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“Then you go after her and you don’t take no for an answer. And for God’s sake…donotgive her time.” She rolled her eyes and I had to hold back a laugh.
“I hadn’t planned on it.” I replied.
She placed her feet on the floor and sat forward, crooking her finger at me.
“Come closer.”
I bent forward and lightning fast, she struck out, pinching my arm.
“Jesus,” I grumbled as I rubbed the already reddening area. “You have the same violent streak as my ma.”
“You’re still here. Do you need another one?” She smirked.
“No, ma’am. I’m leaving now. And thank you.”
Standing up, I made my way to the door. Emory had a few hours head start on me––clever girl––but if all else failed, I’d charter a flight. She got the space she wanted with her little stunt, but I sure as hell wasn’t going to give her enough time to start second-guessing our relationship. Not gonna happen. I was fully prepared to beg, borrow, and steal to keep her in my life. There were no other options. She was mine.
“Oh,” Imogene called out. “Once you make Bear see the light, ask her about Mr. Lawrence. Then give me a call. We have a lot to discuss.”
I was out the door and back in my own room in a flash, hands shaking as I fumbled to unlock my phone and dial the only person who could help me the most.
“Do you have any idea what time it is?” Rico answered.
“Emory left.”
“Fuck.”
I’d been so distraught after she caught me, I hadn’t updated my brothers on anything. While I quickly shoved my clothes and personal items in my luggage, I brought him up to speed, knowing he’d pass along the information to the other two.
“Holy shit, Fratello. So it’s the gambler, not the senator. And she was with you?”
“Seems that way. And yes, Emory was there. She was too upset to hear me out, rightfully so.”
“And now she pulled a runner,” he concluded. “What do you need from me?”
“First, find out what flight she’s on and arrange to have a car pick her up at the airport.”
We’d driven there together two days ago, so her only options would be to rent a car or take an Uber, neither was ideal. Next, I told him to scour the airlines to get me an earlier flight. If there was anyone who could pull a rabbit out of an empty hat, it was Rico. Then, I asked to talk to River. My girl neededher girlsin the worst possible way. They’d have her back and at least River had a good head on her shoulders. She wouldn’t immediately jump to conclusions. The same couldn’t be said for Quinn. She was a wild card I’d have to deal with later on.
Within ten minutes, my bags were packed, flight booked, and a cab was waiting by the curb. I’d have to hoof it through the airport to make it to the gate in time, but thankfully at this early hour, getting past security should be relatively quick.
Grabbing my things, I took one last look around the room. I’d fucked up…big time. Instead of trusting Emory with the truth, I’d foolishly thought I’d be able to do the job and get the girl at the same time. It was a huge miscalculation on my part, one I had every intention of rectifying posthaste because she was it for me.
Point-blank.
*****
THE FLIGHT WAStoo long and I was lucky as shit I hadn’t been pulled over a number of times along the road between Baltimore and Mountain Grove. The speed limit was seventy, however I’d been pushing eighty-five most of the way. Thankfully, traffic had been light once I hit I-70 toward Frederick, then again when I got onto I-68.
I’d called Rico the second I was able to turn my phone on. He’d informed me Emory had made it home and was currently at her apartment with River and Quin, who showed up armed to the teeth with alcohol. If I hadn’t been so nervous, I might have laughed at the picture he painted.
Gabe phoned an hour into my drive, requesting I meet them at Quattro for a debrief. He suggested I give Emory a little time to decompress before attempting to speak with her. After politely, yet firmly, telling him to go fuck himself, I told him I’d text later and hung up.
The closer I got to town, the more anxious I became. By the time I pulled up in front of the bakery and parked, my blood pressure was so high my temples were actually throbbing. Rounding the hood of the car, I saw her at the bottom of the stairs and I knew my headache had only just begun.
“What are you doing out here, Quin?”
“Waiting for you,” she replied as she blocked the steps like a miniature warrior.
