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Nostalgic home

"You've never had to face the real world?"

Yes. Her words stung, but she wasn't wrong.

"What can I do for you?" Emes leaned nonchalantly on the edge of his desk and indicated the couch next to me. I sat gingerly on the edge, dropped the necklace against my chest, and smoothed my skirt over my knees.

Coming here was dangerous. Both for me and for him.

"I need papers. A new name, a passport. I need to disappear without being traced." The words flew out, reality hitting me as I uttered them aloud. I swallowed saliva as he ran a hand through his shaggy, red-haired beard.

"I suppose this has something to do with your future husband" . My eyes widened almost painfully as I breathed in. I knew.

"Please don't tell him. It's okay, I'll leave. Pretend I was never here." I stood up on shaky legs. I could extort a lot if I wanted William to like me .

"Hey," said Emes , reaching over and gently pressing me on the shoulders until I sat back down.

" I'm not a snitch . Especially to that fucker . I can help. Give me a few days and I'll have a whole new identity ready."

"I don't have a few days. I have to get married on Saturday."

Emes inhaled sharply before pressing his lips together forming a solid line. "It'll cost you."

"Whatever you want, I have funds to spare. I'll pay you double if you get no one to find out about the new name. I'll tell Mary to give you the money if I'm still not here in six months."

"I never share details of my clients' businesses." He looked almost offended.

"Maybe not willingly, but William doesn't play fair."

Emes shifted from one foot to the other as he pondered.

"The triple and you have a deal."

Tension fled my tense shoulders as I dropped back against the back of the couch.

"Thank you very much. Thank you so much."

"Let's go get your pictures. It'll make everything faster. I'll get them to you in twenty-four hours. Discreetly, of course." Emes pulled a camera out of a drawer and smiled at me.

"I hope you're ready for your passport photo."

As the sun dipped below the horizon, I sat surrounded by clothes and trinkets, thinking about what to take with me. Taking large sums of money out of my account would have looked suspicious, so I took out what I could while I shopped and then dipped into my emergency stash. It was only a few thousand, but it would be enough for room and board for a while if I was careful.

I had decided on Spain. I would look for a rural place where no one was looking for me. Someplace small and picturesque. Then I would find a job. But God knew what. I had no special talents. I hadn't even learned to cook or clean. But if it would keep me out of William's clutches, I'd take any job. Money in hand, under the radar. Luckily, Emes had suggested a forged work visa along with my new identity, so I wouldn't have to worry about deportation.

Once I had gathered my few things, I went to Mery's room and curled up next to her while she watched TV.

"I'm going to miss this," I said as I snuggled next to my little sister.

"Don't be silly." Mary rolled her eyes.

"I'll see you forever. William won't keep you locked up."

The need to tell her burned in the back of my throat. I didn't want to disappear without telling her where I was going. She may have suggested disappearing, but not for a moment did she suspect that was exactly what I intended to do. She most likely didn't know. However hurt she would be when she found out I was gone.

"I want you to keep this," I said, taking the necklace from my mother and putting it in her hand.

"Amelia , you act like you're dying. I know it's bad, but it's going to be okay. Dad won't let William forbid you to see us. He's supposed to bury the hatchet."

"Yeah, bury it right in my back."

"Please, just watch it for me."

"Fine, but can you stop being so weird?"

"I'll never stop being weird," I said with a forced smile as I curled up next to her.

We went back to watching TV quietly for a while as I soaked in the feeling of having my sister by my side. Fuck, I missed her. All of them. I had never lived alone. There had always been a whole gang of Kensingtons wherever we went as kids, filling the rooms with our play fights and our noise.

A Kensington alone was basically unheard of.

"Have you seen Edward tonight?" asked Mary , fanning her face.

"Yes, he's been hanging around to make sure I'm being a good wife." Much to my chagrin.

"When he rolled up his sleeves and leaned back against the door frame, I thought he was going to need a cold shower," said Mery . She had caught my attention, too. He had been laughing with my brothers when he stopped to slowly roll up his shirt sleeves, exposing those muscular, tattooed forearms. He was certainly a delight to behold.

I wish I had spent a night with him before I left with William . I deserve a bachelorette party.

"One last dick before I have to deal with his for the rest of my life" . The sour taste of vomit tickled my throat at the thought of being near William's nether regions .

"You should . Hell, he looks like he could use a good ride."

Edward had always been much more reserved with me and my sister than he was with my brothers. He looked at them almost as if he coveted their attention. Then again, with the way he looked, he sure had women hanging on him left and right.

I had thought about it over the years that he had been sporadically coming in and out of the house. He was attractive, well dressed, well groomed, and had those big hands that you couldn't help but imagine trapped under them.

Like a true professional, he never responded to any of my flirtations.

Maybe I hadn't tried hard enough.

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