Nothing Without You | Eric Coulter [2]

sixteen

We had a full house now that it wasn't just Dauntless members that were living here now.

The dorms and bunkers were all packed to the brim with people, and some Dauntless-borns had even given up their solo apartments and moved back in with their families to make more room.

Now that my bed back in the dorms was filled out by someone else, I had a legitimate excuse to live permanently with Eric.

After having breakfast with Uriah and Lynn, needing to spend some time with them after everything we've been through together, I make my way back through the familiar hallways that lead to Eric's- our- room.

My feet carried me down the long pathway without thought, something that felt like second nature after all the nights I'd spent in the room we now shared.

It's still insane to me how much things have changed. It still felt like it hasn't been too long ago when Eric had to push me off of the ledge just to get me moving.

Standing before our door, I raised my fist to knock, having lost my key in all of the chaos that had ensued.

It doesn't take Eric long to answer the door, and the sight that greets me still manages to set my heart ablaze even though it was one that I've grown accustomed to.

With a hand braced against the open door and a soft smile that he seems to save just for me, Eric stands there in nothing but a towel around his waist and his hair still drenched. If I look closely, I could even see the soap suds in his hair as if he'd rushed out of the shower the moment he heard me knock.

"You've kept me waiting." The smile on Eric's face kicked up into a smirk as he reaches forward to pull me through the threshold and into his room by the belt loop of my pants.

Kicking the door close with his foot, Eric pulls me into a mind-shattering kiss, his lips moving against mine with a desperation that resembled a starved man.

"I've missed you," He mumbles against my lips as we pull apart.

I couldn't help the smile that tugged at the corners of my lips, and I was convinced that I looked like an idiot with the way I was smiling up at Eric. Still, nothing could possibly dampen the contentment that I was feeling as Eric presses his lips to mine in one last chaste kiss before leading me deeper into the room with a large hand clutching mine.

"Your drawer's still empty, so is your space in the shower caddy..." He trails off when my hand slips out of his, "What's wrong?"

Folding my arms over my chest, I narrow my eyes at him. "I'm still waiting for my apology."

Eric's frown deepens, "You'll get your apology. It'll just be nice to know what I'm apologising for."

I raise a brow at him, sinking my teeth into my bottom lip to keep from smiling.

"If I have to tell you, it wouldn't be a real apology."

Eric's lips pulled into a wide smile at my teasing and he reaches forward to wrap an arm around my waist.

He pulls me towards him, holding me close to his chest as he brushes his nose against mine. "Is that how it works?"

I jerk my chin in a firm nod, "It is to me."

Leaning down, he stops when his lips were hovering just above mine, so close that I could feel his breath against my skin. "Then, that's how it is for me too." He presses his lips firmly against mine in a kiss I feel all the way down to my toes. "I'm sorry for breaking up with you. I never should've done it." He says as he pulls away.

Breaking into a large grin, I raise on my tip-toes to kiss him again. "Are you going to make it up to me?"

Eric chuckles, kissing me on the forehead. "Oh, I will," He promises, "But first, why don't you get washed up and we can take a nice long nap? I'm beat."

I do exactly that, but not before I claim one last kiss from Eric who kisses me back like he was a man on a mission.

Everything was perfect. But I should've known better than to let my guard down like this.

✧

I'm jarred awake by a violent pounding at the door.

Eric groans from beside me, rolling over onto his back and I immediately miss the feel of his arms around me.

"I'm coming!" Eric grunts, shoving the covers off of his body and rolling out of bed.

Before Eric could even take another step towards the door, however, it bursts forward, the wood splintering at the hinges as a team of armed Dauntless and factionless guards- including Edgar- rushes into the room.

I jack-knife off of the bed just as the guards raise their guns at me, yelling, "Don't move!"

My first instinct is to go to Eric despite their orders, but I stop short when Eric raises a hand to stop me and I meet his eyes, seeing the sheer worry in them.

"Listen to them, Nessa. Stay where you are."

My heart is beating so rapidly against my chest that I almost couldn't hear the chaos that was going on around me over it. The only person that my focus was on at this moment was Eric, who had multiple guns aimed right at his head.

"What the hell is going on?" I demand, my voice shrill with panic as I stumble to my feet, clearly not thinking it through.

My movement prompts a guard to cock his gun, and Eric's hand immediately snaps up to grab my wrist. He pushes me behind him, his body acting as a human shield between me and the bullets.

"No one needs to get hurt," He says, his voice steady even though his hands are shaking as he holds me against him, and I realise how much the thought of me getting shot had scared him. "What's going on?"

"Eric Coulter, you're to stand trial for conspiracy alongside Erudite." A guard- I wasn't sure which one- spoke.

"Stand trial?" My brows furrow in confusion, "This is ridiculous! What are you talking about?"

"Hey, it's okay." Eric softens his voice as he speaks to me, "We'll figure this out."

Clearly not wanting things to escalate, Eric puts his wrists together in front of him and lets them cuff him.

"Stop! What the fuck are you doing?" I yell as a guard hits him in the stomach with the butt of his rifle, making Eric double over in pain before dragging him out the door.

I rush forward but Edgar shoves me roughly back into the room and I tumble back.

Eric is there in a flash, his body slamming into the guard who had shoved me.

"Keep your fucking hands off of her," He grits out, the look in his eyes promising to inflict harm on whoever dared to defy him even though he was clearly in the more vulnerable position.

A sly smile stretches across Edgar's face as he stares Eric down, "You're going down." He says before grabbing Eric by the arm and giving him a hard push out the door.

I watch, feeling completely helpless as they take him away.

Fuck, what do I do now?