Collide (Collide #1)(150)

As she grabbed onto his wrists, he leaned his forehead against hers, his eyes intense. "Let me make this good. Let me make this better. I was drunk, Emily. You know I would've never touched you if I wasn't. I would've never, babe."

"Plea...Please, Dillon," she stammered, shaking her head. "You have to leave. I can't do - "

"No, baby, please listen to me," he cried with his forehead still pressed against hers. "I kept thinking about the first time I kissed you. I kept thinking about the first time we made love. Do you remember that? God, I'll never take you for granted again, Emily. Please."

She went to speak, but he wouldn't let her. He crushed his lips to hers. She tried to back away, but he moved his hands to the nape of her neck, tears flowing from his eyes as he continued his pleas. "Do you remember what your mother told us before she died, Emily?"

Now she pulled away. Her eyes narrowed on him while her sobs became harder. She tried to catch her breath. "Don't you dare bring her into this, Dillon. Don't you dare."

He stepped forward, once again placing his shaky hands over her cheeks. "She told us to take care of one another. She told us to stick through whatever uphill battles life throws at us and to never give up on our relationship. This is my battle, and you're going to leave me like this, Emily? Let me fix it," he whispered, sniffling. "I can fix it and make us better again. I can bring us back to where we used to be. "

She stared at him for a long moment. The tears streaming down her face felt like acid burning into her flesh. Before she could answer, the sound of keys jingling in the door ripped their gaze from one another.

Olivia walked in the apartment, the shock on her face palpable. "What the hell are you doing here?" she spat, her eyes hardening in Dillon's direction.

Running his hands through his hair, he backed away from Emily, his voice heated. "Don't even f*ck with me right now, Olivia."

"Let me tell you something," she answered, sauntering over to him, her body movements and tone showing she was in no way intimidated. "If you don't get the f*ck out of my apartment right now, I'm calling the cops. And just to f*ck with you further," she hissed, ramming her finger into his chest, "I'll make sure to stick my father's best friend - who happens to be the district attorney - on your ass."

Mentally depleted and her stomach twisting into knots, Emily ran into her bathroom, landing on her knees in front of the toilet. Her body viciously retched up bile as a heavy flow of tears soaked her eyes.

"You're a f*cking *!" Olivia screamed at Dillon, making her way into the bathroom while he followed closely behind her. She hovered over Emily, holding her hair away from her face. "Look what you do to her! Now get the hell out of here!"

"Dillon, please," Emily managed to get out as her body continued its assault over the toilet, the acrid taste in her mouth stinging against her tongue. "I'll call you later - just leave."

He stepped into the bathroom, reaching to help hold Emily's hair, but Olivia swatted his arm away. "Jesus, did you hear what she said? Leave now, Dillon!"

He scrubbed his hands over his face, stared at Olivia for a second, and with his shoulders slumped and eyes downcast, he walked out of the apartment.

The slamming of the door behind him made Emily's body jump. Standing to her feet, she leaned against the wall and tried to catch her breath. Olivia gently took her by the arm and helped her over to the sink. Turning it on, Olivia soaked a washcloth under cool water and ran it across Emily's face as she continued to sob uncontrollably. After brushing her teeth again, Emily swung open the medicine cabinet, her hands shaking as she skimmed over several medications. She was looking for one in particular - a bottle of Valium that her doctor back in Colorado had given a prescription for after her mother died. She filled a plastic cup with water and popped a pill into her mouth, hoping it would temporarily drag her from this nightmare. She then made her way back into the living room.