2.     Limit

I could see the shock on his face and was perversely satisfied that my face showed no emotion. I’d used my time wisely to hide my expression.

Let him be surprised, I thought smugly

“Guys” he said and I almost fell down to my knees again at his familiar voice, it scraped me raw.

Emre Evans.

“The man we’ve all been waiting for” Ashton was saying but I was only partially listening.

What were the odds that Ashton’s older brother would turn out to be Emre Evans. Should I have known? Their surname wasn’t common enough.

I abruptly remembered an old conversation filtered through old memories…

Emre mentioning to me that he had a younger brother, a step-brother when his mother had remarried.

Oh God.

I was brought back out of my reverie by Eric’s voice introducing me to someone who didn’t need an introduction to know me.

He was familiar with me… all parts of me.

“Emre, Sarah, Sarah, Emre, Ashton’s older brother has graciously invited us all out on his yacht today” Eric grinned and put his arm around me. It was evident by Eric’s formality that he didn’t hang out with Emre a lot

“Hey thanks man, Ashton said you never let anyone on board.”

“This is the first time for all of us, even Ashton” Zayn chimed in with glee.

“My brother just likes to act like a lonely old man with his boat all to himself so he can stare moodily out at the sea” Ashton laughed.

I was glad I didn’t have to add anything to the banter happening around me because I doubted I could speak.

My throat had closed up.

I had handled my expression but my voice would’ve betrayed me.

This was the limit of my strength. 

“So are you coming with us or bailing out?” Ashton asked Emre

Was there a chance he wasn’t coming with us? Please, for the love of God, say No.

Refuse, I begged the fates that had thrown us all together like this.

I didn’t think I had nerves enough to survive a whole day closed in on a yacht. At sea. With no way to escape.

I held my breath for his answer.

Emre pretended to think about it for a few seconds and then smirked and hit Ashton on the side of the head, “Already told you I was coming, would I leave my girl alone in your hands?”

He threw a look at me.

My throat died up.

What did that look mean? I was going to go crazy.

“C’mon, let’s leave” he said.

I’d hoped in vain.

“Oh hey Sarah,” Eric nudged me, “I forgot my jacket back in the car, shit let me go get it”

“I’ll go get it” I said instantly, glad to have an excuse to gather myself.

“No, you go on aboard” He said as he walked away leaving me here.

Zayn and Ashton took care of all the boxes and bags, hefting them aboard and then one by one gave Zerrin and Pelin a hand up.

Before I could grab onto Ashton’s hand, I felt someone behind me and large hands fitted around my waist and hauled me aboard, putting me down on the boat. I wobbled a bit and his hands lingered around my waist a little too long.

Ashton grabbed my hands to steady me and mussed my hair saying, “Sarah, I missed you”

I cracked out a laugh and murmured something, far too aware of Emre behind me.

The places where his hands had been, now burned, my heart was beating too fast.

My mind was filled with all the other times he’d done the same thing; it was so familiar, like nothing had changed.

Just like the old days when he’d just do this without thinking, he’d just lift me into his truck, lift me out of it… I felt like I’d stepped through a portal into another dimension.

My mind was in a spiral and I wiped my hands on my pants shakily.

Thankfully, Eric came back just then with his jacket in his hands and climbed aboard.

“You came back just in time, we were about to leave without you” joked Emre.

The words had an edge to them but Eric laughed, thankfully not noticing anything. Maybe I was the only one who had caught on to it because I was listening so carefully.

Too carefully.

I needed to stop my shit right now.

I was glad of Eric by my side but guilty at the same time. I was using him as a shield and I knew that but I also knew that I had no choice. I had only two plans right now, Eric and avoidance.

I could do this. I’d survived way worse in life.

Let the games begin.