ELECTRIFY ME• aaron warner

11|TRUTH

"NOW TELL ME WHY YOU REALLY WANTED TO COME BACK TO MY ROOM."

Goosebumps arise on my skin. Warner knows that I came here to shift his attention from something. I don't know how much he knows, but I knew he wasn't a fool.

I'm dumb to think I could have outsmarted him. "I don't know what you're talking about, Warner."

Suddenly I'm beneath him. I try to get up, but he's pinning me down. He's staring into my eyes, demanding answers. "Don't play dumb, dear."

His chest brushes against mine, and instant butterflies are in my stomach. I don't want to tell him anything, but I feel so lenient to when he's looking at me like this.

"No, I'm serious. I just didn't want to be alone with my nightmares," I whisper, practically begging for his sympathy for my nonexistent situation.

"I know when you're lying, love."

Warner is trying to use his own tricks to get me to admit it. I won't do it. Suddenly, his lips graze mine. He's not kissing me, but he's close.

"I'll have to get the truth out of you somehow. He's whispering in my ear when he says, "And I'll do anything I must, my love."

"Warner, stop," I plead.

If he does this much longer, I don't know how I'll be able to deny my attraction towards him. Warner has a way of getting what he wants.

"I saw Kent leaving your room." I freeze. "And it's funny who else I saw... Himes."

"What- when were you out of the bed?"

"You're a sound sleeper, Emilia."

He knew this whole time. He just wanted me to admit it. I don't know what Warner thinks was going on, but I know it's nothing good.

"Fine... Adam and Carven were in my room. But Carven was coming to visit and Adam was just doing his duty to make sure everything was fine!"

"Oh, so you didn't kiss Carven then?"

"What- How?"

"I made him fess up." Warner grabs my chin.

"You don't understand. I had to..."

Warner raises an eyebrow. I hate Carven, but I also really don't want to be the reason why Warner kills him.

His hands have a loose grip on my shirt. "Why?"

"Warner, don't worry about it."

"I'm going to be worrying about anything concerning you, Emilia."

"Warner, please."

"I'm going to kill Kent in sight if you don't tell me."

I can't let him hurt Adam, so I take a deep breath. "Carven came into my room with a gun and told me I had to kiss him."

I watch Warner's face shift from anger to fury. He's silent for the first few seconds, and then he suddenly gets off me. I see the terrible scars on his back again before he throws on a shirt.

I follow him off the bed, knowing that he is about to make a dangerously impulsive decision.

"Warner, what are you doing?!"

"I am going to find Himes. And I am going to kill him."

I step in front of Warner, but with our significant difference in size, I don't pose much of a threat. He looks at me like an easy obstacle.

He bends down, just enough so that our lips are close again. Warner drives me crazy when he does that. "You know you can't stop me, love."

Then an idea brews in my head. Adam always spoke about us escaping the Reestablishment together. We can only escape if there is something significant distracting Warner.

This is the perfect time. I don't want Carven to die, but this might be the only way to stop the Reestablishment killing Adam and I.

Warner may not kill me, but there are many others who would. Either way, he wants me as a weapon. I'm not going to serve his every need for the rest of my life.

I soak in every beautiful feature of his face, knowing that this may hopefully be the last time I see him. I hope Carven can put up a good fight against him.

"Says who?" I remark.

Warner easily pushes past me, his body brushing my side. "Stay right here. You know you can't stop me."

He closes the door, but to my surprise it isn't locked. I must have gained his trust just enough.

I know Carven is either in his cell or wandering the halls. Adam is probably in my cell. I begin to sprint down the hall, and I know that I'm right when I see him standing in my doorway.

"Adam!"

He chuckles. "Emilia, what's all the urgency for?"

I almost crash into his chest. "We can escape. Warner is busy going after Carven, and we can escape like we always planned to."

"Without me?"

I peer over and see Kenji leaning against my wall. This reminds me that I haven't seen him in a while either. He's smirking just slightly before he laughs.

It's only seconds before I'm hugging Kenji tight. He wraps his arm around me and smiles. "Hey, princess."

"He gets a hug and I don't?" Adam remarks.

"Shush, Adam," I laugh.

I remember what I'm trying to do. I remember that this is serious. "We can escape through the window."

Adam is suddenly in action. He's digging through the drawers in my room and I don't know what he's looking for. I know we hit the jackpot when he pulls out a long line of rope.

"I told you I was going to get us out of here, Emilia."

He really was prepared all of this time. "You're a genius, Adam."

Our faces are close for only a second. "I know, beautiful."

Kenji's mouth goes wide, and I feel surprised. Neither of us say anything, and I go towards the window, trying to open it.

No one is speaking, and I find it rather strange. "Hey, Adam, did-"

I turn around but I'm shoved against the wall and the window behind me roughly. A hand completely covers my mouth and I look up to see exactly who I didn't want to see.

Warner.