Page 33 of Splintered Memories (Ember Hollow Romance #2)

Emersyn

M y lips tingled as I watched him walk away. I leaned my head against the wall, trying to catch my erratic breath.

My entire body felt electrified. The aftershocks of his touch vibrated across my skin. I wasn’t sure what it was about this night that stoked my bravery, but when I had looked up and August was that close, all I wanted was him.

Apparently I decided I’m not in the business of denying myself even a sliver of happiness right now.

My body was still overheated; my skin flushed and sweaty—I needed some fresh air. I needed a minute to calm my frenzied heart.

On wobbly legs, I walked toward the entrance to the hallway and peeked into the main event room.

The space was still filled with people dancing and having a good time.

A slow love song played through the speakers, and I caught a glimpse of Lark and Reid wrapped up in each other as they swayed on the dance floor.

My eyes caught on the back of a familiar head. August was holding Hailey, her head rested on his shoulder, her legs wrapped around his waist as he rocked back and forth to the song. The sight of him with that little girl had something in my chest utterly melting.

More heat rushed my face, and I glanced toward the entrance. There was no one around, and I made a beeline for it, slipping out into the cold, dark night. I wouldn’t be long, just enough time to let the breeze cool my skin.

Outside, it was so quiet compared to the party a mere few steps away. The night songs rang through the air, mixing with the rustling of the trees and the lapping of the water on the lakeshore.

I tilted my head up toward the night sky; the stars twinkled above me. I savored the tendrils of wind that blew my hair back from my face.

I let out a content sigh as I stepped over to the lake.

I couldn’t see much of the water, there weren’t any lights out here, but the moonlight reflected off the undulating surface.

My toes touched the boundary where the plush grass met the rocks lining the lake, and I wrapped my arms around myself, the wind having turned my sweat-slicked skin to ice.

Something was rising in my chest, filling all the spaces between my ribs and heart. It was an aching, needy feeling that I’d never felt before. Something that I suspected wouldn’t be placated by anyone other than August Ramsey.

I wasn’t sure how we’d gotten here. I wasn’t sure how I’d let myself embrace such a dangerous feeling, but here I was.

Despite myself, my lips hitched, pulling up into a smile that wouldn’t be stanched. And maybe I didn’t want to stop it. Maybe after all this time, after all this pain and hiding from everything that could hurt me, I was ready to accept something good. Something beautiful .

I let out one final breath, drinking in the sight of the moonlight on the deep, dark water. I couldn’t be gone long; August would be looking for me. I didn’t want to worry him.

I was about to turn around and head back into the cabin, when something hard and cold jabbed into the base of my neck.

I flinched, but a voice made every bone in my body turn to solid ice.

“Don’t move,” the deep, gravelly voice barked from behind me. “You’re going to follow every word I say or else I’ll blow your damn brains out.”

The solid object pressed harder into the base of my skull, sending my heart into my throat. An image of the muzzle of a gun, pressed right against my skin, flashed in my mind.

Words evaded me, my ribs constricting in panic around my lungs. I scanned the area with wide, frantic eyes, looking for anyone or anything that could help me. There was nothing but the silent expanse of water.

“Raise your hands,” the voice behind me commanded.

I obeyed, lifting my arms slowly at my sides, palms out. “What do you want?” Only a slight waver in the last word gave away my consuming fear.

A low, humorless laugh sent a shiver down my spine.

“What do I want?” The voice scoffed, and I noticed a shred of familiarity about it. “I’ve given you many chances to save yourself. It’s your stubbornness that’ll get you killed.”

The fear was metallic on my tongue, but another emotion welled within me as I desperately tried to place that voice. The more he spoke, the less he tried to hide it. Maybe he wasn’t trying that hard anymore because he knew I wasn’t going to live long enough to tell anyone .

I swallowed hard, keeping the panic down and embracing the part of my brain that wanted to solve this puzzle. “Are you the one who shot at me in the middle of the street?”

Another scoff, and whoever was behind me stepped so close I felt a hot breath on my neck. I cringed.

“You got lucky, I’ll admit. That’s why I gave you a second chance. I warned you, in that alleyway. I told you to stop spreading lies. All you had to do was keep your damn mouth shut about my son, and I would’ve let all of this go. But you couldn’t even do that.”

My hair stood on end as that voice formed a face—a face I’d known well.

Alex Cohen. Some of that fear was replaced by rage. My raised hands curled into fists.

“I was never going to be quiet about what your son did, Sheriff,” I snarled.

He shoved the gun harder into my head, and I winced.

“Shut up!” he barked. “You have no idea what my boy went through. He made mistakes, but he didn’t deserve to have his whole life ruined because of them.

Now you’re desecrating his name, our name, far and wide on the damn internet.

It was bad enough that Lark girl made up these lies, but she’s not telling the world about it like you are. It has to stop.”

Bile burned the back of my throat, and I choked it down. “Mistakes? I don’t think double murder constitutes a mistake . He chose to take my sister’s life. He deserved to rot in prison for what he did. I guess the flames of hell will have to do for him.”

I couldn’t stop the words spilling from my mouth. Alex Cohen roared with rage. My muscles coiled, ready for that shot, the one that would rip through my brain and shove me into oblivion. Maybe it was better this way. It would be quick. Fast. Maybe I wouldn’t even feel it.

That echoing, angry shout of his suddenly cut off. The weight of the gun at the back of my head disappeared as something thudded on the ground behind me.

I blinked into the darkness, my mind swimming, wondering whether I really had died. But I hadn’t heard the shot. I hadn’t felt any pain. As I blinked, I could still make out the moonlight glinting off the lake.

My limbs trembled in the sudden quiet. My pulse pounded in my ears.

“Emy?”

The voice that said my name had me bursting into tears. I knew that voice.

I spun around, tears swimming in my eyes.

Alex’s body was crumpled on the ground, the black pistol on the grass at my feet.

I looked up, eyes wide at the man standing over Alex’s form, a metal baseball bat in his hands.

“Amos?” I breathed, both confused and stunned that he was here.

My uncle stared at me, his face pale. He was breathing as heavy as I was; the bat trembled in his closed fists. “Emy?” His voice shook with panic. “Are you okay?”

My gaze bounced back down to Alex Cohen’s body. Blood glistened on his forehead from a deep gash. I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. I didn’t know whether he was dead, but the drizzle of blood oozing from his head suggested he probably wasn’t.

A firm hand grasped my wrist as I heard my name again. Amos was closer when I looked back at him, his bat resting on one shoulder as he held my wrist.

“Did he hurt you?”

A fresh wave of tears rolled down my face, but I shook my head.

Amos let out a relieved sigh.

“What—what are you doing here?” I squeaked, finding my voice again.

Amos frowned. “The shop catered some of the food and coffee for the party,” he said, like it was obvious. “I’ve been here most of the night.”

I frowned, trying to clear my head. I hadn’t paid much attention to the food tables. I didn’t even remember there being coffee. “I—I didn’t see you…”

The lines in his brow deepened as he studied me with concern. “I was in the back most of the night. There’s a small kitchen behind the bar.”

I nodded, though I barely comprehended what he said. Nausea roiled in my stomach, and I swayed on my feet.

Amos stepped closer, steadying me. “Okay.” He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me into his side. “We need to get you checked out. I’ve already called the police to deal with him.” He gestured to Alex, still unconscious on the ground.

I didn’t fight him as he led me away from Alex, the man who had been trying to kill me for weeks. The man who almost succeeded tonight. Dizziness had the ground undulating under my feet. I leaned closer into Amos, breathing in that spicy aftershave and coffee scent.

“Just keep breathing,” Amos said, voice low and comforting. “I got you. ”

I tried to get hold of myself, but that rush of adrenaline and intense fear had my brain muddled.

“I—I need August,” I mumbled, that one thing breaking through the fog of my mind.

“I’ll get him, but you need to sit down.”

Sit down? I wasn’t even aware we were near the parking lot until he was opening the door of his vehicle.

His hand guided me down onto the passenger’s seat. It did feel better to sit. I tucked my head between my knees like August had shown me weeks ago. I inhaled deep breaths, the dizziness finally waning.

“Here, take a drink of this.”

Amos shoved something into my hands. It was a plastic bottle of water.

My mouth was suddenly parched. I opened the bottle and drained the whole thing in a few gulps. Amos smiled, and he rubbed my upper back as I bent my head again.

I wasn’t sure how much time went by, but the longer I sat there, trying to clear my mind, the more addled my thoughts became. After that dizziness had almost disappeared, it came back with a vengeance. The whole world spun around me.

I whimpered, reaching for the dash in front of me and digging my fingers in, as if that would steady the whirling ground.

“Is August coming?” I said. My voice sounded distant to my ears.

Amos was still rubbing my back. He shushed me softly. “It’s all right, Emy,” he breathed.

The sudden realization that something was very, very wrong hit me. I tried to look up, tried to fight that blackness that was narrowing my vision, but I couldn’t .

“Just relax,” Amos said.

But his voice was nothing like I remembered. It sent a shiver down my spine.

“Close your eyes.”

I shook my head, but my eyelids drooped on their own. I couldn’t fall asleep right now. I didn’t know what was going on, but I knew that if I closed my eyes, something bad was going to happen.

With the last burst of energy I had, I straightened my spine. I tried to stand up, to get out of the car, but Amos wouldn’t let me. He chuckled as I fought him, my limbs full of lead. Then, my head slumped to the side, and I couldn’t do it anymore.

The world went black as I was swept into a dark, heavy unconsciousness.