“Yes?”
“I can trust you, right?”
God, she was killing him. Liam wanted nothing more than to run to her, wrap her in his arms, and kiss her fears away. He walked to her, her gaze lifted as he approached. Liam leaned against the doorframe to the bathroom and took one of her hands in his. Energy danced and tingled in his palm. “Yes, Em. I promise. You can trust me.”
Emily squeezed his hand while looking him in the eye. She stepped closer to him. “I’m not going to lock the door. Just in case it shows itself again while I’m in here. I don’t want you to be locked out.”
“Okay. If you’re comfortable with that. I would never do anything to hurt you.” Liam kept his voice low and soft. He leaned down farther and placed his mouth near her ear. “But just so you know, that little flimsy lock isn’t going to do shit to stop me from getting to you if you need me.” Liam watched as a small shiver traveled down her body. Seeing Emily’s physical response to his words caused a chain reaction within him. The smoldering flame in his belly grew, and he’d be damned if he was going to attempt to smother it.
When he lifted his head, he caught her eyes. They were no longer wide with trepidation. Her lids were now heavy, her face relaxed, and her breath escaped in a long exhale.
“Okay. I’m leaving it unlocked. I’ll feel better knowing you can get here easier.”
Liam raised her hand to his mouth. Turning it, he kissed her palm. “Go on, baby. Have your shower and get warm.”
Emily stepped back, smiled at him while giving him a quick glance through her long lashes, and closed the door.
***
Emily inhaled the thick, warm steam that filled the bathroom. She stripped and climbed in the shower, adjusting the water to as hot as she could handle it. The spray stung her skin at first, but after a minute, her body acclimated to the temperature change, and she allowed the hot water to pound against her stiff muscles.
Emily had never been so cold in her life. Shaken to her core, her body was frozen from the inside out. The only comforting thought was Liam. She had been afraid of telling him what she had been living with her entire life. She was more afraid of him experiencing what was tormenting her, afraid he would think she was too much of a burden. But he didn’t pull away from her. Instead, he comforted her, surrounding her in a blanketing light of caring and understanding. It was a warmth of emotions she had never experienced before. Making her feel not only safe and excepted but strong and determined—to fight the evil that had followed and attached itself to her. Liam was an anchor, holding her steady in a raging ocean of uncertainty.
Emotions flooded, sweeping over her in choppy waves, holding her beneath an undertow of current, and she couldn’t bring herself to the surface. Terrified, confused, and fed up, a burning need to find answers and figure out what was happening lit itself within her. In the past, Emily walked through life…numb. She wandered through time in a haze of existence, not truly feeling or being aware of her surroundings, or her wants and desires.
She was done. An evil spirit afflicted her life with fear, and she wasn’t going to allow it to continue. Wasn’t going to allow it to tear her away from a man who she felt so connected with, who she knew was just as aware of her heart's deepest desires as she was. The link she felt tethering her to Liam overwhelmed her entire being, and she refused to give in to the pressure of the haunting. She was going to fight the evil that tormented her and live her life. Free.
Twelve
Liam paced his living room while listening to Phil’s phone continue to ring without an answer once again. He left yet another message at the tone, this time not caring to hide the frustration in his voice and hung up. Sitting in the lounge chair next to the oversized sofa in his living room, Liam interlaced his fingers and rested his chin against his hands, elbows on his knees, he stared across the room toward the bathroom where Emily was taking a shower.
The kiss they shared on her sofa in her flat was everything he’d imagined it would be. Everything he’d remembered from his dream. The feel of his mouth on hers felt like heaven. Even the soft sigh that escaped her lips was familiar to him.
Liam pulled the chain on the lamp sitting on the side table, illuminating the room in a warm glow, before picking his phone back up and calling the one person in the world he knew would understand his predicament.
“Hey, son. How are you?”
At the sound of his father’s voice, Liam dropped his head and took a deep, cleansing breath, trying desperately to hide his emotions. He knew his father would know something was up otherwise. He always did. “Hey, Dad,” Liam said, his voice shaky.
“What the fuck is going on, Liam? What’s wrong?”
The sound of his father’s voice washed over Liam, and he smiled. “I’m fine, Dad. I promise.”
“You’re not fine. You’re calling way later than what is typical of you. And by the sound of your voice, you’re completely freaked out about something. Now talk.”
Clayton Wesley was not one to be messed with. He loved his family hard and did everything in his power to protect them.
“Okay. So. Let me start at the beginning.”
“That’s always a good starting point, son.”
“Yeah. So… I met a girl. She’s beautiful. Amazing. She moved into the flat below mine a couple weeks ago.”
Liam briefly filled his father in on everything that had been going on. When he got to the details about what had happened in Emily’s flat, his dad was not only concerned but also angry.
“Listen, Liam. I know what you’re feeling. When we were going through that crap in Sacramento, and we came home to find your mother at the bottom of those stairs, I wanted to kill somebody. Something that we couldn’t see touched my wife and almost killed her. So, I know the anger you’re feeling right now. But I’ll tell you something else. Back then, we didn’t know or have the information and technology and resources of today. This is what you do, son. You find the answers, and you help people. You need to keep your head straight. Don’t let the anger overtake you. That’s what the damn thing wants. It wants to ruin you. God, I wish I could’ve called someone like you guys back then. I can’t tell you how many fights your mom and I went through. Over stupid shit. The littlest things would set us off. These things feed off of fear and anger. Don’t give in to it.”
Liam knew his dad was one hundred percent right. But like most things in life, it was easier said than done.
“I know, Dad. I’m just trying to figure out why the hell all of this started when she moved in. I’m not blaming her. I’m just trying to put the pieces together. What is it about her that woke this place up?”
A moment of silence hung in the air before his dad spoke, “There’s something you’re not telling me, Liam. I can hear it in your voice. What is it?”
Of course. His father could always read him, even over the phone. He had a sixth sense for those things. Clayton always knew when any of his children were holding something back.
“Dad.” Liam paused for a moment, trying to find the right words. Realizing there wasn’t any easy way to explain, he said, “She’s the girl I’ve been dreaming about since high school. She’s the one in my nightmares.”
Another beat of silence followed. Liam heard his father blow out a breath. “Are you kidding me?”
“I’m one hundred percent positive it’s her.”
“You have Trey and Luke working on this with you?”
“Abso-fucking-lutely. They’re downstairs right now covering up Emily’s broken window, and they are staying the night in her flat.”
“Good. Where is Emily?”
“She was really freaked out, so I brought her to my flat. She’s taking a shower. And before you go there, nothing has happened between us yet.”
A roar of laughter filled Liam’s ear. “Yet, huh?” his father repeated. “Son, when are you bringing her out here to meet us?”
“Soon. I hope.” The thought of his parents meeting the woman literally from h
is dreams made him happy and nervous all at once. He’d only just met Emily, but he knew she was special. Everything in him screamed that they were meant to be together. Liam pushed the fact that he’d only just met Emily aside, and focused on how his blood rushed through his body, and his heart ached when he thought of not being with her.
“Alright, listen to me. You need anything, you call. I don’t care what time it is. You call! Lean on Trey and Luke. They have your back. And you bring that girl out here to meet your mom and me. Remember what I’ve always told you.”
“I will. Thanks, dad.” Liam put his phone back down. His mind kept drifting to the window in Emily’s apartment blowing apart. He couldn’t shake the anguish of her being hurt had she been standing near it when it shattered, exploding into tiny shards of glass. What if she’d been alone when it happened? What if his friends had been hurt?
The team was used to investigating dangerous locations. Sometimes, they were miles away from any medical services. It was a risk they took on every job, willing to put themselves in danger to help others and get answers. But he still worried about his friends. And now, Emily too. She had never dealt with the haunting being violent. She said herself that she had always complied with it. Avoiding any physical relationships with men, which seemed to keep it at bay. What if he was the catalyst for the violence unfolding? It was an idea that twisted Liam’s gut, and at the same time, the need to protect Emily took hold.
He felt relief now that his father knew what was going on. Even if he couldn’t provide any answers, just knowing that his dad understood his worry brought him comfort. The sound of Emily turning the doorknob on the bathroom door pulled his attention to the hallway. She walked out, skin flushed from the warm shower, hair damp, and his clothes hung loose on her. She was a sight of pure beauty as she made her way to him. The closer she came to him, Liam noticed the slight puffiness and redness around her eyes. He was about to stand and go to her when her steps picked up, and she threw herself in his lap. “What’s wrong?” Liam asked.
Emily shook her head. “Nothing. I just had to break down for a minute.”
Liam tightened his hold on her waist. Her front plastered to him, she straddled his lap once again, like she had during their kiss.
“I’m not giving in to it anymore,” she whispered. “I’m done giving it what it wants. I’m not going to run from it anymore. I just don’t know where to begin to fight it.”
Liam shifted, placing his palm against her cheek. He gently nudged her back, keeping her close, but looking her in the eye. “You won’t fight it alone. You have me. We have Trey and Luke to help, and we know a lot of people in the field who can help. We will do whatever it takes to get rid of it.”
“Thank you,” Emily said. She closed her eyes and Liam leaned forward, resting his cheek against the side of her head.
“Can I get you anything?” he asked her.
“No. I’m okay.”
“Wait for me right here. I’ll be right back.”
Emily scooted to the side and settled on the sofa as he stood and went to his bedroom. He quickly changed into sweatpants, pulled the comforter off of his bed, and carried it to the living room.
He walked straight back to Emily. “What are you doing?” She looked up as he approached the sofa.
Liam sat next to her, unfolded the comforter from around his arm, and guided her back to lie next to him. Her back to the sofa, her front pressed to his side, the energy between them danced. “I’m not leaving you alone tonight. Not even to sleep.” Liam stroked her damp hair, pushing it away from her face. “Get some rest. Tomorrow, we’ll talk to Trey and Luke. We’re going to take this one day at a time. Tomorrow, we’ll start working on a plan of action.
Emily relaxed, and Liam felt her give him more of her weight. “Liam?”
“Yeah?”
“Do you feel it too?”
Liam tightened his arms around her and squeezed his eyes shut. “Feel what?” he asked, as his heart raced at the implication of her words. Was she feeling the same extraordinary sensations when their skin touched as he was?
“I don’t know how to describe it. Whenever we touch, there’s a burst of energy. A current. A pulsing. I can feel it leave your body and enter mine. Do you feel it too? What is it?”
Liam blew out the breath he had been holding. His body trembled with the confirmation that she, in fact, was experiencing the same sensation. “Yeah, baby. I feel it. Does it scare you?”
“No!” Emily stated, lifting her head to look up at him. “It doesn’t scare me at all. If anything, it’s…comforting.”
“I don’t have answers, but my gut tells me it’s because we’re connected somehow. I don’t know how yet. But I’m going to find out.”
Emily nodded and rested her head on Liam’s arm once more, pushing herself closer to his body as if she were trying to cocoon herself. Instinctively, Liam pulled the comforter up closer to their chins. He wrapped his free arm around her waist, allowing her to snuggle deeper into his embrace.
“I’m sorry our first dinner together was ruined by a pissed off ghost,” Emily quipped.
Liam’s body erupted in laughter, and when he looked down, Emily’s warm smile greeted him. “Hey, at least we’ll have a great story to go along with this date.” Liam kissed the top of Emily’s head, and within minutes, she relaxed and took long, rhythmic breaths, indicating she had fallen asleep.
Liam lay awake for a long while, thinking. The need to find out who she was overwhelmed his instincts. His intuition told him it was the piece of information that held the answer to why she was in his dreams.
Thirteen
Emily stirred to the sound of movement. The soft cushion and smooth microfiber feel under her, alerted her senses. The warm blanket that covered her smelled of spice and musk. A momentary feeling of dread crept over her before she remembered where she was.
She had spent the night with Liam, on his couch, curled up into him under his lofty blanket. His essence now covered her from head to toe. The memories of Liam embracing her through the night swept over, and she smiled at the thought. Only now, she was alone.
The delicious aroma of coffee hit her nose, awakening her senses. Opening her eyes, the view of Liam’s flat welcomed her. It was masculine, but comfortable. The enormous oversized sofa took up much of the space. Most of his furniture was a shade of grey or brown, giving the flat a warm feel, and a large flat-screen TV was mounted on the wall across from where she lay.
She sat up to the image of Liam walking toward her, carrying a cup of coffee. Although he had already gotten dressed, Emily was half tempted to ask him to crawl back on the couch with her. She had enjoyed lying across him, listening to his heartbeat against her cheek. She had also grown more accustomed to the electrical charge that pulsed between them.
“Good Morning,” Liam said, his eyes sparkled. “I made some coffee.”
“Mmm. Good Morning,” Emily said before looking up and taking the cup of coffee he handed to her as he sat down. “Thank you.” She inhaled the heavenly, nutty, slightly spicy scent before taking a sip. The luscious, smooth liquid warmed her throat and insides. “This is perfect. How did you know how I like my coffee?”
Liam chuckled. “Well, I didn’t want to wake you, and I saw that Lexi had sent you a text. I didn’t want her to worry. I hope you don’t mind. I told her you were still sleeping and that you would text her back as soon as you woke up, and I needed to know how you like your coffee. Cream until it hits a caramel color and a bit of sugar.”
Emily stared at Liam in awe. She had been attracted to him from the first moment she laid eyes on him. But now, knowing he cared about her so much that he asked her best friend how she took her coffee so he could have it ready for her when she woke up had Emily falling for him faster and harder. The more time she spent around Liam, the more he impressed her, and the more comfortable she became. “You asked Lexi how I like my coffee?”
Liam grinned, and a hint of pink bloomed across h
is cheeks. “Are you mad at me?”
“No, I’m not mad. That was sweet of you. Thank you.”
After a moment, Liam cleared his throat. “So. I was thinking, if you’re up for it, we can go downstairs so you can shower and change. Then, I want to take you to breakfast. When we come back here, we’ll talk to Trey and Luke to see if they captured anything last night. Does that sound okay?”
The thought of returning to her flat had Emily’s anxiety creeping up. She had decided to fight the spirit and take control of her life, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t scared of what he could do to her.
Liam must have caught the apprehension because he asked, “What is it?”
Emily looked up into his calm crystal eyes and said, “I don’t really want to go back to my flat. I especially don’t want to shower there. Just the thought makes me feel so uneasy.”
Liam placed his palm on her cheek, scooting closer to her in the process. “Em, I’m not going to let anything happen to you. I’ll sit in the bathroom with you until you’re done if you want me to. Either way, I’ll be waiting for you in your flat until you’re ready. Or, if you’d like, we can go grab you some clothes and you can get ready here.”
Thinking for a moment, taking in Liam’s kind words, Emily answered, “I’d like to grab some clothes and come back here to shower.”
“Okay. Let’s go.” Liam took her hand and led her through his front door and down the stairs.
“Are Trey and Luke still here?”
“No. They said they were going out for breakfast. We’ll all meet back here later.”
Inside, the flat was still cold. Trey and Luke did a good job covering up the front window using a tarp they had kept in the van, but it did little to keep out the morning chill.
Liam followed Emily into her bedroom while she grabbed clothes. “Em, grab enough stuff for a couple of days.”
Emily stared at Liam, confused. Liam turned to face her, taking both of her hands in his. “I don’t want you staying here alone until we figure all of this out. I’d like you to stay in my flat with me if you’re okay with that.”
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