Before He Was Mine (Before Series, Book 2)

Mine & Yours

The relief Will felt was quickly robbed from him as he took in the sight of her. Emilia sat on the ground with her feet bound, her bodice gaping open, clearly ripped from her.

And her face. God, her face was stricken. Emilia's mouth formed his name, but Will heard no sound release from her lips. In an instant, he was by her side.

"Emilia," he groaned. Will pulled her to him, wrapping his arms tightly around her. "Are you hurt?"

She nestled into his chest and whispered, "I am alright, Will."

And then Emilia, usually so outspoken and unreserved, was quiet.

Everything stilled around them. They were together, and that was all that mattered.

Will wasn't sure why he hadn't realized it sooner.

Being with her was all that mattered.

Emilia scooted toward him, snuggling closer, and Will was reminded that she was still bound, feet stuck together as she moved. He let go of her, despite the murmurs of protests she made, and quickly untied the knots at her feet. In doing so, he noticed another set of bindings on the floor and looked at them curiously. They appeared to be roughly cut; the ends of the ropes were terribly frayed.

Will glanced back at Emilia as she leaned against the bed, noticing now that her wrists were darkened with bruises and covered with dried blood.

Anger, raw and uncontrollable, began to bubble up within Will. "I will kill him," Will growled, pivoting toward where he had seen Trevor sprawled on the floor. But the man was gone, and a small hand reached out to grab his arm, stopping him from moving any further.

"I believe Theo's already on it," Emilia said. Then she added softly, "Please do not leave me, Will." Her hand squeezed his arm gently as he looked around for Trevor or Theo, both nowhere to be seen.

Will forced himself to let go of his rage, if only for this moment, releasing it through his teeth. "Never," he whispered, reaching around to hold Emilia again. "Never will I leave you."

"Thank you," she replied, her voice saturated with emotion.

Now that she was speaking louder, Will noticed there was something different about her voice. It was low and raspy, and it made him want to demand answers from her.

He wished to know what had happened to her voice. He wished to know why her bodice was soaked with ale, the smell evident from where he sat. But mostly, Will wished—no, needed—to know why Emilia's dress had been ripped open, exposing her bare skin.

But Will was also aware it was not the time to ask her those things. He likely wouldn't be able to handle the answers just now, anyway. They were answers that already lurked in the back of his mind, and he refused to acknowledge them.

Instead, he took Emilia's hands in his, inspecting them. Noticing what he was doing, she provided, "I had just finished cutting through the ropes with this." She pointed to a protruding nail in the floorboard next to her. "But I might have nicked myself a few times," she admitted.

Will merely nodded, not trusting himself to speak just then. He pulled off his cravat, damp from the rain, and pressed it firmly against her skin. It wasn't the best option, but it was what he had. Emilia sucked in sharply but allowed him to carefully wipe away the bloodied areas.

"I am so sorry," he muttered as he completed his ministrations. "Emilia, I am so sorry."

She leaned into him but did not say anything. Will pressed a kiss on her forehead as he threw his now-bloodied cravat to the floor. Wrapping himself around her, he pulled Emilia onto his lap as they sat together. Will whispered rapid apologies in her hair, feeling sick to his stomach with relief that they had found her and despair at what they had found.

"It isn't your fault, Will," she breathed. "And I am fine. You needn't worry so."

"Fine?" Will repeated quietly, blankly. "Fine?" he said again, louder this time.

"Shh," Emilia soothed, twisting around in his lap to face him. "Yes, Will. I am fine. I am merely relieved you are here."

"How—when did this happen?" he asked. Will knew he was already betraying his intentions not to bombard her with questions, but he simply must know. He reached over, gently tugging her bodice closed so that the swell of her breasts were less exposed. A poorly timed jolt of desire overcame him as his fingers brushed against her chilled flesh, and he quickly pushed it away.

Emilia watched him and then took hold of the fabric herself, splaying a hand across her torn dress. "I am not sure how much time has passed. Less than an hour ago, I'd reckon. Trevor came back upstairs drunk and..."

Her voice faded away, and Will swore harshly. Less than an hour ago. Less than a goddamn hour ago.

If only they had traveled just a little faster. If only they had skipped the last inn, or he hadn't waited until this morning to come to see her at Kingfield House.

If only he hadn't left her last night.

"And what, Emilia?" he demanded through clenched teeth, tightening his hold on her. "What did he do?"

"It was nothing, Will," she said hurriedly. "He was merely a tad too drunk. And anyway, I knocked him out after he did this," she added, gesturing to her chest as she spoke. Her tone was matter-of-fact and perhaps a little bit proud.

Will couldn't help but smile as she turned back around, settling into his lap once more. "That's my girl," he muttered. "But Emilia?"

"Hm?"

"What do you mean when you say he was merely a tad too drunk?"

She was silent in the wake of his forceful question, and Will wondered if he was pushing her too hard.

He heard her sigh.

"He kissed me. And then gripped my dress and simply—simply ripped it. Like it was nothing." Will felt her take another deep breath, her back moving against his chest. He breathed with her, needing the air to clear his outraged mind at the thought of Trevor putting his hands on Emilia. Will tried to control his body's response, but his fists clenched tightly.

Emilia continued, saying, "Once I was sure he'd passed out, I started working on the bindings around my wrists. I only just finished when you and Theo burst in."

"We should have got here faster," Will said through gritted teeth. He dropped a kiss on the top of her head. "You never should have had to do any of that."

She shook her head, and Will enjoyed the way her hair caressed his lips. "I am sorry you had to come at all. Trevor showed up this morning to propose...and I said no. I know you wished for me to marry him," Emilia said hesitantly, "but I could not, Will.

"No," Will replied emphatically. Emilia twisted around, regarding him with confusion and surprise. Will took the opportunity to spin her around entirely so that she was straddling him in his lap.

He grasped her face in both hands, and her amber eyes searched his own. "No," he said again. "It is time that I set something right. I am sorry for what I told you to do, darling. You are not marrying Trevor. Or anyone else." He dipped his head, their foreheads resting against each other. Will brushed his lips once, twice, over hers and murmured, "You are mine, Emilia Shepard."

And then Will kissed her like she was the air he needed to breathe. He kissed her like his heart would stop beating without her. And Emilia kissed him back fiercely, wrapping her limbs around him securely. Her legs twisted around his waist, and her hands dove into his hair, grasping at the ends.

Their lips and tongues intertwined, falling deeply into each other. Will reveled in the taste of her. Even though his lips had traveled the length of her just last night, he longed to do it again. He wanted for every part of her, and he feared it would never stop.

But luckily, she pulled back to whisper, "I am yours."

Will grinned madly against her lips.