaw is clenched with tension, but his posture is casual. I think I see something flash in his eyes, but then his face is set again. Determined. He gives a shrug, so relaxed that it breaks my heart clean in two.

“Why not?” He says coolly, like it’s all just a game to him. “Fuck, Jules, I never promised you anything. I figured, this was just a one-time thing, you know?” Emerson gives me a leering smirk. “One more f**k for old time’s sake.”

I crumble with a sickening sense of déjà vu. “You don’t mean that,” I shake my head, desperate. “I don’t know why you’re saying it, but it’s not true!”

“Sure it is.” Emerson meets my gaze head-on: empty and dark-eyed, like a stranger. He strolls closer, a grim smile on his lips. “You know, it was fun, watching you put up a fight, trying to be a good little girl. I bet Garrett a hundred bucks I could get you out of those panties in a month,” he adds.

I gasp. “That’s a lie!” I protest wildly. He keeps approaching me, and I back until I hit up against the truck.

Emerson looms closer, reaching out to trace a blazing path along my collarbone. “Sorry, sweetheart. I figured you’d give me a run for my money, but you were so hot for me, it didn’t even take that long.”

“Stop it,” I sob, pushing his hands away. I can’t believe what he’s saying, or the cruel smirk in his smile. This isn’t my Emerson, it can’t be!

“What? You don’t want me anymore?” Emerson’s voice is twisted and teasing. “That’s not what you said last night.” His voice drops, and he leans in closer, breath hot against my ear. “You were moaning my name,” he murmurs. “Begging me to f**k you harder. Don’t you remember?”

I choke back a sob as he reaches to caress my shoulder. I shudder at his touch, feeling tears flow wet down my cheeks even as my body tightens with desire. I hate myself for the shivers sparking through my body, how my breath quickens just to feel his body close, and my ni**les harden against his chest.

“See?” Emerson whispers triumphantly, and I realize with a flush of shame he can feel my desire too. He pulls back, looking down at me with a leer, “Hell, I’ve got some time if you want to go another round.” he smirks, “If you ask real nice, I might even tie you down and let you suck me—“

“Stop it!” I scream, shoving him away. I’m sobbing uncontrollably now, drowning in pain and humiliation. It all makes sense to me now, such terrible sense. That first night we met, in the parking lot at Jimmy’s, he taunted me, just like this.

It was his plan all along, I realize, with sickening dread. I was only ever a game to him, a twisted f**k-you to our former love.

He never cared, not for one moment.

It was all a lie.

“Aww, c’mon,” Emerson taunts, reaching for me again. “You know you want me.” He takes hold of my hoodie zipper, and starts to pull it open, but something in me finally snaps.

“Don’t touch me!” I scream, shoving him away again. I reel back, out of the circle of his embrace—and all his treacherous lies. “Don’t you dare touch me again!”

There’s the sound of a door slamming open, and then Daniel comes hurtling out of the house. I can barely see through my anguished tears as he plants himself between me and Emerson, one hand on my arm. “You need to get the hell out of here,” he orders Emerson with a growl.

“Just go!” I sob, feeling utterly broken. “Please, go!”

I wait, with some small, wretched part of me hoping that shutter in his eyes will crack, and he’ll take me in his arms again, and tell me this is all some terrible mistake. But Emerson just backs away. “My pleasure.” he spits, and walks away to his truck. The engine starts, and then he backs out, tires screeching as they skid on the dirt road.

He’s gone. He’s left me again.

Stupid f**king girl.

I watch the dust fly on the dirt road in the wake of his truck and gasp for air. It takes everything I have not to sink to the ground right there in the front yard.

“Juliet,” Daniel holds me up. “Look at me, what did he say?”

I shake my head, pulling away. “You too. I need you to go.”

“I’m not leaving you like this!” Daniel protests.

I take a deep breath, and force a smile on my face. “I’m fine.” I lie to him, through a clenched jaw. “I want to be alone.”

“Juliet…” Daniel protests. I stand firm. I have one last reserve of self-control, but it’s fading fast. I just need him to be gone now, before the grief takes me over completely.

“Please, you’ve done more than enough.” I insist, pushing him towards the cab of the van. “Take the U-Haul, and get on the road. I’ll finish up here, and follow you to the city in a little while.”