SHARING EMMA [18+]

35. Warmth of Her

|RYKER|

I should have known the past would come to bite us in the ass.

I should have known.

But was it too late to turn things around now?

Was it too late to say: I am sorry?

I stood outside the imposing gates of the villa, panting and drenched in sweat.

I couldn't help but feel a sense of dread creeping over me. The events that had unfolded back there on the road, the heated conversation with my dad, had shaken me to my core, reminding me of the mistakes of the past that had come back to haunt us.

Summoning all my courage, I pushed open the gates and stepped into the familiar grounds of the villa.

I made my way through the grand entrance, my footsteps echoing off the marble floors. There were guards everywhere, more than I had ever seen on normal days.

But that was the least of my worries. Right now, my top priority was finding Emma and spilling the beans. If what Dad told me was true, if she was really haunted by those horrifying nightmares, then I had to do whatever it took to convince her to ditch this island pronto. It was no place for her safety.

Those nightmares were no ordinary dreams; they were glimpses into our deepest fears, vivid and terrifyingly real. I should know. I had them too.

"Emma!" I shouted, my voice echoing through the surroundings as lightning crackled and rattled the window frames. The impending storm threatened to unleash its fury. Damn it, not now. The weather couldn't turn sour at this crucial moment. Emma had to leave immediately, but with such a storm, no pilot would dare to take off.

Shit.

I needed to locate her without wasting another second. Time was slipping away.

Frantically, I raced through the corridors, my heart throbbing in my chest. The grandeur of the mansion seemed to mock me as I searched for any sign of Emma. The flickering lights and the sound of distant thunder added to the sense of urgency. I couldn't shake the feeling that time was running out, that danger was lurking just around the corner.

As I rounded the corner, I narrowly avoided colliding with Daniel, the head of security. His stern countenance softened as he recognized me amidst the chaos. "Ryker, what brings you here?" he inquired, his voice laced with concern.

Breathless, I replied, "I'm searching for Emma. Have you seen her? It's of utmost importance."

Daniel's gaze sharpened, and he cast a quick glance towards the upper floors. "She hasn't left her room. I believe she's still there. What's going on?"

"Nothing good," I responded, urgency driving my words. Without wasting another moment, I sprinted towards the stairs, taking them two at a time. "I'll fill you in later. Can you wake up the pilot and see if he can get ready to fly?"

"Right now?" Daniel hesitated, uncertainty evident in his voice.

Reaching the top floor, I urgently shouted back to Daniel, my voice reverberating through the corridor. "Move, damn it! It's a bloody emergency. Inform me the moment he's ready."

Without a moment's hesitation, I sprinted towards Emma's room, the hallways stretching out before me as if taunting my desperation. Each step felt like an eternity as I propelled myself forward, driven by the fear of what I might find.

Bursting into her room, my eyes darted frantically around the space, searching for any sign of her presence. "Emma!" I called out, my voice laced with urgency and a tinge of desperation.