Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 83756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 419(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 419(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
“We’re moving forward, right?”
A tear spills over her bottom lash. “We are.”
“You’re here?”
“I am. And I’m never leaving.”
“Then all is well,” I tell her, cupping her jaw.
She covers my hand with hers, and the love in her eyes leaves me breathless. “I love you, Quinn, and I swear you’ll never go a day without knowing so.”
My lips tip up at the side, my heart slamming into my ribs, trying to get to her. “I love you, lovebug. Always and forever.”
Her lip trembles and I know she wants to say more, but our audience has another thing in mind. “You can’t do this to me, Quinn.”
I hold Emery close as I glance over at Ava. “I can, and I am.” I look down at my cherubic-cheeked, curly-haired craziness and grin. “I’m hers, and I won’t apologize for that.”
Emery’s eyes glaze over as she reaches up to cup my face. “Don’t ever.”
I turn to kiss her palm, and as I do, I know I never will.
Chapter
Thirty-Nine
Emery
My whole body is vibrating with the urge to rip Ava limb from limb for telling the man I love that I don’t. But when Quinn’s lips touch my fingers, nothing else matters but us. I gaze into his gorgeous blue eyes that remind me of the screen of one of my favorite tracking programs, and I know I’m where I’m supposed to be.
In his arms. Under his gaze. In love with him.
“You’ll lose everything!” Ava spits, and why is she still talking?
I don’t look at her because Quinn doesn’t. He kisses my palm again, and my heart sings in my chest. This man. I can’t believe I got him back. I thread our fingers together, and he gives me a wink before looking over at her. “I won’t be. I have everything right here.”
He squeezes my hip, and I lean closer into him. I don’t want to talk to Ava since I really do hate her, but I can’t help beating a dead horse. “You know, if you tell, you’ll be caught too, and you could lose your license as well.”
Ava’s eyes go wide, her face full of rage as she goes to spew something I’m sure will be a lie, but before she can, Yvette steps forward. “Stop, Ava.”
Ava’s lips are pressed together, and she blows out a long breath. “Yvette.”
“No,” she says, shaking her head. “We’re taking the money, and we’re going to leave this life. I can’t keep doing this. I’m tired of this hold your family has over us. I want to love you freely.”
Ava shakes her head. “No. They won’t accept us.”
“Then fight for us,” Yvette sobs, her face tortured as she holds the gaze of the girl she loves. “Make me enough. Fight for me.” She looks away, her voice breaking as she continues. “I have never watched someone fight so desperately the way Emery has for Quinn. She has done everything to atone for her mistakes and has done nothing but prove how much she loves him. Do that for me, Ava. Fight for me.”
Silence falls over the room as I watch Ava’s face scrunch up in dismay. I feel Quinn’s lips at my ear as he whispers, “I don’t know how I feel about you teaming up with her.”
I grin before turning to meet his eyes. “I would do anything for you. I had to work with someone close. She was it.”
“I’m sorry about all this.”
I shake my head. “There is nothing to be sorry for. I messed up, and I had to fix it. I had to prove to you that I never stopped loving you.”
“You didn’t have to prove anything,” he insists, shaking his head. “I should have been patient. I should have fought—”
“Quinnifer, we both know I am hell on wheels, and when I have my mind set, it’s a problem.”
He tries to hide his grin. “I know that firsthand since you dug up everything I told you not to and tried to fix it for me.”
I nod. “Yeah. So?”
“So? I told you I had this.”
“But why do it alone when we can do it together?” I raise my brow in challenge, and he can only chuckle.
“And you were going to pay her off?”
I nod. “I’d pay her twenty times over for you. You’re worth every single dollar.”
“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.”