by Cali MacKay
“Serves him right. Bastard.” Her eyes burned as she tried to swallow down the lump in her throat.
Jake grumbled out a groan of frustration and got to his feet. “That’s it. We’re going out—and you don’t get to say no. Not this time. We have to find a new location for the restaurant, and there’s a ton of planning that needs to get done.”
“The insurance company is dragging its feet while the arson investigation continues and until I get some money in, I have no funds for putting down deposits on anything.” She put up a hand to stop him, knowing exactly what he was going to say. “And I can’t take your money when I don’t know when the hell I’ll be able to pay you back.”
He pulled her up off the sofa and got her standing, tossing aside the throw that clung to her. “Then consider it an investment. Let me be your business partner, Em. I got a sizeable inheritance, and though it may not be the billions Quinn’s managed to rack up, I’ve made some nice investments, and the returns have been considerable.”
Taking a deep breath, she tried to snap through the fog in her head. She knew Jake would be the perfect business partner. And maybe this was just what she needed to get herself out of her funk. “Are you sure that’s what you want to do? Especially when they haven’t caught whoever set the fire? Someone doesn’t like me, Jake. And I doubt it’ll stop until we figure out who the hell it is.”
Anger darkened his brown eyes, until they’d nearly gone black. “I’m not letting anyone stop me, Em. And I sure as hell won’t let them fucking intimidate us. We’re going to do this, and whoever it is better get used to it.”
She hadn’t revisited the thought that Quinn was behind the fire. It would have been an easy way to force her to move the restaurant, and since they’d been planning a remodel anyway, it was no skin off Quinn’s back. And yet, she couldn’t think of him going to such extremes, especially when he knew what the Old Port meant to her, and the cops hadn’t mentioned him.
Taking a deep breath, she pushed aside her emotions, and thoughts of Quinn. And though she still felt like a ghost of her former self, she managed a whisper of a smile. “I guess we’re partners then.”
“I think this calls for a celebration. Let’s go grab some lunch and we can make plans. Find a new location that’ll be even better than the first.” He pulled her into his arms and gave her a big hug. “You’ll be all right, Em. I’m going to make sure you pull through this.”
Emma took a deep breath and let it out in a weary sigh as she rested her head on Jake’s chest, hoping he was right, even as her tears threatened once more.
Chapter Twenty
Quinn never should have let his brothers drag him out to a club. He was in no mood for the lights, the noise, or the crowds, and the sort of drinking he wanted to do was the kind best done at home.
Morgan bumped his shoulder. “Looks like you’ve got an admirer. She’ll help you forget whatever’s made you such a grumpy fuck as of late.”
Quinn glanced over at the leggy blonde. Pretty, tall, curvy, and looking all too willing. She would have been a perfect distraction before Emma. But now? What the hell was the point? He had no interest in her, none whatsoever.
Ignoring Morgan’s comment—and the blonde—he turned back to business. “The police called to let me know that they don’t believe the fire is related to the other incidents at Emma’s restaurant, and they’re starting to wonder if it’s not related to Emma, but rather Ryker Investments.”
“Fuck…I can’t imagine why anyone would have it in for us.” Morgan usually had his head buried in finding them new ventures to invest in, but he seldom dealt with any of the day-to-day stuff, preferring to do his own thing. He wasn’t exactly a loner, but he certainly didn’t go out of his way to deal with people.
“Unfortunately, there are always people we’ve pissed off. It’s part of doing business, and we’ve certainly made our share of enemies along the way. Problem is, they’re not coming up with many leads based on just the evidence from the fire, so they’ve got some sort of consultant or special investigator coming up from Boston.” Quinn wanted this figured out.
The thought of someone threatening his family, threatening Emma, left him furious. She could have easily been at the restaurant when the fire was set, not to mention all her customers. It could have been a tragic disaster.
“At least they’re staying on it.” Gabe’s eyes narrowed in anger as he shook his head. “A fire isn’t exactly a small-scale threat, yeah? They need to find whoever’s fucking with us before this escalates.”
“Exactly. They’re going to want to sit down with us and go over all our investments and properties, any issues we may have had with competitors.” Shit, that was a long list. “Gabe, if you could meet with the investigator they’re sending, I’d appreciate it, since you usually deal with all our documents and contracts, and are most familiar with those details. And since they don’t know what the motivation behind the fire was or if that was the end of it, we’re going to have to be diligent.”
“Whatever you need, I’m here. I’ll also let our foremen and property managers know. Make sure security is beefed up.” Gabe took a long sip from his pint, before tilting his head back towards the blonde. “She’s got a couple of friends now. One for each of us.”
Quinn still had absolutely no interest in a hookup, especially with his thoughts still lingering on Emma. The thought of her in danger, that he couldn’t be by her side to protect her was killing him—and he’d had enough. “I’m afraid you’re going to have to manage without me. I’ve got a busy day ahead of me tomorrow.”
Shaking his head, Gabe glared at him as Quinn got to his feet. “For fuck’s sake, Quinn… Busy doing what? Working on Emma’s restaurant? I get that you’re in love with her—and I get that you’re probably worried about her, too—but that woman has totally fucked you up. You either need to forget about her, or you need to figure out a way to win her back—one that’ll be quicker than building her a goddamned restaurant.”
“Don’t you think I’ve tried, Gabe? What the fuck?” Ready to punch someone, he grabbed his jacket and got ready to go. “Just mind your own damn business if you don’t have anything constructive to say.”
“Quinn…for fuck’s sake. Stay.”
But he was already on his way out, his mind determined. He might be pissed at his brother, but Gabe had a point. It was time he got Emma back. He wasn’t taking no for an answer—and he sure as hell wasn’t going to let Jake keep him from seeing her. Not this time. He was done with trying to be patient in the hopes she’d come around. And he was done waking up in an empty bed.
He needed her back in his life. He craved her, yearned for her touch, her body, and he missed her as if a piece of his soul, his heart had died. He couldn’t think of anyone or anything but her, and he’d had enough. He had to fix this, had to get his life back. And the only way to do that was to get her to take him back.
It didn’t take long to find himself impatiently pounding on Jake’s door once more. It was late—but not so late that he’d be waking anyone. Eventually Jake answered the door, stepping out onto the porch and pulling the door shut behind him. “I need to speak to Emma—and I’m not leaving until I do. It’s been three weeks, and I’m fucking tired of it.”
Quinn expected Jake’s usual rant about leaving her alone, about her not being interested, before it proceeded to Jake threatening to call the cops for trespassing, harassment, and stalking.
“She still doesn’t want to see you, Ryker. And after what you put her through, you don’t deserve her. Not one fucking iota. But…” Jake shook his head, and stuffed his hands in the pockets of his worn jeans. “But she’s been miserable since you guys split. Even the prospect of rebuilding Old Port hasn’t been enough to bring her around this past week. As much as I love her—and I do, make no mistake about it—I can’t stand to see her like this.”
It was one thing to suspect how Jake felt about Emma and another to hear it straight up. And though Quinn’s jealou
s streak had him tightening a fist, he pushed it back, knowing damn well that Jake was the one thing standing between himself and Emma. “Then let me talk to her. For fuck’s sake, I haven’t spoken to her since this all happened.”
“Just don’t make me regret this, Ryker.” Jake tilted his head towards the door and took a seat on the porch steps.
The tight ball of tension that’d been wound up in Quinn’s chest finally started to slip free as hope washed over him. He let himself into the large home and immediately spotted Emma pacing in front of the fireplace. Fuck, it was so good to see her. And yet, he couldn’t help but notice the dark circles under her eyes and the fact that she’d lost weight, her features more gaunt than he remembered them.
He’d done that to her. And he hated himself for it.
Desperate to hold her and make things right between them, he crossed to her side, only to have her take a step away from him. “What the hell are you doing here, Quinn?”
“Emma, please…I’m sorry. I’m sorry for hurting you, lying to you, and I’d find a million different ways to say it if it’d convince you that I truly meant it.” He knew this was all his fault, but he needed her to forgive him. “Look, I know I fucked up, but it was never my intention to hurt you. It was just a situation that slipped out of my control. But I can’t do this anymore. We need to find a way to get past this so you can come back home with me.”
She shook her head and started to turn away when he grabbed her hand and pulled her to him, wrapping her in his arms and ignoring her struggles until they lessened and she leaned against him, her voice tight with emotion. “I can’t do this, Quinn.”
“Well, I’m not leaving, darling—and I’m not taking no for an answer. I need you, Emma—just like you need me.” They were both miserable apart. That much was clear. “I meant it when I said that I love you. I can’t bear not having you in my life, and I’ll do whatever it takes to get you back.”
Emma looked straight into Quinn’s eyes. “I don’t know how to get past this when I don’t feel like I can trust you anymore. You lied to me, damn it. And all while preaching honesty. Not to mention, you knew how hard it was for me to trust you, given my past. To have you betray me? How the hell am I supposed to get past that?” Yet she hadn’t pulled out of his arms, giving him the slightest glimmer of hope that she might give him another chance.
“I made a mistake, Emma.” He cupped her cheek, and then, when she didn’t pull away, he brushed her lips with a whisper of a kiss. “You know we’re meant to be together. And damn it, Emma—I’ve never felt this way about anyone else. I’m not going to let you just give up on us.”
He kissed her again and again, each kiss more demanding than the one before it. Tangling his fingers in her hair, his tongue found hers as she yielded to him, softening in his arms. It’d been weeks since he’d last touched her, held her, fucked her, and with her finally in his arms once more, he could think of nothing but getting her back home, where she belonged.
He nuzzled her, still trailing kisses over her skin as he spoke, unable to pull away. “Come home, darling… Let me make things right.”
“Things can’t just go back to the way they were, Quinn. That reality no longer exists—especially when I no longer have a restaurant or an income.” There was so much emotion in her voice, he knew she was barely holding it together.
He’d wanted her new restaurant space to be perfect before he showed it to her, but that just wasn’t an option at this point. He couldn’t wait any longer. Not when she was so upset. “Come on then. There’s something I need to show you.”
“Quinn…”
He grabbed her hand and started pulling her towards the door. “I’m not taking no for an answer, darling. And you can either come along under your own steam, or I can haul your pretty little ass out of here with you tossed over my shoulder. Up to you, darling.”
“You really are a pain in the ass.” She shook her head and glared at him, though it only took another tug on his behalf to finally get her moving.
Jake got to his feet when they stepped out onto the front porch. “Em? You okay?”
She tossed Quinn a stern look before turning to Jake. “Yeah, I’m fine. We’re just heading out for a bit, but I won’t be long.”
As Quinn pulled out onto the road, he was already feeling a million times more hopeful now that he had Emma at his side, as if she alone could make everything right in his world. And she could, because she was the only thing that mattered.
Steering them towards town, he couldn’t help but reach over and link his hand with hers, before bringing it to his lips. “I’ve missed you, Emma. The last few weeks have been miserable without you. The house feels empty, the dogs are moping, and I can’t even focus on work. You need to come home—our home. Tonight.”
“That’s not happening—and I’m not going to let you bully me into coming home with you.” She yanked her hand free, some of her old spunk coming back.
He couldn’t help but smile at her. “I don’t want you to just come home, darling. I also want you in my bed. I’ve missed the way your body feels against mine, the way your body quivers when you come, and how you’re always so wet for me, so willing. I love you, Emma. I love everything about you.”
“Stop it, Quinn. I can’t do this. And if you loved me, you wouldn’t have lied to me.” The emotion in her voice was impossible to ignore, and it killed him that he was the cause of her heartache. Yet he refused to let her question his love for her. Not when it was absolute.
“Don’t, Emma. You don’t get to question my love for you.” That just pissed him off. How could she think he didn’t love her? It was absurd. “I made a mistake—a big one that won’t ever happen again—but it doesn’t mean that I don’t love you. I only wanted to protect you until I could get it sorted out.”
Pulling up in front of the waterfront space he was renovating for her, he tossed the car in park. “What are we doing here?”
She’d find out soon enough. He went around to her side and grabbed her hand to help her out of the car. “Come on, sweetheart.”
Late as it was, there was no one on the jobsite. He let them in, punched in the security code, and then flicked on some additional lights before turning to her.
“What is this place?” Emma’s gaze shifted around the large space, taking it all in. The place had been transformed in the last few weeks, and though they were still a month away from completion, things were coming along nicely.
“It’s your restaurant.” He grabbed her hand, not quite sure what she was thinking or how she’d react once it finished sinking in. “I couldn’t get out of the contract for your space, and with things held up due to the fire, I figured this was the next best thing. I know it’s not your original location, but it’s just around the corner from it. Not to mention, it has waterfront views, hard to come by parking, and there’s outdoor seating. I’ve also got top-of-the-line equipment going in the kitchen, and I tried to match the décor and feel to what you had.”
“Quinn…you can’t just do this.” She shook her head as tears threatened to spill over and slip down her cheeks. “This is really sweet of you, and I totally appreciate you doing this—the time, the effort, and especially the thought you put into it, but I can’t afford this.”
“You may not be able to, but I can—and I want to do this for you. I never meant for you to lose your restaurant, but I’m hoping this helps make up for it.” He cupped her cheek and stole a gentle, lingering kiss, her lips sweet against his as she tentatively kissed him back after hesitating. “I was hoping to have it completed before showing it to you, but maybe this way, you can help me pick stuff out, so it’s exactly the way you want it.”
“This still doesn’t fix your lies. I get that you didn’t mean for things to turn out the way they did, but you should have talked to me about it. Instead you chose to lie and manipulate me.” She shook her head and blinked away her tears. “How the hell am I supposed to get over that, Quinn?”
�
��I fucked up, Emma. I was just so scared of losing you, knowing that the only reason you were dating me was because of that lease. If I told you that I couldn’t honor my promise to you, I knew you’d walk away from me.” He ran a rough hand through his hair, all his worries and fears about losing her rising to the surface.
“It may have been the reason I agreed to see you in the first place, but you know it turned into so much more.” She cursed under her breath. “You should have trusted me when I said that I loved you—and you should have trusted that by being honest with me, I’d see that you had done your best to save my restaurant.”
“Emma…I’m sorry. I truly am. I know I fucked up, but you have to forgive me. I need you back in my life, and I’ll be damned if I’m going to go another day without you by my side.” The thought of them going their separate ways just wasn’t an option. Not when he loved her so completely. “Please…don’t push me away, love. Give me another chance. I know I can make you truly happy.”
“You don’t ever take no for an answer, do you?” She looked up at him with a stern look, tempting him to pull her close and brush her lips in another kiss.
“No, I don’t. Not when it comes to you. You’re stuck with me, darling, so you may as well get used to it.” He tangled his fingers with hers and pulled her towards the back of the space where they’d started putting together the kitchen, relieved that she didn’t put up a fight. “Come on, darling… Let me show you around.”
He led her into the open kitchen area and flicked on some more lights, watching her as she took it all in. She wandered around the kitchen, most of the cooking equipment already in place. He’d had Finn come in and help him with the particulars, so that he could get all the details right.
She ran a hand over the stainless counter while looking at him, confusion darkening her eyes. “You did all this? For me?”