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“Hunter? Is everything OK with Emily?”
“No, everything is not OK. The woman I love is crying her eyes out because someone broke into her apartment and now everything she has for her research paper is gone.”
Two seconds of silence, and then, “Fuck.”
“Exactly. I need two favors from you, Maggie, and since it concerns Emily, these are not favors that you have the liberty to turn down.”
“Tell me what I can do,” she says, without hesitation.
“First, Emily is going to need some time off,” I say.
“Done.” There’s only a second of hesitation before she adds, “Emily, take all the time you need, and then some. I don’t want you to even think about work until this is over, OK?”
Emily sniffs. “Thanks, Maggie.”
“What else do you need from me?” Maggie says.
“She has an old copy of her paper in her desk. It’s the one she gave you to have a look at. I need you to let us into the pharmacy as soon as possible so we can retrieve it.”
“I have a better idea,” she says.
I frown, not liking her tone. “What?”
“I live closer to the pharmacy. I’ll grab it and all of her files, and I’ll bring them to you. You, Hunter, just need to sit tight and remind Emily that she is the most brilliant student I have ever worked with and, no matter what doubt or fear she is feeling right now, I am fully confident she will finish this paper in time.”
“Thanks, Maggie,” Emily whispers. Her voice is so weak, I wrap her in a hug. Despite Maggie’s encouragement, she is still shaking like a leaf in a windstorm.
“I’ll see you soon, dear. Just take it easy and remember the brilliant woman that you are, OK?”
There’s a click, and the call ends. For a moment, I just hold Emily, wishing I could take all of her fear and self-doubt from her.
I gently stroke Emily's hair, feel her trembling subside. The silence in the apartment is heavy, broken only by her occasional sniffles. I know I should focus on securing the area, checking for any signs the intruders might return, but right now, Emily needs me more.
"Hey," I say softly, tilting her chin up to look at me. "We're going to get through this together, OK? You're not alone in this."
She nods weakly, her eyes red and puffy. "I just... I feel so violated. They were in my home, Hunter. They touched my things, they destroyed my work. How am I supposed to feel safe here again?"
“You have me, Em. And I am going to make sure that nothing like this ever happens to you again. Whatever it takes.”
Gently, I extract myself from her and head to her kitchen and start a pot of coffee.
“What are you doing?” She says.
“Making coffee. And then, I’m going to make sandwiches. For the next forty-eight hours, or however long it takes, I am going to be by your side. Anything you need, I will get it brought here. Anyone who looks at you sideways, knocks on your door, calls you — anyone — they will deal with me. I will keep you safe, I will keep you fed, I will keep you comfortable, anything and everything so that you can do what you need to do. I love you, and I will help you through this every step of the way.”
Emily's eyes well up with fresh tears, but this time, a small smile plays at the corners of her mouth. "Hunter, I... I don't know what to say."
I pour two mugs of coffee and bring them over, setting them on the coffee table.
"You don't have to say anything. Just focus on your work. I will take care of everything else."
Chapter Forty-Six
Emily
For hours, I practically chain myself to my desk, my nose buried in my old paper, transcribing it to my computer and frantically downloading every citation and half-remembered snippet of revision that springs to mind. Every once in a while, when the frustrated tears well up in my eyes and stop me from being able to even see the text on the page, I stop, and it’s in those moments that Hunter envelops me in his arms and words of confidence, of encouragement, of love rain down on me and wash away my tears.
It’s in those moments that I find it’s hard to question yourself when the most ferocious, intimidating man I’ve ever met is telling me what a smart badass I am and how he has no shred of doubt that I’ve got this all under control.
