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“For a while now, I wanted to bring something to your attention, but I didn’t know how you’d react.”

His stomach flinched at her words. Emmanuel didn’t think he could take any more upheaval. Not when he had just settled back into his home where he belonged. No matter how supportive he was of Ivy, he wasn’t willing to leave again. This time, he would put up a fight.

“You have been through so much. I don’t want you to lose who you are. Here goes, you need to see someone.”

“A shrink?” Manny asked incredulously. Seeing a therapist is the very last thing he wanted to do. He stood and paced. Ivy joined him and took his hand. Emmanuel looked into her eyes, and all her love and concern floored him. What had he done to deserve her?

“Yes. Manny, you need someone to help you navigate through all these overwhelming feelings. Help you make sense of everything. You are everything to us. This time, you need help.”

Emmanuel shook his head. Tried to make light of it. “I have you, Doc.”

“I’m not enough to get you through this.”

Pulling her into his embrace, he spoke into her hair. “You are more than enough.”

Emmanuel knew what she meant even though he didn’t want to go to therapy, but he wanted to put her at ease. “I will think about the therapy thing.” He rubbed her back, trying to assure her not to worry. She tilted her head up and he captured her mouth in a searing kiss.

“I think I want to lie down for a bit,” Ivy said as she spoke into his shirt.

“You sure you don’t want to grab some lunch first?” Emmanuel asked as he stepped back.

“Maybe later. You coming up?”

“I think I’ll come up to our room to change, and then I’ll head to the gym.”

It was there that Frank found Emmanuel. He jumped onto the treadmill beside his friend. “You had quite the day.”

“Did you join me to give me a lecture?”

“A lecture? It was just a statement. It’s not every day you meet a twin that you just found out existed.” Frank pressed the button so that he was on pace with Emmanuel. “And you crush a young woman because she was unfortunate enough to get caught up in shit she couldn’t control.”

“This is you not lecturing?”

“You call that a lecture? I was pointing some shit out to you. Jasmine is a nice young woman. Your brother really fucked her over, and you made an unpleasant situation so much worse. Was it necessary to add humiliation to all the shit she was already dealing with? Lecturing would be me telling you that you acted like a boorish fucking asshole.”

“Boorish?” Emmanuel scoffed, slowing his pace.

Frank immediately slowed his pace as well. “My partner is an English Professor. What do you expect? Don’t try to change the subject. What you did was a dickhole move.”

“You're right. I took the shit too far. I’ll apologise to her.”

“Oh, Ivy already made you see sense. Well, I’m glad to hear it. One more thing.”

“What Frank?” Emmanuel groaned. Today was tiresome. There was only so much growth one man could handle.

“You came all this way for answers. Leonardo can help you get them. I’m afraid you are going to have to play nice. How hard can it be when you have him by the balls?”

“You are a pain in my ass,” Emmanuel grumbled.

“I’m sorry. It must be a terrible hardship to have a friend that is so wise.”

“I suppose we can try this shit again. Bring all the players back to the table and sort this out. I want it behind me. Ivy has been through enough.”

“I appreciate you looking out for my cousin, but look out for you, too. I’ll speak to both Leonardo and Jasmine and arrange something.”

Emmanuel thanked him. Then they continued to work out as Frank gifted his friend with silence.

Jasmine Journee joined Emmanuel, Ivy, and Frank in a private dining room. This atmosphere was decidedly more welcome than their meeting two days ago. It had taken Frank some finessing to get her to agree to come back and talk with them. Emmanuel remembered his manners, and he stood as Jasmine Journee walked in. A glance at Ivy told him he was starting off the meeting on the right foot. Their greeting was brief as he encouraged her to take a seat.

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