She paled. “I would never do anything to endanger her.”
“And you think jumping into bed with my father doesn’t qualify?”
She licked her lips. "I didn't think—I'm your wife. You said it yourself. You love me."
"Well, I loved who I thought you were. Lucky for me, I don't love you anymore."
Again, she flinched. "No, you’re running again. This whole thing, this argument, we both messed up. I'm not going to…"
I turned around as she was still talking. It was rude, dismissive, and purposeful.
“Turn around. Look at me. You cannot just walk away."
But I kept walking, forcing one foot in front of the other until I was at the door.
"Bridge, do not do this. Do not—"
I forced myself to turn the knob and then stepped out in the hallway and closed the door behind me.
I was not letting her into my heart again. Not now. Not ever.
Four
Emma
I waited for Bridge to return, weakly treading on the plush carpet as I paced back and forth, hoping and praying he would come back. Needing him to come back so I could explain, so that I could say something, anything, to make this right and fix things between us. But he didn't return for over twenty-four hours. Someone came and left me food, some water, and a bottle of wine, but none of that was what I needed right now. I needed Bridge.
Way to make good choices.
There was no clock in the room, so I had no idea what time it was and I didn't have my phone. But from the pitch-black night outside, it was late. What was it, nine? Ten? After midnight?
A loud rap on my door had me reaching for the bottle of wine as a weapon. It wasn't the best choice, but at least it was heavy.
I raised it up to my shoulder and bent my knees. When the door opened, I was unsure if I should throw it or wield it like a cricket bat and charge.
But instead of some hulking, faceless security guard, it was Bridge, wearing no shirt and pajama pants. I slowly lowered the bottle of wine as he stared at me.
“No one is going to hurt you.”
I breathed a shuddering sigh of relief. "How was I supposed to know that?"
His brow furrowed. "I'm trying to keep you safe, not hurt you. Also trying to keep you away from dear old dad."
“You have a funny way of showing it."
"I kidnapped you for your own safety because, apparently, you can't be trusted to not walk into dangerous situations. You can't be trusted at all."
I scowled at him. "Bridge, you have to talk to me."
"No, I don't. Are you ready for bed?"
I glanced down at the pajamas that had been brought for me earlier. I had brushed my teeth after I'd eaten. And since I didn't have any books or anything else to occupy my mind, I was more than ready for bed.
“I guess so."
He nodded. “The guards are on rotation on the outside of the property, so we’re alone. I can't trust you not to leave, so…" He pulled out a pair of handcuffs.
I backed away. "No, you are not chaining me to the bed."
His brow furrowed. "Not my plan, but thanks for giving me some ideas for later. I'm not chaining you to the bed."
He cuffed his own wrist and then reached for me.
When he cuffed my opposite wrist, I glowered at him. "You cannot possibly mean to handcuff us together to sleep, do you, Bridge?"
"I'm sorry, Ems. I can’t trust you.”
I opened my mouth then closed it. "I'm supposed to run. I've been kidnapped."
“I told you it’s protective custody.”
"This isn't protecting. I don't want to be here, Bridge."
"Well, that makes two of us. Consider me kidnapped as well."
“Says the man holding me hostage.”
"You know, technically speaking, it was Liam and Ollie who kidnapped you, but sure, I'll take responsibility."
"You are insane. Bridge, you can't expect me to sleep with you attached to me." Also, the man was shirtless, wearing gray pajama pants that put my favorite toy on display.
"You can choose to sleep, or you can choose to not sleep. You have a full day at work tomorrow, so I suggest you rest."
"You were serious about letting me go to work?"
"Yes, Ems. Since you made the choice that you don't want to be sent to the Winston Isles, and since I can't trust you to stay in the Winston Isles if I send you there, I decided we are going to have to keep up with the usual routine. If you stop going to work, that will turn Middleton’s attention where we don’t want it. You understand?"
I swallowed hard. He had a point there. Middleton would think I’d done a runner if I flew the coop. Besides, Bridge and the lads were still my best shot at vengeance for Toby. I was stuck with him, like it or not. "But you're chaining me to yourself so you can sleep?"
"Last night I had more guards. Tonight, I don't want to risk waking up and have you not be here. I'll worry. You’ve already proven yourself adept at slipping your guard."
My heart did a little flutter, and I tried to shove it down.
This motherfucker kidnapped you. Grow some balls. Or at least stop thinking with your clit.
I frowned. "This isn't going to happen the way you think, Bridge."
He pinched the bridge of his nose and looked away from me. "I promise that touching you is the last thing on my mind. It's the last thing I could possibly want now."
I winced. "Wow, maybe next time state that clearly and effectively."
He turned and glowered at me. "So you want me to touch you?"
Flustered, I sputtered. "No, I… That's not what I said."
He shrugged. "Either you're afraid and you don't want me to touch you, or you're not afraid and you want me to touch you."
When he said it like that, none of it made any sense. "No, it’s just that you and I, we, have a lot to talk about."
He interrupted, and his voice took on an icy chill. "Do you plan on telling me the truth?"
I searched his gaze. There was no way he’d believe me. I needed to sift through the information first. "Bridge, you don't understand. There are things we have to sort out."
“There's a lot we need to sort out. For starters, what I'm going to do with you long-term. Once protective custody is over, we'll get the marriage annulled."
Pain pinched my chest. The piercing burn was not something I’d forget, but he couldn’t be serious. "I don't care about the marriage. I do care about you, though. And you need to know…"
He turned his brooding expression my way. There was pain and stress in his eyes that made me want to hold him, regardless of what his father had said. I wanted to wrap my arms around him and pull him tight and let him know that I was sorry and I would do anything to make him trust me again. I wished I could make it better, but I couldn't. "We need to talk, Bridge. We can't go on like this. You can't keep me here forever and not talk to me."
"I'm not planning on keeping you here forever. Just long enough to make sure you’re safe."
"So what then? You'll unhandcuff me tomorrow, and I’ll get on the helicopter and go to work?"