˖᯽ ݁˖’s Reviews > Escape Me > Status Update

“It was a mistake to keep the two of you apart. It was a mistake to mistrust your judgment about her. You made the right call when you brought her back to the capital, and I never should’ve doubted your instincts.” He shakes his head. “I taught you and trained you from the time you were a child; I should’ve had more faith in you. If nothing else, I should’ve had more faith in myself.”

“Rosabelle is staring at me with those sleepy eyes again, her gaze heavy with unfiltered longing. My arms are screaming from overuse, but I already miss holding her against my chest.”

“James,” she gasps, automatically wrapping her arms around my waist.
I hear the girls’ quiet intake of breath.
“Hey,” I say, cupping Rosabelle’s cheek in my hand. “Sonya and Sara are going to help you get cleaned up, okay?”
“No,” says Rosabelle. “No.”
“Okay,” whispers Sonya. “You weren’t exaggerating.”
“Stay,” Rosabelle says desperately.”

“Rosabelle?” I whisper. “Baby, can you wake up for a second?”
She makes a sound in her throat and shakes her head against my chest. This makes me smile.
It’s like holding a kitten.”

“Yeah, of course,” I say again, “but, look, the problem isn’t getting her cleaned up. The problem is she won’t let me put her down.”
Everyone stills.
“What do you mean?” says Warner cautiously.
“I mean she won’t let me let go of her,” I say, shifting her against my chest. My arms are beginning to protest again. “I healed her too much. She’s been a little … emotional. Warner says she seems intoxicated.”

“Are you up for visitors?” I ask, managing a smile. “Can I meet my niece?”
“Of course.” Warner hesitates. “But she’s sleeping.”
“Who? Juliette?”
“No,” he says, and hesitates again. “Emmaline.”
My smile cracks wide open. “Her name is Emmaline?”
Warner looks away, blinking. “Yes.”
“You’re naming her after Juliette’s sister? That’s beautiful, man. Congrats. And Juliette is doing okay?”

“I want to save her sister from the Ark. I want her to know that if she ever hurts herself again just to keep me safe, I will lose my fucking mind.”

SEBASTIAN WOULD NEVER

I want to hold her close while she sleeps. I want to wake up next to her and make her breakfast and then explain to her, in no uncertain terms, that she belongs to me now.
I want exclusive ownership of her problems.
I want fulltime custody of her fears. I want it to be my sole responsibility to protect her from the monsters in her life. I want to put her in soft clothes in a safe place and bring her food.

DAMN JAMES