Page 89 of Lost the Handle

“Emery, that’s ridiculous.”

I scoff. “I’d give her the Bugatti for you.”

He feigns shock. “Not my car.”

I lean into him, cupping his jaw. “Don’t you know I would give up everything for you?”

“You don’t have to.” He kisses my nose. “I’m yours.”

“I know, but I wanted you to be free from all she had over you. I want you to decide for yourself if you want to walk away from being a doctor or not. No matter what, I support you.”

He swallows, his throat bobbing as he holds my gaze. He shakes his head. “I’ve missed you, Em.”

Emotion clogs my throat as I run my thumb along his jaw. “You’ll never have to miss me again.”

His eyes shine with love as he leans down to kiss my nose once more. “Promise?”

“Promise. I won’t ever walk away again.”

“I wouldn’t let you anyway,” he says before taking my mouth with his. He kisses me hard, his tongue brushing mine as he squeezes my hips, pulling me tighter to him. Neither of us cares that there are currently two people fighting in the room with us. All that matters is us.

Against my lips, Quinn whispers, “My heart is yours.”

“I know,” I quip with a wink.

His deep chuckle runs down my spine and warms the pit of my belly just as Yvette says, “I want you to love me like that, where nothing else in the world matters but me.”

“But I do,” Ava stresses. “My family?—”

“Then we leave. We start over somewhere else. Together,” Yvette tries. But I know Ava isn’t going for it, and my heart aches for Yvette.

“No, I can’t. I need him.”

“You don’t,” Yvette says just as I remind Ava, “Nope. You can’t have him.”

Ava closes her eyes, shaking her head, and I can tell she feels the defeat. I would feel bad, but she hasn’t been the nicestandshe tried to steal my man.

“I can’t do this,” Yvette says then, and I look over as she locks eyes with Ava. “Either we take the money and start our life together, or I walk away.”

Ava’s mouth falls open. “What?”

“You heard me. I have been patient, but I can’t any longer. Not after I’ve witnessed what real love is. The fight, the need, the passion. Ava, I want that. I deserve that.”

Ava looks at us then back at the woman who is currently holding her bloody heart out for Ava to take. Ava’s eyes are full of shock and fear, and I hope she makes the right decision.

Quinn slides his hand into mine, our fingers threading, before he says, “We’re gonna go. You two need some privacy, and we do too.” He kisses the top of my head. “Send me your banking information, and I’ll transfer the money.”

I hold up my hand to stop whatever Ava wants to say. “Don’t worry, I have it, and the money will be deposited within the hour.”

Ava’s eyes narrow. “You have my banking information?”

I grin the way I do when I want someone to fear me. “I have everything. So, remember that, okay?” I pause then hold up a hand. “If you decide to ruin his career, I’ll ruin you, Ava Mettison. You don’t want to fuck with me.” Ava stares at me in disbelief, and I give her a sugary grin. “I’ll also send you a list of some more secure offshore account options. You picked theworst one, and I wouldn’t want to be able to steal my money back.”

Yvette snorts as Ava gawks at me. Meanwhile, Quinn laughs as he wraps his arms around me, kissing my ear. “It’s so fucking sexy when you go full dangerous hacker on people.”

I look up at him, my lips curving up. “If you’re a good boy, I’ll sit in your lap while I hack away.”

His eyes burn, the blue turning to sapphire as he squeezes my hips, pressing his raging hard-on against my stomach. “Oh Em, you’ll be in my lap, but hacking will be the last thing you’re going to be doing.”

---