All of this shit I had in my life was just money. Money that as a kid I would have done anything for. Hell, I had. I had sold my soul to the devil to get money, to make sure Mum didn't have to worry about how she was going to feed me, to make sure that Darcy got the best care. I’d understood what money meant. Money equaled power. It gave access and privilege. And growing up, I'd had none.

  And then she'd come roaring back into my life and forced me to confront what my priorities really were. There was no making her go away. There was no stopping this. I loved her. I always had.

  That morning, walking behind Emma up to the helipad while staring at her ass, my hands were itching to touch her again. All I was able to think about was that tight, naked arse walking in front of me last night. About how she'd shed every article of clothing she’d had on the further she walked away from me, and then the fear and panic that had seized my heart when the folder had fallen open.

  In that moment, I’d seen all hope for us die. I’d assumed she’d believe the lies. That she’d reject me like my father had done. But she’d surprised me… again. She’d believed me. Believed in me.

  That’s what love looks like, you piece of gobshite.

  I made it through the first planning meeting of the day. I was anxious. Itchy to get back to her. I knew that I was going to pick her up for lunch, and I worried that was going to put her in the crosshairs with Middleton.

  Sending security and a car was one thing, but I really wanted to be there myself. I had to find a way to act normal.

  Later at work, there was a knock at my door, and I glanced up to find my mum in the doorway. "Mum, everything all right?"

  I started to push to my feet, and she waved me back down. "Yeah, it's our off day, remember? The restaurant's closed. I was done with the shopping in SoHo, so I figured I’d just come up and say hi. See if you have time for a cuppa."

  My automatic response was to say no. Who had time for that? Fuck. I had a mountain of work and a wife to manage. And a maniac trying to kill us. And a father with an apparent grudge.

  "Mum, I'm really busy."

  "Oh come on, I already have the tea."

  She held up a thermos, and I sighed. "So, let me guess, you just wanted to take a quick walk and talk to me about how I'm ruining my life?"

  She nodded. “Also this tea is spiked.”

  I rolled my eyes. "We've got ten minutes."

  "My son, so important. So important you barged your way through my vagina a full three weeks ahead of schedule.”

  “Christ, mum, gross.”

  She ignored my horror. “A man of importance who does not allow himself to see what's in front of his face. Namely, a woman who loves him, but we’ll get to that."

  I sighed. I'd known she would start mothering me. After last night at Ben's and the way she texted me afterward to say that it had been nice to see Emma, I'd known. And I was powerless to stop it, because at the end of the day, my mother was desperate to see me happy. And she’d always hated Mina.

  Once we were outside in the square, there was the usual bustle of people and the scent of spring in the air, a slight dampness as well, but that was London. And it wasn't supposed to rain today, but everywhere I turned people had their umbrellas with them, just in case because… London.

  "So, have you apologized yet?"

  I sighed. "We’ve talked. We’re good."

  She lifted a brow. "Just like that?”

  I swallowed hard. She didn’t need to know what my father had done. What he thought I could be capable of. “No, not just like that. We have some things to work out, but we're getting there.” That much at least was the truth. “She and I… There's no getting away from it. Emma Varma is basically in my blood.”

  “I'm so glad you know it because I didn't raise you to be a ball sack that will crumble at the slightest hint of difficulty, Bridge. I raised you to be open and to take care of people's feelings."

  "And I do take care, particularly of yours and Darcy's. And now Emma’s."

  "Emma is your wife. This whole closed-off thing you have with her won't work long-term. You're going to have to figure out how to let someone love you. You let your mates in. You let me in. You have to let Emma in."

  "You gave birth to me, you don't count."

  "You let Darcy in as well."

  "She's my sister."

  She rolled her eyes. "That means nothing."

  I shrugged. "Darcy is Darcy. How can I not let her in? She's bloody poking all the time. Looking for a flaw in the system."

  Mum grinned. “You look happy. Does Emma make you happy?"

  It didn't take me even a second to formulate the answer in my head. "Yeah."

  "Then really forgive her. You can't do what you always do and hold people at arm’s length. Even you aren't meant to be alone. It's going to eat you alive, and then she will, in fact, walk away. And I don't want to see you if she leaves. I know your whole thing is that you don't need anyone, but I think you do need Emma. I think she's exactly what you need to tamp down that driving desire for control. Your whole life, you’ve tried to control every situation so that you can protect your loved ones. Whether it's me, your sister, or your mates. And for once in your life, you have to protect yourself. You never ever think about protecting yourself. You never think about what you want, what you need, and I think Emma does that. She makes you feel selfish, but sometimes it's good to think about ourselves and what we want, what we need, and how we get there."

  She was my mum. I knew she was perceptive. But seeing how well she saw through me was unnerving. " I'll work on it, Mum."

  My mother snorted. It was the most indelicate sound. She also looked insanely young when she did it. " You do that. Just don't make the same mistakes you always do.”

  “What mistakes?”

  She sighed as if exhausted that I still didn't see it. “You have let your father control every aspect of your life since you were eleven years old. I know why you said you were going to go to his stupid fancy school. I know why you said you were going to join his stupid fancy secret society. All for selfish reasons. He's been trying to control you. Mold you into his image. All because he never had another son. But you are your own person, Bridge. You can decide for yourself. Stop letting him control you. So what if she met with your father? Maybe she did it for you."

  I frowned at that. She had done that for me. And moving forward it was my responsibility to make sure she never had to deal with him again. "She needs to stay away from him."

  “Don’t let him ruin your life, love."

  "He’s certainly doing his best. He planted a woman in my life, Mum. Planted her there for three long years. Sometimes it's hard to see around that."

  She shook her head at me. "You have to. Mina did a number on you. I recognize that. But Emma isn't her. Get your head out of your arse before you lose her."

  I frowned at my mother. "Did you just tell me to get my head out of my arse?"

  "Yes, yes I did."

  "Don't you always tell me I have a big head?"

  She nodded. "Yes, I do. But you know, on average, the arse can fit seven inches. And did you know that the average raccoon can squeeze into four-inch spaces? While your head is too big for your arse, you can fit two full-grown raccoons in there."

  I coughed and sputtered. "What?"

  She laughed. "See? I thought that would catch your attention. Pull your head out of your arse before you lose her."

  And that was something I wasn’t going to allow.

  Fourteen

  Emma

  Bridge was right.

  I was never going to admit that out loud to his face, but he was right about this. Attempting to meet my mysterious note giver was dangerous. For all I knew it was Middleton trying to lure me out. Although, I didn't really understand why he would bother with these notes and clandestine phone calls unless he wanted to take out his partners.

  Or maybe he had someone who would talk?

  I frowned at that, trying to figure out how I could get these answers. I was still under tight watch. Alex was my watchdog while I was working in the building. If I went to client meetings I had a very close guard. A couple of times they'd acted as my assistants and taken notes. James had excellent penmanship. But I needed to get answers, and if I wanted to meet my mysterious note giver, or at least draw him out, I was going to need help.

  I chewed my bottom lip, considering my options. I didn't want to create an even deeper chasm between me and my friends. I loved them all. And I had been reckless, and honestly, forced them to make some decisions that they might not have been ready for. But they were my friends. I sent an SOS to the girls' group chat as I watched the happenings outside the glass of Middleton Communications.

  Everywhere I looked, people were bustling around or mumbling seriously on the phone with clients. I felt like I was deliberately being given a smaller client load. Sure, I was on the Weston Price thing, but that meant Middleton was breathing down my neck at every turn. Which was not conducive to getting anything done. I had a couple smaller complaint cases, but they didn't require too much time. My job was essentially corporate crisis prevention NDAs and the like, basically finding loopholes. I was good at finding loopholes.

  It was so funny that I spent my days trying to close a new loophole, while I spent my nights trying to create as many as possible for myself.

  Emma: I know this is risky, stupid even. But, I want to flush out the note sender.

  Amelia: ...

  Telly: Hell, yes. We've always said that we should have been looking for him in the first place.

  Livy: Telly, when have you said this?

  Ariel: Do you have any idea what time it is over here?

  Penny: Ariel, like you're asleep. And I was just up with Cara. Nightmare. So I'm awake. Sure note giver. But don't go alone.

  Nyla: This is a bad idea. Of course I'm in.

  Telly: High five emoji

  Amelia: ...

  Livy: Aren't you already in a heap of trouble?

  Telly: Don't be a party pooper, Liv.

  Livy: Sigh. If you're going to insist on doing this, obviously I should probably plan it out.

  Jessa: Can you at least wait until I’m in town?

  Emma: I don't actually want you guys involved. It's dangerous. Your husbands would kill me. All of them. Though I'm probably most afraid of Prince Lucas.

  Bryna: Hey, I'm helping on heists now. He'd be excited. Pissed off if we left him

  out of it.

  I sighed. God, this whole trial by group chat was annoying.

  Emma: Guys, again no guys. And I'm just telling you and looking for ideas on how I could go about it. I don't actually want you involved.

  Amelia: If you're serious, we can come up with something, but this is a shitty idea.

  Nyla: Amelia's right. Shitty idea. But never say I don't like taking risks.

  Amelia: Eye roll emoji

  Livy: Screaming face emoji

  Telly: Laughing emoji

  Bryna and Jessa both came back with the sad face Emoji.

  Ariel: Are you seriously going to do this without us?

  Emma: First of all, Ariel you're not here. Neither is Jessa or Penny, so yeah, sorry.

  Jessa: Hey, I'll be there in a week. If you can wait a week I can help.

  Why was this so hard? I'd grown up most of my life with my brother away and my mother half of her former self. And always alone. Now I had family I couldn't get rid of. I sighed.

  Emma: Anyone have ideas on how to ditch my security?

  Amelia: Screaming face emoji

  Livy: Side eye emoji No. You're not ditching them. Whatever you have to do has to be in plain sight. No more risks remember. Bridge wouldn't survive that.

  Shit. Everyone had just gotten over the fact that I'd gone to meet his dad. There was no way I was going to be able to do this without security.

  Telly: Well, you could tell them you were meeting a particularly cagey client and they needed to keep a little more distance. So while you are still protected as much as possible, you could meet and speak to them alone.

  I chewed my bottom lip. That was a possibility. Because Livy was right, I couldn't do that to Bridge again. I deserve his ire for meeting with his father. I did. I knew that. He deserved mine for kidnapping and terrifying me. I understood why he was doing this. For the same reason he was always doing everything. A promise he’d made to my brother.

  You know he loves you.

  I was not thinking about that right now. We had a whole slew of other issues.

  Emma: Okay. I have a couple of ideas. Sorry Team Winston Isles, Jessa unless you can be here within the next couple of days, I'll have to do this without you.

  Jessa: I was supposed to be there on Friday. But if you have to do it without me fair enough. I want to hear all about it though.

  Emma: You got it. Anyone in Team London Lords have ideas for how the hell we're going to flush this guy out?

  Nyla: Tell him you're unwilling to move anything forward. Your life is in danger. You have to meet face to face so that you know you can trust him.

  Could it be that simple? Demanding a meeting or saying that I wasn't doing this anymore? But he apparently knew me well enough to know that I would do it, didn't he? After all, I’d gone this far. But maybe he’d believe that after marrying Bridge, the stakes were too high for me now.

  Emma: That might actually work. No way I would agree to meet him alone.

  Amelia: I'll come. I'm not as in the mix as the others. Tell him you and a friend are coming, otherwise, the deal's off.

  Emma: I don't even know how to reach the guy.

  Nyla: He’s obviously watching you, paying attention to your moves. He'll find you. And when he does contact you next, be really clear.

  Emma: Isn't there a way to exacerbate this. Move it faster?

  Livy: I don't think so. You have to wait until he contacts you again. That's the play. We'll keep the guys off your back. But you actually have to talk to us this time.

  I winced. Yep, she was still mad.

  Emma: Okay, I guess I'll figure out where the hell to buy some patience. In the meantime, no blabbing.

  Telly: Straight faced emoji.

  I felt better with even a small semblance of a plan and knowing my friends had my back. The one part I didn't like was having to wait on someone else.

  Fifteen

  Bridge

  How was it that I had no idea what to say to my wife except lift up your skirt? Even worse was that she knew she had my number.

  “You're staring at me, Bridge.”

  I smirked at her as she looked up from her monstrous burger and grinned when I saw she had the secret sauce in the corner of her lip. “I just like the view.”

  Her brow furrowed. “And that's what we're doing now? Secret glances, come-hither stares, the two of us pretending like we're not dying to jump each other’s bones?”

  “So, you wanna jump my bones, do you?”

  She sat back, the secret sauce still there on the corner of her lip. “Only since I was old enough to know what jumping bones meant.”

  That simple phrase. Her telling me that she wanted me all that time twisted me up inside.

  You were a fool for never seeing it, for never taking advantage of it.

  “Well, that makes two of us.”

  She shrugged. “I honestly thought you hated me.”

  “I just knew I shouldn't touch you. Toby trusted me with you.”

  Emma rolled her eyes. “Don't start making that face.”

  “What face?”

  “You know, that one where you start locking everything down and thinking, ‘Wow, I should honor his wishes.’ Toby's gone. Besides, he’d be thrilled in all honesty.”

  “I know that. He really would have been. Mostly because even if he was here, we wouldn't have been able to keep it under lockdown. Eventually, something would have happened that made him see it, and then there would have been an awkward conversation, but he’d have been happy for us. Sooner or later, we were inevitable, Emma.” I could see that now. I’d wasted so much time.

  She grinned at me then. “I'm so glad you see it that way. I really do love being right you know.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Don't gloat.”

  “But gloating is so sexy on me, haven’t you noticed?”

  All I could do was shake my head. She leaned forward and took another monstrous bite, and I chuckled to myself.

  “Okay, what's so funny?” she said with her mouth full.

  Instead of telling her, I stood up and walked around my desk with my napkin. When I approached, her gaze flickered down to my zipper, which gave me all kinds of other ideas. But I was behaving myself. I reached out for her chin and lifted it gently, using my napkin to wipe the corner of her mouth. “Emma, you've had secret sauce on your lips for the last ten minutes.”

  She frowned up at me. “You're terrible. You should have told me.” Her eyes studied me seriously for a minute. “What gives, Bridge? You've been walking on eggshells. Tell me what's wrong.”

  I sat against my desk instead of indulging in what would have been the easier thing. Kissing her would have been easy. Melting into our connection would have been simple. My mother was right. I couldn't let my past dictate who I was and what was important to me. How I maneuvered. “I’ve just got a lot on my mind. Given everything that we know, I'm worried. The last thing I want to do is let you go back to Middleton. I want to go back to plan A and put you on a plane to the Winston Isles.”

  “What happens to Mum if I run? To our plans? Obviously, nothing would happen to Francis Middleton.”

  “I'll figure something out,” I muttered under my breath.

  “We.”

  I frowned down at her. “What do you mean, we?”

  “We are a team now, remember? This isn't all on you. We're trying to figure it out, and we will as a team.”

  I couldn't hide the smile that tugged at my lips. “It takes getting used to.”