Page 19 of King of Manhattan

With trembling hands, Emily takes the phone. I watch her face as she reads, seeing the disbelief, the hope, the fear all warring for dominance. Her eyes scan back and forth, widening as she takes in the information.

"You... you're going legitimate?" she asks, her voice shaky.

I nod. "I've been working on it since you left. Called in every favor, used every resource I have. It's not complete yet, but it's happening. I'm dismantling the illegal operations, setting up legitimate businesses. It'll take time, but..." I reach across the table, taking her hand in mine. "I'll do whatever it takes, Emily. You're the only thing that matters now."

A tear slips down her cheek. Without thinking, I reach out, gently wiping it away with my thumb. The familiar softness of her skin under my touch sends a jolt through me. "I can't promise it'll be easy," I say softly. "I've made a lot of enemies. But I can promise that I'll do everything in my power to keep you safe, to be the man you deserve."

Emily looks at me, really looks at me, for what feels like an eternity. I hold my breath, waiting. I can see the conflict in her eyes, the battle between her heart and her head.

Finally, she speaks. "I missed you," she whispers, her voice thick with emotion. "I tried not to, but... I missed you so much, Vince."

Relief floods through me, so intense it's almost painful. I stand, pulling her up with me and into my arms. She comes willingly, burying her face in my chest. I hold her tight, breathing in her scent, relishing the feeling of her in my arms again. It feels like coming home.

"I missed you too," I murmur into her hair. "More than I thought possible. When you left... Emily, I've never been so scared in my life."

Emily pulls back slightly, looking up at me. There are still questions in her eyes, still doubts, but there's love there too. It's a start. "I was scared too," she admits. "Scared of what I'd found out, scared of losing you. I didn't know what to do."

I cup her face in my hands, my thumbs stroking her cheeks. "I understand. I should have told you everything from the beginning. No more secrets, I promise."

She nods slowly. "We have a lot to talk about," she says seriously.

"We do," I agree. "And we will. I'll answer any question you have, tell you anything you want to know. No holds barred."

Emily's quiet for a moment, then nods. "Okay," she says softly. Then, with a small smile, "So... you speak French?"

I chuckle, the tension breaking slightly. "I speak six languages. Comes in handy in international business, legitimate or otherwise."

Emily shakes her head, a mix of exasperation and fondness on her face. "You're full of surprises, Vincent Russo."

"I aim to keep you on your toes, Emily Bennett," I reply with a grin. Then, more seriously, "Where are you staying?"

"Hotel du Louvre," she answers. "Why?"

I take her hand, lacing our fingers together. The simple contact sends warmth spreading through me. "Because we have a lot to talk about, and I'd rather not do it in public. Plus," I add with a smirk, "I've missed you. A lot."

A blush creeps up Emily's cheeks, but she doesn't pull away. Instead, she squeezes my hand. "Okay," she says softly. "Let's go."

As we leave the café, stepping out into the Parisian sunshine, I feel lighter than I have in weeks. The streets of Paris stretch out before us, full of possibility. I flag down a taxi, holding the door open for Emily.

In the back of the cab, Emily leans into me, her head resting on my shoulder. It's such a simple gesture, but it means everything. "Vince?" she says softly.

"Yes?"

"I love you too," she whispers. "I should have said it earlier. I was just... scared."

I press a kiss to the top of her head, my heart soaring. "We're both learning, Emily. We'll figure it out together."

The door to Emily’s hotel room in Paris clicks shut behind us, and I can barely contain myself. The past few weeks without her have been pure hell, and now that she’s here, back in my arms, I don’t intend to let her go again. I grab her, pulling her into a kiss that’s anything but gentle. It’s fierce, punishing, fueled by the emotions I’ve been holding back since the moment she walked out of my life.

“Vince, I—” she starts, but I don’t let her finish. I silence her with a bruising kiss, my hands gripping her arms tightly, holding her in place.

“You need to be punished, Emily,” I whisper in her ear, my voice dark with the promise of what’s to come. “For making me worry. For making me think something had happened to you.”

I can feel her shiver in my arms, and it only spurs me on.

Before she can say a word, I spin her around, pull her over my knee as I sit on the bed, and lift her skirt up to her hips. The sight of her perfect ass in that flimsy little thong only fuels my fire.

With one sharp motion, I rip the thong off her, the sound of the fabric tearing satisfying something primal inside me. “You’ve been a very bad girl,” I growl, my hand coming down hard on her bare ass. The sting of the slap echoes in the room, and she cries out, but I know she loves it. I can feel the way her body responds to me, the way she arches her back, pushing up for more.

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