Page 48 of Ruthless Game

I paused, unsure. Was Emma safe with me? I didn’t recognize the feeling inside of me, building like a tidal wave without any warning for who it would destroy when it hit. But she’d done something I hadn’t expected, and I needed, I needed …

I wouldn’t hurt her.

For now, I mouthed back, as honest as I could be.

After a moment, Maya nodded, deciding it was good enough.

“Okay, I’m gonna head out,” she told Emma. “I’ll see you next week. And text me if you need anything, okay? Even if it’s just to talk.”

When Maya was gone, Emma turned to face me.

“Did you not hear me come in?”

“I knew you were there the whole time,” she said. “I don’t have to hear you. The second you enter a room, my body switches on, like it knows.”

It was the same for me, but I didn’t tell her. Didn’t feel the need to. No, what I needed was to get my hands on her. And get her to answer my questions.

“Why did you bargain with the class to keep them from telling anyone what I did? The Emma I knew would never risk other people’s long-term safety for anything, and I know you know that if they don’t come to class, they won’t learn how to swim. Letting them report me would’ve solved all your problems. So why, Emma?” I moved toward her, crowding her. “Why protect me, when I don’t deserve it?”

She shook her head, backing up to get away from me. That wouldn’t do. I was going to get answers out of her, and even though I’d never waterboard her like I had Matthew van Fuck Face, water might be the answer.

Water.

I’d been in the water.

Because of her.

Before she could get away, I grabbed her hips and hoisted her in the air, carrying her toward the shower stalls. She fought me, trying to wiggle away and kick me, but I was too determined, my fingers digging into her skin through her dress.

“Lawson, what the fuck are you doing?”

“Something I should’ve done forever ago,” I said. “Getting answers.”

Reaching the shower stall, I lowered her to her feet, keeping hold of her hip with one hand while I turned on the shower with the other, making sure it was warm before backing her toward it. Water poured over her head and shoulders, soaking her hair and dress.

“Damn it, Lawson!” she shrieked, batting at my bare chest. The feeling of her hand on my skin was almost more than I could take, and less than I needed, so I covered her hand with my free one, pressing it against my heart so we could both feel it hammering against her soft palm.

“What’s wrong, Starburst?”

“You’re going to destroy this dress, and I just diffused my hair,” she said. “And I have absolutely no interest in taking a shower fully clothed.”

I could’ve teased, taunted, even forced her to strip, but the moment was too serious for that.

“Tell me, Starburst.”

“Don’t call me that.”

“Tell me right now, and I’ll shut the water off.”

“Just let me go, Lawson. Let me go!”

“Never. Tell me why.”

“Because,” she said, and her voice broke on the word. “Because no matter what I do, no matter what horrible thing you do, I can’t get over you. Because the idea of you getting hurt makes me want to die. Don’t you fucking get it? I became a swim teacher because of you. Because I couldn’t save that little boy from drowning, so I decided to save everyone else instead. Everything I do, everything I am, is because of you. I can’t let you go, so I need you to let me go.”

Let me go.

Let me go.