Page 64 of Dollhouse

No, goddammit. I’m so close. Bo needs me.

His mouth hovers over my ear as he tightens his grip on my throat, ignoring the clawing nails scratching at his skin. Licking his lips, he laughs lightly. “You know, this is exactly how I pictured killing you when I saw that video, Emma. When I saw you and Bo with those fucking men.”

I'm fucking dying. Giving up on the grip he has on my neck, I try to scratch at his face until he sits back on his heels, continuing to choke the life from me. Adjusting his grip, he gathers both of my hands in one of his and holds them to the pillow above my head so he can strangle me without interruption.

“I never doubted you, Eric. I always knew you were cut from a different cloth than the rest.” Bundy laughs and the sound is casual. Maybe a little excited. They both are acting like this is something they’ve looked forward to rather than a task that needs completed so they can escape.

I can feel Eric’s erection as he sees my face changing colors. Hungry eyes watching as mine start to drift.

“She was a disappointment anyway. A whore just like my cous—” Eric’s insult cuts off when the door bangs open and several low thuds precede Bundy’s gasp of air.

Eric’s head snaps to the side just in time for us to see Bundy’s body collapse to the ground with a groan, revealing Noah’s devastating figure behind him. When he catches sight of the hands around my throat, a feral growl rips from his throat and he stalks forward, pointing the Glock at Eric’s head. The suppressor’s already attached, ready to kill.

“Get the fuck off of her.” It’s a voice I’ve never heard from him, the command Noah gives, and I know right then that henever truly tried to scare me before. I’ve never seen this version of him in even his worst moments. Eric must hear it too, because he scrambles backward, his frantic eyes glued to the barrel, tripping over Bundy’s bleeding form. The latter scoots back to the dresser, both of his knees bleeding heavily along with another wound to his shoulder. Just enough to disable him without killing him.

I suck in air greedily, hands jumping to my throat to dislodge the phantom fingers that are still ratcheted around it. Coughs rack my ruined body as I roll to my side, quaking violently. I’d just barely avoided death. I expected a lot from Eric, but for some reason I hadn’t believed he could really kill me.

Noah reaches down to grab Bundy’s discarded weapon and tucks it in the back of his pants, keeping his gun trained on Eric. “Baby, come here,” he says, side-stepping to me, his free hand.

“Noah?” I croak, forcing myself to release my own throat and get to my knees.

“Yeah, baby, I’m here.” His voice shakes, eyes cutting to mine for a moment. It’s all I need, because I seeeverythingin there. The same fear that’s eaten my soul to almost nothing.

I crawl toward his body, afraid to blink in case this is some kind of death hallucination. I think I’m saying his name on repeat as I reach him and his arm goes to my back. Holding me as tightly as he can as sobs wrack through my chest.

“I know, baby. Everyone’s almost here, I’m not going anywhere.” His words are a ghost against my forehead, his hands too tight but it feels so good.

I stare up at his face but the tears fall so fast it looks like he’s washing away.

“Shh,” he coddles me as I cling to him like he’s the only driftwood I can find in this shipwreck. He’ll get us to shore. That’s what hedoes. “I’m here, Angel. I’ve got you. You’re goingto be just fine, you hear me? Jesse!” he shouts, turning his head to the side to keep from yelling in my ear.

Jesse’s here, thank god. He’ll be focused on Bo, he’ll get him help. We’re going to be okay.

I can’t stop crying, and I shove my head so far into his jacket I can barely breathe, but the scent of him does something to me that I don’t even mind. Fuck air, he issafety. I could stay here forever, hidden.

Another crash from the doorway strikes enough fear into me that I wriggle free, desperate to see if a guard is cornering us. But no, it’s Jesse, his tall frame filling the doorway and I’ve never been so fucking happy to see every lethal foot of him in front of me. Chest heaving, his eyes promise pain to the men in front of us and I can’t help but peek back at them to see if they see it too. That my men will break them, and I will love watching it happen.

“You’re not dying here, motherfucker. You’re coming home with me,” Jesse growls, grabbing Bundy under his arms and starting to drag him toward the door.

“Where’s Bo?” Noah asks, turning his full attention on Eric.

“They’re stabilizing him for the doctor, he’ll be on the road in five,” Jesse adds, pulling Bundy to the top of the stairs and I hear thethunk thunk thunkof him being pushed down them. “I’m jumping in the medic van with him, yeah?”

But Noah’s moved on, glaring at Eric with a deadly, cold expression. “Cover your ears, baby.” He shifts casually, and I pull back to let him adjust the sling on his chest so that he can raise a shotgun and obliterate Eric’s foot.

His scream sounds sweet, if only I was in the kind of headspace to enjoy it more. As it is, I just keep my ears squeezed shut and let him tug the throw blanket from the bed and wrap it around my shoulders, and it’s like getting permission to disappear.

Eric crumples to the floor, screaming as he stares wide-eyed at the foot that’s now blown wide. I wish he would bequiet.I hate that he’s here, that he’s anywhere near Noah.

My worlds are colliding too quickly and I press even harder against my ears, squeezing my eyes shut. Now that Noah’s here, it’s like every emotion I had to hold back the last few days is land-sliding down on me at once, burning me. All the panic, the terror, the pain and fury at being used without my consent. The helplessness and frustration. It’s piling on top of me and I’m bending, caving in.

God, the pain is unbearable, and I press even harder as I fold forward til my head is tucked up against my knees to block out the noises of men filling the house, the hallway, my bedroom. The words muffle as Noah hands his gun to someone else with orders to bring Eric to the lockup.

And then he lifts me, finally, tucking my face into his neck as he carries me toward the staircase. There’s a fuzzy echo of activity in the background as I try to block out all sound and sight, my chest heaving with a confusing mixture of terror and relief.

It’s fracturing. My chest, myself. “Bo!” I call out, though I already know he’s not here anymore. Our separation feels like an uncauterized wound, and I’m free bleeding from the loss of him.

Noah grips me tighter to his chest, getting us down the stairs, his strong hand on the back of my head, cradling me closer. “Noah?” I ask again.