Salvation (Surrender 3)
“I smelled you the minute you came through the door. At first, I thought I was dreaming, but then it lingered,” he says shyly.
I step away from Alex and walk to him. He looks dejected.
“We need to talk. Really talk.”
Without a shred of humility, he drops to his knees. “Do you forgive me? I was an arrogant SOB.”
“You did what you had to do.”
“I —”
“Did it help?” I ask, referring to his trip.
He searches my eyes and then understanding hits him. “Yeah, babe, it helped.”
“Nightmares are gone?”
“Mostly.”
I walk around him and find myself on the sofa, staring at the wall. The atmosphere changes then, and as if on cue, Cruz and Alex appear, hovering over me.
“I didn’t know if you ever wanted to see me again.” My voice is unrecognizable.
“Baby, look at me.” He takes my hands. I continue staring ahead. “I’m so sorry.”
“What if I make you mad again? Are you going to leave?”
He tenses but leans into my lap. “Life’s not going to be perfect. I’ll piss you off, too. We’ll work it out. I’ll never leave you again.”
“Pissing me off means leaving the toilet seat up, or forgetting to take the trash out. Not leaving me for fourteen fucking days!” I bellow. “I’m not perfect, so how do I know you won’t get mad again?”
He looks at me, unsure what to say, but recovers quickly. “Believe me, baby, when I say, you are perfect to me. That’s why I was so upset. Nothing and no one will ever know the fear that gripped at me when I saw you go into that warehouse. The thought of you being in danger or anyone hurting one hair on your head, made me insane. Instead of listening to reason, I pushed you away. I was a—”
“Pompous, self-righteous asshole!” I finish for him.
He looks at me, stunned, and then grins slightly. “Yeah, all of that.”
“I need some time… Maybe we should —”
The air in the room turns still, and Cruz and Alex slink upstairs, giving us privacy.
Robbie looks at me with heat in his eyes. “Don’t say it. We’re going home today, Ember, together. I told you already. I’m not leaving without you.”
My will and self-restraint take a hit when I look into his eyes and see his sense of determination.
“You need to go home and get some rest. We’ll talk later.” I try to sound confident.
“Not without you. I’m serious. We go home together.”
“No.”
“Then I’m staying here. Wherever you are, I am.”
“You can’t be serious! I need to think, figure things out! You can’t reappear and expect me to fall at your feet!”
“No.” He drops to the floor again and puts his head to my hip. “This is me falling at your feet. I’ll do anything for you to forgive me. If you’ll give me a chance to make this right, I swear, you’ll never regret it. You own me, Ember, and I will spend the rest of my life proving that to you. I love you more than words can say.” His desperate tone breaks me.
My heart crumbles. I can’t deny it anymore. I want to forgive him.