The Arrogant Artist : A Billionaire Boss Romance (International Bad Boys Set Book 2), стр. 61

My friends hold onto my shaking body, giving me their strength and courage.

“I’ll go get you some water.” Louis leaves the bedroom.

“He saved you, Emmy,” Ava tells me.

I don’t want to hear it.

“I want to go home,” I tell them.

I watch as they all look at each other.

“What about Louis?” Rosie asks.

I shake my head. “I don’t want to be here anymore. I need to get away from him.”

Louis walks in at that moment, hurt is written across his face. He hands the glass to me, but I can’t look at him.

“If you want to go home, Emily, Daniel will organize a private plane to take you back to London.” I lift my head and nod. “I’ll message him now.” Then he walks out of the room.

“He loves you, Emmy,” Ava tells me.

“I don’t care. It’s his fault that man touched me.”

“Emmy.” Georgia’s tone is angry. “Did you not see the cuts and bruises on his face… on his knuckles? He attacked Yves, he defended you. He saved you.”

I shake my head. “He’d never have touched me if it wasn’t for him.”

“No, Emmy,” Georgia argues, which surprises me. “I’ll not let you place blame on Louis. The person you should be upset with is Yves. He is the fucking cunt who spiked your drink and took you home. He’s the one who deserves your anger, not that man in there. Not that man who thought his world was crashing down around him because he’d lost you. Not that man who would have killed Yves if the police weren’t there.”

I just keep shaking my head.

“Not now,” Rosie tells Georgia.

“Rosie, he’s a good man. He loves her.”

Rosie shakes her head at Georgia as if asking her to stop.

“I just want to go home. Coming to France was the biggest mistake of my life.”

My friends pull me in tighter as I breakdown further inside my mind.

Hours later, Louis has organized a private plane for us to fly back to London. Daniel joined us. The girls said goodbye to Louis, but I couldn’t. I just wanted to get away from this nightmare of a place.

“If you need anything, anything at all, let Daniel know.”

Not sure who Louis said that to, but I know I won’t be needing anything from him ever again. I curl up against the butter-soft leather seats and stare out the window.

“You need to eat something.” Ava sits down beside me, handing me a sandwich.

“No, thanks.” I push it away.

“Take one bite, please?” She pushes the plate in front of me again, and I give her a dismissive hand gesture, take a bite to please her, then push it back. “Thank you.”

Ava moves away leaving me alone.

There’s a black town car waiting for us at the airport.

“The driver will take you wherever you need to go. Emily’s things will be packed up and shipped back to London as soon as it can be arranged.” Daniel’s talking to someone—I have no idea who. I’m so lost inside my head. “Here’s my business card, if any of you need anything, please don’t hesitate to call.”

I let out a frustrated sigh.

“Thank you so much, Daniel. We’ll be in touch,” Ava tells him.

I roll my eyes. Of course, she will be, she wants to fuck him. It’s not like I didn’t witness the fuck-me eyes she’s been throwing him all weekend.

Whatever. I don’t care.

I jump into the back of the town car and curl into the door. I wait patiently until the others join me, and the car starts moving.

“You don’t mind sharing an apartment with me again?” Rosie asks, attempting to cheer me up.

I just ignore her and stare out the window watching the city go by.

One by one, we drop off all the girls, and then it’s our turn. Rosie helps me out of the car and up to her apartment.

“I’m going to go to bed,” I tell her.

“Okay. Well, I’m here if you need me.” She gives me a tight hug, a little longer than is necessary, but I don’t pull away. “I mean it, Em. I’m here for you. We all are.”

I nod and make my way to the spare room where a bed is made up for me. I pull back the duvet and sink into the soft bed—a bed that makes me feel safe. I take the pill the doctor prescribed and fall asleep not long after.

Hands touch me. I feel hands all over my body. Lips against my skin, and I can’t free myself. I scream and shout trying to get free, but I can’t. I call out for help, but no one is there. Hands try to pull my legs apart. I attempt to kick and scream, but nothing comes out.

“Emmy. Emmy… wake up. It’s a dream.”

I jolt up in my bed, my body is bathed in sweat, and Rosie is sitting beside me on the bed with a look of concern on her face.

“He tried to…” I burst out crying.

Rosie pulls me into her arms and holds me as I sob. Hours later, I eventually fall back to sleep with Rosie right next to me.

When I wake in the morning and realize it’s her who’s sharing my bed, I feel relieved.