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CHAPTER THIRTEEN

“I really think a champion is defined not by their wins, but by how they can recover when they fall.”

~ Serena Williams

Saros

I’d had Mike scouring every facet of the Internet to gather information on Em, but in one fell swoop Martha, my cook, had gotten more out of him than Mike could find.

November. It was a unique name, and I liked it. What I didn’t like was the reason for the name. When he’d explained that his parents hadn’t wanted him, my mind went to all scenarios, mostly to wondering if his parents had sold him to Ramsey or something like that.

Em had been through enough, so I didn’t want to press him for more right now. I’d let Mike know what I’d found out and see what he could do with it.

“I got you some comfortable clothes. I’ll arrange to get more clothing for you.”

“You don’t need to buy me clothes. I mean, I doubt Ramsey is going to hand over any of the ones I have there, but it’s too much.”

I placed the folded clothes at the bottom of the bed. “I’ll decide what’s too much, Em.”

He nodded and began eating. I watched as he closed his eyes briefly, savoring the taste as if he hadn’t eaten anything so wonderful in his life. And while it should make me happy to provide him with nourishment, I found it only angered me more.

“Paulo gave me these.” I put some pills on his tray. “To help with the pain. After you’ve eaten, take them and get some rest. We can talk more in the morning.”

I turned to leave, but Em’s voice stopped me.

“Ramsey isn’t going to just let me go. I’ve told you that.”

I faced him and regarded his worried expression. “I cease to care what Ramsey Brookes wants. As of tomorrow his life is about to change, and not for the better. He’ll be too busy trying to save the sinking ship he’s standing in to be able to retaliate against me.”

“You’ll start a war because of me? How ridiculous.” He scoffed and sipped his water.

“Wars have started over far less reasons. While, yes, you’re a factor in this, you’ve lifted the veil for me. I wasn’t paying very close attention to him. He wasn’t making waves. But it appears he actually was. For that alone, I’ll set him to rights.”

“H…how?”

“Rest, Em. You need to sleep—and I mean really sleep, and heal, and get stronger.”

His brow crinkled, but he didn’t say anything more. This time when I made to leave, he let me.

By the time morning came, I wasn’t well rested. If anything, I was more agitated. Mike had people digging through the web, and Cosmo and Benny had ears to the ground. I was curious what the mumblings were overnight and told Cosmo, Benny, and Mike to meet me for breakfast.

First, I wanted to check on Em. Dressed and ready for the day, I knocked on his door, hoping he too was up.

“Come in,” a soft voice answered.

I entered the room and Em was sitting up. At some point, he’d changed into the sweats I’d given him.

“Good morning.” I approached the bed. “Sleep well?”

“Yeah, pretty much. The bed is really comfortable, but I woke a few times, forgetting where I was.”

I chuckled. “I get that way sometimes at hotels.”

Em seemed nervous, and I imagined he had a lot of overwhelming thoughts and with the unknown in front of him, that had to be scary.

“I have a meeting this morning, and Martha will bring up breakfast for you. Afterward, I thought you and I could talk a little more.”

“Uh, okay, about what?”

I had a very good memory and listened when people talked. “Last night, at the club, you said you had more to tell me, remember?”

He cocked his head, eyes shifting, and then…realization. “Oh, yeah, I do!”

“Good, and I want to hear it all.”

“Your meeting this morning, I’m not inviting myself. But maybe something I have to tell you should be discussed.”

I wasn’t sure what he meant by that, but I motioned for him to continue.

“Last week, I came to get the pickup for Ramsey, and I thought it was flawless. I did exactly what was asked of me. But a few days ago Ramsey called for me, angry. He argued that you had shown an interest in me—I’m trying to remember his exact words. I swore nothing happened, but he didn’t believe me. I wasn’t about to tell him you offered me a job.”

“How’d he know about what happened at The Vine?”

Em grimaced. “I don’t think he ever thought you and I would be having this conversation, but he slipped and told me that Brandi the bartender informed him.”

Brandi? What the fuck? She’d worked for me for years, had been vetted and everything. “You’re sure he named Brandi?”

“Positive.”

I glanced at his hand. “Is that a result of that conversation?”

He tried to move his hand, hide it. “Yeah,” he whispered.

“Thank you for that information, Em.”

He fiddled with the blanket and I could tell he was sorting through some things, so I gave him a moment to collect his thoughts.

“I…I can come to your meeting if you want. If you’re talking about Ramsey, maybe I could be helpful.”

“I appreciate that, but, Em, you need to rest. Paulo’s orders.”

“I can rest anywhere. I can’t sit in bed all day, I’ll go stir-crazy.”

There was no denying he’d maybe be able to shine a light on things, but I also wasn’t sure what else the guys would say, and upsetting him wasn’t something I wanted to do.

“Paulo is the boss. He told me he was coming over today. Let’s see what he says, can we do that at least?”

He sighed. “I guess. What did Paulo tell you about my exam?”

I’d wondered if he’d ask, and Paulo actually hadn’t told me a whole lot. “He said your pinky is definitely broken, but whoever set it was successful, and it just needs to heal.”

“I did.”

I’d figured. “He informed me there was an exam, and your body told a story that wasn’t his to tell, but that he’s monitoring it and that you asked for his discretion.”

Em’s gaze moved to the window. The curtains were pushed open enough so that he could see the backyard, the garden that was my aunt’s pride and joy.

“Thank you for giving me privacy.”

I reached over and took his unhurt hand in mine. “Em, I hope you do tell me at some point, but I’ll never press. I don’t need details to know the devil exists.”

He looked at me, a smile forming. “It’s hard to believe you’re as scary as everyone says when you’re so kind to me.”

“It’s kindness that’s earned, Em. I won’t ever hurt you. But trust me when I say, I’m a very scary man.”

He squeezed my hand, and it warmed some of the coldness in my heart.

“I’ll wait until Paulo clears me. I do want to shower, actually.”

“I had some clothes delivered. I’ll see that Martha gets them washed and up here this morning as well. We can meet up this afternoon for lunch. Deal?”

His grin widened, and his cheeks blushed. “Deal.”

I left Em with that grin on his face, and I was more than a little surprised by how much his happiness meant to me.